Friday, August 11, 2023

Vacation is definitely starting to have its effect. I sleep solidly (like a log) until 07:00 and then it takes a while before we actually get up. Fortunately I find a shower available. Yesterday we had washed clothes and left them on a public drying rack near the laundry machines. Now they are all dry. After shopping we set the sails to move south.

We make a short stop in Vikurland where Icelandic artist Sigurður Guðmundsson created 34 enormous eggs in honor of the 34 species of bird that nest within the area. I am sure that my ex-colleague Roy de Hair would be appropriately proud of this cultural diversion by a financial person like myself.

Then we continue south along the coast for several hours until we reach the massive Vatnajökull gletcher, which covers about 10% of Iceland. Mountains are getting steeper and higher here, and some have crowns of clouds. It sometimes looks mysterious.

When we pass the outlet of the Jökulsárlón lagoon, we see icebergs drifting in the lagoon. They have broken off the glacier and now slowly drift out to sea.

We stop for a quick look but plan to return tomorrow to take a hike here.

Later we pass more gletchers, placed on impressive heights in the mountain. Until we reach a campground in a national park. But it has no kitchen, so we move to another campground nearby, where we make camp. 

The tent next to us houses a Belgium family with three young children. I talk a bit with them. They also make the same clockwise circle through Iceland as we do. This country is quite doable with young children. Also, along the roads, we must have passed a hundred cyclists with full gear (tents, food, etc). I feel it’s uncomfortable to bike on a road with cars, but apparently it’s doable as well. But you must be in good shape. The mountains are steep.

This morning Sisi has bought a roasted chicken, and soon we enjoy a great meal in the common room. 

One problem on this campground is that there are only six showers in total. There are people waiting in line all the time. I am lucky and a nice man let’s me use the bathroom ahead of him, so I don’t need to wait. Grey hair and an old look have an advantage.

Now sitting in the reception area with wifi. The sky has turned blue, a low sun illuminates the fields. Soon I will go to bed.

PS: this land is really empty. In the northern part of Iceland I have hardly seen or heard any birds, except on the coast.

PPS: iceberg is really an anglicized version of the dutch word ‘ijsberg’ - which means ice mountain.