Iceland - Day 4

Landmannhellir to Landmannalaugar

11 miles

The sun was still up, the kids were still playing, and my clothes were almost dry when I went to bed at 8 pm. I didn't need to worry about being cold at night; my tent was boiling. I knew the screaming kids wouldn't stop me from falling asleep, I was wiped. That is why 8 hours later, I woke fresh as a daisy. The sun was nowhere to be seen, but it was fully bright at 4 am. I didn't waste a moment, I packed, I changed, and I set off at 5 am. with a spring in my step. That lasted until the first steep incline, but luckily, it wasn't long. The views, however, stretched for miles in all directions. I had my first break by the lake with only a handful of mozzies and a stunning view.

This was followed by a short easy trail, and then it was time for the big one.

Up, up, and up.

It seemed never-ending. However, the views from the top were absolutely spectacular. Even my shorts made an appearance, and my Precious Tilley hat (cute lifesaver) was my constant companion. I always grumble a bit with climbing, but I always forget it once I get to the top.

Surprisingly, the signal was amazing, and I sent signs of life to my family. I even attempted to post my story with pictures and videos, but my phone wasn't having any of it. 15 minutes later and 12% battery life shorter, I gave up. After 10 minutes of solid arguing (with the one and only me), I gave it another shot (no videos), and it went through after only 5 minutes. All this waiting wasn't wasted, I OH'd and AH'd over the scenery and simply enjoyed being alive and being right here. The worst thing next to climbing is descending to road level and having to climb up again. To be fair, I really needed water, and the views from the mountain across were breathtaking. At one point, the path was literally at the edge of a gorge. I officially made another one 10 steps away from it. I knew I'd have to climb up to 700m, so I motivated myself by promising rewards. A small break, a long break, a sockless break, lunch. They all worked.

At the very top, I had two very different views, one green and lush while the other was grey and desolate. They were both stunning. I spent a very happy 30 minutes enjoying the sun, the gentle breeze, my lunch, and obviously the scenery. The rest was mainly downhill, some very steep and some gentle. That's when I met a group of 3 trekkers walking the same trail but in reverse. They were the first humans I met on the trail since Afangagil. This was, of course, just the beginning, a couple here, a group of mountain bikers there and so on.

I knew I was close to Landmannalaugar when I noticed the rainbow-coloured mountains in the distance. After 50 pictures, I carried on and realised I haven't really seen it yet. 2 minutes after the sign directed me to Landmannalaugar (the others were day trips), I had the best view ever. Colourful mountain, neon green hills, and a stunning waterfall. As you can imagine, I didn't go far. 80 pictures of the view, 10 selfies, 10 pictures taken by someone else, and a LONG break just to enjoy it all.

I have already crossed 3 small streams, but I had another 10 to cross once I reached the valley's bottom. The civilisation was looming: more people, small bridges, and 'Do not cross' signs everywhere. It was almost odd to see so many people, but I did what I do best, ignore them all with an occasional hello thrown in.

I walked slowly, I lingered and stared at the view, but I also wanted to get there and set up camp so I could do stuff. I arrived in Landmannalaugar at 1 pm almost on the dot. It was a shock to the system seeing the number of buses and a large number of tents. I chose a spot away from the large group and ignored the little tidbit that it occasionally floods. Im going to hope for a dry night and until then enjoy the peace and quiet.

The hot pool was the next task in my 'experience everything Icelandic'. After a quick change, I made my way to the still-quiet pool for the time of day. I expected a hot pool, but when I stepped in, it just felt mildly warm. I made my way to where the others were huddled and got my answer. A mini waterfall and a small dam were the source of the heat. They were so hot that nobody could get more than 6 feet of them. The cold river cooled the pool to the perfect temperature. I even managed to drift off for a minute and felt my muscles go completely lax. After a small swim in the 'cooler' section, I went back for another treat. Somehow, it was better.

Following a nice long shower, I had a walk around the area and inexplicably ended up by the cafe. A vegan soup and an Icelandic hot dog cost almost £20 but my stomach was in 7th heaven, so it was definitely worth it. Knowing I had the very last hot dog somehow made it feel tastier. Thanks again, Sonja, for the advice, I agree it's the best hot dog in the world and I will definitely be having another in Reykjavik. The vegan soup was also lovely but its important to note that the spoon provided could have doubled as a chopstick the good it did. I was ready to pour it down my throat when the lady returned and I managed to convince her to share a 'normal' spoon for a few minutes.

Today included a hard climb but the shorter distance and otherworldly view made up for it in spades. I spent the evening writing about my day and enjoying the hot sunshine. An hour later I was inside my tent listening to the thunder and the gentle Pitti-patter of the rain. Hope it moves on or I might be swimming out of here. I have officially finished the Hellismannaleið trail - 34. 8 miles / 56 km of rugged and stunning nature at its best. The Laugauger trail officially starts tomorrow _ 56 km / 34.8 miles (again) of sweat, pain and pure JOY.