March 30

Today has been gloriously cold and bloody freezing.  It got down to -4 and then you need to add the wind chill factor.  Brrrrr!  We went back down to an area that we were at yesterday on top of the sea cliffs.  We didn't really go to this particular area though due to the snow storms as it is windy enough without them and you do want to be able to see what is happening below.

As we pulled into the car park, Stuart (one of the guides and drivers) remembered the carpark bigger than what it actually was (it was covered in snow) and took us into a hole, you guessed it, on my side of the car.  Kerin finds the hole again.  I think I am bad luck for Stuart as it was his bed that got drenched when I had my shower yesterday and I think he was laying on it.

As I headed up to the cliffs edge the snow was very deep and I was watching my footing.  Paul (the other pro photo guide) told me I will be fine regarding  holes as the ground was padded underneath.  Two minutes later I found a hole and he was almost speechless and is starting to agree with me that I will locate the holes.

The cliffs were amazing as was the black sand and the sea stacks dotting the coastline.  There were so many birds as well on the cliff face starting to nest.

This photo was taken on the cliffs looking back.  The small structure at the bottom is a troll.

This photo is also in the same place.  It was made famous in the story 'Journey to the Center of the Earth'.  Don't ask me to spell the name.  

Back at the carpark the van was still stuck.  Paul had to use a tow rope and pull it out.  Here is the hole let behind

From here we drove on and found a lovely little church.  It was on private property so Paul asked at the house if we could go photograph it.  Only a kid was home and he said yes.  After we photographed it and were coming back to the cars, the parents turned up.  They weren't happy we were there.  "Too many tourists,"they said.  Oh well we had what we wanted anyway and it's not as if we didn't ask.

From there we went to a small town for lunch and then on wards to find some Icelandic Ponies.  They were too far away so Paul tried to coax one up to us.  One started to come but then decided not to.  It seems like Paul doesn't have any animal magnetism.

We went to a famous waterfall after that.  It is small in comparison to Gullfoss but by no means less beautiful.  I am really starting to get sick of walking in snow that comes up to my knees, even if someone has made a trail before.  Oh and yes I found a hole.  I didn't go down the other side as the snow was deep.  Paul stayed with me most of the way considering my knack of finding holes.  It was a beautiful area and as we headed back to the cars I asked Paul if we could take a shorter route rather than the round about long way we had come and also how the hell do you walk in snow.  I could have hugged him later as I have been trying to walk in snow like you walk in sand.  Now way, it is the opposite way around.  Dig your heal in not your toes.  I made it all the way back to the van in record time, no holes, no slipping and on a fresh trail.  It was wonderful.\\

We made dinner reservations and then headed out to where the bridge we had been two days before where the whales are often seen.  We saw nothing and the wind was so chilly by them it was getting into my bones.  By the time we got to the restaurant where we were having dinner I was totally frozen.  I had finally thawed out an hour later when we were leaving.

We headed back to our hotel on a road that had been closed for 3 days.  We could see why as the snow drifts on either side of the road ranged from 30 cm up to 3m deep.  It was amazing.

Back at the hotel I was given my room key and another.  They didn't want to risk the shower leaking again so I had to go two doors down to an empty room.

Now it is time for bed as we have an early start and I need to pack,  We head to our next hotel tomorrow.

March 28 - Wind, Snow and Flood

This morning was white out conditions almost so we stayed in for the first half of the morning for some computer tutoring.  We are using Lightroom 5 which is really good.  It will be even better once I really know what I am doing.  I have not learnt how to import the photos form light room yet so the ones you will see will be from my phone.

About mid morning we set off for a beach area that also had an interesting church.  Most of us went down to the beach first.  No sooner had I made my way down there and a snow front came in.  It stayed for quite a while.  The wind was strong but we all continued to shoot photos.  If you think of 1 being nice and sunny and 10 being the worst part of the snowfall we had, then the following photo is a 5.

As I headed back up the hill to the church I found myself hip deep again in snow.  If there is a hole, I will find it.

As I got to the top of the hill the sun started to come out and the snow stopped.  Looking out to sea you could see two storm fronts, one going and one coming.  As you can see it made the perfect backdrop for the Church.

About 5 minutes after I took this photo the wind was once again up and the snow was once again falling but thankfully we were all in the cars and on our way for lunch.  Seriously though, walking in snow is not like walking on sand.  On sand your foot might get covered but in snow (and they don't say IN snow for the fun of it), I was dragging my legs through at knee to mid thigh height.  Certainly getting a work out.

Lunch was at a quirky little place.  It is hard to describe.  If you saw it in Perth there is no way you would go in and eat there as it looked run down and like it should be closed.  Inside was just as quirky, but the soup this woman made was absolutely delicious.  I had two servings of lamb soup.  She made it just like my mum does.  Super yummy.

After lunch we went to a lighthouse and another beach.  The waves here were coming in very strong and crashing up against the black pebbly beach.  I am getting wary of where I walk now as I tend to find all the lose rocks and snow covered holes.  It was snowing here again and I was starting to freeze a bit as my gloves were wet.  Once again, walking back to the car, I found a hole that no one else did.

We were going to go to another beach but the conditions on the road were almost white out with the snow falling, so we headed back to the hotel. There was a short break that lent itself to some amazing lighting so we pulled off to the side of the road to get some shots.  Thankfully it was not me who found a hidden hole and who ended up waist deep in it.  All the men did make sure they got photos before helping her out of it though.

Back at the hotel I had a long hot shower.  I had to step up into a small bath to have the shower.  When it came time to get out I looked at the bathroom floor and saw that there was at least a cm of water on the tiles.  The stupid thing is that the drain pipe was up hill to the water so I had to use a towel about 10 times to soak it up and wring it back into the bath.  Just as I had finished there was a knock on the door.  Apparently it was leaking into the room below.  I found out later that the room was where our 2 guides were staying and it was pouring into the bedroom area and onto the beds.  One of the guides happened to be lying on the bed most affected.  They now have a new room.  I wonder if that means I can have a shower again tomorrow?  Nothing overflowed so I don't know how the water got there.

Everyone is on Northern Light Alert at the moment.  It is midnight but very cloudy so I don't think I will be going out even if they do call.

This photo below was taken on my phone yesterday.  For now I am off to bed.

March 28 - On the Move

We have been on the go all day. Stop start stop start jumping out to get photos.  I have been up since 6:30am and it is now 11:30 pm.  I have just really got to my room in our new hotel.  We are by a beach somewhere.  We got here at 4pm and promptly when outside to do more photography.  By the time I came in I had enough time to download my photos and get my camera ready for the Northern Lights.  The weather has been great for us today so we were hoping for a decent show.  We saw a faint one.  I managed to get something that looks like a green smudge before I started to freeze to death and come inside.  It didn't help that I couldn't find one glove and was using my hat to keep my hand warm.  The wind coming off the ocean was biting.  I also was using the wrong camera so thankfully it really wasn't that big a deal tonight.  It was more of a practice run.

Today was awesome.  I got some great shots and I learnt that walking over snow covered lava fields is not a good thing.  Treacherous more like.  Even when the snow appears to be a fine layer, guaranteed you will end up hip deep as I found out.

Too tired for photos today.  Will see what I can do later.  Night all.

March 27 - Blue Lagoon

 Imagine the day starting with snowfall.  The wind is biting, but you know you are going to a warm place.  You take a bag of what you will need but don't worry about a jacket or hat.  Your journey is 40 minutes by bus.  The snow and rain continues for the entire journey.  You expect to be let off by the front door.  You soon realise there is no such luck.  The snow is coming down fast and the cold wind is stinging.  You have a 3 minute walk to the entrance but you can not run as the path is slippery with ice.  You just keep saying to yourself "you will be warm soon."

You finally reach your destination.  Your hair and jumper are covered in white, wet flakes.  You open the door to the blessed heat and start to dry out.  You show your ticket and return you get an electronic bracelet and a towel.

You are thankful that the men and women are separated as there is no such thing as privacy.  Each private change room caters for about 20 lockers.  You pull out your bathers and wait for your turn.  Once upon a time you would walked naked around a Korean bath house in Pusan but then you had a body that looked ok.

Once in you bathers you head to the showers.  You have to wash all over with soap.  Too bad if you didn't want to get your hair wet as the shower came from directly over head.

Wet all over you step outside.  It is 1 degree Celsius but no longer snowing.  The sun is out. Going as fast as you can without slipping, you head for the hot steaming water of the blue lagoon and bliss.  The water is full of minerals that are wonderful for your skin.  The silica is what makes it milky.

Despite the cold biting wind the water is so warm you could stay there all day.  You just have to dunk your head every couple of minutes and you are fine.  The water temperature is well into the 30s Celsius.  You can find hot spots and luke-warm spots.  After an hour you start to look like a prune so it is time to get out.

This time you can not be bashful.  You must be dry before you head back to your locker.  The change room is also being used so you give in and hope that if anyone stares at you too long, they will turn to stone or have nightmares as punishment.

The white wall is actually high pressure warm water. It is a full on hydro massage.

On the left hand side is a tiny square building in the water.  You can buy drinks here with your bracelet and pay later as you leave.  Across the bridge on the right is where people who pay extra can hang their robes (you get a robe if you pay extra).  Those of us with towels only had to leave them inside.

The deepest point came up to my neck.

The lagoon is in a lava field.  There is lava everywhere you look.

Aunty Bev, I know you are reading this so let me tell you that you would love that spa.  It will teach you to float, you will have no choice.  If you take both feet off the ground you end up flat on your back floating, or on your front.  The water does it for you.

The bus dropped me off at a different area to yesterday so I was finally able to get a photograph of this sign.  Think I might go there for dinner tonight.  LOL

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Tonight I meet up with the tour I am on.  From now on it will be full on. Just hope I can handle it.  I am going to have a shower now because despite my skin feeling nice after the springs, my hair is disgusting and in need of a good conditioning.

March 26 - The Golden Circle

I woke up this morning just as it started to snow.  It came down a lot heavier than it did in Oslo yesterday.  It was still going after breakfast and when I got picked up for the Golden Circle Tour.  I was up the very front of the bus (a coach) and this was the view of the road.  I didn't envy our driver but I suppose he was used to it.

Our guide was quite funny when you could understand his accent.  Apparently there is no Royal Family in Iceland because there are no frogs.  He asked each one of us where we were from as we boarded the bus.  Once we started, he asked us if we wanted to know where he was from and then pointed out the maternity wing at the hospital as we drove passed.  He also told us his name, which was very long and unpronounceable, so he said his friends call him Hussy, however considering in what it means in English told us to call him Hershey like the chocolate because he is sweet.

Our first stop was organically grown greenhouse tomato plantation.  It was snowing heavily and I got quite wet going from the bus to the door 10m away.  I did try a Virgin Mary and it was delicious.  Apparently the hot soup and fresh bread was to die for as well.  Rather than stay and listen to the talk about growing tomatoes I went outside to enjoy the fresh snow.  It had stopped snowing and was relatively warmish. '

I just have to say that I have noticed all the coaches have mustaches on them.  Each coach has a different mustache.  This was my coach.  We have Movember for men's cancer research but hear in Iceland it is Mustache March.  The coaches get a mustache and on the side of the coach is a note saying they support Mustache March.

The next stop was the Geysers.  Here in Iceland they pronounce it like the Japanese women of the night (Geisha).  Quite ironic when our guides nickname is Hussy.  Just a side note here but on the way back to the hotel I noticed there was a rather interesting museum: click here to check it out for yourself.  Don't think I will be going there in a hurry.

Back to the geysers.  There was so much steam around due to the cold that it was difficult to get a photo that actually showed something.  I have had to play around with them a fair bit.

This one blows around every 5-10 minutes.  The first time I saw it blow, it was tiny, the second time it went up about 8m but I chopped the top off it.  The next time was small again.  I had been standing there for a while and only with my pull over on.  It was really starting to get cold as the snow clouds were coming.  I didn't even have my gloves with me as I left them on the bus.  Eventually this one decided to blow and I hoped to God it was in focus because I was not sticking around any longer to freeze.

You can see the steam coming out of the ground here.  There is water in the foreground which runs along side the road and can be anywhere from 80-100 degrees celcius.

The next stop was 10 minutes down the road.  It is called Gullfoss.  Foss meaning waterfall.  The best view was at the bottom of 140 steps. Might I add that they were icy.  The first few steps and the last few were the worst.  The rest were ok.  For those who know me in person, you know that I have a permanent argument with steps.  I either fall up or fall down them.  These ones must not have understood English because I managed to not go for a slide.

This view of the falls is from a look out before you go down the stairs.

This is at the bottom of the stairs.  The water runs into a huge canyon.  It is so deep that you can't see the bottom even from the lookout above.

 If you watch Throne of Thorns then you may recognise some of these next photos as the"wall"is used in the show a lot apparently.  This place is called Parliament (I will explain why later).  You can see that one side is really high and the other side is low and in fact sinking.  This is the fault line between the American and the European tectonic plates.  The American one is pulling west and the European one is pulling East.  The high side is the American plate.

It is this area here that is known as Holy Ground and what gave the area the name of Parliment.  You see due to there being no Frogs and therefore no royalty, the early Icelanders came up with a form of democracy.  Issues were taken to Parliment (this spot) to be heard.  One of the issues to come here was when Icelanders decided to become Christian and leave behind their Pagan ways.  It was decided that only one law could govern the land and Christianity was chosen.  There is more to the story which includes a volcano erupting and so on but I found it interesting that those who were Pagan, agreed and gave up their believes.  There were three conditions though: 1. You could still worship your chosen God but in private; 2. You could eat horse meat (Christians didn't); 3 if a child was born that could not look after itself when it came of age then it was ok to return the child to God.  Yes harsh times but we are talking about 2000BC here.  Anyway the below area has a great echo which is why it was chosen.  It meant that large crowds could be addressed and all could hear.

Of course there is a church on the other side of the river.

At the end of the walk you go up a steep hill to a look out.  It is an amazing view,  In the photos below you can see the differences in height of the two tectonic plates.

Finally to get some much needed rest in time for another adventure at the Blue Lagoon tomorrow.  In the words of some one with good English and a sign I saw in a shop window: