Sunday 7th October 2012Steps
Flights, hotels and car hire booked. Passport check, they will still be in date. Time to think about clothing and footwear as it will be chilly. :-)
Thursday 13th December 2012
Off we go again, just a short trip. Iceland for a week.Steps
Loading up the car and defrosting at 07:30 this morning for the drive to Gatwick airport. Turning out onto the Frimley Road we saw the M3 London bound stationary. Time for a route change as we didn't fancy sitting in a motorway jam while our flight left. So we trundled across country avoiding main roads and arrived at the airport car park by nine.
After a quick trip on the shuttle bus we dropped our bags and joined the queue for security. Having enjoyed the floor show of moaning passengers complaining about how unnecessary the security was, we were treated to staff shouting at each other. We couldn't make out what they were yelling about but they sounded cross.
Once airside we enjoyed a leisurely breakfast before boarding. Settling into our seats we were in an overwing exit row and had masses of leg room. The third seat in the row was empty so we relaxed and enjoyed the three hour flight (No kids on the aircraft - bliss). The cabin crew came round with complementary seasonal goodies, hot chocolate and Xmas cookies.
On approach to Keflavik we were treated to a spectacular view of the Eyjafjallajokull volcano that erupted 2010.
Landing at Keflavik we were met by our car hire company and driven the short distance to the office. In the dark at four o'clock in our left hand drive Suzuki Jimmy we drove out into the rush hour traffic of Iceland and headed into Reykjavik. In town we found our hotel and checked in. With the car in the hotel garage we walked to the nearest ATM to withdraw some local cash. Having money in our pockets we found an Italian restaurant and had pizza and pasta for dinner with a nice glass of wine for Jackie before retiring to our room for the night as we have a busy day tomorrow.
Friday 14th December 2012
StepsAlarm set for seven o'clock as we have a full day today. We are splitting up and off on our own.
Jackie on a self guided walking tour of Reykjavik. She set out for the shops and a morning window shopping. Having wandered through the main retail area the walk took her to see the Harpa concert hall, home of the Iceland Symphony Orchestra.
Then up the hill to Hallgrimskirkja church where she climbed the bell tower for a panoramic view of the city. Stopping for an Icelandic open sandwich for lunch her next stop was the Settlement exhibition. This is a Viking age long house which was found under the capitals streets. Returning to the hotel via the Solar Voyager sculpture on the sea front.
Martin meanwhile had gone to Silfra national park diving. A days scuba diving with a dry suit qualification course included. Diving in water at a temperature of 2 degrees. After the first dive whilst changing air cylinders and drinking hot chocolate the equipment froze requiring the application of hot water from a thermos flask brought for that reason. Having defrosted enough to don and start the scuba kit we entered the water and floated for a couple of minutes to allow the remaining gear to defrost in the "warm" water. The water in this lake filters through the volcanic rock to so it is purer than bottled water. The visability is fantastic and the colours spectacular.
Returning to the hotel we both walked through town sightseeing in the dark before finding the Christmas market and then a restaurant for dinner. Back to the hotel again and time for bed as we are leaving town for the wilds tomorrow.
Saturday 15th December 2012
So begins our Icelandic Viking Saga.
Cold was the day as we ventured forth from the settlement of Reykjavik.
The wind did howl fiercely through the valley as we battled the ice gods to gain the summit and look down into the frozen valley of Thingvellir.
Well it probably wasn't bad enough to make a saga but with the ice on the road and very strong gusty crosswinds, our little Suzuki spent quite a lot of time sliding sideways. At 80 kph it was a white knuckle ride, as the speed bled off to 60 kph the gusts only caused the car to loose traction on the rear and a quick flick of opposite lock brought it back into line.
After a short stop at Thingvellir national park we drove on to Geysir and stopped to see the volcanic hot springs and the geysir that gave the name to a spouting hot spring.
Sliding back on the ice to the car we drove on to Gullfoss. After a short walk from the car park we saw the waterfall. The spray has frozen on all exposed rock surfaces and the wind was nearly cutting us in half. Having taken a few photographs we were blown back to the car. Climbing in we drove on to Fludir and our hotel for the night. Checking in we relaxed before dinner. After dinner we went out in the car to find darkness away from town and watched the Northern Lights (Arora Borialis) before returning to the hotel for bed.
Sunday 16th December 2012
Checking out of our hotel we fueled up and hit the road again. The weather slightly better today and the road conditions should also be easier. We headded south to pick up the main route 1.
After an hour we arrived at our first stopping point a waterfall called Seljalandsfoss . The writeup in the guide book said there was a muddy path behind the falls. Having seen the stairs we decided not to attempt it.
After looking around we continued to the next stop. Another even bigger waterfall. This one called Skogafoss appeared in a cruise advert last year and is pretty spectacular. More photos.
Driving on to our stop for the night in Vik, our room wasn't ready as we were early. So we went on in to town and spent some time walking on he black sand beach. Spotting a petrol station / restaurant and stopped for a warming cup of coffee.
Then it was time to check in to the hotel for the night. Having gone to bed and sleep we woke at 01:45 to see it was a clear night and the northern lights were very bright. We got dressed and slipped out of the hotel. Realising that the lights in the hotel would spoil our pictures we decided to go for a drive. As it was very late we pushed the car down the drive before starting it and driving off. Ten kilometers down the road we pulled in to a picnic site and watched the show for an hour before returning to the hotel. As one of the rooms was in direct line with the drive we turned out the car lights as we pulled off the road. We sneaked back in and were back in bed by three o'clock.
Monday 17th December 2012
StepsUp for breakfast at half seven because we have another busy day. Out on the road in darkness for the two and a half hour drive to Joekulsarlon. The glacier here ends at a lake and as the bergs calf (technical term for ice falling off of a glacier) they float across the lake and out of the river to the sea. Arriving we pulled into the car park and spent half an hour photographing the icebergs in the lake. We were pleased to see a seal swimming around the ice and diving under before popping up in a new location. Finding the cafe that looked closed was actually open was a very pleasant surprise. So we had coffee and a muffin (cos' you have to eat more in the arctic to fight the cold - honest). Walking back to the car we noticed a beach over the road bridge so we drove over and slid down the track and across the icy sand. Parking well back from the water we walked around all of the icebergs that had washed up on the beach. With the sun shining and the crystal clear ice bergs on the black sand. It looked for all the world like a giant jewelry shop. After watching a few bergs roll past down the river and out to sea we drove back to Vik and our hotel. On the way we stopped to talk to some Icelandic horses, getting a few photos at the same time.
Having had dinner in the hotel we decided to wait up tonight an see the northern lights again. Instead of waiting to see them from the hotel window at ten thirty we left in our car and found a quiet back road with clear horizons and parked to wait. The night was cold -6 and we waited patiently.
At just before one in the morning we noticed the horizon getting lighter and darker on a slow cycle. Bundling up we got out of the car and fifteen minutes later the arora burst into life brighter and more vivid than last night. We enjoyed the show and got some photos before heading back to bed, frozen but happy
Tuesday 18th December 2012
Waking at half seven we had breakfast and checked out. Back in the car for the two hour drive to Keflavik. As it was early we carried on past town to a bridge that spans the tectonic fissure that separates Europe from North America. Having grabbed a few photos and stamped all over it we carried on to the Blue Lagoon thermal baths.
The water is kept at the temperature of a nice bath by geothermal hot water springs. Bobbing around in the hot water and steam was nice. Then, what a surprise there is a bar in the pool and you can buy drinks using the wristband that you are given when you enter. This wrist band also electrically locks and opens your locker. Having had just the one small drink we left and found our hotel. Having checked in and had dinner we settled down to catch up with our beauty sleep.
Wednesday 19th December 2012
Last full day in Iceland and retail therapy for Jackie. After a lazy breakfast we drove the 45 kilometers Into Reykjavik. Stopping at an out of town mall we checked out the shops then drove into the centre of town and parked the car. Walking up the high street we dropped into various shops spending the last of our Icelandic Krona. At two o'clock a cafe called to us and we sat for a traditional Icelandic open sandwich and coffee. Back at the car we joined the rush hour traffic heading back out to Keflavik and our hotel for the night. Repacking the cases for the flight home didn't take long, so an early night as we have an early start in the morning.
Thursday 20th December 2012
Up and breakfast at five. Checked out and return the hire car 'cos we fly home this morning. The hire company dropped us at the airport and we checked in and got through security for some shopping. Boarding the flight for the three hour trip back to Gatwick. We were back home by one o'clock.