Hi All,
Many of you ask me what I do to celebrate the end of tax season after working long hours everyday for months on end. One thing I do year after year that consistently gives me something to look forward to all tax season is to go on a nice vacation planned well before tax season begins.
I have a very long list of places I would like to travel to - a bucket list. I find traveling to be one of the most rewarding activities I can think of doing. I always enjoy the thrill of discovering something new and interesting, seeing the land, experiencing the culture, history, cuisine and people. I also learn something about myself (and the ones I am traveling with) in the process.
Last year after tax season, I took my wife Dawn and younger daughter Caroline to Iceland. I had meticulously planned this 14 day trip. To prepare for a trip I begin by reading several guide books, scouring the internet, talking to people who have already been to where I am going and if there is a National Geographic article about this place you can bet I have read it.
Last May, we flew into Reykjavik and went directly to the famed Blue Lagoon where we soaked in the healing water, had mud masks and a terrific lunch while overlooking the lagoon. In the course of the 2 weeks we drove 800 miles around Ring Road and experienced a wide variety of climates, terrains, vistas, museums, black sand beaches, the Arctic ocean, Diamond beach, whale watching, icebergs at Glacier Lagoon, hiking, Europe's most powerful waterfall in Vatnajokull National Park, volcanoes, Petra’s rock garden, Icelandic ponies with manes that look like a mullet haircut from the 80's, saw the lava field where Game of Thrones was filmed, walked on Viking ruins from 1104 and met many kind and thoughtful people.
After our first night of sleeping in Iceland exhausted from staying up for 20 hours straight we realized that in the area of Iceland where we were visiting, it did not get dark. We realized this the next night when we hurried to get to our next town before dark only to realize that dark never came. One of our neighbors was outside with a chain saw at 2am cutting wood. Some of the places we rented had hot tubs and when we filled the tub with the water that came out of the garden hose, it was super hot due to the geothermal influence. The water was the most pure and delicious water I have ever tasted and is loaded with natural minerals. It is so delicious that most people drink the tap water at restaurants instead of ordering bottled water.
Iceland is a country worth visiting again only our next visit will be in the winter so we can see the Northern lights and explore ice caves. Below are some photos from my journey that I though you'd enjoy.
This year our vacation will be delayed due to the uncertainty of the COVID-19 virus. Please do your best to stay healthy and well.
I'd love to hear about the interesting places you have visited. As always, thank you for being a valued client.
Best,
Charles
Blue Lagoon-famous for their mud masks and healing waters.
Reykjavik
Diamond Beach
Reynisfjara
Reynisfjara
Whale watching on Iceland Sea
Whale sighting-
"Lundi" Atlantic Puffin
One woman's passion of rock collecting lasted a lifetime of 89 years and is a testament to the vastness of geology in East Iceland with at least 100,000 stones.
Very healthy and terrific food at the Settlement Center Museum
Field of purple lupines
Icelandic ponies manes looks like a mullet haircut from the 1980's
Glacier lagoon
Seyoisfjorour
Skaftarhreppur
Rangarbing eystra
Norourbing
Icelandic sheep
Seyoisfjorour
