3rd October 2018
This was supposed to be a cycling trip, but plan was changed due to unpredictable circumstances and cold-killing weather. So this post isn’t solely for cycling.
From what I’ve read, I thought I will see only volcanoes and lavas during the landing to Iceland. The moment the plane touched down, it was obvious that this is a beautiful island. It was noon and sunshine day, I could see blue ocean and green grass over the window next to my seat. It looked like it should be a nice and a good place to cycle. That was my thought and I was underestimated. Until I felt the “not even full force” of the gale, when I walked out from the airport.
There is a saying in the island, if you don’t like the weather, wait for 5 minutes. Iceland’s weather was baffling and unpredictable. Yes, though it was sunny and bright, but yet it was extremely cold with strong wind. I guess the sun at this island truly suffering serious impotence problems, it is like “The spirit is willing but The flesh is weak”, kinda thing, the sun wish to warm the earth but was too weak to do so, thus it could not help keeping us warm. And the wind was like in the drive of a dozen of Viagra, it never abated. Now I finally have little understanding why the small population at “The almost at the end” of north of earth. （Please see the photo below to understand.)
Our start wasn’t good, first, Emirates Airlines lost our checked baggage when we were at Oslo Airport, Norway, during our transit. Only my hand carry and my bicycle were found, the rest of our camping gears, tent and Yvonne’s bicycle were sent to Copenhagen by mistake during the transit. The anxiety mode were triggered, we started running ups and downs in the airport like a mad dog looking for person in charge, filled up forms, and email to our insurance….etc… It can be really stressful. Hence we have to stay a night at Oslo due to missed out our connecting flight, and our schedule was a day delayed. And we were told that we will receive our lost baggage at Keflavik Airport the following day.
The next day when we reached Keflavik Airport in Iceland, we came to the sad conclusion that our luggage was not there at the carousel, they didn’t made it as promised, i guess still somewhere in the air, thus, yesterday’s scene was repeated…. (I think this trip was to practice: How to report lost baggage in airport…Damn…)
It was 4:00 pm after everything was done, was late and raining, so we searched to stayed in a hostel near the airport, for the convenient to follow up our baggage. No news at the following day, and no promises when will our baggage arrive, but were promised that they will send to wherever we stay, so we decided to move to Reykjavik Campsite as planned. The rain continued for the next 3 days when we moved to the campsite at Reykjavik, we were total 5 days behind our schedule.
I have to suffer the cold sleep in the tent whilst Yvonne was enjoying her holiday, stayed in a dormitory just beside the campsite, because her tent still somewhere in the air. 2nd day of our stay at campsite, our baggage finally delivered to us at 7:45pm, it was late and raining, so we could only checked our baggage the following morning. 4th day we cracked our boxes, assemble our bikes, and found that all the clips of our panniers were broken. What the…. We spent the whole day fixing our panniers….Now I know why the rain never stop ever since the 1st day we arrived to Oslo, because even heaven cried for us.
5th day we started rolling, we were 5 days behind our schedule.
We headed South, the sun was bright and sunny, but that doesn’t promise a beautiful day for riding, the sun did not help in keeping us warm, it only gave us light, the cold wind and chill was the threat. We were battling with 8 – 10°C in the gale for 3 days in the wilderness, at night, it fell to 3º – 4°C, absolutely freezing for the two of us who borned and raised in tropical country, all year 365 summer days. We were excited for the 1st hour of ride when we saw lavas, mosses and vast land, but the road can be monochromic for almost 100km with the same scene. Occasionally the ice-cap mountain and volcanoes, and crystal clear water river stream, are our rewards, the down side is, the smell of the sulphur filled the air. 1st, we Know that we won’t be able to chase back the 5 days we’d lost, then the wind was bitterly cold, so we decided to switch plan from cycling to renting a camper van.
Reykjavik campsite, picture on top are our tents.
Kitchen and common area at the campsite.
Here we go, started rolling. It was sunny skies but windy and cold.
The same scenery can goes for 50 – 60km, monochromic and a little boring. Narrow road without shoulder, and the road tend to be raised up a metre, often with a steep slope on both sides, no place for stop rest. But good thing is, most of the time you are the king of the road, less traffic and quiet.
Iceland horse, just my chest height, and i’m 1 inch to 5 foot. Haha… 😄😄😄
Urridafossi, A place that allow for Salmon fishing. Not a tourist spot hence its a quiet place. Only cyclist knows this place, it is because hope to have caught a few fishes for dinner to save some $$$. 😄😄😄
Gullfoss, also known as Golden Waterfall, an iconic waterfall and tourist attraction hot spot, thus a little crowded.
Seljalandsfoss, one of the best known waterfall in iceland, an unique waterfall, which not only the usual view from the front, just follow the pathway and you will be lead behind the fall, and you can see the “water fall behind the water fall”. Remember to bring along raincoat as you will get really wet from the drizzle inside the fall. I was only wearing a wind breaker and cycling pant, the moment I got out from the fall, the cold wind almost turned me into a Malaysian Flavour ice cream.
Not far away from the famous Seljalandsfoss, a mysterious hidden waterfall which not many tourist discovered, Gljúfrabúi Waterfall. It is inside the “cave” between 2 big “cliffs” (Don’t really know how to describe this, 2 cliffs or 2 big rocks…???). The waterfall will only be seen by wading the river into the opening of the “cliffs”, the beautiful fall is just amazing.
The famous Kirkjufellsfoss, I call this the “Witch Hat” mountain, because it looks like witch hat. Most people I saw came with pro- camera equipments, so I guess this must be the photographer’s hot spot. I just follow their foot path and took this picture, waterfall with “witch hat” like mountain for background.
Further up from the Geysir, there is this beautiful hot spring with blue and green water in a same lake.
Solheimajokulsvegur glacier, a favourite spot for glacier walk. But as the weather was too cold for us, and we don’t want to become “Malaysian flavour human shape ice tubes”, thus we just walk around the edge of it.
Vatnajokull, another glacier. Get ready to be amazed by the surrounding. It is breathtakingly beautiful.
Jakulsarlon, you will see its feature in every printed media that introducing Iceland. Sea lions was spotted in the lake.
They call this Diamond Beach, just opposite the famous Black Sand Beach. Entering this beach is like entering a magical world, like Alice in Wonderland. Those glistening ice laid on the black sand are like diamonds display on black cloth. I guess it will be more beautiful with more ice during winter.
Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach. In1991, Reynisfjara appeared on the top ten list of the most beautiful non-tropical beaches in the world. The unique “Column Rock Cliff” is stunningly beautiful.
Few kilometres away from the black sand beach, you will find this beautiful arch rock, Dyrholaey. A narrow winding off road will lead you up to the top of the cliff, there is the best spot to view this rock.
Another arch rock, Hvitserkur, a 30km mud road ride to see this rock, and another 30km to come out from there.
A scene that you don’t want to missed, the bright dancing green lights, the northern lights. Advantage for cyclist to spotted this easier because cyclist mostly stay at campsite. When you see the blue sky without cloud during day, then probably you will see this light at night.
After the round island, now we take a trip to Reykjavik. Laugavegur, the walking street for tourist.
The Pelan
Icelandic Phallological Museum, I was hesitated long at the door step, struggling weather to go in or out. On second thought, to prevent me from getting the inferiority syndrome, I eventually walked away without going in.
Lastly, the beautiful Hallgrimskirkja Church.
Crazy Old Horse 