Our past two days have been action packed! We’ve moved from the fishing village of Patreksfjordur to the larger (but still tiny) town of Isafjordur, but a lot happened in between.

Yesterday we explored the land at the westernmost point of Europe. The tip of this peninsula is a sea cliff that’s loved by nesting birds, including our favorite: puffins! The puffins are incredibly adorable and at this spot they are very easy to see up close. They sit at the top of the cliff and don’t seem to mind us watching from the nearby trail. It’s like they’re posing for our photos! See Kate’s awesome pictures below.

In the afternoon we went to a huge sandy beach and it was like stepping into another country entirely. The bird cliffs had been cold and windy. We wore all our layers and braved the weather to see the puffins. But the beach was sunny and so warm! We couldn’t believe it. We built sandcastles, played frisbee, did cartwheels and handstands, and basked in the sunshine. We did not expect such a beach day in Iceland.

In the late afternoon, half of the group went on a hike near our guesthouse and the other half toured a local fish farm. The hikers saw beautiful alpine wildflowers and a mountain spring. The fish farmers showed us their family-owned operation and how well they raise these healthy fish, many of which are delivered fresh by air to restaurants in New York City.

The next day we drove to Isafjordur, but made a few delightful stops along the way. The first was at a hot pot at the base of a beautiful valley where we lounged for quite some time, enjoying the views from steamy water. Next, we saw a very impressive waterfall and took a short but steep hike to reach the base. Both of these stops were between stretches of jaw-dropping scenery, driving over the mountains and around the fjords of Westfjords.

After arriving and settling into our new accommodations, we explored the town with a fun scavenger hunt. We found landmarks, restaurants, and shops. We also got the opportunity to talk to locals and visitors on the streets. The place is very lively, friendly and walkable. We will certainly enjoy the next three days here.

— Ansley & Jesse