Nov 6, 2012 - Akureyri and Lake Myvatn northern Iceland

Landed in Akureyri airport, Sunrise is at 09:15am but since it is cloudy didn't see it, I was met at the airport by my driver and guide for the trip to Lake Myvatn and my next hotel for the next 2 nights. A nice drive through the country lots of snow and quite cold -9 degrees C about 22.5 F, A stop at the Gooafoss water falls, then on to the lava fields at Dimmuborgir and the on to the bubbling mud pools at Hveraleira, a stop at a local farm and restaurant for a nice bowl of hot stew and a great beer and a bread baked in the steam from the...

Jul 14, 2012 - Last Week In Húsavík

A few days before my flight back to Reykjavík, Linda and her brother Villi took me to the farm on which my Gr. Gr. Gr. Grandma grew up on. It was only about a 45 minute drive from Húsavík. On the way I asked if these people knew we were coming, and Linda merely shrugged and said it would be okay and not to worry. The farm was called þverá, and when we got there a farmer came out of his house to chat with us. The whole conversation was in Icelandic, but I gather that they were explaining my family used to live here and got to talking about...

Jul 3, 2012 - North Sailing

On Friday (June 29th) I went whale watching with a company called North Sailing, the original whale watching of Húsavík. It was on an old wooden schooner, and there was probably about 16 other tourists on board. Everyone was given full suits to combat cold, wind, and water. At first I was skeptical, because it was a fairly hot day and even with my aunt bundling me up with fleece, wool, hats, and mittens, I had my doubts I was going to be thaat cold. Luckily I had all of the above with me though, because once we actually left the harbor and...

Jun 29, 2012 - Bókaverslun Þorarins

Monday (June 25th) was my first day working at the Bókaverslun (bookshop), which turned out to be more of an everything shop. There are books, clothing, office supplies, and tourist items on main level, then there is electronics, appliances, cd's/dvd's and other related items on the lower level. I spend my time on the main level, helping three other ladies with the cash register and putting things away. Between the three of us, there is usually more than enough to do as rushes of people come and go throughout the day. I work from 10am to...

Jun 26, 2012 - Húsavík

On Friday (June 22nd) everyone was leaving at various times during the day. Some taking the bus, some being picked up by relatives and others taking flights to their destinations. We had to be out of the Guesthouse by 11am regardless of what time we were supposed to leave, so most people were in a scramble to pack their belongings early in the morning. My flight to Húsavík did not leave until 4:30pm, so I was able to spend a few last hours wandering the streets of Reykjavik and going for lunch with Asta where I had my first piece of bacon...

Sep 16, 2011 - Akureyri

@@@@@@@ BACKGROUND With a population of 17, 200 it’s hard to believe that Akureyri is Iceland’s second largest city. Situated within 100km of the Arctic Circle, it’s a jumping off point for some of the most exciting adventure sports and natural wonders for the entire island. We arrived in the late afternoon, and took a spin through the town, but I have to say we were more than a little underwhelmed. I think we had built up the town in our minds, after listening to Adia sing its praises and reading about its beautiful setting. I stumbled...

Aug 13, 2011 - Akureyri

Was fuer ein schoenes Dorf, dachte ich mir, als wir Akureyri von der spektakulaeren Passtrasse ab Drafalstadir her kommend, anfuhren. Eingebettet in wunderschoene Fjorde, zeigte sich das Skizentrum Islands im besten Licht. Patrizia wies mich noch kurz darauf hin, das jenes vermeintlich schoene Dorf die 2.-groesste Stadt Islands ist... So genossen wir einen Nachmittag im vertraeumten Staedtchen bei "Te & Kaffi", ehe wir in unser "Gistiheimli" oder Gaestehaus nach Drafalstadir zurueckkehrten, nachdem wir fuer die naechsten Tage noch Geld bei...

Aug 12, 2010 - Myvatn to Akureyri

Already Thursday! We have been here over a week! The meaning of time changes when you are on holidays! So far we have driven 1,600 kilometres. Not sunny this morning, but there are blue patches of sky! Our first order of the day is to make sure that we have the bathroom for a shower! We competed with two other couples. Then it is breakfast! The breakfast is very good here again this morning. Brian finished uploading the pictures from yesterday and then we set off. Our first stop is Mount Hverfjall. This is an enormous crater which was...

Jul 25, 2009 - Petite journée tranquille

De la route… un peu plus de 300 km à faire aujourd’hui le long de l’agréable route 1, pavée, qui fait tout le tour de l’Islande en passant par Akureyri, deuxième ville en importance après Reykjavik. Il est pratiquement impossible de mettre de l’essence dans une station service automatique (sans magasin ou personnel de service) si on n’a pas de carte de crédit européenne. Heureusement qu’une caissière de supermarché nous apprend qu’il existe des cartes prépayées. Les lieux d’intérêt visités en chemin : Godafoss, une belle chute en fer à...

May 15, 2009 - Icelandic food hunt, Akureyri, looooots of driving, & Keflavik

After a fun and comfortable night hanging out with Jon and Hildur in their home in Akureyri, Jon met up with us at a grocery store called Kronan to show us what the real Icelandic foods were on the shelves. Jon is a grocery salesman of imported goods. He showed us what he sold with a disclaimer—it was not Icelandic. We left the grocery store with a few more days of Icelandic road food with a stamp of approval from a native. That was such a treat! We then walked around the shopping area in Akureyri and visited a few stores including a...

May 14, 2009 - Running in Fellabaer, a moon drive, Hverir, Myvatn Nature Baths, Hverfell, Dimmuborgir, & couchsurfing Akrureyri

We woke up early enough to get a quick 10K run in around Fellabaer and then hit the road, traversing enough different landscapes in a single day to impress even a Texan. We made plenty of stops along the way, passing through the area that NASA used as a training ground before the first moon landing, tromping through Hverir (a geothermal field, full of bubbling mud cauldrons and hissing steam vents that could have inspired the bog of eternal stench in The Labyrinth), walking through Dimmuborgir – a field of craggy lava formations left behind...

May 24, 2005 - Iceland, part 2

Greetings! Last week we left off after just arriving in Iceland for a 6-day tour of the country. It's time now to continue that great adventure. Because the sky never gets completely dark this time of year, and I like my nights to be pitch black, I have to sleep with an eye mask. I woke up on Day 2 disoriented, with no idea where I was. When I realized I was in Iceland, I smiled. Just the name "Iceland" sounds cool enough, but being there was 100 times better. After breakfast, it was time to pack up and hit the road. I really didn't want to...