August 9, 2026 · Reykjanes Peninsula and Reykjavík, Iceland
We’d already had what I would call a perfectly good last day in Iceland. We’d soaked in the Blue Lagoon and looked around a lava field. When the excursion bus brought us back to Keflavík Airport, we still had five hours until our flight home. We wanted to make the most of that time, so three of us caught a bus into Reykjavík for one last adventure.
We started out taking it easy
After a week of ports and sightseeing, it felt good to get into the warm water at the Blue Lagoon. The milky water and black lava look like they belong on different postcards. The lagoon grew out of the geothermal operations at nearby Svartsengi, and suspended silica helps give the water its color. We had time to enjoy the soak and work on Bláa lónið – Blue Lagoon (GC25643).
The landscape outside was worth a closer look too. Lava Field Illahraun (GC6HQ0X) and Grindavík Lava Flow (GCAWAHD) put the geology back in view before we headed for the airport. You can cover a surprising amount of volcanic ground when the day is supposed to be winding down.
The bus back into town
LEGOexplorer, one of my sisters-in-law, and I took the airport bus into town. bapierson and my other sister-in-law graciously stayed at the airport with our luggage so we could go. The three of us made a quick, Griswold-style tour on foot. The tower of Hallgrímskirkja was easy to pick out, and better still when we were standing right in front of it. We made the find at Hallgrímskirkja (GC9MHQQ), then used Son of Iceland – D_Leslie_A #120 (GC7XZ3Z) as an excuse to spend a little more time looking around the Leifur Eiríksson statue and the stone at the site.
We also made it to Monument of Jón Sigurðsson (GC891NV) and to Menntaskólinn í Reykjavík for We all protest! (GCAJKEX). Virtuals work well on a walk like this. They give me somewhere specific to look, which helps when I have just enough time to see the city and far too many ideas about where to go next.
We made time for an Icelandic hot dog, too. It’s called a pylsa, and I can always find time for a hot dog, even with a plane to catch.
Back where we started
We made it back in time to rejoin everyone for the flight and still fit in Þotuhreiður (GCBJ777) at the airport. I’d called the Blue Lagoon the perfect finale. It still would have been. I’m just glad we got the addendum.
Field Notes
- Final day · August 9, 2026
- Reykjavík detour · LEGOexplorer and one of my sisters-in-law joined me. bapierson and my other sister-in-law stayed with the luggage.
- Route · Blue Lagoon and the Reykjanes lava fields, then Keflavík Airport and a round trip into Reykjavík
- Finds · Ten geocaches logged that day across the peninsula, city, and airport
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