2010 Travelling Alone in Iceland - Landmannalaugar & Waterfalls (English)－旅行は私の人生なのだ

2010.8.12

It's my 6th day from the day I leave Taiwan, and the 5th day in Iceland. But I think that the journey is just beginning. I wonder what could the tourist visit in Iceland if they only stay for a few day. Obviously, it is not enough. Iceland is a very beautiful country.

The people who have gone to Landmannalaugar said that it's worth of visiting there, but they drove the 4WD car, and the road seems to be very bumpy and dangerous. Besides, renting 4WD car is quite expensive. The cheapest price I could find is almost double the price of my small car. Although I really want to try driving 4WD car in Iceland, I have to control my budget as I planned. For this reason, in order to go to Landmannalaugar, I choose to take the bus there. In fact, I think the bus trip is as nice as driving there by myself.

You don't have to worry about the bad condition of these road with a start symbol of "F". The bus driver is familiar with these roads.

Second, you have three hours for visiting there if you want to come back in the same day. I think that is enough for me. If you want to stay longer, camp here and take a trekking, it's fine, too. The buses departs everyday.

Anyway, I have a better way to go to Landmannalaugar, and I don't need to rent a expensive 4WD car.

Today is a raining day. I park my car in the gas station, and wait for the bus coming.

The location for getting on the bus in Hella is close to the Olis gas station where is at the first circle when you drive from Selfoss. The parking places for the buses is trapezoid in shape. Hella is a small town, the gas station, stores and the Arhus campsite are all around the circle, so it's easy to find the bus.

The bus to Lamdmannalaugar is No.11, tickets could bought from the bus driver. They accept credit cards and cash. Because Landmannalaugar is a popular attraction, there are two bus coming today, and one of the bus is full.

The scene on the way to Landmannalaugar is much more desolate than the Golden Circle. You could see lava everywhere, and the Biggest volcano, Helka, is far away ahead of you.

When Eyjafjallajökull got eruptions from April, someone said that Helka will erupt during the half year, according to the records in history. But I think that this is their guess, because the eruotions of volcano are not predictable. No one predict when did the Eyjafjallajökull erupt. How could they know about others?

If the eruptions are predictable, those who got trapped in the airport when Eyjafjallajökull erupted should ask for the compensation of their loss.

Actually, I have asked for partners to travel with me before so we could share the cost of car rental and the gas.

After the eruptions of Eyjafjallajökull, they were afraid of the eruptions of Helka and cancelled the plan for traveling in Iceland.

I think they are not ready for anything that will happen during the journey.

You will never know what will happen in the future. The best solution is not to escape, but to learn how to solve the problems when they happened.

Because I don't like to handle the problems of others, if they are not ready, I prefer to spend more money and go by myself.

Therefore I decided to travel alone.

I'm not afraid of the eruption. I even want to take the helicopter if the Halka really erupts.

The bus drives along the road in the wide lava field. There is no tree or grass in this field, but moss could grow in such environment. Because of that, the special texture of mounstains, lava and moss compose a very special scene that I have never seen before.

On the half way, the bus stops for ten minutes. Everyone takes photos and sees around this field.

There is still some snow on the mountain far away.

By the way, the cellphone doesn't have any signal. If your car get malfunction in this place, you have to pray that somebody pass here.

About 12:30, bus arrived at Lamdmannalaugar. You could see mountains with texture and colors different from other places. That's very beautiful.

Landmanalaugar seems to be a very popular attraction.

Lots of tents and cars is around here, but I don't think that is good to camp in the raining day.

There is a tourist information center, and also the facilities such as toilets, sinks, tables and chairs, and woods for free use.

If you want to camp here, you could pay at the tourist information center where also provide you the trekking information.

Besides, a hot spring is not far away from here. If you walk on the path to the hot spring, you could take a look at the river where the water comes from the spring. Because of the warm water, some plants and different colors make this river very special.

I walk along the river to the hot spring with a few mist, and see many people soaking in the water.

If you want to join them, you may change your swimsuit in the toilet in advance.

But I forget to bring my swimsuit, that's a pity.

Some man soak in the water just with their underpants.

That is also a solution only if you bring another dry underpants.

Is there any solution expect for soaking with underpants?

Yes, I have been to Japan. Japanese sometime soaks their foot in the spring.

Therefore I take off my shoes and socks, and roll up the pants around power legs.

That's also nice to sit beside the spring and soak your foot in the warm water.

The temperature is about 40 degree. Because of the weather is cool, I feel good in the spring area and see around the beautiful scenes for about an hour.

When it's only thirty minutes before the departure, I go to a store within a trunk to buy something for lunch.

They sells a few kinds of foods and other necessaries for the campers.

I buy a fish and a hot tea. Maybe I don't get understand of what they talk to me to choose a fresh or smoked fish.

I think that smoked fish could be eaten "Now", but actually, this smoked fish isn't cooked.

No~~ I want a fish for eating now......

Although I could bring this fish back to Hella, I'm a little hungry. Therefore, I try some fish Sashimi (刺身, a kind of Japanese food)

If the smoked fish is still fresh, I think it's okay to eat the raw fish like Japanese do.

But I want a knife to remove the fish-skin, that is not tasty.

3 o'clock, I get on another bus back to Hella, and the original bus I took goes to Reykjavik.

Before leaving here, I work hard to take more pictures as I can. The scenes are quite beautiful.

The time for backing to Hella is shorter, and we arrived at Hella Before 5:30.

My journey to day is not finished yet. It's still early before the dark, and I want to go to Vik.

Thus, I keep on driving from Hella to Vik and visit three attractions on the way: Seljalandsfoss, Skogafoss, and Dyrhólaey.

Seljalandsfoss could be seen easily on the ring road to Vik. It's not as wide and huge as Gullfoss, but looks elegant.

You could walk on the path to the back of the water, and feel the mist on tour face in this cave with water curtain.

The second water is Skogafoss where a campsite is around here. The waterfall is wider than Seljalandsfoss.

There is steps to the summit of the mounstain. You could see the source of th waterfall, and the scene far away such as the cliff of Dyrhólaey.

I think that may be good to camp here because you could listen to the sound of waterfall all the night.

About 8 o'clock before I arrived at Vik, I go to Dyrhólaey on a bumpy road on the right side of the ring road.

You could see the black beach of Vik, but th weather is not good. Th sun disappears in the cloud.

Besides, there is a cave nearby the beach. Turn to the left side, a cliff and pillars are sitting on the sea.

I don't stay here too long. It's already time for going to the Vik campsite.

When I arrived at Vik, I see a church located in the mountain close to the town.

You could take a whole view of this small town and black beach.

The camp guardian come to me when I park the car in the campsite. The price for one night is 1000 ISK.

Vik campesite provides a guest kitchen with outlets inside, and a toilet and bathroom.

The outlets are occupied already, but I'm used to charge the cellphone in the morning.

I set up my tent in a raining night, and then cook my dinner in the kitchen table. (The picture is taken in the morning tomorrow)

This is the first time that I cook by the gas-can bought yesterday. The volumn of this gas-can is enough for being used all the journey in Iceland if you cook your food quickly.