Iceland- not so icy after all

Contrary to belief Iceland is not as the name suggests is not all ice and cold weather. Iceland is actually a geological master piece, with volcanic land, dramatic skies, bubbly earth and thermal lagoons. I remember watch a travel shoe, No Frontiers (I can't believe i'm sharing this fact with my you) with Diarmuid Gavin (Irish gardener- my dad's hero!) went to Iceland on one episode and since then travelling to Iceland has always been in the back of my mind. Despite the fact no flight travel from Ireland to Iceland direct, you can travel from the UK for relatively cheaply. 


The main attraction that would appeal to me in Iceland is Blue Lagoon (not the cocktail! ) know in Icelandic as Blao Lonia, which is a huge, beautiful blue-green colour, geothermal spa lake. The steamy waters are part of a lava formation, with the water being renewed every 40 hours. The temperatures are a constant 34°- 36°c. I would love to go swimming here in the warm waters for the unique experience that it offfers but many visitors to Blue Lagoon come for the power of heeling the pool is said to offer... if only every public swimming pool was like this one. The UCP of Blue Lagoon is "Energy for life through forces of nature".  


At the Blue Lagoon, swimming is not the only attraction. There is a world class spa, skin care shop, clinic, restaurant and bar. You can swim up to the bar and order an variety of drinks including ironically enough the Blue Lagoon cocktail is for sale and seems to me the most popular choice of drink there.


Have a look at this video where the Marketing Representative of the Blue Lagoon is being interviewed about the attraction! Enjoy! 

Zambia and The Zambezi River

Being an aquaphile (someone who loves the sea/ ocean/ to swim! ) I would love an opportunity to go River Running in the Zambezi River. River Running is a great way to see the scenery and nature as you travel down a stream on a kayak trying to enjoy the challenges of the whitewater. It might not sound like everyone's cup of tea but I think I would enjoy the thrill of rafting one of the planet's most awesome rapids!

The river travels 2700 km, traversing 6 countries and is home to an array of wildlife such as giraffes, elephants, hippo's and crocodiles- although it is Victoria Falls which is the main attraction in this River. Victoria Falls is one the seven natural wonders of the world, receiving more than 1.5 million tourists every year. It is often referred to as the 'Everest of the River'.


     

Amazon Rainforest

To add a bit of effect play the below video while you read today's entry in my Bucket List!

The Amazon Rainforest (also Know as the Amazon Jungle) is one place I cannot wait to visit! Being the world largest forest and is nominated for one "7 New Wonders of the World" it most definitely deserves a visit! It covers a list of countries including Brazil, Peru, Ecuador, Venezuela, Bolivia. In the Amazon rainforest you can travel in small airplanes (which I imagine are very nice to get an aerial view) between the smaller cities. But on the ground level there is just one way to travel in the Amazon rainforest, which is by boat. The Amazon rainforest is full of rivers, from the smallest one to the biggest one on the planet. The Amazon River is responsible for 25% of the fresh water that goes into the oceans. The Amazon River is so big that in some places you can't see the other side of the river. Certain areas seem just like an ocean since you have white sand beaches and waves! In some places the rivers edges are 30 miles from each other. The wildlife and scenery in the Amazon looks like no where else in the world from looking at the photos on this link. 

Slumdog Millionaire

I'm sure most of you have seen the film Slumdog Millionaire. It has made almost 400 million dollars world wide and won 7 BAFTA awards, 4 Golden Globes and 5 Critics Choice Awards. It was this film that opened up my eyes to the country of India. I would love to travel to India to see the country for myself.

There are over 1.2 billion people in India, with the population, industrialization and the economy growing rapidly. India is one of the largest developing countries in the world and has an emerging market. This signals hope and prosperity for the country. Many things fascinate me about India such as the fashion, the culture, their lifestyles and the cuisine. The Lotus seen here is the national flower of India which symbolizes beautifully the beauty, growth and uniqueness of India.

The fashion in India is a lot different to ours in Ireland. Indian fashion is so colourful, there is a variety of textures, jewellery is aso bright and glamorous and even the poorest people are well dressed. Comfy pants and a hoodys just don't cut it in India.

I follow this blog that shows some fantastic images of the fashion you see in India. Click here to see for yourself! The author has also developed a Facebook page (Wearabout) where you can also view all the wonderful photos.

The advertising in this country also takes different forms to other places in the world and as you can see from this Coca Cola image. This is something that would also draw me to India, to see how they advertise. It looks a lot different to the advertising I spoke about in my last post on New York. 

There are also famous landmarks in India I think that could not a miss such as;

1. The Taj Mahal
2. The Golden Temple
3. The Golden Beaches in Goa
4. The Lake Palace 
5. The Marble Palace

Finally, I cannot write about India without mentioning the amazing cuisine of the country. All the spices, herbs and flavours make the dishes very unique (and hot!). Having only tasted Indian from my local takeaway i'm sure the real deal is even more delicious but for now Lal Quila in Douglas will have to do!