Busing it to the glacier

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After yesterday's fun day of headwind-cycling, 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 tailwind?
As it turns out, the bus stop is also directly at the campsite, so we don't even have to work hard to catch the bus - simply pack up, and make sure we stand ready at 11:40 for the bus. No problem: the bus is almost empty, plenty of space for our bikes, and we get tickets to Skaftafell. The road continues straight, but soon starts climbing quite rapidly up a steep hill - good thing we're not cycling! Once on top of the hill, it's back down the other side - as it turns out, there is a mountain right on the coast, and the road has no choice but to cross it - so it does this Iceland-style: just get it over with, no matter how steep the climb!
On the other side of the mountain lies the small town of Vík, southmost point of Iceland, and one of the few towns on the seaside with no harbour. When we approach the bus stop, it looks like there is a line of ants crossing the nearby fields from the campsite, carrying boxes. The ants turn out to be a French travel group that apparently decided to use the public buses for their travels, taking about 15 huge boxes and large amounts of backpacks with them on the bus. The driver is slightly overwhelmed by the prospect of fitting all this luggage into his bus, with our bikes and luggage already taking up a large amount of space, but he manages to do it. With the whole group on board, the bus is now packed, and we continue Eastward.
The landscape is more of the same intense green grass, with small shacks and grass-roofed houses. Occasionally, the road crosses a lava field, and the landscape changes completely, but soon turns back to green.
Only a couple of kilometers past Kirkubæjarklaustur (the town with the unpronounceable name), the landscape suddenly changes drastically: no more grass, but a huge black desert, with a blackened glacier looming at the far end. The bus goes quiet, everyone looking at the masses of ice at the far end of the desert, as if waiting for all the ice to melt instantly, and wash the road, along with the bus, into the sea.
On the other end of the glacier, the bus takes a left turn, and a few kilometers inland, we arrive at Skaftafell, starting point for a number of hiking trips into the Vatnajökull, Europe's largest glacier. We pitch the tent on the campground right next to the information centre, and take a short walk to the Skaftafellsjökull, the glacial tongue sticking out towards Skaftafell. The glacier has been retreating since the 1940s, and has left nothing but rubble behind, where vegetation is very slowly taking over the newly created space. The closer we get to the glacier, the sparser the vegetation gets, until we arrive at a wide open space of rubble, with the glacier in front of us.
Back at the campsite, a look at the map tells us that, while Skaftafell has no pool, a nearby village offers one - and it's only 7km away! So, bathing suits packed, we head further East, and find the pool without a problem. Turns out that the tiny pool - two hut tubs, and a small swimming pool - are completely taken over by a British travel group, with their Icelandic tour guide, who acts as an entertainer, getting them to play ballgames in the water, and joking around. When some space opens up in one of the hut tubs, Nadine jumps right in, and starts chatting with the lone Scot in the bunch, feasting on his lovely Aberdeenian accent. Just lovely!
Back in Skaftafell, we make some dinner, and then head to bed. Tomorrow, we'll take the road back to Kirkubæjarklaustur, and the wind will be on our side this time!

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Photos

Into the cold
On the way to the glacier

Heart in the rock
Water got into the rock, froze, and exploded the rock.

Basalt columns
The glacier sits on top of a volcanically active region - hot and cold in the same place!

Dinner
Hmmmm....noodles!