was the site of the Alþing, the annual parliament of Iceland from the year 930 until the last session held at Þingvellir in 1798Today, Helen and I had booked different excursions. So this is my version of today's events.
I had booked a 4WD Glacier safari. This headed out at 8:30am.
Our tour group was loaded into three purpose build Mercedes 4WD mini-buses, with giant wheels, and really high suspension, I was lucky to sit in the front passenger seat with a clear view out the windscreen for the day ahead. This was promising to be fun!
We started by driving around the out of the city of Reykjavik. My first impressions are how modern and clean the city is with most buildings and housing looking relatively new.
We drove on the motorway out of town, with mountains ahead high enough the clouds roll over the top of them.
We drove for over an hour to reach Thingvellir National Park. This is famous for two reasons.
First, this was the site of the Alþing, the annual parliament of Iceland from the year 930 until the last session held in 1798.
Second, and more fascinating for me, is this is where tectonic plates for North American and Eurasian Plates meet, and continental drift is happening constantly. The plates are pulling apart, not pushing together, so the gap betweeb them is forveer increasing. This can be clearly seen in the cracks or faults which are visible scars at either side of the valley where the lookout is. The area unbetween is known as "no mans land".
Next, we headed towards the highlands, where the landscape became more mountainous, dramatic looking with the shapes and textured changing constantly, and the weather forming clouds that sweep across mountains.
The road eventually becomes gravel, then rocky, then almost like we're on another planet altogether.
We eventually reach "base camp" for visitors to the glacier. Here it is a commercial operation to take visotors up the glacier, and then inside it. We have to prepare by putting special waterproof boots on that go over our ordinary shows. A real fashion statement!.
Next we're back in our van, switching to 4WD mode, and reducing tyre pressure as we head into ice and snow.
Langjökull is Iceland's second largest glacier and translates to "long glacier". It is 870 square kilometres in size, and stretches across the horizon from side to side.
Initially the weather is clear, so the views are spectacular. The ride is slow and bumpy with our vehicle rocking from side to side. There are numerous crevaces which are mantained such that they can be driven over although this is done carefully.
Next we head inside. The tunnel is smooth ice all around, including under foot, so very slippery. For the first 100m or so, we have special grippy mats to walk on. Then we enter a cave where we all sit down and after brief instructions we fit crampons to our boots.
We then spend the next hour being walked through a series of man made tunnels and caves, which are the only of its kind in the glacier.
The glacier has a life of its own, melting where it pleases, so it "rains" inside with some spots pouring water. There are also occasional deep puddles. So we need to move carefully to avoid a mishap where we might get wet!
There is also evidence of crevaces opening up, some areas too dangerous to enter, others are OK and incredible to see how far up they go.
They have recently created a chapel which is used for weddings.
Finally it was time to exit the glacier to carry on with our day.
The weather had deteriated now, very windy and cold with reduced visibility. We drove back down the glacier in convoy.
We stopped at base camp briefly to drop our boots, then retraced our steps back to the main road where we then were taken to a restaurent for a lovely buffet lunch.
Next we drove to Hraunfossar, a unique waterfall where walter filters through rocks created by lava, that is full of holes. So the water comes out of the rock, not a river flowing on top.
We then visited some neary springs, where the water is bubbling up at 100 degrees celcuis. This was a bit commercial, as the springs feed nearby hot pools where you can pay to enjoy a dip in the water.
We then had a 1.5 hour drive to our ship which would have us back abound 6pm.
Unfortunately our 4WD truck ran into mechnical difficulties. It would still drive, but was in what I call "limp home mode" and would only do 20 km/h max.
We drove like that for about 45 minutes, before stopping at a petrol station where on the the other trucks pick us up after dropping their passengers at the ship. That means we arrived back about an hour late.
Helen was also back late, so we got back about the same time.
It wsa a beautiful evening, so I was able to get some live photos from the upper decks as we sailed away. Farewell Iceland!
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