Watch out for falling the cliff.

2010.8.21

Someone said, the early bird can catch the worm.

I think, the best time for watching birds should be the early morning or the late evening.

Though the day is close to the end of the month and puffins may have moved to the open sea, I still have a slim hope that I could catch the puffin, even it is small one.

I had a nice warm sleep last night, and get up very early at five o'clock today.

I think, I'm the early bird that someone said.

Driving to the bird cliff at twilight, I'm the only one on the road, and everyone, maybe every bird, is still sleeping.

The silence is what I need.

The wind is very strong around the bird cliff as I arrived.

At the entrance, there is a caution to remind the tourists not to falling from the cliff.

You may wonder which one is so stupid to fall from the cliff. But it truly happened.

A news in June 10, 2010 said that a German tourist fell to death as he took photos at the cliff.

Here is the news: http://icelandreview.com/icelandreview/daily_news/?cat_id=29314&ew_0_a_id=363648

Therefore, in any case, security is the most important thing you should remind yourself.

I walk carefully along the path beside the cliff and look for the white droppings on the rocks.

Sometimes, white droppings means birds are mostly around there.

Just as I think, I find a location where many birds are gathering.

Maybe the wind is also strong for birds, most birds hide themselves along the wall.

If you watch the bird flying, it's as funny as playing gliding.

The cliff is quite high. There is no doubt that you will dead if you fall.

So, the telephoto lens is necessary for shooting the birds.

Though I don't dare to get too close to the cliff for the big wind, I still could take photos I want with the lens.

Then, I find another location with more birds there.

You may see lots of white droppings on the right side of the cliff. That's where the birds are.

 As I take photos around there, something happended.

I see a small black bird with an orange beak flying to the cliff.

That should be puffin, I think.

I try to get close to it for taking photos because the focus is not long enough.

Unfortunately, this small bird fly away soon, and I don't catch any picture.

The bird fly to the cliff and fly away for twice, but no photo is taken in the final.

This is properly the last puffin I've seen in Iceland, and this place is also the last place that I could watch puffins.

It's really a pity.

If I could come to Iceland two weeks earlier, maybe I could see lots of puffins along the cliff.

Though I don't get what I want, I still have pleasure in watching the sunrise moving quickly as the sunset I saw in Stykkishólmur.

 

P.S. If you want to take good photos of birds, the telephoto lens with focus of more than 200mm will be better.

Since the sun has risen, it's time for going back.

On the return way, I find eggs in the halfway.

At 7 o'clock, I finish my early trip and ready for breakfast in the hotel.

The sheep awoke and takes a stroll on the beach.

It's not easy to take a photo of it, and it doesn't response to my whistle.

Finding the flags, I come back to the hotel before the breakfast time.

I take a rest in my room for a while. Lying on the bed is very comfortable.

The breakfast serve two kinds of toasts, apple & orange juice, coffee, hams, and fruits.

I enjoy my simple breakfast in the restaurant, and watch the Lonely Planet thinking about the itinerary after I come back to Stykkishólmur.

Nine o'clock, I think it's time to go to Brjánslækur waiting the ferry.

I check out after the breakfast and drive slowly towards the harbour.

There is lots of time to enjoy the scenes on the way.

I find a stone statue which is similar to the one I saw in Amarstapi, but smaller.

Driving and photoraghing for about one and half an hour, I arrived at the harbour earlier that I expected.

I stay in the ferry office and write my diary for passing the time.

It's not suitable to visit somewhere in westfjord.

The boring time is not short, but also not long enough for a trip.

Outside the office, there is a bus schedule of westfjord, but the bus only runs on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday. That's not convenient for tourists.

Actually, I planned for taking the bus in my first itinerary because I heard about some terrible accident happened in westfjord. However, driving freely is more important than everything, and I'm still safe until now.

If you look around the harbour, you could find this map that is much clear then the maps in Google map or Lonely Planet.

Some roads draw by the Google map are on the SEA. It's very ridiculous.

At ten to twelve, the ferry arrived earlier than the schedule time.

I follow the line driving into the ferry, and then order a fish & chips in the restaurant for lunch.

I like these fish. The fish is fresh and tasty.

In the meanwhile, I find that the TV in the children area is playing "The Smurfs".

 Oh, my god. That's my favorite cartoon while I was a child.

Though I don't understand any Icelandic, the cartoon indeed recall my memory.

(See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Smurfs)

After the lunch, in order not to get seasickness, I stay on the sun-deck.

The wind is not strong. Though it's cloudy, you may see the sun sometimes.

Let's take photos!

This man is shooting during the shipping, and his lens seems to be in a high class.

As I back to Stykkishólmur, I still think about what I will do for the rest of the day.

There seems to be no special scenic spots around Stykkishólmur.

And other villages around Snæfellsnes Peninsula may be as common as those I have seen.

After visiting most attractions and towns in Iceland, especially those amazingly beautiful scenes, I have to say that some scenes which may be special in the first sight will become as common as usual things in our life, just like Taiwanese don't think that the Chinese temples are special to them.

Beside, I will return to Reykjavik tomorrow, and my car is still in a mess. Thus, I have to arrange all the items into my luggages, especially the tent and the sleep-bag which were never be packed and just put inside the car. I think it will take lots of time to put them into their bags.

Anyway, I just want find some places interesting and also have time for the luggage.

I consider going to Blue lagoon and joining the horse-riding tour both.

Actually, I think of the horse-riding tour for several days. It should be very exciting to ride on the Icelandic horse. But the schedule is not suitable for me because I have to come back to Reykjavik in time for returning the car. So, I give up the tour.

As for Blue lagoon, it will be my last attraction in Iceland. I could go there today or tomorrow, but driving from Stykkishólmur to Blue Lagoon takes quite a long time. I don't think I could keep awake to drive there.

If I don't join the riding tour, Blue lagoon may be the only place I can go tomorrow, and I will be very bored if I back to Reykjavik too early.

Therefore, my conclusion is going to Akanes for resting. 

No riding tour, and soaking in the blue lagoon tomorrow.

Akanes is about forty minutes driving from Reykjavik.

There is also a youth hotel, and I think it will be easy to get a room for Akanes is not a popular place.

Before leaving Stykkishólmur, I buy some food in the Bonus supermarket for the last time.

NOTICE: "GRILLSTEIK" is whale steak, not beef steak. Though the photo on the package is quite similar.

I think we should watch the live whales, instead of eating them.

I drive exhaustedly to Akanes via Borgarnes.

If not listening to the MP3, I think I will fall in asleep. It's very tiring to drive for a long distance.

About five o'clock, I arrived at Akanes. This town is really a lonely town as I thought.

Maybe today is the weekend, I don't see any person on the street.

Akanes Hostel is around the church, but I search it for a few minutes because the map in Lonely Planet is not exactly right. The house of Akanes youth hostel is a common house so the only one thing you could distinguish it is the YH sign beside the door.

The front is locked and I find the entrance on the left side. The host stays in the room watching the computer screen. She gives me the room on the 2nd floor for 5000 ISK.

After putting down my luggage in the room, I take a walk around the town.

This type of house seems to be common in Iceland.

Wherever you are, you will find a church in a town.

This is the church in Akanes. It looks much traditional.

I don't see anyone on the street.

Among all the houses in Akanes, I find the cute painting on the wall of this house.

When I pass the road beside the harbour, a white cat also pass here.

I whistle to the cat and it look at me for a short moment.

I think that the whistle is only suitable for dogs. The cat runs away soon.

The special feature of the houses in Akanes is the symbol-like text in the front wall.

I walk for half an hour on the street, but it's truly a sleepy lonely town.

When returning to the YH, I also look around the environment inside.

My simple expression is: This youth hostel is like the home.

This is the guest kitchen on the 1st floor.

Going upstairs, a dining table is outside my room.

Two comfortable sofas are near the table.

And my room is for four people. But the tourists today is few, so I sleep alone.

Unlike the Reykjavik Downtown hostel, you have to use the key, not th room card, to open or locked the door.

I think that's also the reason they give me a room.

Looking outside the big window, the scenery is nice.

Then, there is still a loft on the 3rd floor.

I don't who live here, or maybe the space is the public lounge because I don't the door.

Walking into the guest kitchen on the 2nd floor, this kitchen is also what I like.

The bathroom looks warm.

Anyway, this youth hostel is like a lovely home.

I also would like a house like this, but it's impossible to make it come true in Taiwan.

I really envy the Icelanders their beautiful scenery, big land and the big houses.

As usual, my cook spaghetti for dinner.

By the way, these three necessaries are my best firends in Iceland. They could help you cook very easily.

A fast-cooked spaghetti which includes spaghetti and the source.

A cup soup which could make the soup of your spaghetti much thicker and includes small pieces of vegetables.

Finally, the black pepper is my favorite seasoning.

Before the day ends, I still have an important job: To handle my tent and sleep-bag.

Especially the sleep-bag, it's very hard to put it into the bag. I sit on the floor and use all my hands and feet to fold and push it. I don't know how others do with their sleep-bag? Though I work hard to do this job, the shape of the bag is not as the same as the original. 

As for the tent, it's much easier, but you have to clean it.

Now, you may understand why don't I camp tonight. These job is tiring and time-consuming. I don't want to do it on the grass in the early morning.

Tomorrow will be my last day in Iceland.

Reykjavik is the place I don't want to come back early.

It means the Start, and also means the End.

 

Attachment:Travelling Route Map

 

A:Látrabjarg

B:Brjánslækur

C:Stykkishólmur

D:Akanes

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