It’s unfortunate that I’ve gotten used to the 9:45 dawn just in time to go back below 60′ latitude, but I figured there was enough rental insurance to get one last ride into backcountry so I beat the rising sun to the Northwest Peninsula. Crossing under the mountains and over seas, I made my way to the Saesfullsnesvollkr National Park – a geological mosaic of tundra, mountains and volcanic rock. With the Arctic Sea to my left, I realized how utterly barren this land was (and how much more this must have been for the initial colonists).
Unlike what I’ve come to expect from experiences in the US, there was no trailhead to explore the desolate coastland. With gas reserves running low, I was forced to abandon plans to head to Kirkjufell in lieu of the ethereal “next time” (ideally in June for whale watching and snorkeling between tectonic plates). With an early retreat, I instead visited the Reykjavik downtown for one last hurrah. With “Little Saturday” (aka Thursday) underway, I shared camping stories with revelers from Scotland, got Latin-themed drinks and salsa lessons at Pablo Discobar, and even sang karaoke and played beer pong against the natives (poor, noble amateurs – they never stood a chance).
Ice's Travels 