Iceland, 5: Under The Glacier

Our fifth day found us driving along the southeast coast, under the vast icefield Vatnajokull and stopping at a few of its many glacial outlets.

Vatnajokull is the big white thing in the middle there; relatively 
huge as icefields go

Another big waterfall; didn't get its same

There are few towns out here, but every now and then a rest stop

More basalt

Barns built into the hill

Driving south of you cross the Skeidarsandur, the Spoon River
Sands, the largest glacial outwash delta in the world, 500 square
miles; here's a bit of it

It was a dark and rainy day, but you could still see up into what I
think was the icefield

Remains of a bridge washed away by flood

Road not taken

Straight and narrow road going not quite ever on

Now looking into the Jokulsarlon "lagoon" and the glacial
tongue

But first, we're heading out to the beach

Iceland, 4: Some Out-takes And Observations

We certainly knew of Icelandic horses, but we were amazed to

see them so often and in such numbers; it seemed like every farm

had a few, or a dozen, or sometimes scores; they're larger than

ponies, but still on the smallish side...bred by the Vikings for travel

aboard ships, yet strong enough for work

They're bred now partly for hobby and riding and partly for
export to horse fanciers abroad; The Althing banned importation
of horses in 982, and Iceland ponies have been pure bred since...
over a thousand years

One of the things that surprised us was the prevalence
of lupine, bluebonnets, to those of us who have done
time in Texas; they're everywhere that anything can
grow

They are the Alaskan lupine, introduced deliberately in 1945 to
stem erosion and to enrich the soil...they are "nitrogen factories";
global warming is helping them along, and the populace is
divided over whether they are useful and pretty or invasive and
alien

Small unpaved runways are sprinkled around the countryside;
we never saw a windsock hanging limp

The government must have printed millions of these signs;
apparently the island was over-run by wild camping several
years back, and "freedom camping," as the Kiwis call it, is
pretty much outlawed; rather few of the rental campers are 
self-contained

Another familiar sight...a hydro-thermal works, producing power
and heat; a spa, like the Blue Lagoon, is generally not far away

Much of the terrain we passed through, especially in the north
and east, is like this: lichen-covered volcanic wasteland

Don't know whether it's COVID-related contactless
pay or simply the northern-European trend, but
Iceland is definitely going cash-less; this is a
contactless pay point in a restroom; on Rickie Stevie's
advice, we got less than $100 from a cash machine
on arrival, but barely spent it all in 11 days

Another similarity with Scandinavia: apart from 2% beer at the
supermarkets and convenience stores, during limited hours, you
can buy alcohol only from the state liquor stores...at tremendously
inflated prices

Picnic tables...seemingly about every kilometer there's a picnic
table; here, with an unobstructed view across the volcanic
wasteland to the distant icefield; unshaded of course; not even
bluebonnets

Washing machines instructions at a campground

Iceland, 4: Coastal Scenes And a Beautiful Gorge

Our fourth day in Iceland continued along the southern coast and then turned inland for a beautiful gorge.

Coastal scenes by Dyrholaey and Reynisfjara

Definitely hang on to your hat territory

Black pebble beach; most of the "beaches" we saw in Iceland
were black, like some in New Zealand...the recent volcanic origin

Famous basalt columns at Reynisfjara; we'd see
plenty more around the island

The Fjadrargljufur gorge; about a kilometer long
and several hundred meters deep; dug out into
the heath by river action from a lagoon and
retreating glacier

The terrain

Gorgeous gorge; we stayed that night at a private campground
in Kirkjubaejarklauster, somehow passing a whole day and night
without car/camper trouble

Iceland, 4: Waterfalls And Glaciers

Despite a late start, signing a new contract, 200km behind the previous day, we set forth again on the Ring Road, Iceland route #1, in our third Lava cars and campers rental. Despite this latest setback, we had another excellent day, seeing waterfalls, glacial scenes, coastal scenes, and one of the most striking gorges we have yet encountered. Southern Iceland is scenically extraordinary.

Route 1, the Ring Road, goes all around the island, sometimes
on the coast, more often not; interestingly, in eleven days, we
were rarely if ever out of a cell service area; the road is mostly
two-lane, paved, and includes some engineering marvels; nothing
much goes into the interior...it's mostly ice, tundra, and volcanic
waste

Often a volcano in view

Across an estuary, looking toward the sea to the south

Waterfalls everywhere; this one Seljalandsfoss

A neighbor down the escarpment

The volcano that halted air traffic in 2010, Eyja Fajalla Jokull

Peaceful on June 20th

Beautiful stiles and other wood here and there

Entrance (sod roof) to a traditional cave dwelling; the settlers,
as in Ireland and other places, wasted no time in deforesting the
land, leaving only stone to build with; or caves

Same day, different waterfall: Skogafoss

On the trail leading up to the Solheimajokull glacier: icebergs
in its lagoon; Icelanders have some interesting ideas about lagoons

Tongue of the glacier

Longer view

Iceland, 3: Another Camper!

So after Fridheima we departed the Golden Circle and headed for Iceland's route #1, the Ring Road, having decided to do it in anti-clockwise fashion. Somewhere along the way we stopped to wait out a hail storm. When we turned on the heater (diesel powered, as was the Nissan), smoke began to fill the cabin. A millisecond's reflection suggested this was untenable, so back we turned, 200km to Keflavik and Lava cars and campers. By the time we got there, only the night shift was present, but they grasped the situation and eventually found us yet another Nissan NV200 mini van camper. We checked it out pretty thoroughly, then spent the night at their lot, checking it out even more thoroughly. The pix are self-explanatory. Exasperating!