http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Iceland/South/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from Europe , Iceland , South en-us Sat, 20 Mar 2010 16:34:37 +0000 Sat, 20 Mar 2010 16:34:37 +0000 It really makes me appreciate being Hongkee imagine saying you are Rekker Icelandic or ... I am Longyearbyian. At least everyone in Scandinavia knows about Hong Kong. Even thou the beggers I saw in India know we have Jackie Chan and world's smallest Disneyland in Hong Kong but what about Scandinavia Perhaps ice or icebergs.So from 9 November I was in Iceland. Shortly after touched down at http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Iceland/South/Hofn/blog-463053.html Day 10 9th October 2009130 PMAfter a week of fairly good if cold weather with only the odd exception Iceland has today given us a taste of the unpredictable extremes that we had read about. The winds that seemed pretty strong when they cracked Lyndseyrsquos head against the car door last night were it seems just the beginning. After arriving back at the hostel last night we decided to http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Iceland/South/blog-454661.html 1015 AMHeimaey was almost abandoned in 1973 after an unexpected eruption formed a brand new volcano destroyed half the town and almost sealed up the harbour. It was one of the reasons that I wanted to come here in the first place not only to see the result of a recent eruption but to see how the town had avoided near disaster. I also wanted to climb a volcano at some point and it helped tha http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Iceland/South/Vestmannaeyjar/blog-450980.html DAY 133I am so excited today because the first thing that I get to do is go horseback riding. I have seen the icelandic horses in the fields and they have to be the happiest horses in the world. I see them chasing each other rearing up on one another and they just look like they are a bunch of kids in the school yard. When I arrive at the horse farm we are given equipment to use for the ride h http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Iceland/South/Vik/blog-430629.html For the first time we our of the tent before 9 because it's too hot The sun is burning on the ten and soon there is nothing to take off anymore we have to get up. Hendrick and Carlo also soon come crawling from their tent and starting getting some basic supplies ready for a bus tour into the interior before heading on towards Skaftafell.We have some coffee and breakfast then get back on t http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Iceland/South/Vik/blog-419739.html In the morning we're woken up by rain For the first time in over a week aside from day 1 in Reykjavik it's raining So we decide to do what any rational person would continue sleeping and wait for it to ease off which it does around 11. So we carefully pack up everything have breakfast at a covered bench and table nearby and head down to the ring road.Seems like our idea worked tail w http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Iceland/South/blog-419724.html After yesterday's fun day of headwindcycling we decide to try and use the headwind which seems to be the predominant direction the wind here to our advantage. Since we had planned to get to Skaftafell and then take the bus back why not turn this on its head take the bus to Skaftafell and then cycle back along the south coast with tailwindAs it turns out the bus stop is also directly at http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Iceland/South/Vik/blog-419716.html Today was amazingFirst I was able to catch the midnight sunset last night which was beautiful right behind our building. We started early and had left the hotel area by 900. After driving about 30 minutes on paved roads we turn off of into the inland roads. These are only accessible 23 months out of the year and can be closed down at any time depending on volcanic tectonic glacial or weather http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Iceland/South/Vestmannaeyjar/blog-415965.html HelloI'm going on a tour later this year and I want to make sure I know how to post while I'm there. This is a test link to the Iceland Backpacking Tour I'm planning to take.Dan http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Iceland/South/blog-402344.html Day 10 here in Iceland and my time here is disappearing as quickly as the ice on Vatnajkull. Okhellip. maybe my time is coming to a close a little fast than that.On Friday morning Tammy took me for a drive along the southern coast of the country. It was a long and great drive. We drove for about 5 hours. The landscape along the southern coast is absolutely beautiful. There are hundreds if http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Iceland/South/Vik/blog-399938.html Extreme 773 km 4x4 Trip over Iceland HighLandPicture from a extreme and great trip over the Icelandic Highland and Vatnajkull Glacier in Mars 2008.Var a koma r fer um pskana ar sem fari var inn Landmannalaugar og yfir Vatnajkul. Byrja var v a fara nokkrum blum inn Landmannalaugar.GPS Map of the trip over Icelandic HighLand in Mars 2008 bull GPS kort af leiHr m sj l http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Iceland/South/blog-399594.html Zondagavond 15 februari 2009Het was een lange dag toen we deze namiddag in IJsland zijn toegekomen. We zijn een groepje van 10 personen. 4 belgian people and 6 dutch people and 1 swedish lady. All very kind and open persons. The ice was immediately broken when we went to the blue lagoon. Dobberen en genieten van dit warme water. Zoals onze gids Fons zei allen poedelen in het warme water. Icel http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Iceland/South/blog-373997.html My trip starts on February 15th and will end on sunday February 22th. I'm looking for Icebergs northerlight aurora borealis and I will do some beautiful walks. Hopelijk valt het weer mee en kunnen we mooie beeldjes schieten. Ik kijk alvast uit naar het terugvinden van de icebergs. Blue Lagoon lavavelden van het schiereiland Reykjanes Selfoss Gullfoss staan allemaal op het programma. Ik zal http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Iceland/South/blog-371610.html We began our trip today with a visit to Jokulsarlon Lagoon where we took a boat out amongst the bluveined icebergs. Before 1950 the course of the Glacial River Jokulsa was about 1 km long and the lagoon did not exist. Since then the glacier tongue has retreated and the lagoon is constantly growing in size. The average flow of the river is 250300 msec. and large chunks of ice break off the http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Iceland/South/blog-359261.html We enjoyed our first night in our hotel in Skaftafell. The hotel has fantastic views of the surrounding countrysidea turf church on site and three little fairy houses by the front door to welcome any of the Hidden People who might pay a visit Our plan for the day was to spend the morning searching for puffins and then head for the National Park where we would have opportunities to explore the lo http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Iceland/South/blog-358959.html We set out this morning from Hella to the Skaftafell Region to visit Seljalandsfoss our first waterfall of the day. This waterfall of the river Seljalands drops 60 meters over the cliffs of the former coastline and it is possible to follow a walkway behind the fall of water. We arrived early and found the place very quiet. Although the waterfall was undoubtedly stunning the whole area proved to http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Iceland/South/Vik/blog-358476.html .....The ice was all around It cracked and growled and roared and howledLike noises in a swound Not quite as dramatic as the Ancient Mariner's trip but still very impressiveToday began with an early morning boat ride of the Jokulsarlon lagoon and definitely one of the highlights of the trip. I believe it was even worth losing the feeling in my feet and hands for the whole day to see the blue http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Iceland/South/blog-347239.html We started the day with what for me was to be one of the highlights of the trip a trip to Inglfshfi aka Puffin Island. Despite being threatened that the puffins had already flown we were assured that the majority had not yet done so and we were guarenteed to see them. The word 'guarantee' should have put us on our guards to begin with but no matter. We piled onto our tractor pulled cart stan http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Iceland/South/blog-347188.html Morning drive from Hella to the Skaftafell Region to visit Seljalandsfoss our first waterfall of the day. Very fun if also very wet as it was possible to walk behind the waterfall although most of us spent the majority of the time trying to protect our camaras than actually appreciating the view The sun decided to come out for us briefly though did very little to dry us I am now resigned to http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Iceland/South/Vik/blog-346999.html For our third day in Iceland we decided to spend the day in Reykjavik and hope to see the Northern Lights after nightfall. We ventured into town and ate lunch at a restaurant I had spied two days earlier primarily because the name of the restaurant was 'Brons' Whilst there I thought it only appropriate to try a 'Viking' beer. I have been feeling quite welcome in Iceland and not just due to the http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Iceland/South/blog-339731.html