Iceland 2009

Projet Viking 1 | Du 21/06/2009 au 13/07/2009 (23 jours)

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Once upon a time, a little french boy lost in Iceland. On his back, a bag, a camera, a pen and a log book. What else ? Three weeks and some kilometers, and, of course, lots of remembers…

21/06/2009 | Grenoble - Paris

Left Grenoble to Paris (bye-bye mom and daddy).
Realized my bag was quite heavy, walking from Porte d'Orléans to Montrouge.
Had a last drink with Loïc and Sophie.
Farewell gift: great “Orgasm donor” T-Shirt (no comment).
Walked in the subway dressed as if I was hiking in Belledonne.

22/06/2009 | Paris - Keflavík - Reykjavík

On the 21st of June, we celebrate the music in France… So it's impossible to sleep (because of the noise).
Took the plane.
Asked the air hostess for some help with Icelandic pronounciation.
Then arrived in Iceland.
An old man took me (without having to inch-hike) to the center of Reykjavík.
Experimented icelandic weather: sun, rain, wind, clouds, sun again, wind again, rain again, then sun again, …

23/06/2009 | Reykjavík - Geysir - Gullfoss - Selfoss

Was supposed to go to þingvellir.
Decided finally to take another bus (without any reason), to Geysir and Gullfoss.
Was a very good idea, beacause met 2 german girls and a french boy.
Enjoyed icelandic rain.
Saw geysers.
Gulfoss was both beautifull and awesome.
Had a bath under the rain in Selfoss's swimmingpool… the water was 38-40°c hot!!!

24/06/2009 | Selfoss - Landmannalaugar

Discovered the extreme cold and lonelyness of an icelandic night.
Understood why buses needed to have so big wheels to reach Landmannalaugar.
Wasn't able to find food to buy there.
So decided not to make the 3 days trek planed on my road-book.
Didn't realize how wonderfull Landmannalaugar was (but could realize it when been back to France… Thanks to EOS 400D).
Spent nice time with shelter's guardians (only girls ).
They teached how to play KUBB (old Viking game), offered me a hot-chocolate, and invited me to have a midnight bath in hot-pots.
Managed to tell them my name IN ICELANDIC.
In a few word, a very-very nice day (even if quite different from what I had planed).

25/06/2009 | Landmannalaugar - Hella

Slept under the rain.
Woke-up under the rain.
Went hiking under the rain.
Didn't see anything because of the rain… But guessed it must be beautiful with a beautiful weather.
Packed my tent under the rain.
In Hella, asked for the swimmingpool in Icelandic.

26/06/2009 | Hella - Seljalandsfoss - Þórsmörk

Was supposed to take the bus to Kirkjubaejarklaustur, but changed my plans at the last second (i.e. just before to the take it).
Decided to go to Þórsmörk instead.
On the road, stopped in Seljalandsfoss… So nice…
Then discovered Þórsmörk, the favorite weekend place of Icelanders…
But wasn't totally convinced by the place.

27/06/2009 | Þórsmörk - Seljalandsfoss - Skógafoss - Vík - Kirkjubaejarklaustur - Skaftafell

Had spent the entire day in the bus (principle of a transit day).
Stopped in Kirkjubaejarklaustur…
… But had missed the line saying the bus service to Laki only started on July 1st.
Mistake n°2.
So hiked aournd Kirkjubaejarklaustur.
Then took the bus to Skaftafell (that arrived “only” 45 minutes late).
In Skaftafell, for the first time of my life, had a walk at 10 p.m.!

28/06/2009 | Skaftafell - Jökulsárlón

Had a short night because of tourists' barbecues until 01:00 p.m.!
Went to Jökulsárlón, with deception at first… But then changed my opinion, and realized it's wonderful.
Then went hiking in Skaftafell National Park.
Was in an Olympic form.
Classified this day the “most beautiful of the trip”.
But had to change the ranking a few days after.

29/06/2009 | Skaftafell - Jökulsárlón - Höfn

Played with my EOS 400D in Skaftafell.
Went down to the glacier.
Went to Jökulsárlón again, under the sun…
… What made me realize how wonderfull it was.
Then left to Höfn, kind of back to “civilization”.

30/06/2009 | Höfn - Mývatn

Took a crazy bus to reach the north.
Enjoyed the Icelandic way of driving (at 120km/h instead of 80).
Went on the top of a volcano, and walked around the crateria.
Met my germans friends (of the 2nd day) again.
Had an almost midnight bath in Mývatn Nature Baths.

01/07/2009 | Mývatn - Kráfla

Spent the night drinking tea and eating Skyr.
Went to Kráfla, an impressive volcanic site…
… Still steaming (20 years after the last eruption) !
Went back by foot (15km alk).
Washed my clothes.
Didn't feel tired after my sleepless night.

02/07/2009 | Mývatn - Námajfall

Rode around the lakkkkkkeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee…
Went to the top of a big mountain.
Saw the awesome Námajfall, with its boiling mudpools and steaming.

03/07/2009 | Mývatn - Dettifoss - Ásbyrgi - Akureyri

Left Mývatn with regrets.
Went to Dettifoss, the largest waterfall in Europe in terms of volume discharge. God!
Almost did not take any pictures, because batteries were empty… But, hopefully, had rescue batteries…
Enjoyed some minutes in paradise in Ásbyrgi (… so short…).
Arrived in Akureyri, biggest town of North Iceland…
Spent the evening in bars…

04/07/2009 | Akureyri

Was tired.
So took time to visit Akureyri.
Had a very long discussion with an Austrian guy and to two Germans.

05/07/2009 | Akureyri - Husavík

Went on a whale watching safari.
… But the sea was too strong to see more than… waves!
Was really fun.
Visited the phallus musuem.

06/07/2009 | Akureyri - Goðafoss - Askja - Kverkfjöll

Started my 3 days excursion to the depth of Iceland.
Met 2 Americans, 1 German, 1 Swiss and 1 Italian.
Saw Goðafoss waterfall.
Did not find it as nice as it's say.
Went to Askja volcano.
Had a bus accident on the “road” to Kverkfjöll.
Had to wait 2 hours for the rescue team in the middle of nowhere.
Learned my new friends to play french-game “pétanque”.
Finally, managed to reach Kverkfjöll shelter.
Heared the deepest silence I've ever heared.
Was so strong that I'm still dreaming of it.
Decided it was the most beautiful day of the trip…

07/07/2009 | Kverkfjöll - Vatnajökull

Went to Vatnajökull, the largest glacier in Europe.
Put crampoons.
Got roped.
Walked 4 hours on the ice… to finally reach a hotspot in the middle of the glacier.
Sky was clear.
Decided it was the most beautiful place on the Earth.
It must be.
Coudn't cross the river because of the too strong melted ice stream.
Had to wait (again) for the rescue team for 2 hours…
Played “who's the deakler” with my new friends.
Was definitely the most wonderfull day of the trip.