I became the creature from the Blue Lagoon...posting from the road

By the end of my time at Iceland's biggest tour attraction, I did look like a creature; a big pruney, flushed, waterlogged, silica covered monster.

The formation of the lagoon is a bizarre story. An environmentally friendly geothermal power company has been extracting water heated by magma from 2 km into the earth to help power their factory. When the water cooled, it was discarded in to a field of 'evil' lava that had been formed by a 1226 eruption. Workers from the plant began to soak their weary bones in the lagoon and voila - a spa was born. It was actually one of these workers, who suffered psoriasis, that discovered the healing powers of the water. Today people from all over the world flock to the hazy turquoise pools in Southwest Iceland - and I was thrilled to be one of them.

As I soaked in the healing waters, I could feel the stress leaving my body, aches and pains vanished; the few cocktails (swim up bar!) and extreme heat of the pools certainly helped the process. Shawn and I spent the afternoon lounging, drinking, enjoying waterfall massages, giving ourselves silica mud facials and chatting with fellow travellers. The brisk air of the November afternoon made the lagoon seem heavenly (remember running into the sauna after playing in the snow) but sadly all good things must come to an end...for Shawn...I was staying at the lagoon! (Don't feel bad for him, he was leaving to go to Paris).

My hours of relentless Internet surfing have paid off, and I managed to find a fantastic off-season deal to stay right at the lagoon. My accommodation was in an ultra chic, almost Frank Lloyd Right-like in its design, 'clinic'. Not a hotel, a 'clinic' - complete with sleek furniture, private patios on the lava field and a private lagoon pool to use in the AM and PM. And that is exactly where I spend my time...

I just laid there, starfish floating in this massive how water pool, under a night sky...it was impossible to have a care in the world. I chatted with some lovely British folks - she went on to remark that she didn't feel guilty eating lobster anymore - especially if there last few minutes were like this.

The 66% salt water concentration of the pool, combined with my extended time in there...well I wasn't kidding in the title - when I finally extricated myself from the bliss I looked like a bright red, shrivelled tomato. Don't let that discourage you, I would gladly look like any creature if I meant I had to endure floating time in the Blue Lagoon to get there.