Iceland

March 4 (Saturday)

Landing in a totally new city in the middle of the night all by yourself may not be everybodys idea of fun, but that is exactly what I braced myself for last night. It was easy to find the bus just outside Keflavik airport, which would take me to my hotel (Hotel Cabin). The drive from the airport to Reykjavik was an unexciting one. It was quite barren all around, and my expectation to see a stunningly illuminated city at night was not met.

My hotel room was quite small and the only channel featuring on television ran one of the most poignant movies I have seen, Frida, starring Salma Hayek in the title role. It is based on the biography of Mexican painter Frida Kahlo, who channelled the pain of a crippling injury and her tempestuous marriage into her work. I felt compelled to give up two hours of sleep to complete watching this movie. The movie depicts her amazing strength and courage as well as her love of life in the face of extraordinarily trying circumstances. Shes human too, and her last words in her diary read I hope the leaving is joyful and I hope never to return. There's a line in the film where Kahlo says, 'at the end of the day, we can all endure much more than we think we can' which sums up everything about her.

I set out this morning for the popular Golden Circle tour, which would highlight some of the geological wonders of Iceland. The Golden Circle tour consisted of the Gullfoss waterfall, the Geysir hot springs and the Thingvellir national park. There was also a short photo stop at Kerio, which is an immensely powerful old explosion crater. Our experienced tour guide did manage to give us a sense of Iceland as she sang some Icelandic songs for us, told us an Icelandic joke (which didnt quite have anyone in splits) and told us about the elves (many Icelanders believe in them) and their dwelling-places.

The Icelandic joke ended up being a little bit of a joke! The joke was supposed to show how stubborn the Icelanders were. There were two buses coming from the opposite direction on a narrow road. As they could not pass each other, one of them had to yield and retract. Neither driver was willing to do so, so they just stayed where they were for a few hours. One of the drivers then opened a book and started reading. He continued reading for two hours and 50 minutes. Then the other driver came up to him and said: Sir, when you are finished, can you pass that book to me please? Nobody laughed, but that was not the real tragedy. The real tragedy was that, since this tour was in English and German, the guide had to narrate the whole joke again in German with an ominous sense of foreboding!

As the tour started and we drove along the roads, the distinctness of the landscape became clear. There was no greenery around, just brown (rugged terrain) and white (snow formation). There was sand, dry brownish-yellow grass, and horses but no trees or plants, making the spaces look wide open. The sun was blazing along and though the temperature was a meagre 2° C and rather cold, it was still a good day for an outing in Iceland.

At our first refreshment stop, another Icelandic feature came to notice. The smell of rotten eggs! The hot water in Iceland can sometimes smell of rotten eggs. It is actually the smell of sulphur, which is due to the geothermal origins of the hot water, making it excellent for bathing, but not drinking. The hot water which is supplied by the geothermal power plants is best experienced in one of the many geothermal swimming pools of the city.

After a short stop at Kerio, a dormant volcano, which was just a bowl-shaped depression with a pool of lifeless water, we headed towards Gullfoss. Massive ice formations decorated the Gullfoss waterfall, which was by far the most beautiful waterfall I have ever seen. It is considered to be the queen of Icelands waterfalls, and it was a sight to behold as enormous quantities of water tumbled violently into a deep, meandering gorge. The ice surface was extremely slippery at one passage, and my grip-less Reebok shoes almost landed me in deep trouble. I slipped to the other side but was saved as I clung on to the side ropes. For an instant my feet were in the air and my heart was in my mouth! Though it wasnt life-threatening as there wasnt a forceful water flow in that section below, the terrifying idea of me slipping down the gorge, flowing with the water and becoming a part of Icelandic history did occur for a second.

 We then moved on and I walked around the world-famous Geysir area, a geothermal field where hot springs are in abundance, geysers explode and pools of mud bubble. The Great Geyser even gave its name to this spectacular phenomenon. Today, the Geysir itself is seldom erupting, but nearby Strokkur sends up a column of water and steam up to 30 metres high every few minutes to the delight of onlookers. It was fantastic and I was glad to capture the sight on film. After an overcharged packet of fries and a fizzy drink for lunch, I headed for Thingvellir national park. A UNESCO World Heritage site, Thingvellir is of immense historic and symbolic importance to Icelanders. It was long the site of the original Alpingi, or national parliament of the settlers, founded in 930 which makes it the oldest known functioning parliament in the world. The area is located on the Mid-Atlantic ridge, where the continents of Europe and America drift apart, causing earthquakes and volcanic activity. Standing in the Almannagjá fissure, the visitor is literally situated between the continental plates.

Iceland lies on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, the mainly underwater border where the tectonic plates of America and Eurasia are slowly spreading apart. A huge rift runs through the country from southwest to northeast, disappearing and surfacing by turns, where the plates are heading in different directions. So although Iceland is geographically and culturally part of Europe, half of it lies on the American plate, and is moving westwards at an estimated 1-2 cm a year. At the ancient parliament site of Thingvellir, which lies on this rift, you can stand on the edge of America (geologically speaking) and see all the way to Europe, 10 km away.

In the evening, after getting dropped off at the centre of Reykjavik from the Golden Circle tour, I walked around the city for a couple of hours, including a visit to a geothermal swimming pool which I did not have enough time to enter. That experience should be more than adequately captured when I visit the Blue Lagoon tomorrow.

Iceland is among the worlds richest countries in terms of per capita consumption. It is also one of the most sparsely populated countries. Luxembourg leads the private consumption per capita table followed by USA, Norway, Ireland, Canada, Switzerland, Denmark, Iceland, Austria, Netherlands, UK and Australia. I was therefore expecting Reykjavik to radiate the opulence I had witnessed in Copenhagen. The city did not come across as striking in that sense. There were no tall buildings, no display of pomp and richness and no eye-catching views. Though reputed for its cleanliness, I found Reykjavik to be indifferent and definitely not in the same league as Copenhagen. I would rate Reykjavik among the most ordinary cities I have been to in Europe, and my recommendation to a time-constrained tourist in Iceland would be to drop the capital and explore Icelands geological wonders.

So after the day-long Golden Circle tour and the evening walk around Reykjavik, I set out for the Northern Lights tour in the night. The aurora borealis, otherwise known as the Northern Lights, can lay claim to being among the finest sights in nature. It is caused by electrically charged particles emitted by the sun and interacting with the earths magnetic field. Some particles (chiefly electrons) are accelerated towards the earth and guided towards two zones, one near the north pole, the other near the south pole. Colliding with the upper atmosphere at very great speeds, the particles cause the air to glow in the beautiful colours of the aurora. Iceland happens to be in the middle of the auroral zone where the phenomenon is most frequently seen. In fact, some aurora can be seen on almost every clear night in Iceland when the sky is dark enough, but its intensity is extremely variable. A brilliant display can be observed even from a brightly lit street or a hotel window, but to appreciate fully the splendour and exquisite colours of the aurora, you should try to get as far as possible from man-made illumination. In Iceland the aurora is most frequently seen shortly before midnight, from about 21:00 to 01:00 local time (GMT). The brightest auroras are usually seen in the spring and autumn rather than midwinter, but a release of particles from the sun can create fine displays at any time.

Our tour guide played down our expectations earlier on and kept mentioning the requirement of ideal weather conditions for a clean sighting. For a long time our staring eyes, fixed to the skies towards the north, could catch nothing but darkness, and we were beginning to despair. A mild ray of light was seen some time later, but it did not lift our sagging spirits. It was only while returning (close to midnight) in the bus that we would get lucky and be able to witness the splendour of the Northern Lights. My tour turned out to be a success as the haze had cleared and the weather conditions were perfect (crispy cold and very still evening). I was able to see a fairly bright display of lights in the middle of nowhere on the skies at night. At the beginning, they were more radiant with patches of green and pink colour. The colours disappeared shortly, but the glow continued. While it must be admitted that the sight was not as grand as some photographs and advertisements make it out to be, the sense of occasion in being there and witnessing an act of nature was momentous. This is what I went to Iceland for, in the first place. Our tour guide concluded that this sighting was as good as it gets, and it was almost the grand finale for the season (as the tour operates only up to mid-March). I learnt that the Earth is not alone in experiencing this light show. Aurora have also been reported on Jupiter, it just seems a shame that no one is there to witness it!

Iceland looks like a tiny spot on the world map, but considering its size (about 103,000 sq. km) the country has an incredibly diverse landscape, dominated by mighty glaciers and mountains, desolate highlands, fertile river valleys, volcanoes and lava fields. Iceland is located on a geological hotspot on the Mid-Atlantic ridge dividing the European and American continental plates, slowly pushing the two in separate directions. The ridge runs through the whole country, resulting in volcanic eruptions, geothermal activity such as geysers and hot springs, as well as occasional earthquakes. Hundreds of volcanoes dot the landscape, although not all of them are active. Geothermal power is harnessed for heating purposes and the production of electrical power. In fact more than 90% of Icelandic homes are heated this way. Fossil fuels are used only for transportation, while hydropower is the main source of electricity. As a consequence, Icelanders can enjoy a clean, pollution free environment. The economy is heavily dependent upon fishing. Literacy in Iceland is 99.9%, the highest in the world.

Most Icelandic place-names, both of towns, villages, and natural features in the landscape, mean something. Each word might stand alone or be attached to a specific name e.g. borg = a city or Reykjavikurborg = Reykjavik city. The last part of a place name is usually the name of the geographical feature, e.g. pingvellir (vellir is the plural of völlur = plain), pjórsá (á = river), Akrafjall (fjall = mountain), Selfoss (foss = waterfall). One strange feature of Icelandic is that it refuses to accept foreign words, but almost always coins new words from ancient Viking roots for even the most complex technological concepts. A classic example is the word for computer: tölva, a hybrid formed from old words for number and prophetess. 

Is Iceland one of the most exotic places on earth? I dont know. But it certainly is one of the most expensive places on earth, with prices being mountain high. Prices on average seemed to be almost double the UK prices, and in many cases it was simply a rip off. Iceland is sure to freeze your bank account!

I was surprised to notice a similarity between Icelanders and Tamilians. That is on the last names being derived from the first name of the father. Icelanders follow the ancient tradition of deriving their last name from the first name of their father (patronymic system). For example, if a man named Erik names his son Leif, his last name will be Eriksson (the son of Erik). His daughter Thordis would be named Thordis Eiríksdóttir (the daughter of Erik). She would keep her own name even if she marries. For this reason, Icelanders always have to be referred to by their first names. Last names (which are not really names as such, but patronymics, which refer to their fathers) are never used alone. Phone books are organized by first name.

March 5 (Sunday)

I spent my time today bathing at the touristy Blue Lagoon, a pool of natural mineral-rich geothermal water, a unique wonder of nature. The highway from our hotel to the Blue Lagoon cut through moss-covered lava fields. Comprised of a sandy bottom, lovely milky blue water, and silica mud, it is known for its unique active ingredients: mineral salts, silica and blue green algae. The lagoon at Blue Lagoon Geothermal Spa holds six million litres of geothermal seawater, two third saltwater and one third freshwater. The geothermal seawater is piped directly from the original source, 2000 metres beneath surface. The lagoon is 5000 m² and the geothermal seawater is renewed every 40 hours. This substantial water exchange together with the waters salinity and ecosystem secures the high hygienic quality of the lagoon, higher than a chlorified pool.

In Iceland, the custom is to shower completely before putting on shorts or a bathing suit (as opposed to putting on your suit and then stepping into the shower), so I left my clothes in my locker, wrapped up in my towel which I left in the rack along with my shorts, and got in the shower and soaped up. Shyness does not appear to be an Icelandic trait, so I decided to be one among the group. I then wore my shorts and walked outside to see the clear blue water for the first time. As it was nippy outside, I entered the shallow warm water and walked along slowly in a crouched position (so that I was submerged up to my neck). I applied some white silica mud (which was placed on the shore of the lagoon) on to my face and wandered along looking for hot spots. It was relaxing and felt good as I spent a couple of hours in the water. My skin did not feel any different, but going by all that I have read about the properties of the water there must have been some good service done. I took the bus to Keflavik airport in the afternoon.

A newspaper article reads: "Iceland is the swimming pool capital of the world," says Gunnar Biering, a city guide leading a walking tour of Reykjavik. "Ninety-eight percent of all swimming in Iceland is outdoors, irrespective of the weather. It's an entirely different sensation from your country, where you go from warm air into a cool pool to cool off. We go from cold air into a warm pool to warm up. If you want to meet people in England, you go to a pub. In France, a coffee house. In Reykjavik, you go to the thermal pool. From 7 to 9 a.m., the politicians and journalists are in the water gossiping about what's going on. "

I did not have the time to try out horse-riding (on a typical Icelandic horse with its mane of shaggy hair). It is something I would have liked to do. For enthusiasts, there are also the longer highland tours, which last up to eight or nine days. Whale watching, river rafting (riding the swirling white waters of Icelands mighty glacial rivers), horse trekking, dog sledding and glacier snowmobile tours are specialities in Iceland. Also, geothermal bathing at outdoor swimming pools or in the natural setting of the Blue Lagoon.

Our reliable tour guide on the Golden Circle tour yesterday brought out many fascinating facts about Ireland. There are around 80,000 horses in Iceland today, no small number for a country with 290,000 inhabitants! Thousands of people ride in cities and towns as well as in the countryside. The only practical role of the horse today is during the annual roundups when farmers use horses to round up sheep in the highlands. Most horses in Iceland today are used for leisure and competition.

Because of Iceland's geographic isolation, the Icelandic horse has remained virtually disease-free so far. To keep it that way no import of horses, or other livestock is allowed. All imports of used riding wear, tack and other things used around livestock are also forbidden, unless fully disinfected. As a result, the World Championships can never be held in the home country of the Icelandic horse because once horses have been exported they can never return. There are around 100,000 Icelandic horses abroad, most in Europe but also a growing number in the United States and Canada.

The Icelanders have, in their native language, comprehensive records of their origin as a nation: the Sagas. As I am not exactly a history buff, I havent got stuck into the Viking Saga stories.

Iceland is warmer than you think. Iceland enjoys an oceanic climate. This normally means mild winters and fresh summers but the warm Gulf Stream, which flows along the islands southern and western coasts, makes the climate much milder than one would expect considering the name and location of the country. However, the Gulf Stream also has its downside; it brings the milder Atlantic air mass in contact with the colder arctic air making the weather in Iceland rather unstable and often windy. I found Reykjavik to be only marginally colder than London, although it did get very chilly when we were out in the open yesterday.

Iceland is one of the most geologically interesting countries in the world, with a barren and volcanic element which gives it a great charm, albeit somewhat weird. Fantastic waterfalls, geysers, volcanic bubblings and blowouts, snowy mountains, grassy plains, geothermal pools for bathing and lave, lava everywhere. And trees? Not at all. Most of the country is devoid of vegetation above boot level, though that is partly the attraction. To some, the landscape is starkly beautiful; to others, surreal and barren. Of the few trees remaining, most are dwarf birches. There are no ruins to visit because most structures were built of wood and turf, and did not last. It is the most volcanic place on earth, and only 1% of the land is under cultivation. On average, a volcano erupts every five years, but fortunately only rarely where anyone lives.

One night every year, members of the Parliament must all speak in rhyme. How bizarre is that! Icelandic is the oldest living European language and people read the medieval sagas with no difficulty. One of the safest countries in the world, Iceland has a crime rate that is so low the police don't carry guns.

Geologically speaking, Iceland is hardly out of playschool, since it only began to rise from the North Atlantic seabed about 25 million years ago, the product of volcanic eruptions that are still going on today. Parts of the country are still so rugged that American astronauts chose Iceland as a training ground to prepare them for landing on the moon. And Iceland is still taking shape before peoples eyes: the newest land is Surtsey, an island which rose from the sea during an underwater eruption off the south coast in 1963.

The open spaces, the unique landscape, the natural wonders, the clean air, the snowy mountains, the magnificent glaciers, the thermal swimming pools, the unspoiled nature, the enchanting light and the striking contrasts did for sure win my heart. Contrasting forces of ice and fire exist side by side in Iceland. Some 11% of the countrys surface is covered with glaciers and about 30% is lava fields.

Witnessing the spectacular Northern Lights, relaxing in the therapeutic Blue Lagoon, experiencing the wonders of nature including an exceptionally beautiful waterfall and an erupting geyser, being at the Europe-North America fault line and driving through the unique landscape of Iceland were the highlights of my trip.

I took the 16:30 flight to London and reached Bristol late in the night. My total Iceland expenses have been about £475. But it was without doubt a weekend at the top of the world!