Black sands and moving ice- day 3

The third morning found us in Vik i Myrdal, the southernmost town in Iceland. A small settlement surrounded by mountains and the Atlantic.
This day was rather special because it was also the day one of us turned 27. It didn't really affect our plans because we didn't plan to make this a relaxing day, on the contrary.


The plan was to do the rest of the south coast and end the day in Hofn, a small town on the south-east coast. The weather was incredibly good. Our third day here and none of our worries regarding bad weather had come true. It was rather cold during the day, colder during the "night" but all in all, we were happy.







As previously said, there are remarkable differences from the coast inward. In Vik there was a beach with volcanic black sands and 2-3 kilometers inland, mountains and glaciers sprung out of nowhere. The road itself from Vik to Reynisfjara (a black sand beach with impressive basalt cliffs) meanders across mountains passes and down to plains with visible geological layers.
Reynisdrangar
A panoramic view of Dyrholaey and the black sand beach of Reynisfjara

 Driving eastward on the Icelandic south coast is an experience everyone should try at least once. It is here where there is an active volcanic activity. Some of the volcanoes in the area have erupted in recent years, some of them are actually expected to erupt in the near future. Add ice and glaciers to the mixture and you have a perfect and extreme destination.

Jokulsarlon glacial lagoon
Vatnajokull glacier is the largest ice cap in Iceland and one of the largest in Europe. It covers large areas inland and spreads out to the Atlantic in the south. One such area is the Jokulsarlon glacial lagoon, where parts of the glacier mouth break off as icebergs and are carried out to the ocean. This lagoon was truly incredible, almost other-worldly. There was this chill in the air and a daunting silence that came down the mountain. Glancing at the mouth of the glacier, we could almost feel the immense void that engulfed the horizon. It reminded us of those rough winter days on the mountain where the only sound you hear is the raging wind scattering the fresh snow. It was a sensation that I personally will try to come back to whenever I feel the need for serenity. 



Moss covering lava fields




A preview of what was to be expected on the east coast
It was a special day indeed because we had reason for a double celebration. We celebrated ourselves for being alive and we celebrated nature for keeping us alive.

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