Flying Icelandic Air meant a quick pit stop in Iceland in both directions which meant we could extend this for a couple in to a couple of days. My road trip buddy had visited before & was soon in procession of a nippy little car so that we could get around easily. Our accommodation was in downtown Reyjavik.
The quaint hostel provided an excellent base from which to explore both the city & local attractions. Iceland is an extraordinary country that’s landscape is both remote & captivating.
Our visit was in the Autumn so the snow had yet to fall but it was very cold & wet. The weather on arrival seemed positively hostile compared to the warm balmy days in the USA. However we had warm clothes & waterproofs so we ventured off to see what the Island could offer.
Journey to the centre of the earth??
Leaving the rain behind us we set off down a long tunnel that felt like journeying to the centre of the earth. First up was a short trek up the side of a redundant volcano to look inside the crater.
This road tunnel was possibly the longest that I had travelled into that seemed to descend a very long way.
The video clip below helps give a sense of this downwards journey.
Curious geological scenery & a touch of blue sky made for a memorable stop even if the wind threatened to blow us over the edge. If we had brought our swim wear we could have had a dip in the numerous hot springs that were near by as others seemed to be.
Awesome Food & Dangerous Beaches
We opted to return to base & get ready to venture out for a meal which ended up being an expensive form of Icelandic ‘tapas’. I won’t list the dishes for fear of causing offence to some but the food was exquisite.
Next day we headed towards the rain to visit Reynisfjara to take a look at the black sand & unusual rock cliffs. The shapes are likely a combination of the type of rock & action of water. The stones seemed quite evenly shaped which is why they were so fascinating.
Sneaky Waves
The waves were being whipped up by the wind & we were on constant alert for the ‘sneaker waves’.
This potentially fatal phenomena has caught many a visitor out so huge warnings signs greet you in the car park. I think they should make the You Tube clip of one of the few people to survive a mandatory part of the visit. It was unbelievable there were many who seemed oblivious to the dangers.
The name ‘sneaker’ gives a clue to the fact that the waves can creep up & sweep the unsuspecting from the shore. Having survived we still had to endure the by now pounding rain & bitter cold. So on reaching the car decided a warm drink indoors visit to be preferable. This is how we ended up in the Skogasfn Folk Museum.
Museum Visit
If you like history then definitely put this on the list of things to do. It gives an insight into Icelandic history & culture. We spent a few hours looking at the various curiosities housed there until making our way back via Hvolsvollur for tea.
Not fancying a church service we opted to kill time before checking in at the airport by squandering our last few krona visiting Hio Islenzka Reoasafn museum.
All in all it was a unique glimpse into a beautiful largely unspoilt landscape where the people are hospitable & their traditional food delicious. It is a grievously expensive place as most has to be imported but well worth the effort.
I would like to return some day & explore more as we only touched the surface in our short stay. However returning to the UK would not see us knitting slippers or carving something similar. Mainly because we had the next road trip schedule to map out!
Use link below to find out more about Iceland