Our thick sleeping bags really worked to make for a comfortable night in our mini minivan camper. We are still working out the cooking situation, but seem to be getting better. Our camp grounds was like a resort, showers, dish cleaning area, and even a covered area where we were able to heat up some water for coffee. Granola and yogurt for breakfast and off we went. Not having to pack your bags and check out of a hotel is great for getting out on the move quickly. 

Driving in the direction of a sight I no longer remember, we were distracted by a sign for a lava tube tour on the side of the road. Quickly we turned in and joined the tour in the nick of time. Annemarie questioned me about my willingness to explore this cave left from an old lava flow. I had to tell her, I do not have a problem with the cave, I just have a problem if it collapses and we are trapped. (I just wanted to prepare her I would not be in the best of moods should that happen) We were led underground where we witnessed the geographic formations and imprint the lava made, including lava drops; melting rock dripping as it cooled. We saw 3 "skylights" where the roof had collapsed and the sky was visible, as well as red iron stained rock. There was even ice left from the winter as the tube was just above freezing. 

Next we drove to a thermal river called Reykjadalur. Icelanders seem to want you to earn your reward in the form of a long difficult hike. We again were subjected to high cold winds trying to knock us off the mountain. We passed several areas where the side of the mountain was smoking and mud bubbling. Interestingly, little more than a sign prevented anyone from wondering too close and falling in. I guess they figure if you are dumb enough to walk on scolding hot earth, you get what you deserve. Walking halfway up, we met some hikers on the way down who quickly advised us we were almost there, only 20 minutes to go. What a nice thing to say. An hour later we arrived at the small river where other hikers took rest in the warm waters. Every ten feet or so, people had built small walls of rock to dam up the water to make a deeper sitting area. Changer areas were provided in the form of open chest high wood walls that really only sheltered you if someone was directly in front of you. Europeans are not bashful people. We quickly changed out of our ten layers of warm cloths into our bathing suits and soaked in the warm water for quite awhile. We moved up river for a bit to an area where the really hot water was coming from one river and mixing with really cold water from another. It is quite a mind melt to be really hot and really cold at the same time. Another great experience. 

We closed off the night at a remote campground with a small forest of trees next to us and only 2 other camping vans in the area. (ask me some time about the old couple that tried to camp in the middle of the only road to the camping area). A cup of gourmet ramon noodle soup and into the sleeping bags we went to try and keep from getting an embarrassing case of summer hypothermia.