6am - my watch bleeped into life. Alistair, Matt and I then began the routine that would soon become familiar. Packing everything up and moving on...
By 9am we had made both bus connections and were heading to Landmannalaugar on the number eleven bus. "Weather permitting..." the CD guide gave us the spiel, but sadly the weather was not permitting as we travelled through the lunar landscape of Southern Iceland.
The landscape soon changed to lush green fields with sheep and horses everywhere! As the road lost it's tarmac covering, I looked around the bus... So many faces from so many places. This may sound selfish of me, but I hope they're not all planning to do the trek! Otherwise we will all be destroying the thing we all seek.
The bus turned right at Mount Hekla, Iceland's best known volcano, and headed along the rough track to Landmannalaugar...
Landmannalaugar was somewhat of a disappointment - a city of tents surrounding one small thermal spring (which when we arrived, was occupied by over 20 people). We gave it a miss and set off.
First obstacle - a lava field, then we descended past a few thermal vents. The eggy smell of sulphur was hanging in the air. Shortly after, we reached the plateau and the colours changed again. Vivid greens, turquoises and obsilian sand that, if the sun catches it at the right angle, shimmers like gold.
Slowly we continued to trek through the cool refreshing mountain air until the hut came into view. The evening routine was quickly established. Pitch tent - cook food - eat - wash - bed! Just as the rain came in... :)
By 9am we had made both bus connections and were heading to Landmannalaugar on the number eleven bus. "Weather permitting..." the CD guide gave us the spiel, but sadly the weather was not permitting as we travelled through the lunar landscape of Southern Iceland.
The landscape soon changed to lush green fields with sheep and horses everywhere! As the road lost it's tarmac covering, I looked around the bus... So many faces from so many places. This may sound selfish of me, but I hope they're not all planning to do the trek! Otherwise we will all be destroying the thing we all seek.
The bus turned right at Mount Hekla, Iceland's best known volcano, and headed along the rough track to Landmannalaugar...
Landmannalaugar was somewhat of a disappointment - a city of tents surrounding one small thermal spring (which when we arrived, was occupied by over 20 people). We gave it a miss and set off.
First obstacle - a lava field, then we descended past a few thermal vents. The eggy smell of sulphur was hanging in the air. Shortly after, we reached the plateau and the colours changed again. Vivid greens, turquoises and obsilian sand that, if the sun catches it at the right angle, shimmers like gold.
Slowly we continued to trek through the cool refreshing mountain air until the hut came into view. The evening routine was quickly established. Pitch tent - cook food - eat - wash - bed! Just as the rain came in... :)
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