1. When traveling to a other countries, don't assume that your mobile will allow you to use other SIM cards just because you've had it for 3 years plus. That is unless you want to spend days searching for a mobile phone shop that can a) unlock the bloody thing, or b) sell you the cheapest phone going (£42.50).
2. When planning fun bus journeys to unknown places and days of hiking, don't forget to check the timetables properly. This will ensure that a) they have actually started running in the area you want, and that b) you can plan your timetable around the 3 journeys they make per week.
3. Feel free to remain in awe of, and eternally grateful for the generosity of strangers. Remember that back home you would probably run screaming from someone like yourself, so their ability to welcome you with open arms is something to be cherished (and hopefully emulated in future).
All done. Good, now where had we got to? Borgarnes? Cool. So here is the 'stunning view' I promised you before.
Pretty good I think, this is from the back garden of the place I stayed, with the awesome Elisábet. I say awesome because it brings me to Lesson 4 for the inexperienced traveller.
4. When your host or fellow traveller says 'shall we go out for a bit?' Don't assume that you're going to a pub (or similar) and TAKE. YOUR. CAMERA! Otherwise you WILL miss some of the most amazing sights ever.
Which essentially is what happened to me when Elisábet took me out for a bit on the Wednesday. We took in all the main sights such as Reykholt.
which had some greenhouses and the start of the hot water system for the local area. It's all nestled in a mahousive valley, that made me think equally of the wild west and the Lake District. There's also a huge white building a little way out that sits next to the geothermally heated pool used by Snorri Sturluson in the 1100's. Snorri was writer of saga's and accounts of Norse Mythology. It's a stunning location.
We also made it to Húsafell which a hiking area with birchwoods and the cutest wooden tent structures I've ever seen. Elisábet also took me to Hraunfossar and Barnafoss, two waterfalls that are right next to each other.
So after Borgarnes I took the bus to Ólafsvik on the northern side of the Snaefellsnes penninsula with the idea of then camping that night and taking the bus the following day to Arnastappi. This would have given me time to do a costal walk and relax before heading to Stikkishólmur to catch the ferry to the Westfjords. It wasn't until I got to Ólafsvik that I found out the bus I needed to get to Arnastappi doesn't start till the 20th June, and the buses that I need to catch whilst in the Westfjords only run on Saturdays, Tuesdays and Fridays. Arrgh!
So whilst eating my not so very interesting lunch
I love the focus on angles!
Ok so I'll write some more tomorrow or risk giving you all blog fatigue ;)
Ciao
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