It doesn't rain in the morning but wind seems to be strong. Strangely
flowers outside don't move an inch.
Once outside, it appears that the
roaring sound comes from the sea. Waves land in nice semi-circle.
Expedition to the outhouse. Some sun. Weathergods have relented. Record some flowers which were left unrecorded yesterday. Spread wet stuff outside into the sun. Porridge and coffee on the porch of the shelter. A fox eats something right there on the beach. A big bunch of birds in the bay. Cool.
I gather my things, tidy the shelter, write into guestbook. Backpack seemed a bit unbalanced yesterday so I try with the tent inside. Otherwise the heaviest thing was the furthest from my back.
Reaching the same house that I passed yesterday I meet the same man. He recommends me the easier path which I was planning to take anyway. But it's nice to be reassured. Inquires whether I'm experienced and have good boots. I say yes to both. Boots are very good and very wet. Landscape ahead is terribly wet and very tough for walking but this is the price to pay for being in this paradise, explains the man, looking proudly around. Very true. I suspect the man of being somehow connected to the waders hanging nearby.
Ground is really terribly wet. First the grass is wet. Then there are small hidden streams that appear in unexpected places. And in some places water just flows freely without any organized waterbody. And then there's the possibility to step ankle-deep into mud. Mud looks light brown on the boots. No, my boots don't look pretty after the mud treatment. Flowers up to my waist. More sun.
During a stop two other hikers pass me by and climb swiftly up the mountain. I follow them. There's no trail just free scramble. Up are big rocks and mountains forming an amphitheater. I find a small lake and take some rest. Spread out wet stuff and walk barefoot on soft moss. It's hot. The two hikers climb up a wall in the background and push stones down.
When planning a day in Iceland one has to calculate not only with the killer-terrain but also numerous stops for standing and being astonished over the next whim of nature.
Before the wall are some more lakes, partly covered with ice. On the trail is duboius thick snow with water coming from below. Nope, I also opt for the wall. It's maybe not exactly rock climbing but it's certainly climbing on the rocks. Up is view and trail. Clouds cover some of the terraced mountainsides into something that reminds me of photos from people who claim having visited Macchu Picchu.
More clouds turn the landscape into a puzzle that one needs to assemble to get the whole picture. Clouds seem to consist mainly of wind and bad visibility. Luckily there's the trail again. Marked with sticks. The trail has an irritating habit of disappearing every now and then and appearing back looking as if nothing had happened.
Wonderful special effects start behind me. Must look but avoid falling down on my nose. Like a giant cloud was chasing after me. Would be better to cross next ridge before it gets me. We arrive up together with the cloud. I make a small circle trying to locate the next pole. Wow. At moments I can't even see in front of my feet. A huge bay appears somewhere far away and disappears. Going more down and after some river crossings the bay is there, with rythmic waves landing on the shore. Bright orange emergency shelter visible on the other end of the beach. Today I have no emergency.
Some people already camp in the middle of the beach but I continue to the campsite. There are also some people, spaced far away from eachother. I find a nice spot in the middle of flowers and settle in. Now everything is as it's supposed to be. Find some rocks to secure the tent, bring water, cook food, eat, drink tea in front of the tent. Drizzle turns into rain and I escape inside. Strange noice comes from the sea, like a metro train was driving by. Probably the trolls. Better not to go looking what's going on there.
Expedition to the outhouse. Some sun. Weathergods have relented. Record some flowers which were left unrecorded yesterday. Spread wet stuff outside into the sun. Porridge and coffee on the porch of the shelter. A fox eats something right there on the beach. A big bunch of birds in the bay. Cool.
I gather my things, tidy the shelter, write into guestbook. Backpack seemed a bit unbalanced yesterday so I try with the tent inside. Otherwise the heaviest thing was the furthest from my back.
Reaching the same house that I passed yesterday I meet the same man. He recommends me the easier path which I was planning to take anyway. But it's nice to be reassured. Inquires whether I'm experienced and have good boots. I say yes to both. Boots are very good and very wet. Landscape ahead is terribly wet and very tough for walking but this is the price to pay for being in this paradise, explains the man, looking proudly around. Very true. I suspect the man of being somehow connected to the waders hanging nearby.
Ground is really terribly wet. First the grass is wet. Then there are small hidden streams that appear in unexpected places. And in some places water just flows freely without any organized waterbody. And then there's the possibility to step ankle-deep into mud. Mud looks light brown on the boots. No, my boots don't look pretty after the mud treatment. Flowers up to my waist. More sun.
During a stop two other hikers pass me by and climb swiftly up the mountain. I follow them. There's no trail just free scramble. Up are big rocks and mountains forming an amphitheater. I find a small lake and take some rest. Spread out wet stuff and walk barefoot on soft moss. It's hot. The two hikers climb up a wall in the background and push stones down.
When planning a day in Iceland one has to calculate not only with the killer-terrain but also numerous stops for standing and being astonished over the next whim of nature.
Before the wall are some more lakes, partly covered with ice. On the trail is duboius thick snow with water coming from below. Nope, I also opt for the wall. It's maybe not exactly rock climbing but it's certainly climbing on the rocks. Up is view and trail. Clouds cover some of the terraced mountainsides into something that reminds me of photos from people who claim having visited Macchu Picchu.
More clouds turn the landscape into a puzzle that one needs to assemble to get the whole picture. Clouds seem to consist mainly of wind and bad visibility. Luckily there's the trail again. Marked with sticks. The trail has an irritating habit of disappearing every now and then and appearing back looking as if nothing had happened.
Wonderful special effects start behind me. Must look but avoid falling down on my nose. Like a giant cloud was chasing after me. Would be better to cross next ridge before it gets me. We arrive up together with the cloud. I make a small circle trying to locate the next pole. Wow. At moments I can't even see in front of my feet. A huge bay appears somewhere far away and disappears. Going more down and after some river crossings the bay is there, with rythmic waves landing on the shore. Bright orange emergency shelter visible on the other end of the beach. Today I have no emergency.
Some people already camp in the middle of the beach but I continue to the campsite. There are also some people, spaced far away from eachother. I find a nice spot in the middle of flowers and settle in. Now everything is as it's supposed to be. Find some rocks to secure the tent, bring water, cook food, eat, drink tea in front of the tent. Drizzle turns into rain and I escape inside. Strange noice comes from the sea, like a metro train was driving by. Probably the trolls. Better not to go looking what's going on there.
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