Friday August 4, 2023

It’s a nice temperature when I wake up, and the wind is gone. The noise I heard at night was not the river, but the hot spring on the other slope with boiling water clattering down on the rocks.

The camping lady tells me it’s pure water. There is no sulphur smell. It heats the very large kitchen and sitting area as well as the baths.

After pancakes we take off. Supplies are low and our first stop is Budardalur, where we stock up on food, and fill up the diesel since we are next to a pump.

Sisi id sorely tempted to get wool and/or a sweater, but in the end decides to wait until the end of the trip.

We now head north east, we have left Westfjord and now head to central north Iceland. The land remains completely devoid of any trees or bushes. It seems the mountains are moss covered. Shades of green everywhere. A prehistoric land.

We decide to follow a stretch of coastal road. It’s apparently not very good, because at a viewpoint over the ocean is a sign asking tourists to help plead the government to improve the road.

The view is over the water to the Westfjord. The sea is smooth and dark blue. The mountains of Westfjord lie like dark dragons on the horizon. Some mountains have snow covers.

Looking down on the smooth surface, I feel the longing and remember how in northern Norway we used to start our little boat in the morning to go fishing. And the whole day we would find our way through the fjords. With the same emptiness and quiet beauty as here. I’m an old man. I have many memories…

Later on we suddenly see a group of people watching the sea, and a sign ‘seals.’ We stop and follow a trail past a farm (apparently famous for the double murder committed there in 1850, I believe). It ends on a rock at the beach from where we can see a kind of reefs with seals on them, resting in the sun.

We continue on until we reach our next stop, a rock in the sea. It looks like a grazing yak, and it has two large holes, one under the belly, one under the neck. 

Talking about memories, years ago Sisi and I were at the coast of Québec, Canada. Almost complete empty land, so quiet and so few people. We camped there and a local asked me how we liked ‘la roche percé?’ (People speak French there). The rock with a hole in it.

Utter amazement when I indicated I didn’t know what it was. ‘It is one of the world wonders!’ We did take a look and it was indeed a rock in the ocean with a hole in it.

Here we walk down to the beach and admire the rock. We are not alone: a dozen or so people take pictures.

The surroundings are nice: large flats of black volcanic sand in the distance, mountains looming up from the ocean. 

Satisfied we climb back to the parking lot and look for a campground. The first one is a little less than described, so we continue for another one. It’s supposed to be “in an old forest” planted in 1941. it will be the first forest we will see in Iceland.

It turns out to be a large European style campground, lots of kids playing here.

Sisi cooks while Didi and I set up the camp.

After dinner, we take a walk in the forest. I really enjoy the cold air. It seems winter is on its way. 

The forest extends uphill and we find an overview point on top. Steam emerges from a small chimney, and I presume this is where our hot water comes from.

Back in the camp we sit and read, while the excited shouts of kids jumping on a giant air pillow ring continuously.

It’s cold and Sisi turns in early while I write these words.

PS: a local tells me that the animals along the road are not goats but sheep. They are chased into the mountains in the spring and collected again in the fall. Then the lambs are slaughtered.