Travelogue Iceland 2019

SAT 25.05.19

Unspectacular landing at Keflavik in the early evening. We need cash money and queue on the counter. In Iceland people don't carry cash money. So we buy a Visa debit card for about 700 EUR and insist on getting some cash for another 100 EUR to be on the save side.

A couple of weeks ago, we booked a car. A small, smart Dacia Duster, 4x4 since not all Icelandic roads are paved. We take the motorway to the capital. It leads over a volcanic terrain. We're not yet used to this moonscape.

Reykjavik is very busy. Lots of restaurants and bars around the unspectacular white cathedral. We have fish and chips and beer in a tavern. At around 11 p.m. the sun sets slowly. The light is still perfect to take some pictures at the Viking ship sculpture.

SUN 26.05.19

As we leave Reykjavik the motor sign starts blinking on the dashboard. Unfortunately we cannot reach the rental car company by phone. They attend during office hours only. So we drive 35 km back to the airport and replace the car with another one. With a delay of an hour and a half we reach our first destination in the Golden Circle. Volcano Kerid with a lake inside.

At Skalholt we stop for picnic. Probably the warmest day of our journey. 16 degrees celsius, just nice to sit in the mossy grass. Having the snow-line of Langjökull in front of us we reach one of the trip's highlights. Geysir Strokkur. Loads of tourists. No entrance fee. As we reach the spot we get into position to take pictures. And then a sudden blast. A water fountain rises 20 to 30m high. After 10 minutes the next eruption. Time runs and we have to leave for the next sight. Gullfoss. Again hundreds of visitors. No entrance fee. The path to the falls is mounted. The thunderous river disappears in a gorge.

From here it takes an hour by car to get to our guesthouse which is situated somewhere close to lake Pingvallavatn. A horse ranch is attached. Icelandic horses are tame and somewhat bigger than ponys. We have an excellent home made burger for dinner.

MON 27.05.19

Driving about half an hour along lake Pingvallavatn we arrive at Pingvellir in the morning hours. Already loads of tourists there. However only a few ones visit the place where the republic of Iceland has been founded. There's a small church, a row house and an open-air meeting place.

Most of the people head to the ridge which marks the separation of the American and Eurasian continent. A wide path leads from the lookout above the historical site to a cascade which is on the other end. Driving northward the road changes from paved to piste. No traffic at all out here until we reach the ring-road not far from our next destination, volcano Grabrok. A footpath leads to the top and around the crest. Fantastic viewpoint with other volcanoes around. We decide not to drive around peninsula Vatnsnes, directly head to hostel Osar instead, situated about 30km away from the ring-road. The piste is in a fairly good condition. There's no restaurant around. We have to cater for ourselves. The host sells instant noodle-soup, at least.

However the location is situated on a fantastic coast with a spectacular view. Seals are resting on a bank of sand. The famous basalt rock Hvitserkur is also part of the spectacular coast. We take a few picture of the rock which looks alike a giant drinking rhino. Wind is blowing and its freezing, so we head back to the hostel.

TUE 28.05.19

Self catering means no breakfast. We drive back to the ring-road and stop at Blönduos. Its attraction are a small church and a few coloured houses. People mow their lawn in the early morning here and there. Is this a Tuesday morning job? The wind is blowing and it's freezing. Finally we have breakfast at the petrol station. It starts snowing. On the way to Akueyri we visit turf settlements, a small church called Vidimyri and Glaumbaer. Latter is a real gem. The builings look like earth-houses under the grassy roofs. It's worth having a look inside.

Arriving at Akureyri we first stop at Bonus, the famous cheap supermarket chain in Iceland. Apart from other stuff, we buy Skyr, a kind of yoghurt. Tastes fine. The city is situated at the end of a fjord, having the biggest population in the northern part of the island. Some interesting buldings dating back to the sixties with fancy colourd glazed tile walls. Back in the car we drive through a tunnel. Toll has to be payed via internet within 3 hours otherwise penalty.

Before arriving at Godafoss we drive along a ridge with sharp peaks. We have only seen volcanoes or flat-topped mountains so far. Compared to Gullfoss the falls are easily accessible. Some footpaths are not fenced. Husavik is our final destination. Snow is falling. We plan to go on a whale-watching cruise the other day. Husavik is supposed to be the best place to watch whales. However the weather is so bad that we decide not to prebook and check the other morning whether conditions are better.

WED 29.05.19

A glance through the window. Snow capped houses and trees. The landlady who used to work for a whale watching company tells us better not to go on a tour. Chance is low to sight whales at such days. So we take direction Myvatn. Halfway we detour to another turf settlement called Grenjadarstadur. Myvatn is a volcanic hotspot. Turquoise ponds. Steaming holes. Black earth.

We stay about 3 hours in the pools of Myvatn Nature Bath. Relaxing in 36 degree hot water whilst snowing. The pools are as large as football-pitches and just a handful visitors. Back in the car we feel somewhat flabby. However Myvatn has a lot more sights to be visited. Next is Grjotagja, a rift with lakes inside. Reserve about an hour for the unreal hike on crater Hverfell. It was stormy with snowshowers. From the ridge of the volcanoe you have a stunning view over Myvatn lake and the volcanic scenery.

Last stop for today are the lavamountains of Dimmuborgir. A maze of paths through a forest of rock. Hotel Laxa is a highlight concerning accomodation. Its location out of nowhere, food, service, rooms and price can't be topped.

THU 30.05.19

Solfataren Hverir is another highlight at Myvatn. A zone of yellowish soil with bubbling mudholes and steaming piles of stones all everywhere. Not far from this spot is Lake Viti. We pass by a geothermal energy power station and reach a parking lot. A few steps and we are on top of volcano viti with a lake in the caldera. The walk around the crest takes about half an hour. A snowy scenery in a mystical volcanic world.

Back at the car our shoes are soiled with black mud. We hardly get rid of this sticky material. This explains the prohibition sign with dirty shoes at the entrance of hotel Laxa. Back on the road we approach our next sight; Dettifoss. Lots of cars, lots of people. A footpath leads to the falls. First we head to the upper falls called Selfoss. The path ends somewhere. We approach the top of the canyon close to the falls and take some pictures. Snow is falling. The rock is slivery. I nearly slip in the abyss. Dettifoss is more famous. Paths are supplied with handrails. Tremendous mass of water produces clouds of steam. We get completely wet in the lower balcony.

Back on the road the landscape is still moon-like. After 2 hours or so we reach a valley with grasslands and farm houses. We're back on the earth. We stay overnight at Egilsstadir an outpost where civilisation ends. Restaurant Salt is the place where people who live miles away from each other come toghether and eat pizza and burger. We have pizza and beer.

FRI 31.05.19

Sweet raw fish for breakfast seems to be an Icelandic speciality. I use to take two to three pieces off the buffet. Leaving Egilsstadir behind us we cross the mountain range and reach Seydisfjördur after somewhat more than half an hour. The picturesque small town is situated at the end of a fjord flanked by snowcapped mountains. Just too bad, we should have stayed over night down here. A church, a few houses in all kind of colours and a few pubs and restaurants.

After having a short walk, we drive back to Egilsstadir and then all along the coast to Stokksnes. Outside the town of Djupivogur we spot reindeers, half a dozen grazing a hundred meters away from the road. Towards Höfn the scenerey becoms spectacular. A mighty rock at a place called Stokksnes. There is a Viking village in decay which can be visited for a few crowns. We drive to the black sandy beach and take photos of the breathtaking scenery. Höfn is a small town with a port. Not much to see there. So we just have a short break.

On the road from Höfn to Holmur the enormeous glaciar Vatnajökul shows up with its ice fronts. Holmur is the place where we stay over night. One of our highlights. A farmhouse and a restaurant with their own brewery. The fish is very tasty and the stout called Naglalakkakakkalakka is worth its 12 EUR. We spend the late evening hours outside with sheep gazing the enormeous glacier which is turning red in the evening light.

SAT 01.06.19

We arrive early at one of the highlights of this trip, a lake dotted with icebergs. Its name is Jökulsarlon. The lake is open to the sea. Hundreds of crystal shaped ice nuggets are spread along the black sandy beach. Seals bask on a bank of sand to complete the scenery. Back on the road we stop at the next glacier called Fjallsarlon. The view to this jagged surface of ice is spectacular. Yet another glacier called Skaftafellsjökull. It belongs to Vatnajökull as well as the other ones. The walk to the glacier takes about half an hour from the visitor center.

Another path leads to Svartifoss. After a 40 minutes walk uphill we get to the famous cascade overwhelming a black basalt organ. Back on the ring road we drive through an enormeous desert plain which used to be covered by ice a few years ago. Landscape changes and we arrive at an archeological site called Kirkjubaejarklaustur. A basalt floor seems to be man-made but isn't. Can be skipped to be honest.

Arriving at Vik we have a lamb-soup for late lunch. There are some cliffs with puffins. But the picturesque birds apparently arrive late in the evening. So we continue our journey to our last sight today. The place is called Reynisdrangar. Basalt formations on a cliff bordering a beach and an island with rocky needles out in the sea attract herds of visitors. Finally we arrive at Solheimahjaleiga guesthouse where we stay over night. Too lazy to go for the puffins we decide to visit them in the other morning.

SUN 02.06.19

Because of breeding birds access to the cliffs of Dyrholaey is only allowed after 9 a.m. A handful of visitors are waiting in front of the barrier. Once it is opened we drive straight to the top of the rock. We enjoy the exceptional view over the black beach in the south but unfortunately there are no birds around, not to mention puffins. Same situation at the lower viewpoint. Somewhat disappointed we drive to the next sight. Shall we go for the plane-wreck which went viral with Justin Bieber. Two miles walk there and back. We decide to skip it.

Next stop is Solheimajökull. From here many visitors go on a glacier trek. The front of the glacier is black, aswell as the icebergs which are floating in the lake. It starts raining, so we quickly return to the car. Skogafoss is another heavily visited waterfall. Showers of rain. We just have a brief stop. Seljalandsfoss is somewhat special since visitors can walk on a trail behind the falls. So far we have seen many waterfalls, each of them is somewhat different. I personnally prefer the ones which are less equiped with walkways and balustrades.

Our last stop before we reach Keflavik is Krysuvikurbjarg, a bird's cliff. Last chance to spot puffins. After more than an hour walk from the car park we reach the cliffs. Again disapointment. Just seagulls. Finally we get to Keflavik, a quiet town compared to the capital. We have an excellent fish-platter for dinner at Kafi Duus.

MON 03.06.19

The alternative option for the last day of the trip was an excursion to the Vestmannaeyjar islands. We would have stayed over night indeed. Instead of puffins (the Vestmannaeyjar option) we go for whales since we missed them in Husavik. There is one whale-watching company in Keflavik but their office is closed.

So we transfer to Reykjavik. Various tour operators are present at the port. Some do not offer tours at the day. The sea is too rough to spot whales. We deside for a modern yacht rather than a trawler. It is supposed to be faster and the chances are better to spot animals. Finally we cruise 3 hours in the bay of Reykjavik without spotting anything, no whale, no dolphin.

We could have done the tour again for free the other day, but that's the day we leave. Somewhat disappointed we drive back to Keflavik. On the way we stop at Hafnarfjördur. Wooden church, colourful houses, Nordic style.

TUE 04.06.19

Hotel Jazz is known to offer breakfast as from 5 a.m.

Due to our early flight we benefit from this option. We return our Dacia Duster and board the plane.

Goodbye Iceland.