To celebrate some milestone birthdays, we decided that something truly EPIC was in order, but also something that felt safe during an ongoing pandemic. After watching way too many travel vloggers, we stumbled upon the idea of a road trip around Iceland - exploring a rugged and stunning but desolate and sparsely populated country, from the relative comforts of a camper van.
Planning was short and sweet, and the whole thing came together quickly. Jane managed to impress even me once again with her packing acumen, as she got everything we needed for a diverse experience (hiking boots, rain gear, several cameras, etc.) into just carry-ons and personal items - no checked bags to slow us down or prolong the airport ordeal! She even fit in empty water bottles and a bunch of dehydrated food.
We took all possible precautions - another booster shot, masks and eye protection, and booking an overnight flight (people sleeping, not talking!) with Icelandair on a smaller plane. We also paid extra to park right at the terminal, rather than endure a potentially crowded shuttle bus ride to and from the economy lot.
With favourable winds, we made the flight in 4 hours and 40 minutes, and landed at Keflavik airport to light rain and a 4-hour time zone change. Before being picked up by the van rental company, we grabbed some duty free beer and a mobile hotspot at the airport for portable wi-fi, both of which we would highly recommend!
Once at the rental location in Hafnarfjordur, things started off well - the van was ready, along with our additional rental items like camping chairs, towels, sleeping bag, duvet, coffee press, and fuel for the cookstove. The van was a diesel Renault Elf Trafic with a 6-speed manual - which also had a sink, tank of water, built in powered cooler, and separate diesel heater for the cooler nights.
We set out and had a bit of a rocky start - I stalled the van twice, confusing 3rd gear with 1st at lights - including in the middle of a major intersection. In my defence, I was adjusting to a new vehicle and we hadn't slept yet! We stopped at the Smaralind Mall in outer Reykjavik and bought a local SIM card, in the event that we needed to make any emergency calls. As a result, we actually have an Icelandic phone number!
When we returned and started the van, the check engine light was on. We put that new SIM card to good use and called Go Campers, and given that we were not very far away, they asked us to return. After a quick look under the hood, they tried to give us one of their brand new vans instead.....but it wouldn't start! The third van, VK N93, was the one that would convey us around Iceland over the next two weeks. The embarrassed manager also credited our account, threw in a power inverter, and gave us coffee and local chocolate!
After a quick grocery stop at a Kronan in Mosfellsbaer, we negotiated a few more roundabouts (there are many!) and took Road 36 off towards the Golden Circle. Adjusting to narrow roads with no shoulders and few places to stop, and a longer vehicle than we are used to with less visibility, we finally found somewhere to pull over so that we could organize the back of the van in terms of groceries and unpacking in preparation for the coming days.....and eat some ham on a fresh baguette.
Amidst heavy wind and rain, we soldiered on a little further before deciding to stop for the night to camp at Thingvellir National Park. While camping is only allowed by law at designated campsites, it does mean that these sites are very well maintained. Jane crashed after 31 hours without sleep, and I stayed up two more hours to see the rain abate, followed by a nice rainbow and some evening sun.
(*NOTE - the Icelandic language has two extra letters, plus accents, so all names in this and coming posts will be as close as I can get with limited options!)
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