Sixth Form Trip to Iceland
The Lower Sixth trip to Iceland was certainly the most exciting Geography trips ever! As a result of the Eyjafallajokull eruption our stay in the country was four days longer than planned. However we had a brilliant time and saw so much more than we expected.
Before our trip both girls and teachers had been anticipating a view of the erupting volcano but to our disappointment on our arrival we were told that it had stopped erupting. Two days later it started to erupt again and as a consequence we had to change our plans and travel the long way round the island to return to Reykjavik.
At no time were we in any danger and we were really impressed by the calmness of the Icelandic people and the efficiency of the emergency operation. We heard of other schools which had to be evacuated and which had their trip cut short but we were staying in a safe location and the eruption allowed us to enjoy some wonderful sights and experiences.
The highlight of the trip for most was a visit to the “Blue Lagoon of the North”, a geothermally heated pool in the remote lava fields of north Iceland. We enjoyed bathing in the warm water whilst the air temperature of -6o Celsius meant that our hair froze! Our Icelandic guide Oli organised a pizza delivery to the pool. Other highlights included the geysers, the iceberg lagoon at Jokulsarlon and the glaciers.
Both our excellent guide, Olafur Magnusson, and our coach driver stayed with us for 7 days and this proved a great help in organising the extra time and making the most of the experience. Also many thanks go to Dan at "Discover the World" who offered magnificent support. All in all it was the trip of a lifetime: an experience never to be forgotten!
Sarah Coggin
