July 29 Eastern Iceland

Before launching into the rest of the day I want to mention breakfast - I know, food and flowers tend to dominate at times!  As we had come to expect, it was plentiful with lots of choices including some healthy supplements - cod liver oil, beetroot juice with fresh ginger, and some capsules which I think were Vitamin D. We had seen Cod liver oil offered elsewhere but the beetroot and ginger was a new delicious addition. However .... 

That creamy number in the right foreground is Chia - delicious

We were travelling in the eastern part of Iceland

Feeling thoroughly sated, we headed north towards Borgarfjordur through foggy mountains, rain, along steep sometimes precipitous roads with slippery scree sliding right down to the ocean; roads to this fishing village weren't built till 1950s. The bay at the end of that challenging drive was well worth it. Quite remote and totally delightful. 

Looks noxious here but the dangerous Njardvik Screes are subject to avalanches

Borgarfjordur 

Linderbakki, the red house, was build around 1900 and is typical of the old houses 

After a very short visit we were retracing our steps south because we were due in Hofn that night, over 400 km south. It felt like I was dodging windscreen wipers all afternoon trying to take pix as we drove under lowering skies. It was a brooding moody scene broken here and there with light skies but enjoyable for all that.  Along the road we had to slow to pass a small herd of Iceland ponies. They seemed unconcerned about sharing the road with cars. 

A wee coffee shop

Hard volcanic rocks poked up through the scree.

The beautiful Whooper swans flocked to protected bays

We made it to Hofn with time to spare and decided to 'stayed in' and dined on our plate de tour - this time noodles, overlooking a pretty harbour and under the watchful gaze of the massive Vatnajokull ('jokull' meaning glacier or ice cap).  As marvellous as it has been I think we are starting to feel the strain of being on the road for over a week with little time to smell the roses with the added concern about our Covid status and what they might mean for our expedition 3-4 days away. We took it easy that night.

Hofn, a fishing village, gives views out towards the huge glacial Vatnajökull