Nerds in Iceland

Pictures up on Flickr!

melanie — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 23:10:57 +0000

They aren’t especially well labeled yet, and the number of pictures is staggering, but here you are:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mellieup/sets/72157622358811995/

Bless bless, Ísland. Until we meet again… (and we certainly shall)

melanie — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 22:21:23 +0000

Just wrote an epic post, only to have it not save anything but the first paragraph or so (copied below). Will attempt to recreate, though my patience with the midget keyboard is waning fast.

We spent a lovely evening last night with Lára and Steinni in Mosfellsbær. How absolutely wonderful it was to sleep warm and dry in a bed!! It was very nice to spend time in an Icelandic home and experience how typical Icelanders live (as opposed to our on-the-edge, adventure-travel version of Iceland that we’ve been having).

We arrived from Akureyri on one of the worst flights I’ve ever had (unbelievable turbulence on the wee plane) and met Lara at the bus station. Once we reached their home, we had a good time chatting over a pot of tea and chocolate in their kitchen. They lived in Atlanta many years ago while Steinni did his PhD at Tech, so we talked about the American South, our mutual friends, and the whole litany of reasons for Lara and Steinni to visit us in California. We told them of our whirlwind adventures – amazing scenery, cold wet nights, long soaks in the geothermal hotpots in every town we visited – and plotted out our next visit (next summer, we’re hoping, and for longer). I very much enjoyed their company and hospitality and wish I couldve spent more time with them.

This morning, Lara took us to Thingvellir, home of the Althingi, which is iceland’s first national parliament. In 938ce, when our country was not even a metaphorical twinkle in the eyes of its ersatz parents, folks on an isolated island just below the Arctic Circle had organized their nation into Four Quarters for regional government, with a ‘Fifth Quarter’ assembling at the Althingi to resolve any disputes that couldn’t be resolved at local or regional levels. The names for many geological features of the area reflect their role in the punishments meted out by the Fifth Quarter: women who were raped and impregnated by their masters were sometimes subject to death at the ‘Drowning Pool’, while others suffered their fates at the ‘Island for Branding’ or the ‘Scaffold Cliffs.’ Barbaric punishments aside, the level of organization and advancement of the Icelandic people astounds me. 550 years before Columbus sailed to America, Icelanders were convening a national parliament of dozens of men on a regular basis. People were making a (potentially) cold and treacherous trek across tundra and fjords to meet here and establish concrete national laws.

Thingvellir is also at the site where the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates meet. Not only can you see the fault, you can STAND IN IT as sheer rock faces soar high on either side of you.

On our drive back to Mosfellsbær, we detoured over a mountain pass where the temperature dropped to 1 degree C and snow fell rather heavily around us. We stopped at a lava field and a steam power plant along the way. Then it was off to Reykjavik so that I could catch a bus to Keflavik and Matt could explore the city.

Expect a few more posts in coming days, once I get back to San Diego and can upload pics from the camera (all so far are from the iPhone) and have the chance to reflect a bit more on the trip. This has truly been an incredible adventure.

This is a glorious country

melanie — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 15:52:54 +0000

Yesterday we had an experience that was quintessentially Icelandic and utterly unforgettable. We spent two hours riding icelandic horses on the other side of the fjord east of Akureyri. Matt’s horse was named the Icelandic equivalent of ‘Poo Sausages’. I was positively delighted to be back on a horse, and we both had a pretty good time. We rode off the farm, across fields and around a mountain to come upon a stunning view of te fjord out to the Arctic Ocean in the north. Snow-capped peaks were all around and the moment was completely breathtaking. We concluded our ride back in the barn a while later, with coffee and tea and homemade doughnuts and some snuzzles with the family dog Oskar. We love this country…

This tent not intended for stormy weather

melanie — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 15:39:26 +0000

After a delightful ride on the east side of the fjord, we returned to Akureyri for a dip in the sundlaug akureyrar (most visited pool in the country), then began a trek out towards Hamrar, a camping area that had been recommended to me by some crazy Irish expats in a pub in Reykjavik. It was several km out of town and we probably started later than was wise. Lucky for us, a sweet lady stopped and asked, first in Islensku and then (as we stared blankly) in English, where we were headed. She thought we were nuts when we told her and she offered to take us out there. Which was very very much appreciated.

It had begun to rain so we set up the tent as soon as we arrived and gave up on hopes of camp fire and seeing the Aurora Borealis. We went to bed. Then a crazy din began, and someone began flashing headlights at our tent. Turned out to be some drunk kids who’d stolen a snowmobile and were crashing into things destructively. We went to sleep.

Around 1, we realized the tent had puddles of water in it and matt was soaked through his sleeping bag. We ran for a covered edifice where we’d seen another group of drunk kids destroying a coke machine. We slept warm and dry for several hours on the men’s room floor. It was, at least, the cleanest men’s room I’ve ever seen. And it was heated.

Once again, the astounding icelandic scenery when we woke more than made up for the aggravations and wetness of last night. We hiked along a series of water falls and back into town, then rewarded ourselves with another trip to the pool and now hot coffee and Internet. Back to Reykjavik in a few hours…

Around Iceland in 36 hours

melanie — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 10:44:20 +0000

Not at all what we had planned, but it was amazing all the same. Figuring out that the cheapest option by far was to return the cae on time to Egilsstadir, where we’d picked it up, we drove the 260km onward from akureyri to Egilsstadhir last night. We arrived jn town and pitched camp around 1am, then woke (soaking wet) at 730 to return the rental car and catch our flight back to Akureyri. (Unbeknownst to us, said flight included a stop back in Reykjavik, so we have been in Rkv every day of this trip.). We’re en route now.

Once we arrive in Akureyri (which might be my favorite part of Iceland), we are planning to hike or tour by horse and eat a HOT meal (our first in days, due to a series of mishaps with the stove). We’d hoped to go to Myvatn, but getting there by bus is not possible today and given the desolation of the north I’m reticent to hitch. It’s rather a shame; yesterday at the pool in Akureryi we met a horse tour operator based in Ásperi who was going to try to arrange a tour for us through one of the local farmers even though it’s off season. Hopefully we will fare ok in Akureyri and find something fabulous to do with our day.

Bob and Heather: thanks soooo much for teaching me to drive stick — this astounding journey would have been impossible otherwise. and with a solid 1200km under my belt (on ice and gravel, no less!) I’m ready for anything San Diego can throw at me.

Driving the Ring Road

melanie — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 17:58:53 +0000

This morning we awoke to the glorious site of the Vatnajökull glacier! Matt is on cloud nine, having satisfied one of his dearest ambitions. We set out early for the 900km drive east and north around the ring road from Skaftafell through Reykjavik to Akureyri. The scenery was beyond words. Some pictures of course will follow but you’ll have to wait until we return for more and better pics. Soooooo glad we changed our plans and made the drive. We’ve covered all but about 200km of the ring.

Currently we’re in a cafe in Akureyri (iceland’s second largest settlement, with around 17000 people). We are figuring out where to camp tonight, then relaxing in yet another glorious geothermally heated pool before dinner. At least you know we aren’t totally disgusting, taking a shower before and after swimming. (yesterday’s stripdown in front of a bunch of grammar school girls in Egilsstadhir was a bit awkward…). More excitement on the menu for tomorrow: Lake Myvatn, geysirs, and Icelandic horses!

Tuesday in iceland

melanie — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 16:25:00 +0000

Flew to Egilsstadhir this morning and immediately sought municipal pool for a swim. Had yummy yummy skyr while waiting to rent a car. We’ve driven the ~250km to Höfn and are sitting in a library looking across the water at the great glacier – Vatnajokull – that covers 11% of Iceland’s surface. We are about to find some food and set up camp.

The drive down from egilsstadhir was so wonderful that we’ve decided to continue west around the Ring Road tomorrow all the way to Akureyri instead of driving back the way we came to return the car and fly to the north. If today’s scenery was any indication, we would be utterly remiss to forgo the drive.

Cross your fingers for us — we are hoping for a warm dry night!

Matt is here!

melanie — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 23:47:57 +0000

Matt has arrived! We are sitting in a hostel lobby stealing their wireless and listening to crazy crazy drunk dudes. It’s 2am and the bars have all closed so they’ve got to drink here. One of them was drunk enough to get a new tattoo tonight…

Our flight to Egilsstadhir leaves in a few hours. We’re looking forward to being out of the city…

Godhan dag from Ísland!

melanie — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 20:05:06 +0000

More accurately, gödha nott. I landed in Iceland early Sunday morning, having slept not even a wink on the plane. Took a bus into Reykjavik City and began to wander the city.

Early Sunday morning meant nothing was open. I finally found a kaffihusidh and ordered my first kaffi of the day. I headed down to the water and saw the famous Viking Ship sculpture but the waterfront was too blustery to linger long. I headed to the main shopping street for a second coffee and Internet access. I found lunch in a small bar and settled down by the lake to read.

I’d planned to stay with Terri’s relatives but at some point in the afternoon I decided it would be highly preferrable just to go sleep somewhere that I could sleep and be anonymous and not fret with being polite. Lára was to meet me at 7 but at this point it was hardly 2 and I was exhausted. So I headed for the botanical garden – quite a hike from city centre – where there was a hostel adjacent to a campground (apparenty closed). I thought that i would happily pay for a bed at the hostel, but it seemed that the campground was only officially closed. Along with a dozen or so other bqckpackers, I pitched my tent. I walked next door to the swimming hall, where 360 kronur bought me a hot shower and unlimited access to several geothermally heated pools and hottubs. That’s only about $2, and it was absolute heaven!

I returned to my tent clean and sleepy. It was well before 7p when I fell asleep. And although the night was unfortunately stormy and wet, I slept soundly for nearly 18 hours!

I broke camp this morning afternoon after a breakfast of mjölk (honestly the best I’ve ever had!) and avocado that I’d brought in. I hiked back to city centre after having to dry some clothes at the hostel after the damp damp night. I took another swim at the city swimming hall and am once more on a sofa in a cafe drinking coffee. Matt arrives in a few hours, and in the morning we leave for the glacier and fjordhur of the east.

We will post again when we can.

Bless, bless,

Melanie