Iceland Trip Account - Day 13

Day 13

• Second to last blog for this Iceland trip *crowd goes “Awwwww”*
• Today we had a lie in as we had no intentions on doing any expeditions of the grand variety for that day. I love that the French say “faire la grasse matinee” for “to lie in” which literally translates to “"to do the fat morning". Such a beautiful language.
• Despite having what the British would describe politely as “torrential rain” pouring down onto us, we did venture out of the house before lunch to walk to the nearby farm/campsite that was a couple of kilometers down the road to us called “Ulfljotsvatn”. There was a Scout camp and a quaint little church perched on the coast of the little lake that goes by the same name of Ulfljotsvatn.
• I stayed in the house after lunch whilst everyone else went shopping. I did want is known as a “coffee nap”, the idea being that you have a mug of coffee; have a twenty minute nap (in which time you have absorbed the caffeine); and you wake feeling more refreshed. Okay, I didn’t sleep, so I compensated by getting up and having another coffee.
• The remaining time of the day was, and has been, spent packing and being ready to fall out of bed, into a car then into an aeroplane. Even as I write this now, it is still raining. But it is a refreshing transition from holiday and to getting back home.
• Up at 3:00 so relaxing with a cup of tea and some reading before bed. Good stuff.

Iceland Trip Account - Day 11

Day 11

• Alex earnt us a little lie in this morning for his Birthday, so thank you for being born today when I needed some catch up sleep.
• Today was another hike. Everyone is getting a bit more tired everyday. I don’t think we’re used to being so active which is a bit embarrassing really! We started near the Reykjanes Peninsular where the walk started with a friendly reminder of some ground vents that were coughing up some nose-wrinkling sulphur smells so we were soon well on our way on the walk. The ground was bizarrely the most interesting aspect of this hike. The blends of iron deposits and dust volcanic rocks made for a unique scenery. Something out of a Sci-Fi, really, and it’s not the first time I’ve said that about Iceland.
• When it wasn’t dusty red tracks, the ground was laden with fluffy white/bluey kind of moss which was as comfortable as it was pretty. It made for a suitable lunch spot whilst we had lunch in front of a lake. I assume the colour has something to do with the volcanic deposits, but I couldn’t say for sure.
• In the evening we celebrated Alex’s 18th. Champagne, prawns and chocolate cake galore. It was great. We even fired up the garden’s barbeque to cook the fish in. Alex got some of his gifts too of course and now everyone is winding down with their own business as usual before bed. Good stuff.

Iceland Trip Account - Day 7

Day 7

• It’s 8:40 this time round. I think we are gradually accumulation tiredness. We're going to need a hybernation to catch up. But there is plenty to get through in the day. After yesterday’s escapade, my poor knees had received a bit of a battering. A bout of pain from “Patellar Tracking Syndrome” was well overdue. And I wasn’t the only one; dad and Francis both had their own knee issues. It’s like being on one of those pensioner’s escapes with everyone’s aches and pains. Bizarrely enough, I found that Alex’s tripod made for an excellent make-shift thigh massager and without it I don’t think I would have made it out the door.
• With the group being weighed down by 3 cripples and everyone being tired from the previous day's’ hike we took it easy today. A tour of the southern coastal towns was the perfect way to do so, hence first stop was Stokkseyri. Known primarily (and perhaps solely) for its former fishing port. The little village is protected by a small stone storm wall which made for a quant wonder whilst we snapped photos of old boats and... rocks.
• Eyrarbakki slightly larger than the previous Stokkseyri. It boasts the title of the best harbour in Iceland (during the early 1900s that is) though boats were not easily launched as there is a decent stretch of beach to them to sea first. Aside from sand and water, what makes this town unique is Iceland’s largest prison which is the main source of employment for those living locally. The houses built from the early 1900s still stand and were fairly picturesque.
• Lunch at 12:42.
• Grindavik was the last location before home [see map marker for location]. Just south of Keflavik (where the airport is) and 5km from the Blue Lagoon. This was a key trading centre back in the day. Enough so that it was raided on multiple occasions by pirates. Nowadays, large amounts of fish are caught and processed there. The local chippy scents waft through the town so with our pining stomachs calling for relief we headed home for spinach, omelettes and the remaining fish cakes. Good stuff.

Iceland Trip Account - Day 2

Day 2

• Woken at 8:00 by bathroom use and a short laze in bed promptly brings us to breakfast for Kellogs and slightly sweetened soya milk. Everyone gets ready for the day’s walk and we are out by 9:28.
• Arrive in Hveragerdi (k-vera-ger-thee) [see map marker for location] after a 20 minute drive and naturally it begins to rain and will continue to do so on and off until we get home that evening when the sun is bright and perfect for photos.
• A bit of a normie gravel trail walk, but 10 minutes in we got to see our first geiser: a clay-like liquid bubbling away at over 100 degrees celsius. The pit is about 3 or 4 meters in diameter and reeks of Sulphur which smells like gone off egg if you didn’t know - note how the tourist adverts don’t mention how the moment you land in Iceland you are welcomed by the smell of rotten egg in the air and of course you have to drink and shower in water that has a hint of egg to it because it has been filtered from sulphur rich ground which is being fired up. Harmless of course, but you will wrinkle your nose for a while. But don’t worry, you will be reminded of the stench as soon as you stand downwind of a geiser!
• Lots of tourists down this route but it was still a sight to see. The open and refreshing mountains of Iceland are reminiscent of the Scottish highlands - just lacking the peat bog and trees. Plenty of American and French tourists but everyone was friendly. I don’t know why I was so surprised - because it is such common knowledge - but the water is actually so hot. But not just from the source but way down the river (which is where people take the pleasure of bathing). It wasn’t quite blue lagoon but interesting all the same.
• Tonight we fire up the hot tub and have cocktails IN the bathtub. Cocktails. In the bathtub. Crazy.

Iceland Trip Account - Day 1

Day 1

• Flight at 12:45 at gate 26. We bought an excess of booze and because I forgot my books I bought Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix at WHSmith. We had lots of space on plane because we were next to the emergency exit so legroom but no chair table but we did have lap tables that came out of the arms of our seats.
• We landed in Keflavik (South-West of Iceland) [see map marker for location] and met up with my French family members. We proceeded to take the bus from the airport to the car hire where we drove to Hafnarfjordur to meet the lady who was renting the house. We then drove through the outskirts of Reykjavik to get to Selfoss where the house was.
• The keys were not under the front door mat. Panic strikes as the fear of a con settles in and the seller isn’t answering her phone. We search every exterior possibility for about 20 mins until the lady calls back and ends up sending the owner to the house who had forgotten to set the key up.
• I cook pasta. Dad does cocktail. Life is good. Bed after a cup of tea and discussions of the oplan for tomorrow The shower is great: high pressure, good temperature control and lots of space for flailing when one gets shampoo in one’s eyes. My bed is squishy and and welcoming after a day of traveling. I've come to the realisation that all anyone cares about is how nice the bed and shower is. So there you go.