One challenge at a time

 I woke up on Day 15 in a wet and slightly cold campsite in Reykjavik... I had booked a trip out to see the volcano and the omens... specifically the cloud layer, the mist and the drizzle were not the best conditions if one hoped to see the volcano crater... I waited at the bus stop outside the campsite, getting impatient when we were almost an hour beyond the pick up time... apparently some of the other punters weren't where they were supposed to be. Anyway, finally in the coach and on my way to Grindavik for the second time in 2 weeks. The drizzle became a downpour, became torrential and it became less and less likely we were going to see anything. The guide was also of this opinion because he basically said, there is no point going up to the viewpoint, you won't see anything. We will just go down to the old lava fields... At this I piped up..  I know I'm generally the shy and retiring type, but weather changes here quickly and just not bothering to try and see  the cra...

 Essentially this is going to be a short blog as today was 'back to Reykjavik day' I woke up to rain hammering down onto the tent... there is NOTHING worse than packing up a wet tent. Trying to avoid your sleeping bag getting wet until it goes in the handlebar bag. Don't let the sleeping mat touch the wet grass... Be careful how you fold up the tent so that the sleeping compartment doesn't get wet. Horrible job. Fortunately I'm pretty good at packing up my stuff and have got into a good rythm after 13 previous days of packing and unpacking everything... so it wasn't too long, everything was on the bike, I had my long cycling trousers on cos it was bloody cold... and I headed off into the wind and rain and mist. About 200 yards up the road, I realised that this might be the first time that I may need a back light on my bike, so I stopped and hauled my rear light out of my bag and zip tied it to my seat pack. With that and my luminous rucksack cover I was pretty c...

 It's hard to describe the point when your senses re-awaken.  The last week or so has been spent in a black desert with little signs of life... I could have been on the moon or Mars. Spectacular though it was and so completely different to places that I have beem before, my soul felt incomplete. The fresh air I breathed (along with a fair amount of grit and black dust I may add) and the vistas my eyes took in were magnificent and I'm sure that when I'm back home. I will miss the freedom and the solitude of these roads and the black desert... but missing was the smell of life, trees, birds, little animals running around.... and then I arrived at Thingvellir! I had had a small foray out the previous evening but today and yesterday I meandered through the small paths, the antithesis of the black desert... for here there was life in abundance. On a small scale to be sure, but life abounded. In the myriad of small rock dwelling plants, the heather, the different types of moss, t...

 So last night, I was charging my phone in. the campsite when I smelt burning and then saw smoke coming out of the end charging my phone. I pulled it out quickly but was immediately worried that I wouldn't be able to charge my phone anymore... which needless to say would be a disaster.... I pulled out my spare charging cable and hooked up my slightly charred phone to my battery pack... and waited.... If it wouldn't charge I knew that I would have to find a phone repair shop and fast... I needed my phone to get me home... 93%... cmon phone... it looked like it was charging but until the number started rising I could not be sure... it seemed like ages .. 94%! Yes! and no further burning smell.. clearly I had stopped the charging process in time for no damage to be done or at least not enough damage to prevent me from ising the phone. So back to plan A it was then. The following morning I awoke and packed up... it all gets stowed away in order and with ease, following the rythms o...

 I woke up excited... and ridiculously early! Today I had booked. myself on a whale watching tour on one of the fast boats... it cost more for one of these boats but I figured I would get closer to any whales to be seen... fingers crossed. I set out on my bike with plenty of time to find my way to the harbour. How nice to be riding an unloaded bike... free of the weight for a bit. I made my way to the trail that ran alongside the sea to the north of the campsite... It ran all the way to the harbour where I needed to be. It was a nice little trail, with some sculptures along the route... in particular the viking longboat sculpture which I think is really cool. Also an old white house stood out... but more of that later. I reached the harbour with plenty of time to spare and sat and watched the world go by with a coffee and a breakfast muffin... a nice little interlude for sure. When it was time, went to get suited up in drysuits to keep warm out on the boat and in no time we were sk...