Cloud null

After yesterday's ordeal I wanted to take it easy.  I figured I'd drive along the south east coast and make a few stops then go swimming. First stop was another geothermal area, this time high temperature which meant there was a cauldron of boiling water pumping out steam, CO2 and Sulphur.  It was pretty amazing.  Walking through the steam cloud was a mistake though, it left me coughing! I then saw a path to a crater not far away so I followed it, only to find it continued towards a lighthouse.  I decided to follow it which perhaps want the best idea as my feet were sure from yesterday but anyway.  It was worth it for the views of the sea lashing away at volcanic cliffs. I watched the sea for a while then walked back. Next stop there was the slightly still bridge between continents.  There area has lots of rifts due to the American and Eurasian plates pulling apart here.  This one is quite impressive so someone had the bright idea to build a bridge to ...

Part of the reason I became so interested in visiting Iceland is watching live streams of their volcanoes erupting and evolving in real time.  I've always loved watching the interplay of the sea and the sand, I think this is similar but on a grander scale. So today I'd set myself the ordeal of trekking to Iceland's newest volcano at Litli-Hrútur.  This only stopped erupting about a month ago, I had hoped it might still be going when I arrived but it wasn't to be. The hike trail takes you past the two previous contenders for most recent eruption, spaced out only a few years apart and still smouldering for it.  They're all fissure eruptions on there same fissure so they're roughly in a line. After a very steep climb with a blasting headwind we cube to Fagradalsfjall volcano, the oldest of the three.   Next is Geldingadalir volcano, second oldest. After even more hiking, ending in a climb up a steep hill we reach Litli-Hrútur which I learnt means little wolf! ...

 Today I set out west along the north edge of  Snæfellsnes, playing on getting to some lava caves along the way.  I had some time in hand so I made a couple of stops along the way. Firstly I stopped at yet another waterfall, Grundarfoss.  It was a short hike from the road and the views along the way were stunning.  The mountain tops had a lick of snow from the stormy weather yesterday and were being lit by the rising sun.  The waterfall itself was enchanting.  There were also some cute Icelandic horses. A little later I stopped at a small outcrop by the sea at the edge of a village, the waves were smashing against the cliff.  I made a cuppa and watched the sea for a little. I didn't have much time left so I headed straight to the cave. As I approached Sæsnessfell itself canned into view.  It is a gently sloping but enormous strato volcano topped by a glacier - a bit like Mount Fuji. The guide for the cave was very nice, he's a young chap who ...

When I woke up Borgarnes seemed like a different place, there was no wind and the sky was clear, gentle waves lapping at the bay by the camp. I first charged there car at the N1 services nearby, they have toilets yay.  When ready the swimming baths were open.  They were great, but as amazing as the others but much better than a camp shower!  I went back to camp and read, then made dinner. Later I went to the settlement center in Borgarnes.  You get an audio guide to lead you through a sequence of displays detailing Iceland's first settlers. Iceland is unusual in having written records going back to the very beginning.  The first part covered multiple settlers, the second half told a summary of the life story of the son of one of the first chieftains.  He was psychotic but had a away with words! Afterwards I continued north, making a stop at a volcanic crater.  It felt rather like the film Close Encounters of the Third Kind!  The final ascent was v...

The forecast for today was lots of rain so it seemed to make sense to be in the city.  I got there a bit early for the museum so I went for a walk around the old town and to see the Cathedral.  It was all quite pretty but the drab weather made the cathedral look very forboding. I went to the National Museum of Iceland in the morning.  It was pretty good but I think I preferred Perlan fun the other day but maybe that's just me.  The national museum concerned itself with human history and artifacts and only made passing remarks about volcanoes and the like.  I don't think you can really separate the history of Iceland from the geology though, the environment here changes so much. Still they told an interesting story with drive amazing artifacts. I was knackered after that, museums are so tiring.  It was also chucking it down so I just holed up in the car for much of the afternoon and read my book.  I did venture out for another walk and saw the opera hou...

Last night as I was about to go to bed I noticed lights in the sky, which turned out to be a really intense aurora!  It was much brighter than last time, I could even make out the pale green glow. I stayed up a while watching it directly overhead.  I took some photos with my camera but I can't get them off until I get home but they looked colourful if nothing else! So by morning I was running a little later than I thought I might do I skipped the geyser and decided to head to Thingvellir National Park. This bit I was interested in is a rift valley, slowly being pulled apart as the Eurasian and American plates pull apart.  The land in the area is consequently riddled with rifts. I followed a trail which crossed the rifts above, they are very deep and quite wide to step across! In the afternoon I headed to Reykjavik and went to Perlan which is a museum with lots of audio visuals, including an aurora themed planetarium show and an artificial ice cave they'd made from actual ...