July 27, 2010
Laugavegurinn -- Day 2
This was the best hiking day of the trip, and started with a dry, sunny morning, which was very encouraging. We ate breakfast again in the hut with the others, washed off the dishes, packed up our bags in the transport vehicle (for both the 16 person trip and my trip, tents, sleeping pads, extra food, anything not needed for the day, was carried by super jeep between the camp sites -- VERY convenient), and headed down the hill.
On this day, just about everything felt good.
1. We crossed wide expanses of the black gravel.
2. went up and down hills
3. I felt reasonably strong
4. We had short chit chats with other tourists along the way
5. We saw some extremely active geothermal spots (hot water bubbling out of the ground, hot steam, etc.)
6. ate lunch of lamb liver pate and salmon egg paste sandwiches on a hillside overlooking a green valley.
7. Crossed a cold river by taking off my boots, replacing them with sneakers and wading through.
8. Walked past a glacier.
9. Saw something which was not quite a waterfall, but maybe could be described as an extremely steep river, going about 100 meters down a mountain. Almost like a waterslide, but with a rocky bottom.
10. Arrived at the Alftavatn hut with lots of time to spare.
After setting up the tent, drinking some water and having a bite to eat, we walked along the Alftavatn lake, which was still and perfect, and clean, and reflected the sky, to a cave, and then back to the hut, stepping through the black sand along the water. Despite having had perfect weather all day, dry, not cold, during this walk it started raining, and by the time I got back to the hut, I looked once more like the shivering, wet, inexperienced American as I did on the first day.
After this, the transport driver, Klemenz, took us in the Super Jeep, through part of the lake, across an expanse, to a gorge to look down into. It was very pretty, and riding the jeep through the lake was pretty sweet as well.
I sat with the big group in the hut (they were sleeping there) and drank tea, and everybody shared information about their travels so far and plans. My meal was a huge serving of lamb (the lamb in Iceland is indeed the best I have ever tasted, so far I´ve had it on each trip), and salad. Klemenz had made an Icelandic lamb soup for the big group, which they were unable to finish, so I had a bowl of it as well. Around this time, two young Dutch guys showed up, soaked with rain, had walked the first two legs of the trip in just one day. The big group offered them soup, each eating something like 6 bowls. I chatted with them for a while, gave them some tips on places to go after the trek.
Stepped outside and chatted with D for a bit about politics, and was invited by Dori and Klemenz to go to a nearby hut to hang out with some of the other guides. Another two guides came along, racing along the gravel roads, through rivers, at around 10 at night (still light). A group of about 7 stood outside and drank sips of what they called "moonshine"(homemade fermented spirits, spiced with cumin), they spoke mostly in Icelandic, with occasional summaries in English of what they had been talking about. Surprisingly, this was more fun than it sounds. I even learned a few new words in Icelandic that I got to use later in the trip.
By around midnight, we drove back to the camp, Klemenz had to leave to rescue a small group that had given up on the trail, and I went for yet another very solid sleep.
Bjork -- Alarm Call
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