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Published: June 29th 2017
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Geo: 64.1353, -21.8952
Land ho! After days at sea we finally arrived at our first location in Iceland. They dont call it Iceland for nothing. Its not just the rain or low temperature, but the brutal winds that really chill you to the bone. From the moment we arrived in Reykjavik, icy winds relentlessly battered us. The cold was the worst part of it, a small price to pay for what was a unique and interesting place. We had two days to spend in Reykjavik, the capital, docked overnight. Our first day, Monday we booked a private company tour of the Golden Circle, basically costing half what the cruise ship would charge. Our tour was to depart the Harbourfront at 12.30, the ship reaching the port by 11. Naturally there HAD to be delays, and we werent able to disembark until closer to 12. By then, we got our first dose of the biting cold and freezing embrace of Iceland.There wasnt too much difficulty finding the tour group. A couple other individuals had joined us; Roslyn and Graham from USA. Our tour, the Golden Circle, was to consist of three things, a national park, erupting volcanic geysirs, and the main event, the
Gullfoss waterfall. The drive to get there was concerning, wet and windy yes, but next to zero visibility. Mist and fog everywhere. You'd be lucky to see 15 metres from the bus window. Nat wasnt happy. Thankfully, as expected the weather improved for us when required. The mist cleared and rain eased as we arrived at the geysirs. We were allowed an hour stroll around the area. Steam belowed out of the earth around here, amidst bubbling hot springs. The temperature of the water in the area was between 80 and 100 degrees Celsius. Every 13 minutes, one of the central geysir erupts, shooting boiling water 30 feet into the air! Pretty impressive!Ten minutes down the road we arrived at the main event, the Gullfoss Waterfall (meaning Golden Falls). As far as I know its the second biggest waterfall in Iceland and eighth biggest in the world, or most spectacular. In any case, it was spectacular indeed, wide, with two layers and excellent viewing points. You could get up close and hear the thunderous power of these mighty falls. On the way back to Reykjavik we passed through a national park by Icelands largest lake. The rain and wind had
picked up again by this point and as such there wasnt much opportunity to walk around. There was a brief stop off at an impressive lookout. We managed to enjoy the views without getting blown off the platform. Just.Rather than being dropped back at the ship, we elected to be dropped into the city. The rain had stopped and our cruise line had advised it was a thirty minute walk back to the ship. We strolled around the city centre and by the Alfing, town hall. Iceland has a population of 500,000, one third of which live in the city. For such a small population, there is a lot of shops bars and restaurants about. First stop was a microbrewery. A pint of Gaedingur cost about 720 Icelandic Krone ($7.50AU). Whilst out we decided to share a pizza at the pub next door and watch the locals pay 2000 Krone for a spin of a wheel of fortune which could get you between nothing and 8 beers.We got out at 9, with it drizzling slightly, we decided to walk back via Hellgrims church. Afterall the sun wouldn't set til 11.30pm. On the way the rain grew heavier. We arrived at
the church relatively dry. Although closed, the door was left open. A tour group went in so we were given a chance to follow suit. The interior wasnt as grand as your standard cathedrals, but this was a different kind of church. We headed back outside and the rain intensified. The least said about the 45 minutes to come the better. Rain grew heavier and wind increased, blowing in our faces the whole way. We made it back. Eventually. Our top half was kept warm and dry by our coats. Our jeans were soaked through. We grabbed some pizza on the boat before bed. What a day.
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What a lovely picture - you both look relaxed and happy!