Tuesday, March 26, 2013

Iceland & the Northern Lights

We arrived in Reykjavik yesterday afternoon.  Our reason for coming here was to try to see the Northern Lights, which are particularly active this winter.  So, the first thing we did after checking into our hotel, was to book a 'Northern Lights tour' for last night.

We were picked up at our hotel about 7:30, and then loaded onto a large GreyLines tour bus.  We then drove 90 minutes out into the country to get away from the city lights.  A well know Icelandic record producer has opened a restaurant and campground out  in the country, and he has added Lights tours to his offering.  So you can go out there and have hot beverages and restrooms while you hope to see the lights.  We arrived about 9 or so, and stood out in the cold until close to midnight.  No Northern Lights.  A couple of experienced watchers saw a glimmer on the horizon. 

The ticket allows you to return the next night if there is now viewing.   So, the five buses packed up and headed out.  We were one of the last two busses to leave, and we got about 15 minutes down the road, when the Northern Lightes appeared.  So, the driver found a place for us to stop, and two bus loads of us got out and were finally able to see the lights.

It was a 'mild' display.  They were not near as green as I had hoped, but they certainly 'danced' in the sky.  In a way they looked like clouds moving about.  But different.  They were certainly unusual and beautiful.  I tried to get some video, but just got dark sky.

We had wanted to go out again tonight, but the sky is clouding, so no viewing.

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