All pictures are 1200 × 900 pixels, apart from some of those I took on the video camera which may be anything up to 1600 × 900 pixels.
A PG-rated review of the trip, safe for just about everyone, is available in PDF form, is fully printable, and contains the very best of the photos seen on this page.
Be warned that the file is 18.8 MB!
The original review, most definitely not suitable for kids, religious lunatics or those of an easily offended disposition, is presented in its fifteen component parts, also containing links to all the photos seen here.
1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - 7 - 8 - 9 - 10 - 11 - 12 - 13 - 14 - 15
| 06.08.2009 – DAY ONE: GISTIHÚSIÐ KRÍUNES | |
| Kríunes – the gates |
| Kríunes – the building |
| The Thunder Chariot! |
| Inside the Reindeer Room – Hannah ist kaputt (already) |
| A shot of the reindeer (Kit approves) |
| Kit enjoying the swing (in the cold) |
| Downstairs – the suit of armour |
| 06.08.2009 – DAY ONE: REYKJAVÍK | |
 | Kit, Hannah and a Russian ship! |
 | An attractive restaurant... |
 | ...and the first proof of what Iceland can do with corrugated metal |
 | The American statue of Leifur Eiríksson – the builders have descended on Hallgrímskirkja... |
 | Leifur's statue, from the back |
 | The most metal house in the whole of Iceland... probably. |
 | Puffin Shop sign number one: this became a regular sight in the guesthouses' guestbooks... |
 | Puffin Shop sign number two: the hilarity this gave us would never end... |
 | Puffin mugs at the puffin shop |
 | "Brown is the colour of poo"? We agree |
 | metal_community meetup in Dillon (Gísli's favourite bar) |
 | Proof we saw a gig in Reykjavík! Chao on stage at Bar 11 |
 | Bar 11 itself |
 | "I'm on the night train!" |
| 06-07.08.2009 – DAY ONE/TWO: GISTIHÚSIÐ KRÍUNES | |
 | Ich bin kaputt |
 | Hannah: awake, but only just |
| 07.08.2009 – DAY TWO: REYKJAVÍK AND PERLAN | |
 | The steel longboat that features on so many Icelandic guide books |
 | Group shot with the steel longboat |
 | Me with the longboat (krieg version) |
 | Kit looks out to sea, from one side... |
 | Rammagerðin, one of Reykjavík's many outlets for tourist tat (and 66° North fleeces) |
 | A photo can't do justice to the shimmery metal effect on this house. Watch the video instead! |
 | Perlan |
 | Strange statues outside Perlan |
 | A view from Perlan's observation deck |
 | These compass statues are all over Iceland, showing what can be seen (or not) in every direction |
 | Hannah bought these socks as a present for Mike |
 | Perlan's central staircase, from the top |
 | Perlan's party piece... something stirs... |
 | It erupts, for about 45 seconds |
 | A waxwork of Skarphéðinn Njálsson |
 | A reconstructed Viking sled |
 | The Saga Museum's statue |
 | The Saga Museum starts with "Hrafna" Flóki Vilgerðarson, the first man to live in Iceland for any time |
 | Ingólfur Arnarson (and his missus) who were the first to move to Iceland permanently |
 | The naming of Vinland by one of Leifur Eiríksson's companions |
 | Þorgeirr Ljósvetningagoði said pagans could still practice in private. The christians ignored this... the bastards |
 | No, Hannah... no. |
 | In the background is Snorri Sturluson, Iceland's first literary genius |
 | The plague arrives in Iceland; I don't mean the christians |
 | "Og om du noengang lukter kristenmanns blod, oppi fjellet... ja, hent øksa, og... KUTT DEM NED!" |
 | "I am Matthew Hopkins, Witchfinder!"" |
 | When they say "special 4×4" for some of the F-tracks, this is what they mean |
| 07.08.2009 – DAY TWO: HAFNARFJÖRÐUR AND FJÖRUKRÁIN | |
 | Hafnarborg, Hafnarfjörður's art gallery – but it was closed by the time we arrived |
 | Fjörukráin, from the outside (1) |
 | Fjörukráin, from the outside (2) |
 | My selection of Icelandic starters (clockwise from top left): blóðmör, lifrarpylsa, hard boiled egg, pickled herring (in red wine), brennivín, hákarl, harðifiskur, pickled herring (plain), sviðasulta |
 | I appear to have missed my mouth. I am such a puffin... |
 | The main course arrives: roast guillemot |
 | The Singing Viking |
| 08.08.2009 – DAY THREE: THE GOLDEN CIRCLE – PRELIMINARIES | |
 | The crater lake, Kerið |
 | Kit enjoys the view |
 | Kit enjoys the view (metal version) |
 | Hannah enjoys the view as well |
 | ...as do I |
 | ...as do I, again (troll version) |
 | Kerið (2) |
 | Kit explores the lake |
 | Minniborgir? Sounds like teenage black metal fans... |
| 08.08.2009 – DAY THREE: THE GOLDEN CIRCLE – GULLFOSS | |
 | A carving of Sigríður Tómasdóttir, a major benefactor of the waterfall |
 | Gullfoss – full frontal view |
 | The rock formations at the side of Gullfoss |
 | Over the edge |
 | Kit's troll photo |
 | Hannah's not-very-troll photo |
 | My very-troll photo |
 | The group shot; Kit ist too krieg for this |
 | Gullfoss, from the top of the cliff overlooking it |
 | Can you see the people below... they're not about to dive off the edge, are they? |
 | Cairns, or troll droppings? You decide... |
| 08.08.2009 – DAY THREE: THE GOLDEN CIRCLE – GEYSIR | |
 | Icelandic horse trekking... in the rain |
 | Steaming fields, definitely: we have arrived at Geysir |
 | More steaming fields |
 | Smiður – doing its business |
 | Litli-Geysir just bubbles away happily to itself |
 | Strokkur erupts spectacularly! |
 | The crude rain cover I used on the video camera... it worked, though! |
 | A poor attempt to catch the blue water in the thermal pools... in my defence, there was too much steam |
 | A better attempt to capture the blue water |
 | The whole Geysir site from up the hill |
 | Geysir itself... no longer erupts unless there's an earthquake |
 | Is that the sun coming out? |
 | The awful, awful route 365... |
 | Is that Þingvallavatn I see there? |
| 08.08.2009 – DAY THREE: THE GOLDEN CIRCLE – ÞINGVELLIR | |
 | Safe arrival in Þingvellir: the "west wall" of the rift, part of Almannagjá |
 | Öxaráfoss, behind the basalt wall |
 | A massive great crack in the ground; this area is expanding |
 | Deep into the crack |
 | "It's a long way down..." |
 | "I'm giving birth to the Earth! It's coming from my vadge!" |
 | Kit seems unbothered by us arsing around |
 | Kit's better troll photo that the one from Gullfoss |
 | The river, Öxará, from a bridge over it – and the Drowning Pool |
 | The other side of the bridge: Öxará heads towards Þingvallavatn |
 | An interesting rock formation on top of Almannagjá |
 | Ropy lava formations |
 | The delta leading into Þingvallavatn |
 | Þingvallavatn |
 | This is how to do a troll photo |
 | Kit's lost the knack again |
 | Looking through Almannagjá: the flag on Lögberg in the distance |
 | Climbing the rocks near Öxaráfoss |
 | On top of the rocks (metal version) |
 | Öxaráfoss |
 | Kit wanted proof she made it to the top |
 | All three of us up the top |
 | The rocks make excellent battlements: I fight off christians with my tripod... |
 | Hannah, being sensible |
 | Kit and Öxaráfoss |
 | Me and Öxaráfoss |
 | Hannah and Öxaráfoss |
 | Hannah and Öxaráfoss (silly version) |
 | Is that rock giving us the finger? |
 | The view back down Almannagjá from the top of the west wall |
 | When the signs say sheep wander into the road, they mean it |
| 09.08.2009 – DAY FOUR: GISTIHÚSIÐ FRUMSKÓGAR | |
 | My breakfast – featuring Icelandic smoked salmon |
| 09.08.2009 – DAY FOUR: THE WAY TO STYKKISHÓLMUR | |
 | The view down into the valley from the treacherously windy part of route 1 just west of Hveragerði |
 | An Icelandic horse, in the rain |
 | Pointy rocks and a nasty scree slope |
 | The Hvalfjörður tunnel |
 | The lava fields of Snæfellsness |
 | Icelandic meat soup ist krieg, at Vegamót |
 | The trolls' picnic |
 | Kit blows the Horn Of Wacken |
 | The trolls' picnic (metal version) |
 | The trolls' actual picnic |
 | Hannah misbehaving in the back of the Thunder Chariot |
| 09.08.2009 – DAY FOUR: STYKKISHÓLMUR | |
 | Stykkishólmur's geological museum (right on our doorstep and all): a rock collection |
 | Kit's obsidian obsession |
 | Hannah is not a geologist |
 | "Apache tears" |
 | A longboat in the harbour! |
 | A not-so-real boat on the harbour wall |
| 09.08.2009 – DAY FOUR: SNÆFELLSNESS AND SNÆFELLSJÖKULL | |
 | Snow visible on the mountains through a break in the clouds |
 | Kirkjufell |
 | Very craggy rocks – a sign that we've turned onto route 570 |
 | Route 570 can be seen on this scenery shot |
 | Ice in the mountains and further sight of route 570 |
 | The beginnings of a glacier? |
 | Unmistakably Snæfellsjökull |
 | Kit blows the Horn Of Wacken again |
 | The customary group shot, with Kit looking very pleased with her horn-work |
 | That is unmistakably fog on the way down |
 | Pointy rocks out of the fog |
| 09.08.2009 – DAY FOUR: ARNARSTAPI | |
 | Kit stands by the monument |
 | Arnarstapi's geological lunacy |
 | The famous arch that can be seen on several postcards |
 | The arch and stacks |
 | Kit looks into the jaws of death; Hannah's too scared |
 | Don't let Kit's mum see this |
 | Bird shit all over the cliffs... I blame the guillemots |
 | Birds on the cliffs... with a good view of the cave (or as good as I could get) |
 | The lengths I will go to to get a great picture... |
 | Cormorants on an outcrop |
 | Birds, caves, and a black sand beach! |
 | The colony of arctic terns that divebombed us in the car park |
 | The turf roof Snjófell restaurant and bar... the only one in Arnarstapi |
 | Iceland's most unusual signpost |
 | Journey To The Centre Of The Earth started here, allegedly... |
 | ...it says so on this board |
 | Has Hannah had too much coffee again? |
| 09.08.2009 – DAY FOUR: BACK TO STYKKISHÓLMUR | |
 | Svalþúfa-Lóndrangar: I didn't think trolls were likely to need churches |
 | "Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaargh!" |
| 10.08.2009 – DAY FIVE: ON THE WAY TO EIRÍKSSTAÐIR | |
 | Random scenery on the unsurfaced part of route 54 |
 | That's a lot of blue sky that's come out today... |
 | Random shots of a lake |
| 10.08.2009 – DAY FIVE: EIRÍKSSTAÐIR | |
 | The statue of Leifur Eiríksson (looking about 16) |
 | Eiríksstaðir, exterior |
 | Me in (annoyingly not designed for battle) helmet and dead fox fur |
 | Kit with fox fur and her own horn |
 | Hannah's got someone else's horn |
 | Kit with sword |
 | "Og om due noengang lukter kristenmanns blod..." ...you know the rest |
 | The kitchen at the back |
 | This photo is more to do with a painting that was supposed to be my uncle drinking from a stream... |
 | ...a beard full of clear Icelandic water |
 | Buildings along the road to Eiríksstaðir |
| 10.08.2009 – DAY FIVE: ON THE ROAD AGAIN | |
 | A low rainbow over a lake |
 | Random scenery |
 | Hannah misbehaving in the back again |
| 10.08.2009 – DAY FIVE: GLAUMBÆR | |
 | The arrival at Glaumbær |
 | Áshús: the bedroom |
 | Áshús: the kitchen area, complete with everything needed to make a 1950s meal... |
 | Áshús: the workshop |
 | Áshús: the dining room |
 | Into the turf houses: the view down the corridor |
 | The view in the attic (up some very dangerous steps...) |
 | It's definitely the kitchen |
 | The pantry, with non-matching crockery |
 | Those vats are for preserving various foods in whey |
 | Guarding the collection of artifacts from the ages |
 | The back door, and the storehouse |
 | Wooden skis |
 | Bone ice skates – and a slightly more modern variant |
 | A pestle and mortar, we think |
 | The back bedroom, with functioning paraffin lamp |
 | Tell me why the priest gets the best bed? Possibly he needs to put the altar boy in it as well... |
 | The priest's desk, from which fire-and-brimstone sermons are written... Icelanders are not scared |
 | A bed with a langspil |
 | The bed with the horns |
 | A wider shot of the back bedrooom |
 | A chess and backgammon set... which may be whalebone? |
 | The guest bed |
 | The guest room – proof that living in a turf house wasn't slumming it |
 | A sledge and cart outside |
 | The church and graveyard |
| 10.08.2009 – DAY FIVE: GRETTISLAUG AND THE WAY TO AKUREYRI | |
 | The three of us in Grettislaug – a pleasantly warm experience |
 | Other than the sword and hook design, an ugly part of Sauðárkrókur |
 | A very ugly part of Sauðárkrókur |
 | Dramatic ice-carved scenery with hanging valleys |
| 10-11.08.2009 – DAY FIVE/SIX: GISTIHÚSIÐ PÉTURSBORG | |
 | Me in the hot tub... with piss-weak 2.25% beer |
 | Eyjafjörður: the wooden huts near Pétursborg |
 | Looking over Eyjafjörður towards Svalbarðseyri |
| 11.08.2009 – DAY SIX: A BONUS DAY IN HRÍSEY | |
 | Further up Eyjafjörður, the mountains on the east side rise higher and gain more snow |
 | A massive great jellyfish in Hrísey harbour |
 | Group shot on Hrísey's hiking trail, with Eyjafjörður's snow capped mountains in the background |
 | Group shot on Hrísey's hiking trail (troll version) |
 | Group shot on Hrísey's hiking trail (attempted Immortal version) |
 | Middle of the hike: Kit at the cairn |
 | Hannah at the cairn (sensible version) |
 | The cairn by itself (first of a flickbook-style set of shots with the tripod) |
 | ...with me involved |
 | ...with me involved again (deadly serious version) |
 | Kit ist kaputt |
 | Hannah ist kaputt |
 | Hannah ist kaputt (again) |
 | Ich bin kaputt |
 | Ich bin kaputt again (and Hannah intervenes) |
 | Masses and masses of heather... and Eyjafjörður |
| 11.08.2009 – DAY SIX: AKUREYRI | |
 | Kit outside Akureyri church |
 | The church by itself |
 | The floor of Akureyri's branch of The Viking: covered with old 5 and 10 aurar coins! (And the occasional 50 aurar as well) |
 | Comedy Engrish outside the (very expensive) Friðrik V restaurant |
 | Bautinn... where we could have had whale steak |
| 11.08.2009 – DAY SIX: GISTIHÚSIÐ PÉTURSBORG | |
 | My improvised dinner... obtained in Akureyri |
 | Skál! From the three of us in the hot tub... with much better beer this time |
| 12.08.2009 – DAY SEVEN: AKUREYRI | |
 | Akureyri's heart shaped traffic lights make me angry |
 | Akureyri, as seen from the other side of Ejyafjörður |
| 12.08.2009 – DAY SEVEN: THE DIAMOND CIRCLE – GOÐAFOSS | |
 | Goðafoss, from its west bank |
 | A group shot of us with Goðafoss, which would get us into mild trouble |
 | Geitafoss, a bit further down the river |
 | The river itself |
 | A lava flow cascading into the river |
 | Goðafoss, from the east bank |
 | Hannah and Goðafoss (Swallow The Sun version) |
 | Hannah and Goðafoss (happy version) |
 | Kit and Goðafoss (happy version) |
 | Kit and Goðafoss ("I am defending my homeland" version) |
 | Me and Goðafoss (deadly serious version) |
 | Me and Goðafoss (krieg version) |
 | Hannah and Goðafoss (krieg version) |
 | All of us and Goðafoss (serious version) |
 | Rainbows over Goðafoss |
| 12.08.2009 – DAY SEVEN: YSTAFELL'S MOTOR MUSEUM | |
 | 4×4 AMC Eagle (rear) |
 | 4×4 AMC Eagle (front) |
 | Willys Jeep |
 | A massive spanner, in the entrance |
 | Ancient Ford flatbed (1930-something) |
 | Early Land Rover and Willys Jeep |
 | Citroën 4CV |
 | A view right down the "unrestored" section |
 | A tank! No, really, a tank! |
 | Matra Bagheera in a horrible, horrible state |
 | Yankee-mobiles |
 | A real working jukebox – which leads the way to the cars in mint condition |
 | Ford Thunderbird MkIV |
 | Cadillac Brougham – used as the President's car in the late 1970s |
 | A Dodge of some description |
 | Mercury Comet |
 | Mercedes-Benz W123 |
 | Ford Thunderbird MkVII (front) |
 | Chevrolet Nova |
 | Willys Jeep (and another thundering great Yank tank) |
 | Ford Mustang (front) |
 | Ford Mustang (rear) |
 | UAZ-452 |
 | Early Trabant |
 | A very rare sight – a LHD Vauxhall Viva |
 | Kewet electric car (from Denmark) |
 | Iceland's in-house racing machine |
 | Citroën DS |
 | Kit with the Mustang |
 | Saab 99 |
 | Saab 96 |
 | Kit with the MkIV Thunderbird and Icelandic presidential Caddy |
 | Chevrolet pickup truck – converted into a hearse, for that perfect redneck funeral! |
 | An ancient tractor |
 | Old Icelandic numberplates |
 | Snowmobiles |
| 12.08.2009 – DAY SEVEN: THE DIAMOND CIRCLE – THE MÝVATN AREA | |
 | Dramatic skies over Hólasandur – a genuine desert |
 | Route 87's unsurfaced section through Hólasandur |
 | Approaching Mývatn – Vindbelgjarfjall in the distance |
 | Lava fields round Mývatn... |
 | ...that look like cracked tarmac |
 | Desolate landscape on the way to Krafla |
 | Námafjall (we think) |
| 12.08.2009 – DAY SEVEN: THE DIAMOND CIRCLE – KRAFLA AND VÍTI | |
 | Down the road towards Hverir |
 | On the way through Krafla – hot water pipes from the power station |
 | The crater Víti |
 | A far-off shot of the sulphur deposits |
 | Litli-Víti |
 | Closer to the sulphur deposits (with escaping steam) |
 | Elemental sulphur |
 | A view of Víti from right at the back of the crater (and through a strange-shaped crevice) |
 | The two mud pools |
| 12.08.2009 – DAY SEVEN: THE DIAMOND CIRCLE – LEIRHNJÚKUR | |
 | Kit enjoying her time in Hell |
 | Invasion of the trolls? |
 | Hannah's curiosity |
 | An X-shaped crack in the ground |
 | Leirhnjúkur's answer to Víti's sulphur deposits – bigger and better |
 | Leirhnjúkur's 25-year-old lava; nothing has managed to grow on it yet |
 | Kit explores a hole in the ground |
 | A rather larger crack in the ground |
 | Deep into the abyss |
 | Black lava as far as the eye can see |
 | One of the slopes (which probably spewed some of the lava) |
 | Kit enjoying a steam bath |
 | I'm enjoying the steam bath even more |
 | Red lava formations – the ones that are full of iron minerals |
 | Fire & Forget's two bassists |
 | The trolls' sauna – very sharp rocks and belching steam |
 | A sample of the spiky rocks |
 | H.R. Giger probably took inspiration from these rocks |
 | The crater where most of it came from... |
 | More sulphur deposits |
| 12.08.2009 – DAY SEVEN: THE DIAMOND CIRCLE – HVERIR | |
 | A very hot lake (and route 1 in the distance) |
 | A muddy (and very hot) lake |
 | A raging mud pool |
 | A view of the steam vents... from a long way away |
 | A close up of the steam vent |
 | An American student was carrying this digital thermometer with him. Yes, that is 118°C – after the steam has already mixed with the air |
 | The angriest steam vent of them all |
 | Group shot by the steam vent |
 | Me enjoying the steam... too much |
 | Kit enjoying the steam... more restrainedly |
 | Hannah getting necro with the steam |
 | The lesser spotted steam troll |
 | Me and the steam vent (serious shot) |
 | Hannah and the steam vent (semi-serious shot) |
 | Kit and the steam vent (serious shot) |
| 12.08.2009 – DAY SEVEN: THE DIAMOND CIRCLE – DIMMUBORGIR | |
 | A view of Mývatn from Námafjall's viewing point |
 | Dimmuborgir's comedy sign. Shagrath would (probably) not approve... |
 | Dimmuborgir sign silliness with Kit |
 | Dimmuborgir sign silliness with Hannah |
 | Dimmuborgir sign silliness with me (1) |
 | Dimmuborgir sign silliness with me (2) |
 | Dimmuborgir sign silliness with me (3) |
 | Dimmuborgir sign silliness with all of us |
 | Dimmuborgir gate silliness with me |
 | Dimmuborgir gate sensibleness with Kit |
 | Dimmuborgir gate silliness with Hannah |
 | Dimmuborgir's entrance |
 | I'm sure there's a face in that rock on the right |
 | An arch in the distance |
 | A series of frozen trolls? |
 | Kirkja (back entrance, so we found out) |
 | Hannah takes the back entrance |
 | Kit, deep in the abyss |
 | A troll family? |
 | The dark troll hole |
 | So that's why the call it "the church"! That is a completely natural lava formation that looks like a pointy doorway |
 | Sunset over Vindbelgjarfjall |
 | I think there's a face in this rock as well |
 | A view over Dimmuborgir from the visitor centre |
| 12.08.2009 – DAY SEVEN: THE WAY TO HÚSAVÍK | |
 | The sun fades over route 87 |
 | Greenhouses and steaming fields on route 87 |
| 12.08.2009 – DAY SEVEN: GISTIHEIMILIÐ ÁRBÓL AND HÚSAVÍK | |
 | The Árból itself, on the trøø Viking-named Ásgarðsvegur |
 | Me relaxing after a hard day |
 | Hannah's tarnished rings |
 | Ásgarðsvegur |
 | Miðgarður |
| 13.08.2009 – DAY EIGHT: WHALE WATCHING | |
 | A rowing boat in Húsavík harbour |
 | Bjössi Sör |
 | Snorri |
 | Náttfari (North Sailing's ship for the three hour whales-only trip) |
 | Haukur – our ride for the day |
 | The Haukur's information board |
 | I am told I look like a fisherman in this suit (and my Tom G. Warrior hat) |
 | Hannah looks more like a pirate; Kit doesn't |
 | Húsavík – from the sea |
 | Ye other shipmates. Arrrr! |
 | Thar she blows! (just about...) |
 | Ye other shipmates, again |
 | Ye whale's baleen plates |
 | Kit having a "whale" of a time |
 | Ye olde fisherman |
 | Ye seasick shipmate |
 | Ye colony of ye fulmars |
 | Ye dolphin (close up) |
 | Ye dolphin (underwater) |
 | Ye dolphin (brilliant shot) |
 | Lundey (Puffin Island) |
 | Ye puffins |
 | Ye lots and lots of puffins |
 | Ye puffins and fulmars |
 | Ye puffins, and one is trying (and failing) to take off |
 | Ye cormorants on ye rocks |
 | Ye puffin with ye fish! (the money shot) |
 | Kit doing some actual sailing... |
 | ...with ye crew |
| 13.08.2009 – DAY EIGHT: HÚSAVÍK | |
 | Outside the Phallological Museum. Yes, it does exactly what it says on the tin... |
 | All cocks great and small |
 | All cocks even greater and not so small |
 | Kit, Hannah, and a blue whale's thumping great wanger |
 | Cartoon cocks |
 | Bull's penis walking stick |
 | A troll's stone cock? |
| 13.08.2009 – DAY EIGHT: THE DIAMOND CIRCLE – SKÚTUSTAÐIR | |
 | A pseudocrater |
 | A corner of Mývatn surrounded by pseudocraters |
 | Kit enjoying the scenery |
 | A far-off shot of Vindbelgjarfjall |
 | A pseudocrater in the lake |
 | And the best view of the pseudocraters... was from the car park! |
| 13.08.2009 – DAY EIGHT: THE DIAMOND CIRCLE – VINDBELGJARFJALL | |
 | A troll hole |
 | Kit ist kaputt... already? That's my job! |
 | The cairn at the top... |
 | The view from the top! Mývatn, more pseudocraters, and route 1 (also the Thunder Chariot) |
 | Further over Mývatn |
 | I join Kit getting close to nature |
 | Hannah and Mývatn |
 | Kit and the cairn |
 | Hannah and the cairn |
 | Me, Mývatn and the pseudocraters (serious version) |
 | Hannah, Mývatn and the pseudocraters ("enjoying the scenery" version) |
| 13.08.2009 – DAY EIGHT: BACK TO AND AROUND HÚSAVÍK | |
 | The Icelandic weather catches up with us |
 | Better weather ahead |
 | The park behind Miðgarður |
 | The view from our room |
 | Húsavík harbour |
 | Salka – where I nearly ate puffin, but they were fully booked |
 | ...so we went to Gentle Café instead, where Kit ate reindeer steak for the first time ever |
 | Epykkk chocolate cake |
 | Húsavík harbour in the diminishing light |
 | Those who deride "yoghurt pots" will be inclined to agree |
 | Gamli Baukur: Hannah has a moment of silliness... |
 | A great group shot at Gamli Baukur |
 | Gamli Baukur itself |
 | A carving of the Haukur |
 | Inside Gamli Baukur (1) |
 | Inside Gamli Baukur (2) |
 | Húsavík church in the dark |
| 14.08.2009 – DAY NINE: HÚSAVÍK | |
 | A sperm whale's skull. Could we be going to the Whale Museum? |
 | A whole sperm whale skeleton in the roof |
 | Blue whale vertebrae |
 | The narwhal's horn was once thought to be from a unicorn... |
 | A larger horn – Hannah looks intrigued |
 | A preserved harbour porpoise |
 | Minke whale calf skeleton |
 | Minke whale calf (from the other side) |
 | Hannah gets up close and personal which another vertebra |
 | ...while I use a minke whale's rib as a sword |
 | Another vertebra – don't know the species, though |
 | Northern bottlenose whale skeleton |
 | More whale skeletons |
 | Narwhal skeleton |
 | Look what I found in Kasko... more Icelandic specialities! Hákarl (so someone eats it, then...) and Egils Appelsin |
 | Húsavík's wooden house (great photo from across the road) |
| 14.08.2009 – DAY NINE: TJÖRNES | |
 | The fossil cliffs |
 | Closer look at the fossil layers |
 | A purple jellyfish |
 | The northernmost point of our trip... unfortunately I'm blocking out Tjörnes lighthouse |
| 14.08.2009 – DAY NINE: THE DIAMOND CIRCLE – JÖKULSÁRGLJÚFUR (1): ÁSBYRGI | |
 | Ásbyrgi's horseshoe-shaped cliffs – best seen from a helicopter rather than the car park, though... |
 | More of the cliffs |
 | Cocking about on the swings (1) |
 | Cocking about on the swings (2) |
 | Ásbyrgi's cliffs, from the park |
 | Kit, pole dancing |
 | Hannah, pole dancing |
 | Kit... on top of the world. Well, a wooden pole at least |
 | Hannah gets to grips with the climbing frame |
 | I show her how it's done |
 | How much for Krap? |
| 14.08.2009 – DAY NINE: THE LONG DRIVE TO EGILSSTAÐIR AND HÖFN | |
 | A bridge on route 1 |
 | Kit tried to get a shot of a troll house below, but most of this shot is my face |
 | The start of Jökulsárgljúfur |
 | A trolls' palace? |
| 14.08.2009 – DAY NINE: THE DIAMOND CIRCLE – JÖKULSÁRGLJÚFUR (2): HAFRAGILSFOSS | |
 | That hill makes an excellent viewing platform... |
 | Hafragilsfoss, from the east side (and from the top of that rock): the view is better from this side and it's accessible by car |
 | Further up the rock |
 | Hannah on top of the world |
 | A view of the deep blue water |
 | More blue water further downstream |
 | Kit and Hannah on top of the world (1) |
 | Kit and Hannah on top of the world (2) |
 | Me on top of the world |
 | Me and Kit on top of the world |
 | A long way further down the canyon, from the top |
 | Hannah and Hafragilsfoss |
 | Me and Hafragilsfoss (deadly serious version) |
 | Kit and Hafragilsfoss |
| 14.08.2009 – DAY NINE: THE DIAMOND CIRCLE – JÖKULSÁRGLJÚFUR (3): DETTIFOSS | |
 | The view down Jökulsárgljúfur, from Dettifoss |
 | Dettifoss |
 | Serious group shot of us with Dettifoss |
 | Hannah and Dettifoss |
 | Kit and Dettifoss |
 | Me and Dettifoss |
 | Dettifoss, by itself |
 | Dettifoss – the edge |
 | Dettifoss – over the edge |
 | Me and Dettifoss (troll version) |
 | Me and Dettifoss (serious version) |
 | Kit and Dettifoss (troll version) |
 | Kit and Dettifoss (serious version) |
 | Hannah and Dettifoss (serious version) |
 | Hannah and Dettifoss (krieg version) |
| 14.08.2009 – DAY NINE: THE LONG DRIVE TO EGILSSTAÐIR AND HÖFN... CONTINUED | |
 | I think we're on the moon |
 | Bleak, desolate mountain moonscape |
 | Random scenery |
 | Pointy mountains down route 1 |
 | Hannah's attempt to dry her socks... using her head as an improvised washing line |
 | Craggy rocks... and civilisation? We must be somewhere near Egilsstaðir |
 | Lagarfljót |
 | The bridge over Lagarfljót, with Fellabær in the background |
 | Sunburst over Lagarfljót |
 | Waterfalls beside route 1 |
 | Layered lava mountains and a waterfall |
 | Scree slope – cue trolls sliding down it on a tea tray? |
| 14-15.08.2009 – DAY NINE/TEN: GISTIHÚSIÐ ÁRNANES | |
 | Kit, hiding under the covers |
 | Our wood-panelled room at the Árnanes annexe (in Nesjahverfi) |
 | Kit and Hannah fussing over the Árnanes' dog |
 | Árnanes itself |
| 15.08.2009 – DAY TEN: HÖFN Í HORNAFIRÐI AND THE SURROUNDING AREA | |
 | Knitting with barbed wire outside the Arts & Crafts shop |
 | The snowcat outside the Glacier Exploration Museum |
 | Höfn harbour (1) – may be part of a panorama |
 | Höfn harbour (2) |
 | Höfn – we think it's Hoffellsjökull in the background |
 | The narwhal's horn statue |
 | Inside the museum: Icelandic words for snow and ice |
 | Some actual ice |
 | Reindeer, arctic fox, seal |
 | On the way to Skaftafell – Jodrell Bank? |
 | A larger glacier |
 | Glaciers again |
 | Desert scenery plus glaciers |
| 15.08.2009 – DAY TEN: JÖKULSÁRLÓN | |
 | Hannah with a cinnamon bun |
 | The amphibious truck that will sail us towards icebergs... but won't sink like the Titanic |
 | Icebergs on the lagoon |
 | Breiðamerkurjökull in the background... where the icebergs are coming from |
 | A blue ice peak |
 | Most of the lagoon, from on top of a hill |
 | Me and Jökulsárlón (deadly serious version) |
 | Kit and Hjökulsárlón (deadly serious version) |
 | Hannah and Jökulsárlón (deadly serious version) |
 | Group shot with Jökulsárlón (serious version) |
 | Group shot with Jökulsárlón (krieg version) |
 | Me and Jökulsárlón (krieg version) |
 | Hannah and Jökulsárlón (krieg-ish version) |
 | Blue and black icebergs |
 | Blue ice |
 | Blue ice and not-so-blue skies |
 | Blue ice and not-so-blue skies |
 | Really blue ice and not-so-blue skies |
 | Icebergs covered in volcanic ash |
 | Our expert, Anna – with a lump of genuine glacier ice |
 | Up close and personal with an iceberg |
 | Kit's ice trophy |
 | My ice trophy (and the Tom G. Warrior hat has become more of a Jean-Paul Gaster hat) |
 | Hannah is intrigued by the ice |
 | I was told about this in the Rough Guide: Jökulsárlón café serves excellent seafood soup... |
 | ...which is delicious |
 | Kit consoles herself with strawberry skyr-cake |
 | The soup, advertised |
 | The lagoon's outlet into the sea |
 | Pyrite deposits on the rocks (1) |
 | Pyrite deposits on the rocks (2) |
 | A skua which is busy murdering an arctic tern. Both species are thugs in their own way... |
 | The chavs of the bird world... |
 | It's supposed to say "ÍSLAND"... on this very black sand beach |
 | A beached iceberg |
 | Us... with the beached iceberg, because it is completely krieg |
 | Kit pets the iceberg... |
 | ...Hannah strokes it as well... |
 | ...and I lick it... |
| 15.08.2009 – DAY TEN: THE ROAD TO SKAFTAFELL | |
 | More random glaciers |
 | Fjallsjökull |
 | The top of Öræfajökull |
 | Dry, pointy mountains |
 | Random glacier scenery |
| 15.08.2009 – DAY TEN: HOF Í ÖRÆFUM / GISTIHÚSIÐ FROST OG FUNI | |
 | The tiny houses next to Gistihúsið Frost og Funi (with Kit's shadow for scale) |
 | Gistihúsið Frost og Funi – the main part |
 | Inside our cabin on the other side of Hof – Kit bags the top bunk... |
 | ...and drops dead |
 | Me relaxing (aggressively) with Egils Maltbjór |
 | The troll forest in front of the cabins (ours is round the back) |
 | The main part of Hof |
 | The graveyard – where the graves have to be raised because (presumably) the ground is impossible to dig |
 | Graves and the turf church |
 | Kit by the graveyard |
 | Inside the entrance hall of Frost og Funi – complete with polished basalt floor |
 | Cow skin chairs... or maybe horse or reindeer, we don't know |
 | Bouncing on the bed |
| 15.08.2009 – DAY TEN: JÖKULSÁRLÓN'S MIDNIGHT FIREWORKS | |
 | Candles on the icebergs (probably overexposed but it's the only one where the icebergs are visible) |
 | The fireworks start! |
 | It's after midnight and even in the middle of August there's not quite total darkness here... |
 | Fireworks (and someone's phone) |
 | Fireworks (with time-lapse effect!) |
 | Lighting up the icebergs |
 | Fireworks and candles |
 | Lighting up the icebergs... in red |
| 16.08.2009 – DAY ELEVEN: SKAFTAFELL | |
 | A sharp reminder about two Nottingham University students who disappeared in 1953... |
 | Into Skaftafell: Hundafoss |
 | Approaching Svartifoss |
 | Svartifoss |
 | Hannah at the base of Svartifoss |
 | Kit at the base of Svartifoss |
 | Kit at the base of Svartifoss (deadly serious version) |
 | Me behind Svartifoss (through the spray) |
 | Me behind Svartifoss (through the spray) |
 | Kit wearing my Tom G. Warrior hat |
 | The look up towards Nyrðrihnaukur |
 | Kit ist kaputt |
 | The look down into Morsárdalur |
 | Morsárjökull – looking like Hvergelmir in the distance |
 | Looking down the valley towards the sea (in the far distance) |
 | Looking up towards the fog-covered peaks of Kristínartindar |
 | The view from the top of the trail: Skaftafellsjökull |
 | Me with Skaftafellsjökull (serious version) |
 | Me with Skaftafellsjökull (krieg version) |
 | Kit with Skaftafellsjökull (krieg-ish version) |
 | Kit with Skaftafellsjökull (deadly serious version) |
 | Hannah with Skaftafellsjökull (serious version) |
 | Hannah with Skaftafellsjökull (krieg-ish version) |
 | Hannah with Skaftafellsjökull (another serious version) |
 | Group shot with Skaftafellsjökull |
 | Foggy rocks near Kristínartindar |
 | A rock giving us the finger, also near Kristínartindar |
 | The pointy troll rocks and Skaftafellsjökull's confluence |
 | The best shot yet of Skaftafellsjökull's confluence |
 | Looking down the mountain after the trail suddenly disappeared... there's only one way down! |
 | Hannah looks unimpressed with the length of the hike... but at least the scenery in the background is impressive |
 | The snow covered mountains behind Skaftafellsjökull |
 | Svartifoss in the dark |
| 17.08.2009 – DAY TWELVE: A GLACIER HIKE ON SVÍNAFELLSJÖKULL | |
 | Hannah and Kit ready for glacier exploration |
 | Blue water in the holes in the ice, with volcanic ash at the bottom |
 | I show the world what I'll do with my ice axe |
 | Not quite a crevasse, but a moulin |
 | Bent layers of lava on the west side of the valley |
 | Hannah and Kit, hopefully having fun |
 | Me having immense fun with the ice axe |
 | A group shot on Svínafellsjökull |
 | An enormous crevasse |
 | A stream running into the biggest crevasse we've seen so far |
 | The crevasse itself |
 | A small lake disguising another crevasse |
 | Kit stands fearlessly in the lake |
 | Hannah stands fearlessly in the lake |
 | I stand on the lake and look into the jaws of cold, wet death... |
 | ...and hack at the underwater ice |
 | A hole in the ice so deep we had to be roped to our guide to take a look down it |
 | The best shot down that hole of the lot |
 | As we look up Svínafellsjökull to the ice falls, the sun appears |
 | Me with the ice falls ("By The Power Of Grayskull" version) |
 | Me with the ice falls (air guitar version) |
 | Kit with the ice falls (explorer version) |
 | Kit with the ice falls (serious version) |
 | Hannah with the ice falls (serious version) |
 | More crevasses |
 | Dirt mounds that rise out of the glacier |
 | An excellent area for ice climbing |
| 17.08.2009 – DAY TWELVE: TOWARDS VÍK Í MÝRDAL | |
 | The remains of a bridge washed away by jökulhlaups |
 | There used to be a river here... |
 | Looking along Iceland's second longest bridge that now only bridges a tiny stream... |
 | Where is that stream... |
 | ...there it is |
 | A misty, stepped mountain |
 | Craggy mountains, and the weather we've just left behind |
 | Craggy mountains and layered lava |
 | Really pointy mountains |
 | A twisty lava formation |
 | A strange shaped mountain... we don't know what it's called |
 | Twisty lava formations, with a waterfall |
 | A precariously perched headland that looks like it's about to split off and kill whatever's standing beneath it |
| 17.08.2009 – DAY TWELVE: VÍK Í MÝRDAL | |
 | Vík in the distance |
 | Vík's church on the hill – apparently the only place safe from floods |
 | The part of Vík north of route 1 |
 | The house with the four-horned sheep's head |
| 17.08.2009 – DAY TWELVE: DYRHÓLAEY | |
 | OK shot of other random things made of steel |
 | Reynisdrangar – the Troll Rocks – in the dark, from a beach near Dýrholaey |
 | Caves and basalt columns, in the dark |
 | A closer shot of the basalt columns |
 | A rock that looks like a ghostly face |
| 18.08.2009 – DAY THIRTEEN: HÓTEL HÖFÐABREKKA | |
 | The dining room at Höfðabrekka |
 | A stuffed raven |
| 18.08.2009 – DAY THIRTEEN: SKÓGAR | |
 | Mýrdalsjökull and the top of Skógafoss |
 | Skógafoss |
 | The base of Skógafoss |
 | Skógafoss from half way up the hill |
 | Looking over the edge of Skógafoss |
 | The stream that feeds Skógafoss |
 | Skógar's folk museum displays Þrasi's ring, from the chest that Þrasi Þórolfsson hid his stash of gold in behind Skógafoss |
 | Old Icelandic money and medals |
 | A grandfather clock (painted in that same shade of blue that keeps appearing in the traditional houses) |
 | The fishing boat Farsæll, dating from 1855 |
 | Fishing equipment |
 | Carved driftwood – very useful to 19th century Icelanders |
 | Tapestry |
 | Various horns |
 | Keys |
 | Belts |
 | The music room – full of organs and an accordion |
 | Ladles and copper kettles |
 | A branding iron test bed |
 | Lathes |
 | Sewing machine |
 | Various farming equipment |
 | Spinning wheels and knitting machine |
 | Chess and backgammon – probably carved from whale bones |
 | A marriage certificate? (I don't know what it really is because it's in Icelandic) |
 | Embroidery |
 | A brass plate of Thor |
 | A brass plate of Odin |
 | An ancient multi-band radio and cassette player |
 | Ancient communications equipment – including a massive field phone and a 1980s mobile phone! |
 | An old fuse board – strangely reminiscent of the Seierstad Gjestergård... |
 | Scientific oven |
 | Mad-headed sheep and two-faced lamb |
 | Don't know what a súla is... |
 | ...but this is a swan |
 | Four-horned ram's head |
 | Stuffed seabirds and other marine life |
 | Posh dining room |
 | Posh living room |
 | An immense rock and mineral collection |
 | More marine life |
 | The turf houses |
 | The cow shed and workshop |
 | Inside the turf houses (1) |
 | Inside the turf houses (2) |
 | Inside the turf houses (3) |
 | Inside the turf houses (4) |
 | Inside the school house |
 | A between-wars-era map of Europe |
 | The teacher, looking stern |
 | Inside the Skál house: the dining room |
 | Looking down the very blue hallway into the kitchen |
 | The kitchen, with its obvious afterthought electricity |
 | The bedroom upstairs |
 | Inside the Holt house: Iceland's answer to an Aga |
 | The very basic kitchen equipment |
 | Probably the best photo of the entire trip! It's the dining room, but the expression of shock on the old German woman's face is worth its weight in platinum... |
 | ...so I made this EXTREME CLOSE-UP! |
 | The disused hydroelectric power station |
 | The disused hydr... WHAT'S THAT FACE AT THE WINDOW? |
 | The power station from outside |
 | The Holt house, Skál house and church |
 | The Communications Museum: horse equipment |
 | Beer, whisky, brennivín and a pot still |
 | The post office |
 | A 1930s Ford post office van |
 | Old phones |
 | The first cars in Iceland |
 | Construction machines |
 | An arctic tent with a wooden floor |
 | CB radios and other communications equipment |
 | Land Rover fire engine |
 | Ancient petrol pump |
 | Search & Rescue vehicles |
| 18.08.2009 – DAY THIRTEEN: HÓTEL HÖFÐABREKKA | |
 | Hannah, refuelling |
 | Hannah and Kit hit the hot tub |
 | Me in the tub with an essential accessory |
 | A better shot of me in the tub |
 | JACUZZI! |
 | The things I can do with an empty beer can (strange version) |
 | The things I can do with an empty beer can (krieg version) |
 | Kit still enjoying the tub too much |
 | Kit is annoyed that she had to leave the tub |
| 19.08.2009 – DAY FOURTEEN: VÍK Í MÝRDAL | |
 | Reynisdrangar – the Troll Rocks – in daylight, from the beach near Vík |
 | Hannah on the beach (serious version) |
 | Kit on the beach (krieg version) |
 | Me on the beach (deadly serious version) |
 | Group shot on the beach |
 | Kit challenges the sea... |
 | ...and loses |
 | I challenge the sea... |
 | ...and loses |
 | My improvised sandcastle – a motte and bailey design |
 | I am impressed with my work |
| 19.08.2009 – DAY FOURTEEN: THE RETURN TO REYKJAVÍK | |
 | Skyr! Fuelling Icelanders since 874! |
 | That number of crashes was only 8 when we first passed it a few days before... |
 | Me, eating an Icelandic ice cream |
 | Kit's ice cream tub |
| 19.08.2009 – DAY FOURTEEN: THE BLUE LAGOON | |
 | Kit and Hannah attempting to enjoy the Blue Lagoon |
 | Me, making a better attempt at it with beer |
 | A perfect day at the Blue Lagoon... and nobody's having fun |
 | The hot water inlet has been opened! |
| 19.08.2009 – DAY FOURTEEN: THE RETURN TO REYKJAVÍK | |
 | Back at Fjörukráin on the way back from the Blue Lagoon... we missed this dancing Viking warning sign first time round! |
| 19.08.2009 – DAY FOURTEEN: GISTIHÚSIÐ KRÍUNES | |
 | Fiskbúðingur, obtained in Vík... only when I opened the tin did I find out it was a solid block of fish pulp |
 | Fiskbúðingur and prawn flavoured noodles for dinner |
 | Sviðasulta, also for dinner |
| 19.08.2009 – DAY FOURTEEN: THE RETURN TO REYKJAVÍK | |
 | The Alþing building, at night |
 | We've actually forgotten who this statue is... |
 | The Hub Of Reykjavík |
| 20.08.2009 – DAY FIFTEEN: THE END | |
 | Lake Tjörnin, complete with seabirds |
 | The National Museum... we think |
 | Reykjavík's post office – in daylight |
 | (Gjallar)Hornið? |
 | Kit's favourite energy drink of them all |
 | Dancing lampposts in Njarðvík |
 | Kit's obsession with boat statues (this one is in Keflavík) has to come to a sudden end... we're off home |