I was 23 when I visited Iceland over the summer, and had never been treated to a proper spa day in my life. I used all of my spending money for clothes growing up, so spas and massages seemed a little far out of my high-school and college budget. I'm also a pretty private person, so the idea of a total stranger giving me a full-body rubdown has always been on my list of things to try and avoid.

Turns out, when you hit the right spa, none of that matters.

I want to give a huge thank you to Blue Lagoon Iceland for welcoming me as their guest on my first spa day ever. I'm a few months removed, and can still say I'll never forget it. Read on for the in-depth experience!

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Between the above photos of me and my masseur Jóri, it's clear there's something in the water that makes your skin glow...and that something is the reason millions of people pack the steamy waters year after year. The 6-million liter pools are chock full of natural minerals, silica, and algae, a dynamite combo that softens and revitalizes skin. If you don't know what to expect when you arrive, let me tell you: it'll be dozens of ghost-white people slathered in white silica mud. Slightly shocking if you don't know what's going on.

The exclusive lounge for spa guests adds another layer to the relaxing atmosphere of the Lagoon. I never saw another soul, and it was like I had the whole place to myself...strawberries, chocolates, and espresso included. It was the perfect precursor to the beyond-total relaxation that I was moments away from. I was signed up for the silica salt glow massage and was a little nervous due to my inexperience, but once I was settled in the steamy, geothermal waters of the private spa area, my nerves quite literally melted away.

This massage is the coolest thing I have ever experienced. I was flat on a massage bed a few inches underwater with a thick, hot, wet towel draped over me to keep out the drafts. One limb at a time, Jóri slathered on the silica salt, rinsed it off, and put me back under the towel. After floating on my massage table in the pool for awhile, the actual massaging happened, and at this point I was so relaxed I was barely conscious of what was going on. No kidding—relaxing to me usually means watching an entire season of a series on Netflix with a pint of Ben & Jerry's, and even that sounded too active for me at the time. You know those moments when you're trying to sleep or relax and you long for your mind to just be empty? That happened. It was just as magical as you want to believe.

In addition to the spa, don't miss the Lava Restaurant! Blue Lagoon graciously offered me a three-course (vegetarian) meal, and I was about as happy as I've ever been sitting there by myself enjoying the best of Icelandic cuisine. It was a little odd to see some other restaurant guests dining in their bathrobes and flip-flops, but if you get a view of the lagoon like I did, they're easily ignored.

Thanks to Blue Lagoon Iceland for having me. Let me know if you have any questions, and start planning your visit here!

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Hands down, the most beautiful of my Iceland experiences happened at Jökulsárlón. It's a sea-level glacier lagoon off the Breiðamerkurjökull glacier, which is an "outlet glacier" off the big guy, Vatnajökull. Have fun pronouncing all of those.

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It's truly one of the greatest things I've ever experienced in my twenty-four years on Earth. Even driving up to the Vatna Glacier (the more pronounceable term) on our way south sent the pit of my stomach into twists of awe. Huge chunks of ice floating in crystal clear, presumably frigid water (I barely dipped my fingers in the shallow end)...even with all of the tourists around, it's magnificently silent. You can hear the glacier's deep, barreling creaks and groans in the distance, and even the ice chunks breaking off and splashing into the water.

The ocean is just across the road, and sea water spills into the lagoon at high tide. Once you cross the street, the rushing water drowns out a lot of other tourists and it's like you're in the fjords of Arendelle (I know, #Frozen reference, not sorry). There are huge chunks of ice to climb or crawl through at your own risk, and so many pretty vistas that the hardest part is deciding when it's finally time to leave.

But then you remember you're in Iceland, and there are incredible views all the way around everywhere. I'll be sharing more of them here soon!

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Read more + get yourself on a tour of the glacier here! I didn't get to go on a boat tour this time around, but it'll definitely be a priority on my next Iceland adventure.

1. Ask Questions.

People in hostels are hostel people. Hostels are full of people who are used to the environment—hostels are inexpensive and community-oriented, and a ton of people choose to travel that way. As a newcomer, be prepared to be treated like you know how these things work. I can’t tell you how many times I repeated, “I’m sorry, this is my first time in a hostel—what do I do about this?”

2. Always say hi.

I always hear about people that make lifelong friends in hostels, but in my experience, lots of people wait to be talked to. I was in my hostel room for four nights, and the first night, I was so concerned about figuring out what I was doing that I muttered a “hi” to one guy and went to sleep. By the end, I was saying “Hi! Hey! How are ya? I’m Chelsea!” to everyone that walked through the door. If you’re staying somewhere for two or even one night, make it a point to be kind. I could have probably been married to my gorgeous Belgian roommate by now if I’d opened up a little sooner (kidding, mostly, but if you know anything about European men you know what I mean).

3. Be trusting, but not stupid.

I came armed with a few padlocks, and on day one, I was told to throw my stuff in a hold for a few hours before I could check in. I gulped at the thought of leaving my laptop and camera lenses in my backpack to be pawed through by anyone, and ended up toting them around town while I wasted time before check-in, just about breaking my arm and shoulder in the process. Once I was in the room, there were plenty of places to tuck my stuff. It’s worth it to be smart if you’re traveling with multi-thousand-dollar equipment like I was, but look at it this way. You don’t even think about your roommates’ stuff. You’re so concerned about keeping your own things in your space and out of others’ ways, so what makes you think everyone else is just waiting to paw through your stuff? They’re not. Chill out.

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4. Be generous.

Half the people that walked through the door of room 417 had lost their phone chargers or forgotten their adapters or were out of toothpaste. Speak up if you have things to offer. I learned very quickly just how community-oriented the hostel crowd is, and you don’t want to put yourself on the outside of it. Where’s the fun in that?

5. Befriend the employees.

If you’re staying somewhere a few days in a row, chances are you’ll start to see familiar faces. All of the above tips are a lot easier if you know who’s running the place. Getting to know the receptionists and waitstaff at KEX made it that much easier for me to ask for directions or recommendations or whatever else. Who knows, you might even end up with free breakfast one morning or an extra pillow. It’s the little things, people.

6. Plan ahead.

Several of the hostels I stumbled upon in Iceland did not have the necessary paperwork to be registered as legal hostels in the country. Different countries have different requirements, but even if a place to stay comes recommended make sure the hostel has paperwork to back it up. If you’re a risk-taker, knock yourself out, but just be aware what you might be getting yourself into. I’m a live-by-the-law kind of gal, so just for peace of mind, I don’t skip this step.

Most regular travelers agree that hostels are a unique way to travel and an exciting way to experience a new location or culture, especially if you’re traveling alone. I was scared of them for a long time, but they’re worth it when you finally bite the bullet. I have no regrets and am already shopping for hostels for my next European adventure. Feel free to share your experiences or tips in the comments!