We’ve both had a decent nights sleep and Ian’s cold is feeling a bit better. Good job as there are no chemists open till Monday (the one in the last campsite close at noon on Friday) and we’ve discovered that they don’t sell cough medicine in supermarkets here! We decide to take advantage of the campsite shower before leaving. There is just one shower and one loo each for ladies and gents so there is a queue. No one is actually using the shower (I guess they don’t want to pay the hefty add-on shower fee) but they are using the room as it contains a basin. The wind is bitter so we all cram inside…no sign of social distancing here! Finally I get inside, only to find that my shampoo and soap have migrated to ... read more

We’d intended to be up early but at 8am Ian is still snoring and I hate to wake him as he has developed a nasty cold and was up half the night coughing and spluttering. Poor boy. This morning we are off to see some more waterfalls, starting with Seljalandsfoss, a massive fall which you can walk behind. We are suitably clad in full waterproofs and the camera is in a protective case…we know we are in for a good soaking! It’s worth it though. Half an hour later we have reached Skogar - first a trip to another large waterfall, Skogarfoss. We are told that it’s worth climbing the 370 steep steps to the top of the falls so we decide to do it. There are some fine views from the top but my camera ... read more

It’s 6am and the sun is shining brightly. I decide to take my shower now whilst everyone else is still in bed. The bed has to be dismantled and bedding stowed before we can enjoy our breakfast. Today we have elected to head up to the hills to Pingveiller National Park - home to the first Viking parliament…formed in 980AD…and Oxararfoss, a gigantic waterfall. We start at the waterfall and then walk along a gulley formed by the movement of tectonic plates…’walking between two continent’ Ian has threatened to report more about this later? Retracing our steps we make our way towards a tiny tin church passing the site of the Viking parliament and taking in the lovely views. By the time we have done all this we are pretty tired but it’s hard to resist ... read more

Up at 2am, quick shower, check out and 15 minute walk to Luton Airport. Our flight has not been cancelled so that’s a bonus. We have been told to report to check in by 3am although check in clearly states it won’t open till 4am. In fact they do open around 3am and we proceed to self check in. In much the same way as every supermarket self check out I’ve ever attempted I’m forced to call for help as the machines don’t like our suitcase. Nothing to do with us we are assured, some of the belts always malfunction. Next we walk several miles though a maze of walkways to reach security…obviously we must need the exercise as the channels are all empty. Seems like they just like to punish you for bringing too much ... read more

We have woken early ready for breakfast before our bus trip across the border. We have exactly the right amount of cash for fried eggs, bread and a drink at the cafe. The rest of our cash has been spent at the supermarket stocking up on drinks and munchies since kip will be useless once we exit Laos. All packed, we check out, only to find our breakfast restaurant, along with just about every other restaurant in the street, is firmly closed! Ah, it’s new year and most of these places are Chinese owned. It looks like we are either going without, eating munchies, or risking the Indian breakfast then? An Indian restaurant owner beckons us in. He can do fried eggs and bread, plus lassi for me and tea for Ian. We do a mental ... read more