Epilogue

Final blog post for my 2024 trip to Iceland!

First, some words about my campervan.  Of all the campervans I have ever rented, this is one of them! 😏

In terms of camping, the campervan was basically just one step above tent camping.  It felt like I was sleeping on a thin pad on the ground, just like tent camping (though I would use an air mattress).  And, it was small and confined, just like a tent.  The only things the campervan really had over tent camping were (1) I was protected from the elements, (2) it had a heater and (3) I didn't have to set up and tear down a tent each day. 

There were a number of other things I didn't like about this campervan, one of them being there was a bulkhead between the driving compartment and the living area.  Consequently, I couldn't recline the driving seat very far, which made it very uncomfortable to drive.  And, if I needed something from the front when I was in the back, I had to put my boots back on, climb out the sliding door (which required a bit of acrobatics due to the low roof), get what I needed from the front, and then climb back into the living area.  The same was true of the cooler, which could only be accessed via the back doors.  

Oh well, I made it work, and I guess you get what you pay for!  However, next time -- if there is a next time -- I would spring for something better.  I'm getting too old for these things, and I have gotten spoiled by my own campervan!  Note: I didn't take any any photos of the campervan interior like I had planned, but if you're at all interested, here is a description from the rental car agency.

Bottom line, I had a great time and came away with some very good images.  I drove 2,786 km (1,731 miles) and took over 2,400 photos. That's about 250 miles and 350 photos per day!  Of course, half to two-thirds of those images will get deleted for various reasons.  Of what's left, less than half will be what I would consider "good", and of those, probably 10% or less will make the "great" category.  Worth it?  As I said earlier, if I came away with at least one image a day that I was happy with, then I would consider it a successful day.  So yes, it definitely was worth it!

I posted a color version of this previously.  So far, I feel this is my best photo from the trip (artistically speaking, that is). 

That all said, I didn't have quite the sense of adventure that I did six years ago.  Part of that is because back then it was my first time in Iceland, and everything was new and exciting.  But also because there are more tourists everywhere (or so it seems) and many locations have become more touristy with new/bigger parking lots, ropes/barriers along the paths (not always a bad thing, of course), pay for parking, food tucks & cafes, etc.  In addition there are more hotels, tours & adventure packages, monstrous off-road tour buses, and so on.  To be sure, there are still many hidden places and locations that are not easy to get to (like the highlands), but Iceland is slowly but surely becoming less untouched and less undiscovered.  That makes me a little sad.

The big question: would I go back?  Probably not, at least not by myself.  I think going to new places and discovering those places for the first time is what I find most exciting (in addition to the photo opportunities of course), so for now I think I am satisfied with Iceland.  The only exception would potentially be the highlands, which I would love to visit.  But, I would never do this by myself, and a 4x4 would be necessary. 

So there we go.  Iceland 2024 is a wrap!  Let me close with some additional photos, below.  

Thank you for taking the time to read my posts!

Macro shot of ice chunk

Vestrahorn from the "back side"

Stuðlagil Canyon in the other direction

Bruarfoss again

The lupines are hardy!

Another "new perspective" of Skogafoss

Odd airplane fuselage

Time to Go Home

My last day in Iceland.  Time to go home!

I woke up early, about 5 am.  I quick showered, packed up, and left the campsite.  I had one major location left I wanted to visit, Hraunofossar, and it was about a 2-1/4 hour drive.  I needed to drop my campervan off at the rental car agency at 2 pm, and since it was a 2+ hr drive from that location to the airport, I wanted to start early.  This should give me ample time at the location plus inevitable stops along the way.

But first, a quick detour to Strokkur Geyser, which was less than 10 minutes away.  I was there last time, but the lighting wasn't good, and I wasn't happy with my images.  Being this close, I couldn't pass up the opportunity.

I needed to stop for gas.  I never let the tank get much below half since it can be a long time before you see the next gas station, and I was now just above a quarter tank.  However, the pumps at the station near the geyser weren't taking my card for some reason (see more detail about gas stations below).  Yikes!  I Googled where the next closest station was, and fortunately it was not far away and on the way to Hraunofossar.  Phew!

About an hour away from Hraunofossar the road started to get narrower and a little rougher.  It was still paved, though, and considering I had been on worse roads thus far, I wasn't concerned.  Then I passed by this huge sign (see picture) along with some other ominous looking warning signs.  Out of the corner of my eye I saw that the sign said something about rental cars.  What was that?  I better back up and read it.

 

In essence, the sign said that I was about to be driving on an "F" road and that unless I had a 4x4 vehicle (I didn't), things could get pretty rough and that I could be in violation of my rental agreement, including possible penalties.  Normally F roads are preceded with the letter F on maps (duh) and are 3-digit numbers.  Everything I had indicated I was on (and would continue to be on) Road 52, with no F.*  That's strange!  Well, I wasn't going to risk it.  Last thing I needed was a flat tire or worse, especially when I had to catch a flight later!  Fortunately, there was another (and safer) way to get there, though it added about 30 minutes to the trip.  Oh well.

Hraunofossar did not disappoint.  Another fantastic location.  I would have liked to spend more time there and wait for the lighting to improve, but it was getting late.  So I hit the road for the airport.  I dropped the campervan off right on time and took the shuttle to the airport.  Goodbye Iceland.

Gas Stations in Iceland: There are two types of gas stations, full-service and self-service.  

• Full-service is really a misnomer because you still pump your own gas.  But, it has more amenities, such as a store where you can buy snacks, drinks and often gift items.  And, you can order hot food at full-service gas stations, but the food is a step above fast food.  In fact, it's quite tasty. Some even sell beer!  And of course they have hot dogs, which, oddly, is an Iceland staple.
• Self-service station are only gas pumps.  There's not even an attendant (how they monitor in case of emergencies, I don't know).  This means you must pay with a credits card.  But, only certain credit cards are accepted (American Express and Discover are not, for example) and you must know your PIN.  Otherwise, no gas for you!  The good news is that they are open 24 hours and sometimes located in remote locations far away from a town.
  

*The quality of Iceland's roads can be roughly ascertained by how many digits they contain in the designation.  Single digit roads, like the ring road, Highway 1, are highest quality, followed by two-digit roads and three-digit roads.  And, if it's preceded with an F, a 4x4 is required.  While this system is not always 100% accurate, it can be pretty helpful.

Editorial Note: Like previous post, I'm writing this from home.  I will have one more post, an Epilogue.

Time lapse of Strokker Geyser.  Not the tallest in the world, but still exciting when it erupts.

You simply can't plan for these kind of shots.  It's a right time, right moment thing (and being ready with the camera).

Similar to the previous shot, though I saw several rainbows.  This was the most vibrant by far.  If you look closely, you can see a second one above it.

Hraunofossar

Lighting not the best, but this is Barnafoss, just above Hraunofossar on same river.

Thou Shalt Not Steal

 ...lest yee be cast into the pool of the waterfall!  

The waterfall in question, Þjófafoss*, translates to "thieve's waterfall" since thieves were supposedly drowned in the pool as punishment for their crime.  Why this particular pool of water was used is unclear to me since certainly there were simpler and more readily accessible options.  Maybe it was a sadistic act to let the thieves see this majestic scene before meeting their fate!  Who knows?

Þjófafoss was my first major destination on Day 6, my last full day in Iceland.  While relatively easy to get to, it's not close to much else of note and is not very well known. It is located in the middle of a large lava field (solidified, of course) with a mountain in the background.  The scene is absolutely stunning, and it may be my favorite of the entire trip.

After Þjófafos, I headed to Bruarfoss.  I visited Bruarfoss during my first trip to Iceland (if you read my blog from that trip, http://toiceland-2018.blogspot.com/2018/05/sun-we-dont-need-no-stinkin-sun.html, you will recall this is where my boots fell victim to the mud).  Since it was one of my favorites of that trip, I wanted to go back.

I was quite surprised to find that they have since built an access road and a parking lot for Bruarfoss...along with a food truck, no less!  Then there is short path to the actual falls.  This is so much nicer than when I visited six years ago** when only photographers (and locals) knew about these falls and were willing to undertake the not-so-easy hike.  As a result, there are (unfortunately) many more tourists coming to this spot.  (I noticed similar changes at other locations, and I suspect it will only be a matter of time before many of the "hidden gems", like Þjófafos,will no longer be hidden and peaceful.  Sigh.)

After Bruarfoss I found my way to a campground nearby.  It had seen better days in my opinion, but I had power and access to bathrooms (water closets, or WC, as they call them here) and a shower.

*Approximate pronunciation: fyoh-ya-foss.

**In an earlier post I said eight years, but it's really been six.  Still a long time!

Editorial note:  I'm actually writing this from home.  I got behind, as often happens near the end of my trips! 

Nice little valley just outside Vik

Sea stacks at Reynisfjara black sand beach

Abandoned buildings often have some very interesting grafitti

 

In keeping with the "new perspectives" theme, this is my take on the classic image of a person -- often in a brightly colored jacket -- with their arms outstretched in front of Skogafoss (like this one).  I rather like these strangers in their brightly colored backpacks.  Looks like they're on an expedition and have just discovered this waterfall!  (Coincidentally, there’s a scene in the movie Secret Life of Walter Mitty where he is hiking with two sherpas in the Himalayas, but it is actually this waterfall!)

Steps to the top of Skogafoss.  Yikes!

Getting a good photo of this waterfall, Gljúfrabúi, eluded me last time.  It is located inside a small gorge, and the blowing mist from the waterfall makes it extremely difficult to grab a shot without water on one's lens.  But I got it this time!!

Hjálparfoss

Þjófafos! Isn't it amazing?!  And yes, the color of the pool is real.

Bruarfoss.  Likewise, the color of the water is real.  It's caused by minerals in the glacial runoff.

New Perspectives

After my complimentary night stay in the national park campground — well, technically it wasn’t complementary since I paid for a night of camping, and the “park guy” was, thankfully, very nice and accommodating (he could have easily been a by-the-book jerk and asked me to leave or pay properly for the campsite) — I planned to head back to the black sand beach, even though it was a 40 minute drive.

I wasn’t entirely happy with the shots I had gotten the day before, and I was a little disappointed with the number and quality of the ice chunks.  Hopefully there would be more, and the surf would be more cooperative.  I also wanted to try some new perspectives.  In other words, something different than I had done before.

Fortunately there were lots more ice chunks (it’s so interesting that so many are deposited on the beach simply overnight), especially on the west beach (there are two beaches separated by the tidal estuary which sends the icebergs out to the ocean).  I started on the east beach and then moved over to the west beach.  I spent well over a couple hours trying out new perspectives, and I was extremely pleased with the results.  See the photos below and judge for yourself.  

Editorial (& Venting) Break: During both visits to the beach, I witnessed individuals destroying ice chunks on the beach by kicking them, picking them up and smashing them, or kicking black sand all over them.  I can somewhat understand if it’s a child doing this (maybe…where are the parents?), but I also saw adults doing this.  I mean, I realize the ice chunks won’t be there very long and will soon be replaced by a new batch of chunks.  But why would a person want to be so destructive and disrespectful, preventing others from enjoying those beautiful ice creations?  I have a name for people like this but won’t print it here…you know what it is!

It was early afternoon, and it was too late to hit any new locations.  So, I decided to head to Vik and stay at a campground that I stayed at during my previous trip.  As always, though, I stopped a few times along the way for photographs!  See photos for some of these.

A few words (well, maybe more than a few) about campgrounds in Iceland.  They are all virtually the same, having the following characteristics:

• They are first-come, first-serve
• While some have designated sites, most are park your campervan or RV wherever you want (there are typically tent-only areas, though)
• There are usually no fire rings, individual picnic tables, etc. like you’d find in the US
• If you need electricity (which I did), there are special areas with “gang boxes” that multiple RVs can plug into (unless you have a long cord, get there early so you park near the gang box…I learned that).  Cost is typically 1000 krona (~$7).
• There are often communal cooking and eating areas.  I only utilized once, but looks like fun…very “youth hostel-ish”.  There are also areas with multiple sinks to wash your dishes.
• There are toilets and showers.  More often now it seems the showers are free, but sometimes there is a charge.

Drips from melting ice chunks

Waves at the black sand beach.  Amazing!

In some places there’s a whole lot of nothingness!

More Lupins (or lupines)

Waterfalls are EVERYWHERE.  Some are unnamed and some are inaccessible.  Some, like this one is in someone’s back yard.  How cool is that?

There are many churches throughout Iceland, some old (and very old) of traditional design, like this one in Vik, while others are very modern.

The sea stacks at Vik. 

The Vik campground early next morning.  Hard to tell, but it was packed!

Dishwashing area

Communal cooking area