Heading South

From Husafel, it was time to drive back to Reykjavik, where I´ll stay for one night before turning south-east and making my way to the area around Vatnajokull and the Skatafel National Park.

The driving is actually fairly easy with very few cars on the road. The biggest hazards are sheep and horses, and the danger of being distracted by the scenery.

I found a good spot for a hike and took a break from driving. One interesting thing in Iceland is that most of the land appears to be public, or if private, accessible to anyone. I haven´t seen any "no trespassing" signs, and the fences appear designed more to keep sheep and horses in, than to keep people out. Periodically you see ladders that bridge the fencelines to allow people to climb over.

The trails in Iceland not quite as groomed as the ones I´m used to. Though marked on a map, there is often no obvious trailhead, and the trail itself is more or less a direct path to the destination. I guess they don´t believe in switchbacks!

This trail near Husafel was more or less just a straight climb through flowery meadows to the top.

The vegetation was incredibly lush and soft, inviting one to settle in for a nap on the cushiony moss, or even catch up on email. (I know, I know, this is almost as bad as checking email while driving -- shouldn´t be allowed!)

* self-timer pics, obviously!

I arrived in Reykjavik in the evening and checked into my guesthouse. I was given a tiny room on the top floor, but it was perfect -- from the slanty window on the roof, the view the next morning was beautiful!

I got up early and spent several hours wandering around Reykjavik, which is full of shops and bike paths, among other things. Mostly I was killing time until the host served breakfast (doesn´t everyone get up at 5 AM?), and then it was time to get back on the road!

I got up early and wandered around Reykjavik for a few hours, mostly killing time until breakfast was served at the guesthouse (paid for it, might as well eat it!). It was so early, none of the shops were open, but I noticed there are quite a lot of bike and walking paths. It´s a beautiful city, one that I´ll spend more time in, when my parents and Ed and Gloria arrive.

After breakfast, it was back on the road, and a stop near Selfoss for a morning hike, another trail straight up from the road to the top of a mountain. Partly cloudy and windy but good flowers and good views. Here I´m signing the register.

And the most curious thing ... I took a different trail down and at the bottom of the trail, with no sign or explanation, were these sculptures. Art?

My final stop of a day was a visit to Klara, Siggi the dog musher´s wife. They had two litters of pups at their home. Shortly after I arrived, Siggi got there also, home from the glacier.

After playing with the pups, we had a nice dinner together and they kindly invited me to stay the night. I actually slept in til almost 6 AM, and then got back on the road.