Kilometers driven: starting with mileage 216.415 km: 3.540
Color of the car: gold.
Gas used: gas for 407 Euro and 20 Cents.
Number of free seats in our car, with all our luggage: a little bit less than 0.
Streets used: mostly ring street, quite some gravel roads (but 'minor stratches' are ok according to our rental company)
Weather: mostly either sunny or snowy. Twice in two weeks, we had rain.
Number of 32 GB SD-cards filled up: 3
Number of photos and videos: 3375
2013.03.07 - Home again
Today, we just walked around in the city, strolling around, in bookshops and other shops. We didn't really get into the opera house as we would have needed tickets, but we walked through Christiania, the Freetown Christiania. A cosy and comfortable last day of our trip to Iceland. At 6.45, we took the train to the airport, and the plane to Vienna, without anything worth mentioning.
Home again! Sad to leave Iceland and Denmark, but happy to be home.
Home again! Sad to leave Iceland and Denmark, but happy to be home.
2013.04.06 - Copenhagen
....Around 1 am, when the movie was finished, we found a cosy bar and I had a Pepsi at almost the price of a double so big beer. After that, we continued to the airport and the drop-off of the car. At 7 am we left Iceland. Next stop: Copenhagen. We found the Dan Hostel quite quickly, had a short rest, and two of us had a walk while the third one was taking a bit more rest (which, retrospectively, would also have made some sense for me). In the evening, we had a mexican buffet as dinner and I was happy to get to bed.
2013.04.05 - Golden Circle
We wanted to be prepared for the following night, so we decided to sleep until 9 am. We left for the golden circle. First we saw a crater called Kerið, but we were already used to craters. Then we went to see the Geysir called Geysir and its more active neighbor. Then we saw the Gullfoss waterfall. Then we drove to Þingvellir. This already took the biggest part of the day. After a local traditional dinner (KFC) we bought some snacks for the flight and headed to the Blue Lagoon near Keflavík. When it closed at 8.45 pm, we drove back to Reykavík and decided spontaneously to go to the movies - we had to pull an all-nighter as we had to drop off our car at 5 am and didn't have a hostel. So we went to see a film which turned out to be the danish version of 'The Hunt' ('Jagden') with icelandic subtitles.
2013.04.04 - Selfoss
After a good breakfast at the very nice hostel of Vík, we had a look into the wool shop (I bought a pair of socks) and headed westwards. We saw the waterfalls Skogarfoss and Glúfurárfoss. In Landeyahöfn we spontaneously tried to catch a ferry to the Vestmammaeyar, but there was no ferry at a good time. So we walked around and had fun in the beach in the west of the ferry. We headed back to the watefalls to finally also find the Seljalandsfoss, which was a bit hidden behind the other ones.
We continued to Selfoss, as we had to check in. One of us wanted to drive back to take photos of the falls, the others went to the swimming pool nearby - so many people! - we really are back in populated area.
Shortly after midnight, we saw a very small northern light, so barely worth mentioning. (Nevertheless..-it's a northern light!)
We continued to Selfoss, as we had to check in. One of us wanted to drive back to take photos of the falls, the others went to the swimming pool nearby - so many people! - we really are back in populated area.
Shortly after midnight, we saw a very small northern light, so barely worth mentioning. (Nevertheless..-it's a northern light!)
2013.04.03 - Vík
As we had breakfast, we were the only ones in the hostel. We left around 10 and drove back, eastwards to the Skaftafell, where we walked to the Svartifoss, the waterfall surrounded by basaltic rocks. A hint, that a so-called 'diamond cave' should be visited, turned out to be wrong as it is the wrong season and the diamond cave nonexisting. But it would have been nice to be in a cave surrounded by ice and lit by the sun from above. Another time.
We headed back westwards, passed the Fagrifoss and other small (not so famous) waterfalls.
We checked in in Vík, and drove to the area around the Reynisfjall and to Dyrhólaey, the bays and beaches east of Vík. Lots of photos were taken.
Good night!
We headed back westwards, passed the Fagrifoss and other small (not so famous) waterfalls.
We checked in in Vík, and drove to the area around the Reynisfjall and to Dyrhólaey, the bays and beaches east of Vík. Lots of photos were taken.
Good night!
2013.04.02 - Hvoll
The hostel would probably have been a good place to search for the northern lights, but I preferred to go to bed (traveling is tiring ;)). Today was my turn to drive, and it was quite something, from Berunes to Hvoll, around maybe 400 km?
For me, somewhere north of Berunes was the border between the reeally vast north-eastern part of Iceland with much snow and the rather more populated, springlike southern part, way less snow, I missed the snow and emptiness already... Jökulsárlón was the first big stop, a sea with ice floes from the Vatnajökull.
In the youth hostel Hvoll, we were the only guests apart from bridge building workers; apparently there are just two teams who are able to build bridges in the whole country - one for the west and north, one for the east and south of Iceland.
No northern lights either, today. But the ones we saw were quite weak, so maybe if the estimated intensity would go up from 2 to something more, maybe we could have a second glimpse, before we leave the country...
2013.04.01 - Berunes
I started my day with another 20 min in the hut tub, at 8.30 we had the included breakfast. I really can recommend this Guest House in Laugur. We drove to Mývatn, no wind, blue water, warm and nice. In Dimmuborgir we found a lava field, but one that was once active and thus had other, bigger structures. We continued, saw some horses on the way, to a couple of grottos (called Grjótagja) which again was great: some meters down over rocks, into approx. 40-45(?) centigrades warm and steaming water. Discovering the hidden caves and caverns, trying not to hurt or scratch myself on a sharp rock coming out of the dark.
The geothermal area Námafjall Hverir consisted of bubbling and piping pits and basins (comparable to the Wonderland in Wai-o-Tapu, but a bit less colorful).
The next goal was the Dettifoss, one of the largest waterfalls in the country. But the road leading there is not a main road and not very maintained in winter, thus probably much snow. We were quite sure we couldn't make it ourselves, but we tried the first few meters. Hitchhiking was out of question? In this season of the year with really not so many tourists - Who would have three spare seats in a big 4x4 car? - the next car passing by did! - right as we began to drive back. So, thanks to two friendly english people, we came to Dettifoss! So much snow on the way (40 min for 25 km), so much wonderful snow. Such a nice waterfall!
We continued on the road nr. 1 south-eastwards through marvelous landscape (who would have guessed that!). We were quite late, so we didn't quite see the last part of the landscape, and also we didn't have the time to see Seyðisfjördur which had been recommended to us by a lot of people - next time.
Berunes, again a youth hostel, was situated a few hundred meters next to the road nr. 1, so easy to find.
The geothermal area Námafjall Hverir consisted of bubbling and piping pits and basins (comparable to the Wonderland in Wai-o-Tapu, but a bit less colorful).
The next goal was the Dettifoss, one of the largest waterfalls in the country. But the road leading there is not a main road and not very maintained in winter, thus probably much snow. We were quite sure we couldn't make it ourselves, but we tried the first few meters. Hitchhiking was out of question? In this season of the year with really not so many tourists - Who would have three spare seats in a big 4x4 car? - the next car passing by did! - right as we began to drive back. So, thanks to two friendly english people, we came to Dettifoss! So much snow on the way (40 min for 25 km), so much wonderful snow. Such a nice waterfall!
We continued on the road nr. 1 south-eastwards through marvelous landscape (who would have guessed that!). We were quite late, so we didn't quite see the last part of the landscape, and also we didn't have the time to see Seyðisfjördur which had been recommended to us by a lot of people - next time.
Berunes, again a youth hostel, was situated a few hundred meters next to the road nr. 1, so easy to find.
2013.03.31 - Mývatn/Laugur
Again wonderfully relaxing sleep, and off to the 1 ring street. Goðafoss, right next to the ring street, proved to be a gorgeous waterfall to take photos of. So much snow everywhere, almost no clouds and around 0 centrigrades - awesome day, awesome Easter Sunday.
Next stop was Hverfjall, a 1 km big crate next to a smaller one, 2500 years old. We climbed up, and I left the prescribed trail to walk to the bottom of the crate. Next to the crate was all kind of wonderful landscape, frozen lakes (Mývatn), lava fields of different types, and cloud-white mountains in different shapes, almost no clouds. Iceland at its best.
We headed down to drive back the snowy gravel road which has lead us from the ring street to the bottom of the crate. After a few meters, we got stuck. Right in the fairway, axis buried in snow. So we called 112, for the first time in my life. After not even 20 minutes, a quad driver came to help us, additionally two drivers in a large heavy car. The quad guy managed to move the car backwards, with the three of us pushing back, and afterwards drive through the most difficult passage, this time not in the fairway. We took back the car, and we convoyed back to the ring street. So much help for no money or not even them staying to let us thank them. Honestly, I am impressed by the willingness to help by the Icelandic people.
We had planed before the trip to stay the night in Ytra Lon, a rather remote place to get to, far in the north-east. Due to the snowy conditions, we didn't want to risk it and changed our place for the night for a guest house west of Mývatn, quite close to the Guðafoss, in Laugur. This also had the advantage that we could see Mývatn which we would have missed otherwise.
The rest of the day until 2am is summed up quite easily in three expressions:
Hot tub
Aurora Borealis
Awesome
Next stop was Hverfjall, a 1 km big crate next to a smaller one, 2500 years old. We climbed up, and I left the prescribed trail to walk to the bottom of the crate. Next to the crate was all kind of wonderful landscape, frozen lakes (Mývatn), lava fields of different types, and cloud-white mountains in different shapes, almost no clouds. Iceland at its best.
We headed down to drive back the snowy gravel road which has lead us from the ring street to the bottom of the crate. After a few meters, we got stuck. Right in the fairway, axis buried in snow. So we called 112, for the first time in my life. After not even 20 minutes, a quad driver came to help us, additionally two drivers in a large heavy car. The quad guy managed to move the car backwards, with the three of us pushing back, and afterwards drive through the most difficult passage, this time not in the fairway. We took back the car, and we convoyed back to the ring street. So much help for no money or not even them staying to let us thank them. Honestly, I am impressed by the willingness to help by the Icelandic people.
We had planed before the trip to stay the night in Ytra Lon, a rather remote place to get to, far in the north-east. Due to the snowy conditions, we didn't want to risk it and changed our place for the night for a guest house west of Mývatn, quite close to the Guðafoss, in Laugur. This also had the advantage that we could see Mývatn which we would have missed otherwise.
The rest of the day until 2am is summed up quite easily in three expressions:
Hot tub
Aurora Borealis
Awesome
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