Iceland


I stayed in the southern part of the country, visiting (1) Reykjavik, (2) Thingvellir, (3) Geysir, (4) Gulfoss, (5) Hveragerdi, (6) Sejalandfoss, (7) Vik i Myrdal, (8) Dyrholaey nature reserve, (9) Skaftafell national park, (10) Skogar and Skogafoss.
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My greatest adventures in Iceland centered around this car, the Toyota Yaris I rented. There was the matter of the manual transmission, and then there was the time I had to get a remote, non-English-speaking farmer to tow it with his tractor. Click here for more about the Yaris, which I named "Gunnar," and our adventures together.
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Grai Kotterinn ("Grey Kitten") cafe in Reykjavik. I hung out in Reykjavik for the first and final days of my trip. Click here for more photos of Reykjavik.
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Bird's eye view of Thingvellir. Thingvellir ("parliament plain") was the site of the world's first Parliament, the Icelandic Althing. There are some really cool rocks and rivers there as well. Click here for more photos of Thingvellir.
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The eruption of Geysir--not just a geysir, but the Geysir, after which all other geysirs are named.
Click here for more photos of Geysir and tourists waiting to photograph it.
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Rainbow over Gulfoss ("gold falls").
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The huge waterfall of Sejalandfoss. There is a trail allowing you to walk behind the waterfall (definitely wear a rain jacket). Click here for more photos of Sejalandfoss and environs, including one of the waterfall from the inside.
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The black beach at Dyrholaey nature reserve. Home to puffins! Click here for more photos of Dyrholaey, including some of puffins (!).
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The town of Vik i Myrdal, where I stayed one night. The interesting rock formation you see in the ocean is called Reynisdrangur.
Click here for more photos of Vik.
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View of the glacier Vatnajokull from a mountain ridge in Skaftafell national park. Click here for more photos of Skaftafell.
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Next to the tiny town of Skogar, which is overshadowed by the glacier Myrdalsjokull, is an impressive waterfall called Skogafoss, and a long trail up the river that feeds it. I hiked several miles up the river and was wowed by every new vista. Click here for more pictures of Skogar and Skogafoss.
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