Day 3: I fell asleep last night before I could post my write-up but I got up around 4:30am, got ready for bed, finished it and posted it. I laid back down around 8am and actually bought a flight for next month (Denver-I wasn’t looking but I was looking). I got up and stayed up around 9am and went down and had breakfast. Our snorkeling tour was set to pick us up around noon from the hotel so we had some time. After breakfast, I caught up with the Youtube channel (Empressive) that I frequently watch and we got ready to go downstairs.

Our tour today was provided by Artic Adventures and Casper (our guide) was on point with picking us up on time. By the end of picking everyone up we had about 12 people in our group and were on our way to Thingvellir National Park for Silfra Snorkeling. At one point I looked out of the window and it was snowing snowing like all white everything. Casper joked and said that this is what hell really feels like. Here’s a little bit of what we were told about snorkeling:

• The snorkeling suit is 2 part suit: There’s 1 hot suit and 1 dry suit

• Your lips and forehead are bare

• Less movement the better

• Move your legs like frogs

• Keep hands at water level or behind

• Silfra means silver

• You can see up to 110 meters

• The 1st Parliament was in Thingvellir

• Lava fields are protected

We changed outside in the snow and we were all cold. Once everything was on it actually didn’t feel as bad but I think everyone’s hands were freezing. We were given a tutorial and in 2’s headed into the water.

I’m not going to lie, I was nervous. I am not a water girl at all, I don’t know how to swim and have never been snorkeling before so I wasn’t sure how well I would do. Well I didn’t do well at all. Got suited up and everything but I couldn’t 1) Figure out how to keep water out of the snorkeling tube (I felt like I kept swallowing water) and 2) The safety position I just couldn’t quite get so there was no point in continuing. I wish there was an opportunity to have practiced but the guide needed to continue with the rest of the group so I tapped out. I will say though, my friend Kassandra pushed through and she enjoyed the experience.

I went back and changed back into my clothes and waited with another woman who was unable to finish due to fear of how deep the water was (she said she was from the Dominican Republic but lives in Rockville, MD…what are the chances?). As I waited in the van I warmed up as it was snowing outside. We waited until everyone arrived back and we headed back to Reykjaik. Casper dropped us back off at our hotel and we were basically in for the evening with the exception of going out later because I wanted a burger.

I’m super sleepy now and this is probably one of the shortest write-ups I’ve done seeing as though I didn’t go through with the activity and that was all that we had planned today. I don’t know why I’m exhausted (although now that I think about it I may know why). Tomorrow is our last full day here and it should be an exciting one.