My journey to Iceland in 2018 was one among my favourite journeys of all time. Sure, by “favourite” I really imply “most exhausting” as a result of I traversed your complete Ring Highway (plus the Westfjords) in method too little time. However nonetheless, Iceland is only a phenomenal place to go to.
Need to see my journey report from final yr?
Half I: Introduction
Half II: Snaefellsness Peninsula
Half III: Into the Westfjords and Dynjandi
Half IV: Djupavik and essentially the most distant swimming pool on this planet
Half V: Hvitserkur and lots of driving
Half VI: Aldeyjarfoss and a few pleasant Dutch individuals
Finale: The Touristy Southern Coast
(by the best way, in case you observe me on Instagram you’ll have seen lots of this already. For those who don’t, why not? Repair that by following me at @realandyluten)
A month in the past, my girlfriend and I have been speaking about taking one other journey. I needed to go to New England to see the leaves change coloration. She needed to go to Iceland. We compromised and booked a visit to Iceland.
She was proper although. Tickets have been comparatively low cost ($660 every for roundtrip Actual Financial system) and we’d be flying the DFW-KEF nonstop only one week earlier than it went away endlessly.
I’ll cowl the airport expertise in one other put up (sneak peek: I bought to pattern Flagship First Eating on the new DFW Flagship Lounge) and summarize the flight as such: it was a global flight on an outdated 757 in coach. How was it? I repeat: it was a global flight on an outdated 757 in coach. A brief 7 hours and 16 minutes later, we arrived into Keflavik, Iceland, prepared and rearing to take a nap go.
The plan
We weren’t going to be in Iceland for very lengthy, solely 3 nights, so we needed to hit the street. Our plan was to remain on the southern coast, since there are tons of superior issues to see and do just about one after the opposite. The agenda:
- Day One: Drive all the best way east to the Vestrahorn mountain, staying on the Viking Cafe Guesthouse subsequent to the Vestrahorn, bypassing lots of what we’ll see within the subsequent few days on the best way
- Day Two: Work again in direction of Skogafoss, seeing the Jokulsarlon glacial lagoon and diamond seashore, mountain climbing as much as Svartifoss, head out on the Reynisfjara black sand seashore, and staying that night time subsequent to Skogafoss
- Day Three: Keep across the Skogafoss/Seljalandsfoss space, seeing Kvernufoss, staying one other night time subsequent to Skogafoss
- Day 4: Go away early within the morning for our flight again dwelling
We ended up adjusting the plan a bit however you’ll have to remain tuned for that.
To Vik
We picked up our automobile from Hertz, a cute little Hyundai one thing or different, and made our strategy to the Ring Highway. After clearing Reykjavik site visitors we have been out on the open street of Iceland, and the surroundings began to get superb. I had seen the drive earlier than, after all, however it was my girlfriend’s first time; attending to see her reactions round each bend within the street might have been my favourite a part of the journey!
We ultimately bought to the touristy a part of the southern coast (the Foss half with all of the waterfalls) and handed Seljalandsfoss and stopped at Skogafoss briefly so I might take a nap and revisit the precise parking spot the place I locked my keys in my rental automobile final yr and needed to pay $400 for somebody to come back out and produce the spare key, ugh.
Nap taken, we made our method additional east to the small city of Vik. Vik is known for being named when somebody began to spell the phrase Viking and immediately stopped near the Reynisfjara black sand seashore and a fantastic center level for the southern coast. Similar to final yr, we ended up having lunch in Vik a number of occasions simply because we have been passing by but once more.
Vik has a completely idyllic church constructing overlooking the city and the seaside cliffs of Reynisfjara. We drove as much as the church similtaneously an unlimited vacationer bus pulled in for everybody to take footage from the hill, so I grumpily took the identical image from the hill.
The rock formations have been completely stunning within the noon gentle, and you’ll see Vik’s college within the foreground. We made our strategy to a bit of microbrewery for lunch the place we have been shortly reminded of how eye-wateringly costly the meals may be, after paying $56 for 2 burgers, fries, and drinks. After we have been finished we walked exterior and truly had a fantastic view of the church, so I whipped out my digicam and grabbed a shot of it.
(the church is prettier within the spring and summer season when lupines are in bloom, however I nonetheless love the setting for this one.
To Jokulsarlon
We saved driving after Vik and, taking a look at Waze, realized we’d be within the space across the Jokulsarlon glacier lagoon for sundown. Jokulsarlon is fairly distinctive: chunks of ice will break off a glacier into the lagoon, the place they’re carried out to sea after which are damaged up by ocean currents and find yourself on the seashore simply to the south (which is why they name it Diamond Seashore). The sky was coloring up properly out on the lagoon so I grabbed a shot shortly earlier than we went over to the seashore. You’ll be able to even see one among Iceland’s many glaciers within the background on the left!
We went out to the Diamond Seashore to affix the 20349572034895720698270594735 different photographers on the market. I picked my chunk of ice and bought my digicam prepared. The sundown by no means exploded like I had hoped however I nonetheless ended up with a cool shot!
The subsequent shot was a bit contrived, somebody had put some ice chunks within the black sand for some footage. It was form of corny however I actually just like the shot anyway.
Vestrahorn Mountain
We lastly arrived on the Viking Cafe subsequent to the Vestrahorn mountain, the place we have been shortly checked in and given the important thing to our room on the guesthouse behind the cafe. It was completely practical with an en-suite restroom for about $150 and got here with two free entry passes into the Vestrahorn space (it’s non-public land and there’s a nominal entry price to get in usually).
Emily bought prepared for mattress and I bought able to go looking for Northern Lights. The forecast was displaying few clouds and possibly a bit of aurora exercise, so I used to be hopeful. I drove out into the Vestrahorn space to attempt to discover a composition. I had my Sony a7rIV and the 24mm f1.4 GM lens, excellent for some aurora-ing.
Lo and behold, I noticed them nearly instantly. Actually not as huge as different aurorae I’ve seen, however they have been undoubtedly there!
I needed to go a bit additional down the street to attempt to seize the entire of the Vestrahorn mountain with what I hoped could be Northern Lights over it. I used to be creeping alongside when unexpectedly I felt the street texture change, from rocky gravel to actually mushy sand. For these of you who haven’t pushed on a seashore, actually mushy sand may be extremely tough to navigate, particularly while you’re not anticipating it. I attempted to provide the automobile some fuel, however earlier than I knew it I used to be successfully caught. I attempted to rigorously again out, and was capable of get some traction and again up a bit, however then I couldn’t go ahead nor backward and the clutch began to scent. I strategically yelled a swear phrase into the universe however then determined I would as effectively attempt to get an image whereas deciding what to do. I left the automobile the place it was caught and went up on a slight hill.
The aurora was actually low within the sky however I beloved the way it created a kind of “glow” across the mountain and the unimaginable dynamic vary of the Sony allowed me to seize some element within the mountain too!
Happy with my image, I went again to the automobile. I noticed what was holding me up was sand in entrance of the bumper, so I kicked away some sand to make a path for the bumper, put the automobile in second gear, and swearfully began to nudge my method ahead and, fortunately, the tires discovered some grip! I didn’t understand how lengthy the sand patch was however knew I would want some pace to get by it, so I punished the clutch, threw it into first gear, and zoomed by the remaining 4 ft of sand (that’s proper, I bought caught in a 5-foot sand patch). I made a decision that was my cue to name it an evening and went again to the room and slept onerous after an extended however great day.
Morning at Vestrahorn
Emily and I awakened early the subsequent morning to get out into the Vestrahorn space for dawn. The sky was form of boring so simply taking an image of the mountain wasn’t going to be good, so I explored some textures, first with the wave marks within the black sand seashore after which the frozen water over the black sand and ended up with footage that I actually love!
After which I seemed over and noticed Emily taking some footage of her personal and needed to get a candid of her.
All in all, it was a fantastic first day, night time, and morning in Iceland, we couldn’t anticipate what the remainder of day two would convey!
Which image is your favourite from day one? Inform me within the feedback under!
