The Planet Iceland

From the time I took off from Portland, I already felt that this journey would be extraordinary - not a vacation, really, but a voyage.  All throughout the flight I kept getting lyrics from David Bowie's "Space Odyssey" stuck in my mind.  Quite appropriate, really, because after a 7+ hour flight I landed in another world.  

And the stars all look different today...

I never really can sleep well on planes, and so after drifting in and out of consciousness to the film 2001 Space Odyssey, I was feeling a bit delirious once we touched ground. It was 7am local time.  A strong cup of coffee, a bit of sunshine and the open road were just what I needed.  On my first day, I learned one of the things I most love about Iceland - there are not very many people here.  And that makes driving around without a plan so much more enjoyable. I had almost 7 hours to burn before I could check into my guesthouse, and so I just hopped in the car with a coffee and got going!  Lava fields, ocean, sky, stunning glaciers and snow capped mountains - driving is not easy here, because it is damn near impossible to keep your eyes on the road!

The lure of the open road.

Icelandic Jesus?

Otherworldly

My first home was at Geysir Hestar, a horse farm located between the Gulfoss waterfall and the Geysir park, where every 10 minutes Strokkur erupts steam (Geysir only erupts every 30 years or so).  From the farm, you could see the geysir eruption across the valley.  What an incredible place to stay, with horses, sheep, affectionate cattle dogs, chickens, a standoffish orange cat and two huge rabbits. The dogs work with the horses, and 4 month old Nelson was my instant snuggle buddy. 

Nelson, my dog therapist.

Geysir Hestar

http://www.geysirhestar.com

Hostess Asa has gone out of her way to create a very cozy and welcoming guesthouse. I could not have landed anywhere better on the first day of this month-long Sabbatical.  Everywhere around me were little messages reminding me of what this is all about.

Home sweet home

Room with a view

Lucky for me, the skies were clear, providing a wonderful view of the Skaftafell glacier, which I got to marvel at from horseback and from the comfort of my cozy room.

Icelandic horses are a sturdy breed and are really nice to trail ride.  I went on a 2 hour ride with Jeanette, a young German girl who has been working at the horse farm, training horses and leading rides.  My horse was Gaefa, and she had quite a personality!  We rode up to the canyon and enjoyed soaking in the sun and taking the outstanding views of the glacier.

My new friend Gaefa.

Jeanette was a pleasure to ride with.  She has clearly taken to Iceland and entertained me with stories, giving me a quick tutorial on the sagas. What I learned: before the Vikings came, trolls lived here.  The Vikings and trolls had many long battles, and eventually the trolls decided to go live underground.  Whenever they would see sunlight, they would turn into a pile of stones.  And so you run across many trolls when traveling through Iceland.

One of the many Icelandic trolls

Of all the places I stayed, Geysir Hestar was certainly my favorite, and I'd love to return and stay for several days. After my horse ride, I was really feeling the many hours I'd gone without sleep. But it was only early eve, so I took a 20 minute power nap and then drove across the valley on a gravel road to Fluodir where I soaked in the Secret Lagoon, a hot spring with it's own little geysir beside it. It was just what I needed.

The Secret Lagoon

I made my way back to Geysir Hestar with a plan to eat and then go straight to bed.  However, two French travelers arrived - Mathilde and Christophe, and they convinced me to walk over to the little bar/campground/hostel next door.  It was the perfect way to cap off my first day visiting the planet of Iceland - a pint and a homemade pizza at the bar in the middle of nowhere. And now I have two new friends to visit in France!

The friendly neighborhood pub in the middle of nowhere!