Blogs from South, Iceland, Europe - page 7

The day started with a quick tour of Reykjavik and then we left the city to go further south. We pass many areas of large greenhouse installations using geo-thermal heating and hydro-electricity growing the fresh vegetables for Iceland. The landscape is desolate and vegetation sparse. The result of 1000s of years of volcanic activity. The countryside then changed to fertile farmland. We then visited the Gulfoss waterfalls where huge volumes of water spray and fall. We then moved onto Iceland's largest geyser which spouts every 8 minutes or so. Then more waterfalls and a black sand beach with its sea stone arch. The whole day we were driving with the huge glaciers in sight including the one which erupted in 2010 which caused chaos in Europe with ash. Interestingly Iceland had no ash but severe flooding ... read more

Our tour of Iceland has been incredible thus far and just when you think it can't get any better...you round a bend and are blown away at the breathtaking scenery that lays before you. It seems as if every corner of this country has a hidden beauty to share. Today, we see some of the most beautiful Glacier patches Iceland has to offer. Locals referred to them as the "Northern Lights of the Sea" for their ability to reflect the colors of sun.... read more

Iceland – The Land of Stories! Despite having over 100 active volcanoes it is still nesting Europe’s largest glacier, it leans over the Arctic circle yet it is warmed by the Gulf stream, Iceland truly is the Land of Fire & Ice. Marks of Human hand are few and far between on this wind swept land, footprints are quickly reclaimed but stories stay forever. Such is the sheer force & beauty of this place that the Viking warriors have turned into the poets and family stories into Epic Sagas. There are some stories we never want to end but rest assured this is only an introduction! The love for road trips and surreal places made us visit this country named Republic of Iceland or Lýðveldið Ísland as they call it in Icelandic. So, when the destination ... read more

It is possible to get used to anything, even driving on the right hand side of the road. One way bridges and pull over tunnels continue to be challenging, but the thing that make driving in Iceland most difficult is sheep. There are a lot of sheep in Iceland, great wooly mops with curly horns and attitude. There are lots of roads that sheep wander beside, sit on and cross carefully in small groups. Travelling in Iceland is easy. Very easy. English is used by locals and tourists alike. Even the automatic petrol pumps have an English option. Supermarkets are full of familiar foods imported from Europe. Locals favor chocolate with salty liquorice, sweet cakes lashed with cream, hot chips (fries) and hotdogs. Everything is expensive because it is imported (think fruit in Japan or petrol ... read more

By the end of the day Sam was crying "oh no, not another waterfall. Do we really have to go?" Our bodies seem to be adjusting to the 4 hour Icelandic time difference. Everyone was up (mostly on our own) by 8:30am. Our first stop after returning to the main Ring Road (after a 20 minute drive going 90kph on a tiny two lane road that Mike was happy had a white line to navigate by) was the local tourist center. of courose prior to going very far down our little side road - 204 - the car was being attacked by the Arctic terns. Fascinating to watch them dive bomb our front hood. The tourist center had a great video about the Laki craters and fissure eruption in1783. So many people died in Iceland and ... read more