Day 2
The first night went well, two of us slept on the front seats and one in the back of the car. It was cold although we were sleeping in warm sleeping bags and had few layers of clothes. After usual morning routine we decided on our next destination which was Seljalandsfoss waterfall. Actually the plan we made before going anywhere was to make a circle around the island. We had 7 days and it seemed like enough time to explore the whole island. But, I think I could spent a whole year in Iceland and still find some beautiful places.
You can see how this waterfall is so big in comparison with people. It's 60 m in height.
If travelling to Iceland you should take waterproof and windproof clothes. Constant wind and low temperatures are features of Iceland. Also, weather is very changeable, like at one moment it's sunny and all of a sudden it starts to rain or snow.
What was cool about this waterfall is that you could go around it. It was funny because the pathway was half frozen and slippery so all of us stumbled along the way.
Behind the waterfall
One thing we were looking forward to in Iceland were hot springs so we found one on the map and headed there. At the time only Emanuel had a driver's license so while driving, we were enjoying beautiful sceneries around us. Often we would stop a car to admire the nature and take a few pictures.
After arriving at our destination we had some walking to do until hot spring. We took our swimwear with us and honestly we were sceptical about this, we didn't think there would be anyone bathing in the pool because it was really cold outside. It was the beginning of March...
After some walking we decided to take a detour and climb a hill again.
He wished to go and see the great mountains, and hear the pine-trees and the waterfalls, and explore the caves, and wear a sword instead of a walking-stick.
It was a difficult climb, but worth one. The view from up there was great.
After arriving at the Seljavallalaug pool there were people actually swimming. They were probably locals who were used to cold. ❄️ First we needed to undress and put on our swimsuits so we did that as fast as possible, because it was freezing outside. The water was warm on the touch so we decided to hop in, but after only a few minutes we started complaining it's cold. There was just one place in the corner where the water was hot so we were fighting for that spot.
It's interesting that all warm water in Iceland is geothermal. It comes boiling from the ground and straight into people's homes.
Still the bath was pretty nice considering it was 0 degrees outside and we were in the middle of the mountains. Also, after not showering for 2 days it felt nice to be clean again.
So all freshed up after bathing, we drove to Vik-the village in south Iceland which has these amazing black sand beaches. The wind was blowing hard, the mood was dark, gloomy and mysterious. It was perfect! We were so fascinated by the contrast of the white foam of the waves and the black sand. Masterpiece of nature!🤩
Black sand beaches are formed from volcanic ashes. When molten lava interacts with the cold sea water, lava cools down quickly and breaks into debris and sand.
On Iceland everyone tells you to be careful when opening car doors, because wind can be so strong that it can tear off the doors. 😅 I will never forget when we went sleeping that night. After getting dark, we were driving and looking for a place to park a car and sleep. Once we have parked, the wind began to blow so hard that our car was shaking like crazy. I thought to myself, everything is gonna be alright and went sleeping. Next morning we woke to a beautiful sunrise and our new adventure began.
To be continued...
All photos are taken by us