Reykjavik and Blue Lagoon

After the Laugavegur trek I planned a day to just chill. What I originally wanted to do was spend the entire day at Blue Lagoon.  However, when I first arrived in Reykjavik the hostel staff told me that I needed to make reservations. I immediately looked online (at 2am) for available slots and was surprised to find most of the entry times booked.  There was one 8 am and 3 pm, and some later ones. No way I was going to get up at 6 just to get there at 8, so I got the 3pm slot.  Fast forward to Friday 9/9, I woke up in my hostel after a good night's sleep ready to tackle the day.  I had a few hours to kill until the 1:30 bus to Blue Lagoon.  I walked around Reykjavik for a few hours.  Walked around and saw Tjörnin lake, Hallgrímskirkja Church, and the Sun Voyager. I then walked down main street and stopped in souvenir shops for postcards and browse a bit.  Lunch was at Geysir Bistro (Halibut and cauliflower soup) which was pretty good.

At 1:30 I got the Fly Bus to Blue Lagoon.  Once there I was one of first one off bus and luckily so cuz there was a long line to get in. Even with prepaid vouchers there's a check-in process where they give you wristbands and other things (towel, robe, slippers) depending on what you had paid for.  You're then shuffled into a busy locker room where you shower and put on your bathing suit.  Once in water, it felt really nice, but it is not as if you would spend that much time in the water.  I spent maybe 10-15 minutes, and then 10 minutes in sauna. What was disappointing though was that everyone there were tourists. Lots of groups and couples. It was kinda annoying. I got the complimentary silica mask and later the algae mask.  I went out once for my complimentary drink and to read my book.  There really wasn't a lot of places where you can relax, which was disappointing.  I managed to secure the last free reclining seat in lounge to read a bit.  Then back in the water a bit again.  I probably could've done with a bit more time in water, but I decided to catch the 6:15 bus back to eat in city rather than at the lagoon where dinner was like $50-70+.  It was a rush to me, but it also wasn't the relaxing experience I hoped so in a way I guess that was enough.

Back in Reykjavik I got dinner at Shalimar Indian and Pakistani restaurant on Austurstraeti.  Had the best Green chili lime chicken ever. For $20 or so.