Beyond the Itinerary are stories from the places we’re going — and the things that stay with us. Sole Sister travel adventures take care of the itinerary. The things that happen beyond it are up to all of us.
What do you get when you combine active volcanoes, enormous glaciers, endless summer daylight, and a cabin in the middle of nowhere?
In my case, one of the most memorable family adventures I've ever had.
I've always been fascinated by northern climates and the communities that live in them. There's something about remote places, extreme weather, and the people who have adapted to living in those environments that I find endlessly interesting. Iceland, with its volcanoes, glaciers, Viking history, and extraordinary landscapes, had been on my radar for years.
My first real introduction to Iceland as a travel destination came through my stepsister and her husband, who attended a music festival there shortly after the 2008 financial crisis. Iceland was experiencing enormous economic turmoil, but their stories of the country, its landscapes and its people made it sound wonderfully exotic.
I tucked the idea away, never imagining the circumstances that would eventually take me there.
A Trip My Dad Never Got to Take
When my father was alive, he had a wonderful tradition of taking each of my children on a special trip to celebrate their Bar or Bat Mitzvah, the Jewish coming-of-age ceremony traditionally celebrated around age thirteen.
These weren't ordinary holidays. They were opportunities for my dad to spend time with each grandchild, sharing an adventure that belonged just to them.
My daughter went to the Galápagos Islands and Machu Picchu. My older son travelled through Europe and attended the 2012 Olympics in London.
When it came time for my youngest son, Sam, he and my dad decided on Iceland.
Unfortunately, my father became ill with cancer and died before they could take their trip.
My brother Paul and I decided that Sam should still have his Icelandic adventure, so the three of us began planning a ten-day journey. It would be a different trip from the one my father had imagined, but I think he would have been delighted that we were going.
A Cabin in the Middle of Nowhere
While planning our trip, I asked Sam to do a little research into what he wanted to see and where he might like to stay.
His answer was wonderfully specific.
"I want to stay in a cabin in the middle of nowhere."
Fair enough.
So I did what any resourceful mother would do. I Googled "cabin in the middle of nowhere in Iceland."
And there it was, on Airbnb!
Iceland certainly delivers when it comes to the middle of nowhere. Much of the country's population lives in and around Reykjavík, leaving enormous stretches of countryside that feel almost impossibly remote.
For three people setting off on a summer adventure, it was perfect.
When the Sun Refuses to Go to Bed
We travelled in July, when Iceland experiences almost continuous daylight. Even in the middle of the night, the sky never becomes completely dark.
It's a strange and wonderful sensation, particularly when you're on holiday and have absolutely no reason to go to bed at a sensible hour.
The weather was another story.
We seemed to experience three or four seasons every day. One minute we'd be hiking in sunshine, and the next we'd be pulling on waterproof jackets as the wind and rain swept across the landscape. We were constantly adding and shedding layers.
Fortunately, we had come prepared for an adventure.
We hiked every day, exploring landscapes unlike anything I'd experienced before. Waterfalls tumbled over enormous cliffs, steaming geothermal areas reminded us that the earth beneath our feet was very much alive, and vast stretches of moss-covered lava seemed to extend forever.
Then there were the hot springs.
There is something quite extraordinary about soaking in naturally heated water in the middle of a remote Icelandic landscape, particularly after a day spent hiking in unpredictable weather.
I could have happily made an entire holiday out of that alone.
A Country That Keeps You Guessing
Iceland sits directly on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, where the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates are slowly pulling apart. It's one of the few places in the world where you can see evidence of this geological activity above sea level.
And, as we discovered, you can even snorkel in the fissure between them!
One of the most memorable experiences of our trip was snorkelling in Silfra, a fissure in Þingvellir National Park, where the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates are moving apart.
The water is extraordinarily clear, filtered through porous volcanic rock before entering the fissure. It's also absolutely freezing, so we were bundled into dry suits before taking the plunge.
Floating through that impossibly clear, brilliant blue water, knowing we were swimming through a fissure in the boundary zone between two continents, was quite something. How many places in the world offer an experience like that?
It was one more reminder of just how extraordinary Iceland's geology really is.
Active volcanoes, enormous glaciers, steaming geothermal fields, black sand beaches and powerful waterfalls all exist within a relatively small country. I remember being completely overwhelmed by the scenery. Every day seemed to reveal something even more remarkable than the day before.
Coming from Toronto, I also wasn't accustomed to driving through such vast, open landscapes with so few people around. Iceland has a way of making you appreciate just how small you are in the grand scheme of things.
It's an oddly comforting feeling.
More Than a Family Holiday
Looking back, I think what made our Iceland trip so memorable was the combination of an extraordinary destination and the circumstances that brought us there.
We were fulfilling a plan my father had made with Sam, and we were doing it together.
There was plenty of laughter, lots of hiking, and the usual family negotiations about where to go next and how much more walking everyone was prepared to do.
We had ten days to explore a country that none of us knew particularly well, and every day brought something new.
Iceland turned out to be the perfect destination for that kind of adventure. It was a place where we could spend our days outdoors, experience things we'd never seen before, and enjoy being together.
I'm grateful that Paul and I were able to give Sam the trip his grandfather had wanted him to have.
And I like to think Dad would have approved of the cabin.
A Different Kind of Summer Adventure
In August 2027, a group of Sole Sisters will have the opportunity to discover some of the Icelandic landscapes that made such an impression on me.
Their adventure begins in Reykjavík, where they'll have an extra day to recover from their journey and explore Iceland's colourful capital before heading along the spectacular south coast.
This is where Iceland really begins to show off.
The group will visit enormous waterfalls, explore black sand beaches and winding canyons, and encounter the immense Vatnajökull glacier. They'll cruise among the floating icebergs of Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon and visit nearby Diamond Beach, where pieces of glacial ice wash ashore and sparkle against the black volcanic sand.
For those who want to get even closer to the ice, there's an optional guided glacier walk.
After their south coast adventure, the Sole Sisters will return to Reykjavík for a free day of exploring or relaxing in a geothermal pool before gathering for a farewell dinner.
Beyond the Itinerary
I hope the women travelling to Iceland experience some of the same wonder that Paul, Sam and I felt during our ten days there. It's a country that constantly surprises you, whether it's the landscape around the next bend or the weather changing for the fourth time before lunch.
But I also hope they discover how much fun it is to share those experiences with other women. There will undoubtedly be some windblown hair, soggy hiking boots, plenty of laughter and photographs that don't begin to capture the scale of what they've seen.
And perhaps they'll have a few of those wonderful moments when everyone simply stops talking because the view is so extraordinary.
For me, Iceland will always be connected to my father, my brother and my son, and the adventure we shared in honour of a trip that never happened quite the way it was originally planned. The Sole Sisters travelling there next August will have their own reasons for going, and I'm looking forward to hearing the stories they bring home.
Come Ramble With Us
Sole Sister Ramblers is heading to Iceland in August 2027, bringing together a small group of women aged 45 and beyond for an Intrepid adventure in the land of fire and ice.
If Iceland has been on your travel wish list, here's your chance to discover it in the company of women who share your appetite for adventure.
Just remember to pack your raincoat.
Learn More > Sole Sister Travel Adventures
Read More > Beyond the Itinerary
Leave a comment