With unusually high winds predicted for today and a geothermal pool just down the road, I decided to take a day to rest and rejuvenate Iceland – style. Several people recommended I try out the Blue Lagoon near Reykjavik, but after seeing how crowded and expensive that tourist destination was, I was delighted to find Vok Baths – a smaller, peaceful, affordable geothermal destination location on the banks of Lake Urridavatn.

I’ve never really been one to appreciate hot tubs or saunas. But after days of riding in rain, wind, fog, and temperatures below 50 degrees, the idea of soaking in some extremely hot water seemed extremely appealing to me. I visited Vok Baths to check them out a couple days ago and was pleased to find such a tranquil and reasonably priced retreat.

The baths include three floating pools of varying degrees of heat, two of which are infinity pools right in Lake Urridavatn. The destination also has a steam room, rain shower, bistro, and tea bar. As my plans for the next few weeks include more cold weather riding in the Faroe Islands, Norway, and Sweden, I decided to splurge on an in-pool massage in addition to the general admission.

Wow! What a day! I felt welcome from the moment I came up to the huge double doors, and they opened automatically in front of me. As I had walked several miles to the retreat in my motorcycle jacket and pants, the front desk staff kindly offered to store my bulky gear in their storeroom while I relaxed.

After changing into a swimsuit, I tested out each of the pools and took in the beauty of the natural setting. As I rested my arms on the edge of the infinity pool and looked out at the mountains surrounding me, I felt so blessed to have a moment to unwind after all of the ups and downs of the last few weeks – working six days a week up to 15 hours a day to save for the trip, discovering and diagnosing my brain tumors, attending two separate college graduations for my twins, and riding in especially harsh yet extraordinarily beautiful conditions.

The massage turned out to be one of the best of my life. My therapist was so kind and attentive, and the surroundings were exceptional. As I floated on top of a mat and lay suspended in the warm water and covered with a wet towel, Sirry efficiently and effectively massaged out all the knots and kinks in my body, even commenting on how tight my right forearm was from maintaining my grip on the throttle.

After the massage I enjoyed my complimentary smoothie made with berries and Icelandic Skyr (like Greek yogurt), spent some time in the sauna, and relaxed some more in the infinity pools before making my own blend of tea from local herbs and hot water flowing from the ground at Lake Urridavatn.

I’m looking forward to having more of the delicious homemade soup at my hostel tonight before heading to Seydisfjordur tomorrow.

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