Lava, Waterfalls - Are we on the set of Game of Thrones?
We have met people from so many countries- Germany, Italy, France, Korea, a few Canadians, Spain, etc. The mix of tourists is very interesting, but we do wonder how a country of 300,000 residents can sustain such a massive influx (over a million per annum) of visitors.
We camped beside this couple from France. They had brought their vehicle/camping top with them on the ferry.
We were greatly entertained by a bus load of Asian tourists who had worked valiantly to synchronize a photo where they jumped in unison in front of the viewpoint. This woman added a solo touch.
It is interesting to note the inconsistencies of how Iceland is coping with the tourism that the Government and Icelandair have so effectively promoted. We certainly felt the strain in the way we were treated at the airport by workers who were clearly overwhelmed. As well, we have not seen any public toilets along the road. There are picnic stops, but no trash cans or bathrooms. We have read of the frustrations of some locals at the inappropriateness of visitors relieving themselves along the route. But honestly, what else can you do? Cafes and gas stations bear the burden of providing this service and the long line ups tell the story. We have heard some locals talk about a consideration to limit the number of visitors. I would like to say that in spite of this, we have been treated warmly by locals and are thoroughly enjoying our visit.
The coastline at Vik. The clouds live up to its reputation as the rainiest section of the coast….and oh so windy as well.
Over the past few days we have driven through the devastation of a volcano from the 1700's with moss covered volcanic rocks covering the countryside, to snow covered peaks and a glacier that is the 3rd largest ice cap in the world, to rugged beautiful cliffs reminiscent of Game of Thrones to the exciting splendour of a large lagoon filled with Icebergs, which calved and made their way to the sea in front is us. Arctic terns "owned" these icebergs and and dove with accuracy to catch tiny silver fish to feed their young. Seals dove through the rushing waves of the lagoon. These are sights we will never forget. We walked on the black (volcanic sand) amongst the pieces of icebergs that had washed up on the sand. Each was a piece of living sculpture.
And always, the weather is a factor. But like Icelanders, we are learning to continue to explore and camp, no matter what. The only thing we didn't. do was a hike in the National Park as the winds were so strong, we were advised not to go. On this day, we saw cyclists walking their bikes, defeated by the wind. Our hearts went out to the, and we tried to give them encouragement despite being in the comfort of a car.
Camping continues to be good - beautifully situated, $25-30 but with minimal facilities. We finished the day at. Hamragradar once again camping at the base of waterfalls - a truly stunning spot.
Walking amongst the moss covered lava field. It is truly like a moonscape as it stretches for miles in all directions. The moss covering the lava is 50 cm thick, very dense and feels cushioned.
A panoramic view of this barren landscape edged by beautiful mountains. We were entranced by the rapidly changing landscapes of Iceland as we drove along the south coast. 20 km later we would be in a verdant environment.
There are many single lane bridges. The signage is good warning the driver to wait their turn, but it is easy to misjudge the timing of other vehicles. This bridge was very long (about a km) and luckily had some pull outs for oncoming traffic.
