Iceland Six Days Five Nights Travelogue: Journey's Start and a First Day Full of Unexpected Turns

Iceland has always been the country I've most wanted to visit. Auroras, glaciers, volcanoes — for a child born in East Asia, these felt so impossibly out of reach. I really wanted to see with my own eyes what that land actually looked like! That distant and mysterious place had already planted a seed of longing in my heart long ago. This journey began with a Facebook post looking for travel companions, which set the wheels of fate turning and led me into this unforgettable six-day, five-night trip to Iceland. Origin: The appearance of travel companions made my Iceland dream come true When I saw a Hong Kong girl's post about her plans to travel to Iceland, Norway, Finland and other countries, I could only quietly envy her. I never expected that a week later, I would suddenly receive a private message from another travel companion from Taiwan: "Are you still interested in joining me?" I agreed immediately, and my Iceland plan officially kicked off from that moment. We joined a local tour arranged by "Guide to Iceland," originally scheduled as five days and four nights, but it was eventually adjusted to six days and five nights, from March 19 to 24.Iceland experiences frequent volcanic activity. Two days before our departure, we received notice that our originally planned Blue Lagoon tour needed to be postponed, which opened an unexpected chapter of twists in our journey. Day 1: A Day of Departure Full of Setbacks We departed from London and met up with our Taiwan travel companions at Heathrow Airport, eagerly anticipating the start of our Iceland adventure. However, fate played a joke on us first—just one hour after takeoff, the captain announced: a crack had appeared on the window, and we had to return. In that moment, my mind filled with various dramatic scenarios, but fortunately we successfully returned to London. The airline originally said they would reassign a plane for the midday slot, but when I went to the airport to collect the compensation, they changed their story and said it couldn't be arranged until 2pm. I used the compensation to have brunch at the airport, wander around, and then wait bitterly at the gate, with the time being pushed back again and again, until finally at 3:30 in the evening I was able to board another flight to Iceland.

▲ Pricey brunch that costs NT$1,000 when paired with a cocktail Landing in Iceland: a baptism of frozen land and bone-chilling wind As the plane began its descent, the landscape of southwestern Iceland came into view — the ground blanketed in white, a land locked in ice. A few minutes later, signs of life gradually emerged on the ground: yellow earth, highways, a scattering of buildings. The closer we got to the airport, the more man-made structures gradually appeared.

Flights to Iceland are not very frequent, and the queues at immigration don't take too long. The inspection is not very strict (they just asked to confirm which hotel I was staying at), and I successfully passed through immigration in about 20 minutes. Following the agent's instructions, I obtained a bus ticket to the city center. The journey from the airport to the city takes about 1 hour. I arrived in the city center at 8 o'clock, and amazingly, it was still bright outside!? However, the cold wind was biting, and since I was still wearing clothes suitable for English temperatures, I was shivering from the cold. Braving the strong wind, I struggled to drag my luggage to my accommodation, but my mood was joyful!

This is our accommodation in Iceland, Norðurey Guesthouse. It's a small space, barely enough room on either side for two people's luggage, and the bathroom is shared, but it has a fully equipped kitchen, and my favorite—a coffee machine. First look at the city: landmarks in the night and dinner Tonight's northern lights tour was canceled due to the weather, so we switched to exploring the city on our own. After putting on our Iceland gear, we visited Reykjavik's most iconic landmarks: Hallgrímskirkja Church: its exterior architecture draws inspiration from basalt landscapes, standing proudly on high ground in the city center Rainbow Street: the pathway in front of the church is paved with colorful stripes, fully showcasing the Nordic minimalist design style

Afterwards we headed to the popular restaurant Íslenski barinn. Even though it was already nine at night, there was still a long line at the door. We kept hearing people chatting in Chinese — it turns out this place blew up on Xiaohongshu, becoming a pilgrimage spot for Chinese tourists visiting Iceland. We ordered three dishes recommended online: Lobster burger: seasoning was ordinary, visually eye-catching but the flavor wasn't deep Whale steak: looked like beef steak, but the taste was somewhat sour, like eating sashimi Lamb soup: piping hot, with a rich tomato flavor, reminiscent of the Russian-style borscht from Harbin The average cost per person was about NT$1,100, which isn't cheap, but is considered reasonable for Iceland.

Concert Hall and Sun Voyager: The Artistic Soul of Reykjavik After the meal, we continued walking along the seaside attractions: Harpa Concert Hall: The glass curtain wall design was inspired by Iceland's basalt columns. Even amid the financial crisis, it was insisted upon and completed, symbolizing the Icelandic people's devotion to culture

Sun Voyager: A Viking ship sculpture, symbolizing hope and freedom, standing in the North Atlantic wind, especially moving

Around midnight, we received a notification from the Aurora app, and although we stepped out of the hotel full of anticipation, the sky was still thick with clouds. We could only console ourselves: "It's only the first day, there will still be chances later." Conclusion: We didn't see the aurora, but we'll remember this day We didn't see the aurora on the first day, but those moments of waiting, turning back, and dragging our luggage through the cold wind became the most unforgettable memories instead. This journey began with a "sudden change," but precisely because of that, I'm even more convinced — true travel doesn't lie in the plan, but in the unexpected. Explore more of the fantastic 6-day 5-night journey in Iceland! 👉 【Iceland 6-Day Essential Self-Guided Tour Guide】Itinerary Planning × Local Group Experience × Estimated Costs Get a full picture of the itinerary and plan your dream trip to Iceland! 👉 Iceland 6-Day 5-Night Travelogue: The Start of the Journey and a Bumpy First Day Arriving in Iceland, strolling through Reykjavik 👉 Iceland 6-Day 5-Night Travelogue: Snæfellsnes Peninsula One-Day Tour Guide and Hidden Gems Exploration Explore Iceland's enchanting peninsula and capture its magnificent natural scenery. 👉 Iceland Six Days Five Nights Travelogue: Golden Circle One-Day Tour Classic Attractions and Guide Feel the stunning charm of Iceland's classic attractions and gain memories you'll treasure for a lifetime. 👉 Iceland Six Days Five Nights Travelogue: Exploring the Magnificent Black Sand Beach and Waterfall Tour of Southern VIK (Part 1) Step into the mysterious world of VIK and feel the natural beauty of the south. 👉 Iceland Six Days Five Nights Travelogue: The Blue Ice Cave Wonder and a Night of Auroras — Southern Adventure (Part 2) Experience the Blue Ice Cave adventure firsthand and capture the dazzling wonder of the Northern Lights. 👉 6 Days 5 Nights in Iceland: A Helicopter Volcano-Viewing Adventure, Overlooking the Magnificent Lava Land Fly over Iceland's volcanic landscape and enjoy a one-of-a-kind adventure journey.