Summary

An adventurous traveler recounts a 10-day winter road trip around Iceland, highlighting visits to famous landmarks like Gulfoss and the geysers, and the challenges of driving in extreme weather conditions.

Abstract

The travelogue details an epic road trip through Iceland's winter landscape, beginning with the journey from the airport to Reykjavik amidst harsh weather. The narrative unfolds with the excitement and unforeseen challenges of navigating icy roads with temperatures plummeting as low as -20 degrees, shoveling snow to move the rental car, and driving without encountering other vehicles for extended periods. Despite the intimidating conditions, the traveler marvels at the natural beauty of Gulfoss waterfall, the geothermal wonders of the Geyser region, and the surreal experience of watching hot water steam up and shoot into the frigid air. The account includes personal reflections on the thrill of driving through Iceland's desolate yet enchanting landscapes, the importance of road updates for safety, and the joy of finding remote accommodation with breathtaking views. The journey continues with anticipation for more adventure in the subsequent days of the trip.

Opinions

The author conveys a sense of achievement and excitement about the road trip, despite the severe weather conditions and the potential dangers of driving on icy roads.
There is a strong appreciation for Iceland's natural wonders, such as Gulfoss and the geysers, with the author emphasizing the unique experience of witnessing such phenomena in the heart of winter.
The narrative suggests a sense of humor and resilience in dealing with unexpected situations, such as having to shovel snow to move the car and navigating remote roads with no other travelers in sight.
The author seems to prioritize the road trip experience over personal comfort, as indicated by their willingness to endure extreme cold and the reward of stunning landscapes.
There is a clear enthusiasm for photography and capturing the beauty of Iceland, balanced with the practicality of prioritizing safety and warmth.
The traveler values the moments of solitude and remote beauty, choosing to stay in secluded accommodations for a more immersive experience of Iceland's wilderness.
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An Amazing Road Trip: Best of Iceland - Part 2

Our story of a road trip around the entire country in 10 days — in the middle of Icelandic Winter!

The story of this house and the car comes in the next post! Neither were recognizable at one point!

Part 1 — Hello Gulfoss & Geyser, happy to meet you!

This post continues from where I left in the previous post. You can read about how it all started here

We successfully made it from the airport to the hotel in Reykjavik. The weather was horrendous at best, and we were hoping for a better day. It wasn’t just better; it was ominous!

We started driving East on Route #1, and today would be a long day! We had places to see, and the sun was up only 5–6 hours in the day!

In all the rush about getting there and trying to get out of the door on time, we forgot something important! It didn’t hit us until we came to the rental car! For the first time in our lives, we had to shovel the snow out to move the car! And we were not prepared enough to handle temperatures of -10 to -20 degrees!

But adrenaline, excitement and stupidity gets one out of this soon enough, and we were now chugging along in the motorway. We didn’t see any other car for a long time. The roads in Iceland are not wide, so one wrong foot means you slip off the road. And this was our first time driving in such conditions!

That compounded with the fact that we hadn’t seen anyone on the road after 20 minutes of driving, we were a little scared. So, once we found a car driving in the same direction, we were just driving close enough, so we did not lose sight!

All roads lead to Gulfoss, that is, if you are driving east on Road #1. It is one of the most famous waterfalls in the world and is a sight to see. It gets colder and colder as we get closer to the falls. The bones were hurting from the cold!

Water typically falls from 3 directions, usually when it is in the liquid state. This was the peak of winter, so we were glad to see any water falling! I have a picture from Pexels, getting perfect pictures was number 3 on the list (preceded by staying alive with all parts of the body intact & drinking hot soup in the restaurant at parking – in no particular order).

Once we recovered with hot tomato soup (did you really think we would miss it ?), we were back on the road. By road, I mean mostly ice covered with layers of snow. When you drive in Iceland, you have to keep an eye on the road updates to check if the road has the service to clear snow and also if the winds are dangerous. If either is RED, you stop and find cover!

Today was our lucky day, and the weather was still great (bright and sunny, -15 degrees). We drove to a small village that gave its name to the machines that heats water in our bathrooms – Geyser!

It’s funny how nature is humorous, it put steaming hot water at 100 degrees with snow/ice at -15 degrees in the same place. The geothermal heat has to get out; it steams up the water and blows it out, sometimes 100 feet up in the air! There are a bunch of them, each with their own names. Geyser is the most famous one!

We watched the fireworks (would be right to call it waterworks/steamworks as well) for as long as we could and drove along! Ever watched a movie that was so gripping you felt like time moved fast? This was such a day. It was just a series of highlights; we absorbed as much as we could, but it was time to go. This is Iceland, and the sun comes down pretty fast!

If you read the earlier post, you knew we weren’t the sanest people. We picked a nice cozy place but very remote from civilization (as if that is hard to find in Iceland) and were rewarded with some beautiful views in the morning!

The next morning, we prepared for a long drive! It was just a driving day! We got all the views from the car, except for a short stop at the famous Seljalandfoss! More on that in the next post!

All the pictures except the one of Gulfoss is from ‘yours truly’

We stayed here, no human beings as far as we could see!

Our way out of the accommodation back into civilization! Where the road was — mostly guessing!

The view from the window! Hard to sleep once you see this!

Gulfoss: Pexels- Tomas Malik, we were too busy trying not to lose the fingers to frostbite

This is a multi part series. The links all the posts are here: Part 1, Part2 & Part 3.

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