billrider2013

Iceland

I had decided to vary my flights so I could stay a couple of days in Iceland.

The Iceland Air flight to Keflavik was good. We arrived around 11.00 p.m. and it was still light. By the time that I got to the hostel, a few lkms from the airport, it was past mid night and still light.   As I tried to get some sleep, I realized that I was coming down with a cold.

Blue Lagoon

I the morning I decided to go to the Blue Lagoon, which is one of the major tourist attractions in Iceland. I booked a trip on Reykjavik Excursions, one of two major tour operators in the place. It seen that they and Iceland Excursions have a classic duopoly.

The Blue Lagoon is a large thermal pool and spa. It is reasonably well done, well good changing rooms, showers and places to get some food and a drink. This includes a bar in the lagoons.

If you were a cynic you would say the place is really is just a big pool not suitable for swimming.

Reykjavik

Apparently people spend a day or more at the Blue Lagoon. I was over it after a couple of hours.

I headed into Reykjavik. First impressions were that it was a bit like Canberra – spread out and very car dependent.

There is really only one happening street, where people are out and about. Off that street I found that Café Paris. It seemed to be a happening place. Lots of locals were sunning themselves outside the café drinking and eating.

The food was ordinary and the beer weak and very expensive.

I caught the bus back to the hostel. By this stage I was feeling really crock.

Golden Circle Tour

I booked on a tour. This meant being picked up at 7.30 a.m. and heading back to Reykjavik. The tour is supposed to include the major tourist sights.

We headed off into the countryside. The first stop was a hydroponic tomato farm. The soup was nice, but that place was hardly the most interesting tourist destination.

The next stop was some Geysers. Apparently the one that did shoot 100 meters into the sky has gone to sleep. There is another one still operating. . If you have been to Rotorua in New Zealand , this place is a disappointment from a geysers perspective. However, the scenery around the area was spectacular, with mountains glaciers in the distance.

We then stopped at a waterfall that is feed by one of the glaciers. It is pretty spectacular.

The last stop was that National Park. This is interesting from the standpoint that it is where the American and European tectonic plates meet. Apparently they are now slowly drifting apart at the rate of 2 cms per year. This is a cause of the earthquakes in the area.

Back to Reykjavik

As we headed back to Reykjavik I got into conversation with a Scottish bloke who was serious world traveller. He had stopped over in Iceland en route to Alaska. He was “underwhelmed by the place”. He told me that he had been on the tour north to see a glacial lake. He said “the destination was OK, but you would have to like being on a bus for 12 hours to get there and back”.

I had another ordinary meal in a restaurant and feeling really crook, headed back to the hostel.

Ready to Leave

Because I am feeling so crook, I have decided to check into the Hotel near the airport. This should make my early morning get away easier.

Maybe because I am feeling so ill, I am like the Scottish bloke, underwhelmed by Iceland. They seemed to have developed a major tourist industry on not much. I am sure if you were heavily into wilderness stuff and had the time to do the walks on the glaciers, kayaking and horse etc, it would be ok.

Definitely don’t come here for the food.

Flickr Link

https://flic.kr/s/aHsjY6zb25