Guesthouse Kiðafell - June 30 and July 1

This is the view from my guesthouse the first two nights I was here. I only went about 30 or 40 miles north of Reykjavik, which was actually a pretty good call, as you can see. My hosts were Norwegian, as it turned out, and were extremely hospitable.




On my first day in Iceland, I decided to climb Esja, this gigantic mountain. There were actually a lot of others climbing as well, but not so many that I felt crowded. The bad news was that I forgot my GPS, binoculars and hiking boots. So I made it all the way except for the last 30 or 40 feet, where the top of the mountain turned to a series of stone blocks. I was pretty paranoid about getting back down in my second-string running shoes, and for good reason as it turned out. I never fell, but trying to regain my balance one time I almost threw my left arm out of socket. It still hurts a little today, five days later.




Day two, I headed inland to see some lava caves. This is a picture near the entrance. I hiked in six kilometers, did the cave most of the way, then returned, and hiked the six k back.

Yes, I am doing a lot of hiking on this trip!



Day three, I travelled around the Snæfellsness peninsula by car, and ended up in Grundarfjörður. It´s a very laid-back and cool place. This is a picture of Kirkjufell, a giant mountain in the ocean just off the coast.




Just before I got to Stykkishólmur, I took a short detour through madness... Berserkjahraun. This is probably the most alien landscape I´ve seen in this county, and that´s REALLY saying something.

Standard disclaimer: The pictures do not do it justice. You´ll just have to see it for yourself ;)

Stykkishólmur to Breiðavik - Friday, July 3

Started in Stykkishólmur, spent most of the day reading on the hill. Not much to do, but tried to catch the early boat over to the westfjords. No luck.


Ended up in Breiðavik, over some of the worst roads I´ve ever driven in my life. Seriously feared for my life, holding my breath around one particularly harrowing turn (no guardrails, blind corner, sheer drop, potholes and rocks).

This second picture was taken at 1130 p.m. This is truly a magical place. Despite the fear I felt driving in, I´d love to go back one day.

View Over Isafjorður

It´s a pretty amazing place. An amazing, dangerous, wonderful place, this Iceland. I´m serious when I say that I´ve had several experiences so far where I could have plummeted to my death quite easily. Is it worth it? Umm, jáááá.

This was my hike this morning. It´s a pretty famous view, and luckily the weather cooperated perfectly. I still have yet to use my rain gear, though I´ve been through some storms in the car.

I had some of the best fish I´ve had in my life today at a place called Tjöruhúsið, right on the bay. You can see it in the picture. Actually, you can see the whole town in this picture. I think this is the 3rd or 4th largest town in Iceland and it´s only got like 1300 people or something.

Sadly, I´m not sure I´ll be able to get up to the very remote Hornstrandir nature preserve on this trip. They don´t do day trips to Hesteyri, the ghost town on the shores of Hornstrandir, but there might be a five hour tour I can squeeze into tonight. If not, I´ll console myself with another piece of fish there.

Was out until 2 a.m. this morning, the sun never set. It looked lighter than dusk as I drank Viking and spoke Icelandlish with the locals at the only place that was open, a makeshift bar (no name, mind you), attached to the local information center.

The Thai restaurant in town is everything the guidebooks say it is. I wish I could eat another meal at both places. I might actually leave later tomorrow afternoon, instead of morning, to do just that.

The great thing about almost dying on a daily basis is that it makes you feel great at the end of the day, when you can merely say, "I survived."

404'd in Icelandic

Too funny. Check this link to a non-existent page I found when trying to find a ferry up to the westfjords area:

http://www.seatours.is/404error.aspx?aspxerrorpath=/ferrybaldur.php

Back to Iceland!

So yeah, I'm going back. June 29th through July 13th I'll be rockin' the Ring Road again, doing a full two weeks of exploring and speaking Icelandic, however poorly.

This will be my view out the window of the plane just before landing in Keflavik.

YEAAAAAHHHHH ICELAND!!!! HERE I COME!!!

Magnus' Gift of LOLCAT Keeps On Giving

moar funny pictures

Magnus' Wish

My friend Magnus was my saving grace in Vienna last year, and he has a rather unique wish. To build the ultimate bartending robot! If that's not a selfless desire, I don't know what is. Please read below from Magnus of www.roboexotica.org and www.shifz.org :

I wish for...

...the world domination of robots to be started by the perfect
cocktailrobot who will make all lowly humans into his addicted slaves!
Help me help create the ultimate cocktail mixing and serving robot by
granting me the financial means!"

Friday night when I did some late-nite browsing of the interwebs, instead
of ending up buying something from Amazon, i followed a link from
Boingboing and made a wish at Robinhoodfund - and asked for 10.000,- US$.

In case the wish is granted I'll split it up 50:50 to a) sponsor some
promising bots coming to ROBOEXOTICA 2007 and b) for the first time
provide prize-money to the winners of the Annual Cocktail Robot Awards.

So you can help make this happen clicking this link -
http://www.robinhoodfund.com/cast-your-votes/wish/id/1168 (and/or make
your own wish!).

... From the Robinhoodfund-page (if I had come across this on a less
trustworthy site than Boingboing i would never have given it a second
thought) ..

How it Works

Step 1 - Make a Wish
For the price of a free catalogue, the Robinhood Fund community
might
make your wish come true. Submit your naughty or nice wish for the chance
to share in the specified period's pot. Your wish goes up for voting at
the beginning of the new week, and competes with fellow wishers for the
entirety of that week.

Remember, your wish has the best chance if it's in the right place.
There are two categories, meaning two wishes are granted per week. Here's
more:

Naughty
Not every wish is about saving the world, saving a life, or saving
a
soul.
Be a little selfish. If your wish is about something you just want,
this is the category for you.

Nice
Sometimes people need a helping hand. If you are an innocent victim
of
cruel fate, failing health, dire circumstance, or know of a worthwhile
cause who is, post your wish to "Nice." You will be grouped with other
noble, deserving wishes for a little help from the Robinhood Fund.

Step 2 - The Community Decides
No elite board of directors - you and your peers decide whose
wishes
to grant. View wishes in each category to promote the worthiest wish of
every type.

Step 3 - Wishes are Granted
Each week, the coffers are emptied and the funds are distributed
between the winners in each category, granting as many wishes as the
amounts allow. It's just that simple.