Just booked a surprise holiday

Hi all

Hope everyone is well as can be i have just booked a holiday to Reykjavik iceland as a surprise for my husbands 50th birthday in January , really excited and scared at the same time .i am not yet in a wheelchair but really not far off and rely on my rollater to get around not very fast. I have told the airline that i am disabled and will be bringing that with me and they have booked me a wheelchair to the departure gate, just scared how i will cope when i get there don’t wont to spend all the time there not doing anything because i cant get around , and i know my husband will worry the same, i don’t know if anybody has been and if so how did they get on and any other advice would be much appreciated . thank you for taking the time to read this .

Keep warm and dry everyone. Katy

Good for you Katy…what a wonderful surprise.

If I were you, I would take along a lightweight manual self propel wheelchair, or see if you can hire one there. Then you wont feel as if you are holding others up when you get fatigued.

enjoy!

pollx

Hi,

We’ve been to Iceland twice; once before and once after MS. We went for my husband’s 50th in the hope of seeing the Northern Lights - but they didn’t come out to play!

It was March when we went and in Reykjavik there wasn’t much snow at all (apparently the pavements are heated with pipes containing geothermal water!) In other areas there was snow but the main tourist paths were clear. However, I would really recommend you take a wheelchair - if you want to walk you can always push it as a walker but at least you have the option if thing get too much

Reykjavik is small place and easy to get around. There’s a lovely big lake which was frozen solid when we were there. The weather during the 5 days we were there was lovely - blue skies but cold. England had loads of snow while we were there, the Icelandic tour guards thought this was really funny. If you’re there a few days I would recommend a trip to Geysir and to Gulfoss. The tours pick up from the majority of hotels, or of course you could hire a car. We drove the 1st time but it was summer. At Geysir there’s a decent path to see the Geysir and it’s not too far (maybe a 5 minute walk at normal speed) Gulfoss was spectacular and much more dramatic in Winter. You can get right down to see it but there’s a lot of steps. There’s a decent viewing platform so you don’t feel as if you’re missing out.

The other place I’d suggest is a swim in Blue Lagoon, it feels really weird swimming outside when it’s so cold. They have a wonderful restaurant which is as you’d expect expensive but all food is pricey. Incidentally they don’t charge for entrance into the tourist attractions or for car parking at places such as Gulfoss and Geysir. So food and trips is all you’ll need spending money for.

As you can maybe tell I’m a big fan of the place, the fact that we didn’t see the lights is fine as it’s the perfect excuse to go back!!

Do consider taking a wheelchair, I wouldn’t want you to miss out.

If you want to know anything else, just let me know.

Sarah x

1 Like

Should say Icelandic tour guides not guards!!!

Sarah x

I agree with Poll and Sarah either take a wheelchair or hire one. http://www.mobilityequipmenthiredirect.com I used this a couple of years ago for a holiday in Mexico everything went without a hitch. Last year I took my own chair and again no problem. Having a wheelchair gives you so much freedom. If you have your own or can borrow one you will save the expense of hiring.

Have a lovely holiday.

Jan x

hi katy,

what a lovely surprise for your husband.

as well as a wheelchair, download some icelandic music by sigur ros.

beautiful and atmospheric!

have a ball

carole x

What a fabulous surprise for your husband Katy.

Have a wonderful time.

xx

Thank you everyone for your replies and Sarah it sounds like you had a really good time shame you didn’t get to see the lights a know not many people do . I know getting a wheelchair makes sense but being a big girl i just worry about him having to push me around, but i will look at the Website that jan has used and see what they can offer me . I dont know how long i can keep it a secret from him his birthday not till 12th of jan and we go on the 26th for 4 nights. Thank you all for your best wishes.

Katy