Part-I
Iceland is not a typical tourist destination, it’s more of an experiential travel. It is not about public squares, plazas, museums, palaces, or monuments (nothing manmade) it’s about the marvels of nature-Volcanoes, Geysers, and Glaciers.
The preparation was as much a part of the experience as the journey itself. The research started months in advance, Nitin from Catterfly was contacted (they had helped us with our Spain self-drive holiday some years back) The key points noted were
1. Iceland should be a self-drive holiday
2. It would require 10-12 days
3. Iceland is more expensive than other EU countries
4. All weathers can be experienced in one single day
5. For Indians Icelandic summers are our severe Winters.
The preparations hence meant prepping for winter clothing (not fancy trench coats, but rugged jackets and caps), hiking shoes, and a suitcase of food (remember Iceland is expensive.)
A suitcase weighing 18 kg was packed 20 days in advance. Palak Paneer and Poha did come to our rescue.
The 26-hour journey to reach Reykjavik included a 10-hour layover in Munich. The time was well utilized by visiting the city center and Haufbrauhaus.
The midnight sun at 12.30 a.m. in Reykjavik made us realize we would need to depend on a watch for the timings, the day remains bright, throughout. That night, or should I say day, we crashed with the help of blackout curtains.
The next day was a fresh start. Driving out into the countryside did not take more than 20 minutes. To summarize the initial experience in one line, Tejas said “It seems like staying in a screen saver.” That was how struck we were with the serenity and beauty of the place. We reached Þingvellir National Park and were smiling to have invested in good hiking shoes. A short hike to Oxarafoss waterfall and we got a glimpse of what beauty and marvels lie ahead. Kids then headed for snorkeling at Silfra Fissure. They braved the 2-degree water temperature to experience what it is to snorkel between two continents. Sounds exciting?? It was, for them. I remained worried, are they warm enough? The warm suit and dry suit did keep them quite well insulated and a cup of hot chocolate couldn’t have tasted better after the snorkel.
Kids happy, we headed to Gullfoss (Golden Falls) the most iconic waterfall in Iceland. It had started raining and the wind Gods were furious. Gullfoss is the mightiest waterfall I have ever seen. The sheer volume and force of water left me numb (I don’t know whether it was the beauty of the fall, or the gusty winds with rain) Maybe it was a cumulative effect. Sure I understood the meaning of Iconic all over again. A long day and then it was time to check in to the apartment for the next two nights. The elderly couple (Stefan and Johanna) and the cozy apartment in a small village were nostalgic. Reminded me of our Germany days. The warmth was comforting.
The following day was devoted to exploring different waterfalls. We started with Seljalandsfoss. In this fall there is an opportunity to go behind the fall and experience the splashes of water. We did return quite wet, happy, and cold. A short walk to Gljufrafoss and it seemed the waterfall was in a cave, a completely different experience. Happy with our exploration we headed to Reynisfjara beach. The first black sand beach I have seen, the sand is black, because it originated from lava which has solidified. I had read about these geographic phenomena in grade X, Experiencing them is a completely different ball game.
The warning of sneaker waves, which can get unpredictably large and can catch the person unaware sweeping them into the ocean put me on alert. My eyes kept following my kids more than the waves. A mom never stops being a mom. However, once I was convinced they were in a safe zone my attention moved to the huge basalt columns on the cliff. A perfect spot for pictures. How could we miss the opportunity? Climbed up to one or two levels for posing.
That evening on returning we also indulged in another Icelandic experience. Soaking in a hot water tub with water temperature at 40 degrees. So while the face was cold, the body was nice and warm. It was a kind of thermal reset we needed, and realized, how the locals manage the winters. After that day the shivering was controlled.
The following day was a drive to Hofn in Southeast Iceland, and on the way was a boat ride in the Jokulsarlon glacier lagoon. How do I describe the feeling? Surreal. A lake with pieces of iceberg floating.The glacier wall was 30 feet above the sea and it was a minimum of 100 feet down. We could hear cracks in the glaciers and then saw a piece of iceberg chip and fall into the lake. A phenomenon not easy to see or capture. However, it seems like that was a lucky day.
After that, we went to Diamond Beach. It’s a black sand beach next to the glacier water, where pieces of the glacier wash up on shore and sparkle like diamonds. The waves do an amazing job of carving them. No Swarovski crystal can match up to those carvings. Magical is the word. We were in awe of the wonders of nature when a seal decided to swim to the shore and say Hi to us. A lucky day indeed. Happy we checked into our next stop Hofn.
That day in the evening I was happy and content, a thought crossed my mind, is the highlight of the trip done, are 10 days too much??
Anecdote of Phase 1: I had put my clothes for laundry on Day 2, and left for the day, deciding to put them in the dryer when I returned. On return, I found the folded Laundry in the apartment. Stefan and Johanna had put them in the dryer, folded and kept it for us. A heartwarming gesture. This reaffirms my belief, that we have good and helpful people all across.
Part-II
While I was wondering if 10 days were too long, the drive to the next destination was lengthy. It was scenic beyond imagination. In Iceland, the beauty is that the journey feels like a destination. The drive through the glacier started growing on us. Innumerable waterfalls were no longer an attraction, just another beautiful site to appreciate (Iceland has approximately 10000 waterfalls) We checked into cabins for that night. An experience which was new to us. Wooden cabins, well equipped, a warm meal of soup with rice and dal satiated our hunger and the mind. Content, we went to bed. Staying in Iceland, news from the cricket world kept cheering us up.
The following day was adventurous and exciting. Having explored the glaciers we were headed for the craters and lava fields. It was a windy and rainy day. There was snowfall, rain, and high winds. Extra effort and caution were needed to keep the steering wheel in control. Thrilling, is the word that describes it best. We had Viti Crater on our list of things to see. I was expecting to see a crater, so after the ice, the next item on our list was the fire. Surprisingly, due to fresh snow, the entire crater was covered with a layer of snow. It was paradoxical and beautiful.
The sulphur and lava fields were another major attraction. The strong smell of sulphur and the mud boiling pots in the cold weather contrasted. Then was the time for our first geothermal dip at Myvatn Lake. The fire and ice played there too. The temperature was 4 degrees while the lake was nice and warm. After the days thrill a much needed relaxation. Iceland kept surprising us with new experiences every single day. 10 days would mean 10 different experiences. My questioning mind got its answer.
We checked into Akureyri that evening for two nights. A comfortable large apartment helped us unwind. Having travelled for 6 consecutive days we decided to take the next day a little relaxed. So no alarms for the next day morning. A full night’s rest was much needed. Akureyri the second largest city in Iceland had the most beautiful sunset, or should I say sun dancing at the horizon. We drove to Siglufjordur and visited the folk music museum. There was one musician, a passionate man from Greece who gives a glimpse into how folk music developed and is played. An interesting bright afternoon. We drove through several tunnels that day, some tunnels being as long as 7kms. The drive back was exciting, no it was not the Icelandic beauty, it was the Cricket World Cup finals. We were glued to the commentary like the good old days. With India clinching a lost game a fresh wave of energy engulfed us. Now the beauty looked enchanting. After a celebratory dinner, we settled for the night. Tomorrow was a big day.
Anecdote of Part 2: Driving through a difficult terrain, the range of petrol started dropping at an alarming rate. For every 1km travelled it showed a drop of 5kms in range. We reached the nearest petrol bunk at the last minute. Phew!!! This had to happen too.
Part-III
The next day promised to be exciting and long. We drove to Dalvik, from where we had to take the ferry to Grimsey Island. The drive was stressful. It was a race against time and we were the last ones to board the ferry. Huffing and puffing we settled, bracing ourselves for the rough sea. Grimsey Island is located in the Arctic Circle. It took us three hours by ferry to reach there. The Island has a population of around 80 people but is home to millions of sea birds, including the puffins. A quaint island, with one shop and a cafeteria. Throughout the journey, we were searching for whales, but unfortunately, we didn’t spot any.
At Grimsey, we trekked up to the Arctic Monument Ball. It is a 9-ton concrete sphere that marks the boundary of the Arctic Circle on Grimsey.
The bright-coloured puffins were a definite show stealer. My first impression of Puffins was, they are like mini penguins. Bright, chatty, and sweet. Gagan and the kids put the camera to good use, while I enjoyed just being there. The diversity and beauty of the place and the calmness broken by the cacophony of puffins was profound. It was calming.There was so much to soak in. It felt like being on top of the world, quite literally. We returned to Dalvik by 7 p.m. and then a three-hour drive to the next location Hvammstangi. That day I observed we were all talking less. It was a long and satisfying day.
The next morning we headed to Snæfellsnes and stopped at Vatnshellir Cave. This cave is a result of an eruption which happened around 8000 years ago, but it was discovered around 60 years back. The rocks are brightly coloured due to iron and sulphur. At one point in the tour, the guide asked us to switch off our torches, I hadn’t seen anything this dark in my life. We couldn’t see our hands even if we waved them before our eyes; it was that dark. We continued to marvel at the wonders of nature. Throughout our drive, we had seen countless sheep and horses on the farms. Finally, we had the opportunity to pull over at a farm and stop to admire the horses. To our delight, they came to the fence to be petted. It was a joy to pet them, and even more satisfying to see my kids squeal with delight at the opportunity to pet them. I don’t know what made me smile more, the horses or my kids petting them. They surely looked majestic.
After spending the night in Snæfellsnes, we headed to Reykjavik where we were excited to experience typical tourist activities. We enjoyed shopping for souvenirs, visiting a church, and walking along the main street of Reykjavik. Our interactions with the locals were heartwarming. While we were in a shop buying postcards, we had to wait a little longer in the queue because the shopkeeper was engaged in a passionate discussion with the customer ahead of us. To our surprise, when it was our turn to pay, the shopkeeper didn’t charge us for the postcards because he felt bad for making us wait. Despite our insistence, he refused to accept any payment. We were truly touched by his gesture.
After a dreamy vacation, it was time to send the milkman a message “Bhaiya, please start supplying milk from tomorrow.” We landed in Bengaluru at 1:30 a.m. in the darkness of the sky.
Anecdote of Part 3: The lady in the Ceramic ware shop in Reykjavik was excited to learn that we were from India. She narrated her tale of visiting India, where she drove a “TUK TUK” from Jodhpur to Bangalore. A distance of roughly 2000km. She was quite excited to share her experience. We were amused and in awe of her adventurous spirit. We Indians might shy away from an experience like this.
