Summer 2002 we went to Iceland for our summer vacation. 

Yes we did even if the average summer temperature in July is the chilling/warming +9 degrees Celsius (and the warming/chilling temperature of January is +1 degrees Celsius.)

We stayed for a fortnight and started in Reykjavik for 4 days. Palli and Egis had arranged it well and after these 4 days whom we had spent driving around to Akranes, Borgarnes and Reykholt (where Snorre Sturlasson lived (1178--1241)),  we went to Fludir via Thingvellir. 

After a few days when we had done some whitewater rafting, visiting Geyser and Gullfoss we hit the road to the south east passing Mýrdalsjökull and Kirkjubaejarklaustur. We had brought a tent for the plan was to put it up at Skaftafell but Per did not feel for the tenting so we used the Bed & Breakfast at a farmers house. It was very nice. We meet there the shepard's dog who had a famous father but himself was scared of sheep's. Tough life. After the night we went up with a jeep on the Vatnajökull. I am sorry that I do not have any pictures on that but they are driving with the jeeps on the snow. Amazing. We hit the right day as it was a wonderful day. After that we hit the road again and went back to Fludir. 

 The day after, at 1500 hours, we took the ferry to Vestmannaeyjar and the largest island Heimaey. It took three hours. Well there we got to know that the later ferry the day after (the one we had booked) was cancelled so we needed to leave 8 o'clock in the morning, just 14 hours after we had arrived. We had also missed the last sight-seeing boat but a extremely service minded tourist aid helped us so the boat took us out for a special tour. It was a spectacular tour where we entered caves and saw puffin hunters who caught puffins like fishermen using their landing nets. We later tried the specialty puffin at the best restaurant, the Lantern. No big hit for me or Ausra but Egis ate our portions too. After that we saw a movie about the volcano eruption 1973 who enlarged the island with 20% and made the harbor even better. However, nothing comes for free. Around 20% of the town was covered by the hot lava.

As a whole Iceland was nice but do not expect the sunny days to be so hot and calm. Expect rather to use your rain clothes and warm and wind proof sweater a lot. I do not increase the truth when I say that I have never changed clothes more often within an hour that on Iceland. It could be sun, rain, sun, rain within half an hour, and the rain does not come from above (as normal) but from the side caused from the wind.

Thanks Palli, Jodis, and Egis for a unforgettable vacation. We are indebted to you.   

Information on Iceland.

Red pushpins in the map to the left show where we were, if you enlarge the map.

The famous Blue lagoon.

Hvita river. Close to Reykholt. The water comes from under the lava field.

Egis, Jodis, Palli and me.

Jodis and Palli.

Libbe and her Icelandic horse

Egis, Ausra and Libbe.

Sævar and Dóra.

Pelle.                          Sirry and Ausra.                   

Strokkur

Gullfoss

Another waterfall on the road.

The day. Vatnajökull

Breakfast at the farmers house. What a wonderful day.

We went up on Vatnajökull on a jeep. Amazing. I have now been going with a jeep both on sand in the desert and on snow.

On the way up, from sea level to the hut at 840 m. it was quite nice weather. See the tongue of the glacier in the background.

Up at 1250 m. after the jeep has taken us up the wind was chilly .

In the background somewhere they told us that the highest mountain should be.

At the lagoon were the land glacier calves large icebergs directly into the sea. This lagoon has a direct connection to the Atlantic sea.    

See the size of the ice by comparing the rubber boat in front of the "iceberg".

Puffin dinner

The puffin tasted like fish oil/train oil.

Fludir

Palli, Jodis and Eyrun.

Eyrun and Egis.           Ausra and I.

The heitur pottur were nice. 42 degrees Celsius directly from the tap, +8 in the air in the night.

Here you can see the pressure from the hot water spring. They have put a concrete block over the spring and just left a hole of 6-7 centimeters. 

Copyright Per Sundell & Ausrine Gabrenaite Sundell
Last revised: 2003-04-03