Index
Day 1 - Flying
Day 2 - Waterfalls
Day 3 - Vik to Hofn
Day 4 - To Seydisfjordur
Day 5 - Rivers and springs
Day 6 - Fishing
Day 7 - To Reykjavik
Day 8 - Reykjavik
Day 9 - Return
Iceland
Clouds blocked the sunrise, but the black sand at Reynisfjara Beach, combined with the rock formations, basalt columns, and lighthouse in the distance were kind of cool.
Hjorleifshofoi continued the trend of sights that were kind of cool but not spectacular, with a nice little hike up to a windy hilltop, then down to an underwhelming Yoda-shaped cave. Further down the road, Fjadrargljufur Canyon was a nice break from just plain waterfalls, a scar among the sea of green.
Skaftafell to hike Svartifoss in Vatnajokull National Park was worth the effort, another waterfall, this one coming off an impressive wall of basalt columns.
Pouring rain deterred us from hiking to the end of the trail and the nearby Skaftafell Glacier, forcing us to head to the next stop, Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon and Diamond Beach. Even under a cloudy sky, the icebergs in the lagoon were impressive, and the ocean-battered chunks of glacier ice that give Diamond Beach its name are well worth just soaking it in. It would have been more impressive under a sunny sky, but as Iceland averages only 40 sunny days a year, it's hard to be too picky.
Ended the day in Hofn, and perhaps the best meal of the trip at Pakkhus, with horse, Arctic char, and salted cod as highlights, along with a modest but solid wine list. And Milkfactory was a charming hotel with great, if rather compact, two level lofts.