Around Iceland in 3 days
I went to Reykjavik to visit a friend, where I was supposed to stay for 10 days. After a couple of days I realized that by staying in Reykjavick I would only see one of the many faces Iceland had to offer. So I decided to rent a car and explore the country. After visiting the tourist office I decided that 4 days should be enough to drive around Iceland using the Ring Road, the unique road that goes around the island. That's about 1300km. Most of which are paved. 4 days should give me some extra time to go off road and take some photos.
I took a map and divided the ring road in 4 equal parts, one for each day. My first stop would be Akureyri, the capital of the North. Then it was rather approximative, with a stop in the North-East, another one East / South-East, and a last one in the South before getting back to Reykjavik. I circled on the map the places I wanted to see, either from what I had been told at the tourist office or from the research I did on internet the previous night.
Day light is short in Iceland in November. 9h30 to 16h30 in Reykjavik (which is South) but much less in the North. So the days went by really quickly. I only drove little during the night. Only when I knew I wouldn't miss much.
I had some really good weather on Day 1, but Day 2 wasn't as good and Day 3 was even worse so that when I saw "Rekjavik 200km" at the end of the third day, I decided to put an end to my cold nights in the car and get a good night sleep back in Reykjavik at my friend's place.
Day 1. Leaving at dusk, taking the road around the lake instead of the tunnel
Red roof house lost in the mountains
Sun slowly rising
The road around the lake
First horses
Road to the mountains
Getting North, first signs of snow and ice
End of Day 1, I reached Akureyri, capital of the North, just before the night
Day 2, 9h17. Still dark.
9h28. First signs of the sun
Doesn't look too bad on the photo, but really a high 4x4 is a must.
12h31. Selfoss, semi frozen water fall
13h57. Forever going
15h26. Reaching Egilsstadir just before the night
Day 3, 9h05. Old farm house built by a german immigrant
Shortcut by the mountains, photo showing the best visibility I'll ever have during the snow storm
Sheep waiting to get in
Drying/dried fish
Icebergs coming off the Glacier, some of these pieces are big like a little house
Reaching what they call the photographer's paradise, but I won't be able to see much.
Day 3, taking a last photo before the night. I don't know it yet but I'll be back in Reykjavik tonight.
