Today
was a driving day. We expected the rain but I didn’t expect the cold. It is
bitterly, deeply cold. The wind chill factor is incredible. And it is only autumn.
The driving was so different to the west of Iceland. Where before there was colour and vegetation today’s driving was mostly through large expanses of black basalt. The blackness was only broken by the odd bit of hay like vegetation. We saw the distinct areas where the lava flowed and cooled. We were crossing the fault line!
And yet there is still so much to see.
Godafoss (waterfall of the Gods) was a high flow waterfall, you could feel its power and the spray.
We also saw Dettifoss, another fantastic scene.
Both were beautiful but the walks to them were so cold. The wind made it even more so and the spray from the falls and rain wet everything. I could still feel cold in my bones well into the evening.
Next we explored the Myvatn valley area. The highlight was Martian like landscape with no vegetation and a few sulphery steamy areas creating a mist. The clouds hung low and grey giving it a dank sort of air. I’ve never seen a volcano crater before which was so barren and raw. It was just black dirt and nothing else. Samuel suggested it would be a great stadium.
It is interesting that here in Iceland the volcanic area here near the fault line is not very fertile. The soil is apparently very thin here and obviously nothing grows. New Zealand is such a contrast. Perhaps the volcanic activity is more recent here, the chemical mix in the soil is not the same and the weather is perhaps not as favourable?
The driving was so different to the west of Iceland. Where before there was colour and vegetation today’s driving was mostly through large expanses of black basalt. The blackness was only broken by the odd bit of hay like vegetation. We saw the distinct areas where the lava flowed and cooled. We were crossing the fault line!
And yet there is still so much to see.
Godafoss (waterfall of the Gods) was a high flow waterfall, you could feel its power and the spray.
 |
| We spotted this pretty bird |
Both were beautiful but the walks to them were so cold. The wind made it even more so and the spray from the falls and rain wet everything. I could still feel cold in my bones well into the evening.
Next we explored the Myvatn valley area. The highlight was Martian like landscape with no vegetation and a few sulphery steamy areas creating a mist. The clouds hung low and grey giving it a dank sort of air. I’ve never seen a volcano crater before which was so barren and raw. It was just black dirt and nothing else. Samuel suggested it would be a great stadium.
It is interesting that here in Iceland the volcanic area here near the fault line is not very fertile. The soil is apparently very thin here and obviously nothing grows. New Zealand is such a contrast. Perhaps the volcanic activity is more recent here, the chemical mix in the soil is not the same and the weather is perhaps not as favourable?
Comments
Post a Comment