After settling in to our hotel, we took a nap for a few hours before forcing ourselves up in some vain attempt to acclimate. We already had text messages on our phones indicating that we had tested negative. With the green light to explore, we got back in the ol’ Duster and continued driving east along the southern coast. We made a brief stop at a place called Fjadrárglijúfur (rolls right off the tongue doesn’t it?). It’s just a river canyon, but we wanted to break up the drive a little bit. Each time we leave the car and get blown over, it gives us a good jolt and keeps us alert and awake.
We continued east along the ring road through many different landscapes. From overcast and mist, we went through some sun and lush greens followed by a lunar landscape, and finally next to some glaciers.
There is a place called “Diamond Beach” named for numerous pieces of ice that wash upon its shores. On the beach itself, there wasn’t any ice — perhaps the currents were moving differently, but we could see some very large chunks floating around in nearby Glacier Lagoon, or as some may call it Jokulsá á Breidamerkursandi.
In front of our eyes, we could see pieces rotate, submerge, break apart, and collapse. We would also occasionally see smaller fragments wash ashore like pieces of glass.
As one might reasonably expect with this scenery, it was pretty cold out. It wouldn’t be so bad except the wind is quite biting, if I hadn’t mentioned it already. It’s really windy today, or maybe everyday, I don’t know. I’m a newbie to Iceland.
We were amazed by the rich blues in some of the chunks of ice as they floated along toward an unknown fate. Nevertheless, one can only take so many pictures of giant floating pieces of ice. It was now around 7pm, and we had to figure out dinner. Iceland is a very isolated place with few towns, just a couple of hamlets with a simple church. Because we had driven straight against the wind for the last couple hours, the gas gauge began to plummet. I was a little nervous about finding a petrol station, but with the wind now at our backs we coasted successfully into a self-serve station and continued our journey back west.
It was almost 9pm when we got back to Vik near our hotel. Coincidentally 9pm is the hour that everything closes, so to ensure we had food, we called ahead for takeout from a brewpub place that brewed its own beer. It was our first proper meal of the trip, and it was much needed. Tomorrow, we have far less driving and can take more time at each location (assuming we want to linger in potentially gale force winds).
passports & pepto bismol 