Day 5 : Dettifoss to Myvatn

What what a day! Apprently, it turns out, that Iceland is . . . . icy! It is now Day 3 of the rainshower that started on the second day we arrived. With brief spells of no rain, and some parts of no side-ways wind - we are certainly feeling the cold of the Almost Arctic Circle.

Leaving the sheltered grounds of the Jokulsargljufur National Park we are on the move towards Dettifoss, Europe’s largest waterfall by volume and her sister Sellfos. Our route was to be a 36km 4wd adventure away from the coast and heading inland. The constant rain had turned some parts of the muddy track into a chain of ponds that erupted as we hit them in our large camper. It was 4wding Iceland style.

Before leaving the campground a road side marker informed us that it was 4ºC outside, combine that with rain and wind and it was probably more like -10ºC.

Clothing update: Today Tory was wearing 3 layers of pants combined with 5 layers of tops, Goretex jacket, beanie and rain hood. I was sporting very fashionable thermal pants, hiking cargo pants covered with the same wet wet weather pants Tory was running. Combined with thermal top, goretex shirt and rain jacket we were set for the worst. Or so we thought.

Leaving early gave us the advantage of having the entire track to ourselves. There is vey little traffic in many parts of Iceland and some time you dont see another car for hours. Arrving at Dettifoss we got the camera gear sorted, put rain jaket on camera and camera bag and ventued in the cold rain towwards the mighty waterfall. Within minutes my possum fur gloves (from a previous triup to NZ) and Tory’s cashmere lined leather gloves (from a previous trip to Venice) were soaked through. So much so that the black dye was running from her pair onto her jacket and staining her fingers a dark grey. The cold on our hands was nothing I’ve experienced before, painful and biting, losing feeling in our fingers, knuckles seizing, skin red*.

We arrived at the waterfall and the noise was deafening, the water seemed to explode from the end of the falls, ejected from the river out over the abyss from the curtain of water, flying forward, before tumbling into the canyon and churning away towards a further 3 waterfalls. It was hard to tell where the rain ended and the spray of the waterfall started. We took some pics and heading back to the car via Sellfoss a smaller waterall but equally imrpssive. Back in the car we sat with the heater on for a few minutes trying to dry ourselves and our gear out. Further 4wding was needed to get back to the main road via a new strech of road base on the way to Myvatn.

The area surrounding Lake Myvatn included several boxes we wanted to tick on this journey. Sites included a geothemal area comlpete with mud pools and sulpher rich steam leaking from every concevable spot on the rust coloured terrain. We got to drive past our first geothermal power station and up to Krafla Volcano which had only got covered in snow 3 days previously! It was my first real experience of snow up close. If only it wasn’t -15º! We wandered around Hvevir - a spectacular otherworldly landscape of steaming fumeroles (big ones sound like planes taking off, blowing constantly), bubbling mud pools (the sulphuric acid in the water dissolves the rocks and sand making mud), and sulphur crusted mud pathways. We also managed to hike up the face of 2 more volcanos with one them taking us high above Lake Myvatn below on a 5km round trip. It was a shame about the wet overcast weather as we couldn’t fully appreciate the view, obscured by cloud from our vantage point 529m above the surrounding land. The third volcano was the most spectacular - a perfect black cone rising from the plain with a perfect crater 1040m across. When we got there, the wind dropped but the low low cloud remained, creating another movie set environment of black caldera and shifting mists. We saw more lava fields, lava columns and lava pretty much on the ground everywhere. The entire region was decimated in 1727 when Krafla erupted over 2 years engulfing most of the region. Pseudocraters that dot the area were formed when lava hit wetlands causing explosions of steam and lava formations at Dimmuborgir (Dimmi and a burger’)were formed when a lake of lava formed a solid crust, then steam vents before collapsing. And to finish off our massive day we ended it the best way possible at the Myvatn Thermal Pools. Taking 10 minutes to strip off the layers, shower and don our bathers we joined other fellow travelers in the steaming mineral rich pools. Between 38ºC and 40Cº with eddies of 50ºC across the surface (ow ow ow!), the water soothed our sore joints. Rich in sulpher and other minerals from deep below the surface the water was a rich aqua blue. Te heat caused steam to rise from the water, combined with the cold rain falling on our heads and the occasional view through the mist of the surrounding mountains it was something else. At $25 a person it was worth every cent.

Our campsite in the local town of Reykhalid (‘Breakaleg’), Bjarg, is on the watersend - a lovely grassy location, and very well equiped. Shower and toilet blocks are unisex, the power supply is strong enough to charge the computer / camera / phone (unlike our last 2 powered campsites), rows of sinks outdoors have hot and cold running water for washing dishes or clothes, although the ‘drying shed’ is literally an open sided shed - no drying going on here in under 3 days!!

* Clothing Side note: After experiencing the biting cold earlier in the day we made our way to the main store in town. It was a supermarket / dvd store / hamburger joint. Our mission was to find some kind of arctic glove so that we could keep on going after soaking our own by 8 am at the waterfalls. Tory’s glove of choice was a combo deal. It comprises of 2 layers: a pair of knitted wool gloves and an outer layer of black industrial dishwashing gloves. She was determined not to get wet and cold like that again!!! My gloves of choice were a pair of Cold Storage gloves - thick rubber palms with a knitted exterior. The kind you would use on world’s deadliest catch or in a freezer unpacking frozen salmon. Both options seemed to work fine. Part 2 to the ensemble included a trip to a Souvenir Shop on route to get some better headwear. Tory picked up a nice fur lined hat with ear warmers and I settled for a full length balaclava. We should be warm now as we head up into the barren interior - we are told Askja crater (tomorrows destination) is covered in snow!

Day 4 : Hvitserkur to Asbyrgi

Waking at 4.30am, albeit opening our eyes at that time of day after a windy and very cold night, we decided on some early morning photography. Our camp site was chosen based on early Flickr research. This particular place featured a volcanic ‘plug’ that has eroded into the form of an elephant called Hvitserkur. Local legend doesn’t call it an elephant though - it was a troll who was caught by the dawn light and turned to stone. Several shots later along the black sand beach we decided to pack up camp and head on our way. We had some miles to cover today and many things to see, time was of the essence.

Our first major stop was at Godafoss. Legend has it that in 1103AD the Chieftan of the time was to decide the future official religion of Iceland. Christianity was chosen so, he collected all the statues of Pagan gods and tossed them into the falls to signal an end to their old beliefs and embrace their Savior, hence the name Godafoss, ‘Waterfall of the Gods’.

Our journey then took us further north into the high country. At 9.00am a roadside marker read 4ºC. Snow was visible in the mountain tops as we drove past and we even caught a glimpse of an Icelandic Fox (or maybe a mink!) as we drove past. Startled, it examined us we drove on past before retreating up the hill. The high country was spectacular. A massive valley formed by the movement of glaciers eons ago makes the Barossa Valley look very, ‘un-valley like’. much of the landscape in Iceland is very young 0 some parts are only decades old, but this area is very old - 2 million years or so.

The next major milestone of the trip was heading to a remote beach outside of Husavik. Again an image sourced on Flickr paid great dividends. According to the info we had, a rocky outcrop of ancient geological activity was to be found on the outskirts of town. Driving out of Husavik we saw several formations off the cliffs alongside the road and entering into private farmland. We introduced ourselves to a local farmer who was busy mending his fence. Some polite conversation about where we were from gained us access through his 3 gates and onto the rocky peninsula to get the shot we needed. A great result and yet another box ticked on this phitiography addyssey.

We crossed the Kelduhverfi - a wide flat area where the eruptions and earthquakes of 1975/6 and 1984 caused the land to drop several metres, creating a lake between the cracks, fissures and ridges. This is where the mid atlantic ridge meets the Arctic Ocean and demonstrates very clearly that Iceland is being pulled apart by these two major tectonic plates (North American and European plates). It was mindboggling to think that this lake was created naturally in our lifetimes - and that one day a farmer would have his rural land, then next it is submerged, or n now lakefront!

Our final destination was to the Jokulsargljufur National Park. With our camp fees paid and map in hand we drove off along the ‘white’ grade road (4wd track) towards our first stop. The road was muddy, corrugated and wet from rains probably only 10 minutes before our arrival. Arriving at the Vesturdalur carpark in the park grounds we chose a red level grade hike of 5km. What was revealed over the next 2 hrs of hiking was simply spectacular! I rate it amongst the top 3 best natural wonders I’ve experienced. Breathtaking wasn’t enough to describe the vista we experienced as we hiked above the valley floor into the volcanic dunes. Twisted basalt columns of lava waved and weaved before us as we made our way along the path. The pinnacle was the summit of a mtn dune of volcanic gravel, the colour of rust. Looking south from the dune revealed a Tolkein inspired view of twisted, curling lava sculpture, mountain river and lichen covered planes. Simply wonderful. Of course this is iceland, and like the iceland horses we had to (more than a couple of times) position our backs towards the sleeting rain. I think 4 showers (showers being a simple verb to use) hit us on our decent. Each time we stopped, we let our expensive wet weather gear take the beating and continue on our way. More than a couple of times the height of our trek and the weight of my pack caused some vertigo on our way down.

After the hike it was a 10km return trip along the rain beaten track back to our camp site. A hot shower - coin operated and limited to 5 minutes - on a digital counter - was needed first after wild camping last night, a load of washing in a machine that we were told did not clean well, but were charged handsomely for nonetheless and dinner of vegetarian Tikka Masala got the evening underway. I moved into the common room of the campgrounds, to sit on the floor near a powerpoint between the 2 shower rooms, washing machine, drying cupboards, clothes washing sinks and as I type this blog and drink my beer I’m watching 15+ Russian teens, their associated boy friends and guides scurry about cooking their canned meats and low rent soup. A massive day full of every experience - the best day so far and it promises to get better.

Day 3 : Eldborg to Hvitserkur

With the light disappearing at 11.45pm the night before - it was an early rise at the Horse Farm at Elborg around 5.00am. Already the light was pouring through our camper window, with the sun still seeking it’s way from beyond the surrounding range. We were up and showered and ready to go by 6.45am on the way to Snaefelles Peninsula. Our challenge was to get as far north as we could to take advantage of the larger camper we had before changing over to the smaller Triton version later in the day.

Heading along the southern edge of the peninsula we found several churches along the way. These gorgeous outposts of Christianity in the remote countryside of Iceland. Our first major expedition saw us summiting the large mountain that was home to the Snaefelljokull Glacier. The going was steep and precarious as the relentless winds buffeted our 3 tonne Dodge as we climbed further up. Icelandic sheep with their hooves wedged in between the tuffets of moss and lava were al trying to stay on terra firma. At the furthermost point of safety and sanity we stopped to turn the car around and mark our achievements with a couple of photos. As soon as the latch of the car door clicked the doors swung open with ferocity as the wind clawed at our layers of clothing and whipped our faces red. It was exhilarating, funny and somewhat scary. I wont try to even describe Tory’s efforts in going to the toilet!

The wind was now the punchline to every observation w made on our 500km drive. It was repressive and unstoppable with only the direction changing as we rounded the Peninsula. Sites along the way included a black pebble beach complete with rusted flotsam from a capsized english fishing boat in 1947, 1000s of acres of Lava Fields frozen in time, Icelandic Horses, Waterfalls, more Sheep and glacier scarred mountain ranges that punctured through the barren landscape.

Next was an exploration to the interior on a ‘white’ grade track. The narrow course wound it’s way from the Fjordlands into the countryside to eventually connect back up with Highway 1. Initially looking like a 10km shortcut it turned into a 25km journey on what seemed like a fugged moss covered version of driving through Arkaroola.

We met up with August, our camper man, in Hvammstangi (Ham sandwich), where we waited an hour or so in a cafe / bar and were able to charge the computer a little, and utilise their wifi. An orientation to our new wheels - a Triton L200 ute with a pop top camper on the tray - and we headed north around the Tjornes peninsula, not spotting the elusive puffin nesting grounds, towards Osar, and Hvitserkur rock. We opted to set up camp in the local carpark, to enable a dawn shot of the rock.

Day 2 Land in Reykjavic

Turns out, Icelandair is a budget airline who charge you for dodgy meals, just like JetStar and Virgin. Would have been handy information to know when we were in Paris, walking past boulangeries, fruit shops, cheese shops and so on. $35 for two wraps, some dry sushi and a water seemed a little steep. CDG airport remains a travellers purgatory - we arrive via train, jump the line at the Icelandair counter as our bags were checked through from Adelaide - all we needed were boarding passes. The guy at the desk did not love us - he gave us seats separated by the aisle! We head towards our gate, foolishishly thinking that we will find somewhere to look at duty free for mum, have a beer for Charlie, and a quiet spot to sit. Nope. Heading to the gate, you need to take off half your clothes to go through security, you the line up at a very small kiosk, but they did serve beer and water and chips. The flight to Reykjavic took off only 40 mins late, and the pain of sitting in aeroplane chairs and having no where to really support your head or straighten your knees started to hit. Land in the north Atlantic never looked so good as at the end of the 3 hr flight! We had landed after a little over 38 hrs of travel (airport to airport). No customs to pass through at the airport voted Europes Best in 2009 (that could be why, given they are not even an EU country - note to other travellers- we were told we could bring in 1L spirits and 12 cans of beer each - no one checked at all, so you could probably stretch that a bit - it is a third of the cost in the supermarkets, but pretty reasonable compared to at home).

Charlie couldn't stand the thought of a bus with more people and many stops, so we hired a taxi for the 40 km drive to Reykjavic. We were quoted $95 - it ended up $121 - most expensive cab ride we have ever taken, but he was a nice guy who gave us some good tips. We arrived at our hotel, again - just said our names and we handed a key - no sign in required. We are on the 5th floor on the fashionable strip in town - lots of boutiques and jewellers and tourist info places and cafes and restaurants. We showered and went for a walk, and decided that in fact, Australia has become an expensive place to live. I know our dollar is doing very well (thank goodness), but one of the fanciest restaurants in town has main courses for $50 - same as us. Most of the tourist places here had mains for $30 - same as every pub in town seems to these days. We decided on an italian restaurant with a set menu - lovely lovely meal, after 2 days of aeroplane food. The glass of wine went to my head very quickly, such that dessert and the bill could hardly come quickly enough - we were tucked up in bed by 8:25, and asleep by 8:26, I think. A very long and somewhat surreal day of 50 hrs.

Tory posing with tired eyes at our La Primavera.

A very large stretched Icelandic Truck. What GFC!

Day 2: Land in Paris

12hrs and 43mins later we arrive at CDG (Charles De Gaulle). After enjoying the relative comforts of the Exit row on the Singapore leg, we had to endure row 78 Upper Deck of the new A380 on the Paris leg. Cramming our tired chassis into the middle row of a jam packed flight at 11.50pm we made our peace with the flight gods and we were on our way.

5 Movies, 9 meals, 6 TV shows and some inflight magazine reading later (at least it felt that long) we arrived at CDG 40 minutes ahead of schedule at 5.48am Paris time. Clearing customs and negotiating our way through Dr Octogon’s wet dream of a airport that is CDG, we made our way to the train that would take us to gay-Paris.

At 7.50am, Paris wakes slowly. Street sweepers are out, tables and chairs are being arranged on the sidewalk, deliveries being made, girls in high heals and make-up peddaling along the Rue de Rivioli to work.

We walk along the river toward the Musee d’Orsay checking out some sights along the way. Today’s mission is find a French Bakery, practice some of the local dialect and hunt down Tory’s favourite ice cream store. We may even stop at the Notre Dame and enjoy a cold beer in the gardens. Quite a full morning!

After sampling some French baked delicacies we keep on walking towards d’Orsay hoping to beat the crowds and get inside for a quick look at the world’s largest collection of French Impressionism. Of course we turn the bend and 769 japanese and italian tourist had the same idea. We shelve that idea until our return in weeks.

After 1 hour of walking with my 13kg camera pack my thirst levels hit critical, so we duck into a café for an icy cold Heineken and hot chocolate for Tory.

Tory is a great sympathetic fellow traveller with a passion for all things sweet - there is an unwritten code that if I can source a cold beer when needed, then an ice-cream or chocolate purveyor mustn't be far off, or preferably in same building. We have our vices, and ours are almost balanced.

Further towards the Notre Dame we find the holy grail of gelati. Well, kind of. There was no chocolate so we had to settle for Orange Sanguine (Blood Orange) and a scoop of Poire (tasted just like mushed up frozen tinned pears!). Also luckily enough they sell icy cold Heineken. Our purchases complete we went to enjoy in the gardens behind the grand old church and watch the other tourists taking badly composed snaps of their un-interested teenagers. After some cursory shots of our own it was back to the train station for our ride back to the airport.

Day 1 : Adelaide to Singapore

Wow after 9 months of planning the time has finally arrived, we're off to Iceland!

Departing at 11.50, with a kind drop off from Mr Vern, the first day started as usual - beers at the Coopers Bar. Not before lying to Singapore Airlines about my 13kg carry-on camera bag - swapping the luggage tags with my decoy, we even managed to get an exit row. A good start all round.

After an easy 7 hrs on the plane that consisted of 2 movies, some TV shows and several more beers we have arrived at T3 : Singapore. So that is a 1/3 of our trip done! Only another 23hrs more travelling and we will be in the land of Fire and Ice.

Stay posted for more details as we hit Paris!