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We started with a few days in Reykjavik. Small, pleasant city, with some interesting architecture and public sculpture on every roundabout (bedding plants don't work so well when they are under snow for nine months of the year!) Eye-wateringly expensive (as, indeed, the whole of Iceland was), although we cut costs by self-catering for some of the time. While there, we went on a boat trip to see Minke whales, and also went out to a small island with lots of basalt columns, and oystercatchers nesting right on the gravel footpaths (they like bare, stony ground, you see!)
Then we went on a guided coach tour of the souther part of Iceland. Well worth it - the coach had four wheel drive, so it could go off road, and the guide was very knowledgeable. We saw Thingvellir (where the ancient parliaments were held, starting in 930 AD, and also right on the rift between the North American and European continential plates); Gullfoss, a magnificent two-tier waterfall with a 90 degree bend in the middle; and Geysir, the original geyser. We also went into the interior one day - very bleak - we could see why the lunar astronauts trained there.
We finished off on Heimaey, a small* island off the south coast, where we went on a boat trip** round the island, and also a horse ride***. Heimaey is still geologically active (as, indeed, the whole of Iceland is) - there was a major, and unexpected, volcanic eruption there in 1973, that threatened to bury the town and cut off the harbour. This would have spelled disaster, as it is the only deep water port in southern Iceland, and as such vital to the fishing industry. However, by a combination of good luck and good management, they actually ended up with a better harbour than before. (Only) one life was lost - a junkie who stayed behind to raid the town's pharmacy.
*The airport had a cattle grid at the entrance!
**The American ambassador to Iceland was on board. Very friendly, very outgoing, until he found we were British, when he concentrated on the other Americans.
***Also there were a couple from Pacific Grove in California, 5 miles from where Sarah's family live. It's a small world.
Uniformly friendly people, and 99% spoke good English - the only exceptions being a few of the older folks.
Then we went on a guided coach tour of the souther part of Iceland. Well worth it - the coach had four wheel drive, so it could go off road, and the guide was very knowledgeable. We saw Thingvellir (where the ancient parliaments were held, starting in 930 AD, and also right on the rift between the North American and European continential plates); Gullfoss, a magnificent two-tier waterfall with a 90 degree bend in the middle; and Geysir, the original geyser. We also went into the interior one day - very bleak - we could see why the lunar astronauts trained there.
We finished off on Heimaey, a small* island off the south coast, where we went on a boat trip** round the island, and also a horse ride***. Heimaey is still geologically active (as, indeed, the whole of Iceland is) - there was a major, and unexpected, volcanic eruption there in 1973, that threatened to bury the town and cut off the harbour. This would have spelled disaster, as it is the only deep water port in southern Iceland, and as such vital to the fishing industry. However, by a combination of good luck and good management, they actually ended up with a better harbour than before. (Only) one life was lost - a junkie who stayed behind to raid the town's pharmacy.
*The airport had a cattle grid at the entrance!
**The American ambassador to Iceland was on board. Very friendly, very outgoing, until he found we were British, when he concentrated on the other Americans.
***Also there were a couple from Pacific Grove in California, 5 miles from where Sarah's family live. It's a small world.
Uniformly friendly people, and 99% spoke good English - the only exceptions being a few of the older folks.
