Saturday 3rd February 2024

We were up early, so to get breakfast in time so we could find the bus stop for our tour for the day.

The Golden Circle is a term used for several natural wonders about an hour or so from Reykjavík. Most people who come here do the tour.

So were we.

More light snow during the night, but this turned heavier as we waited for the bus.

Eventually, a large black mini bus pulled up, and the driver, Trond, called our name, and so only us out of a dozen people waiting got on.

We toured round downtown, picking up folks, but the bus was only half full.

So, we turned north as the snow really started to come down, Trond put the hammer down, and let the studded tyres do their thing,

Once out of the city, it became a virtual white-out, with us apparently following the tyre tracks of the cars in front. We slithered round roundabouts and swerved as Trond pressed the accelerator.

Most hire cars are fitted with all seasons tyres, and for the most they work, but in near blizzard conditions, only studded would do.

We turned up the long road that climbed to the national park, and in front, cars slithered at a crawl. Several did not make it and came off the road, lift in ditches at crazy angles.

We did fine.

It was a blizzard now, and the sky and landscaped merged, with just a faint grey line marking where the two met.

After passing three jack-knifed cars, we arrived at the national park. We were to walk from the visitor centre here to the bus park nearly a kilometre away.

I like a challenge.

We were to walk down the rift valley, created as the two great plates, North American and Eurasian move apart.

Trond said the weather was clearing from the east.

We laughed.

Outside the bus, the snow still fell.

We walked through the visitor centre and shop, then up to the observation deck.

Amazingly, the snow stopped and the view opened up, there was even sunshine away to the west.

From the viewing platform there was a steep ramp leading down the narrow rift, this we all had to walk down to meet the bus some 600m away.

While not quite as wide and grand as the Great Rift Valley, this too marks the point at which two plates are moving apart from each other, and in turn creating new land between.

I did not slip, but took my time, and near the end there was a tumbling stream over which the path leapt on a small bridge.

Back onto the bus for a short drive to a farm for some home-made icecream, and from the shop we look look into the stables where the herd was chewing the cud, preparing the next batch.

And then back onto the main road and up to Geysir geothermal area, where we had 90 minutes to wander, see the geyser and get something for lunch.

All Golden Circle trips stop here, and is crowded, but with the geyser erupting every 8 minutes, there's usually a gap in which to witness it.

Sadly, each eruption last about 2 seconds, so by the time it starts, you raise the camera, its over.

We walked back to the centre, and Jools went to fetch burger and fries for us both, and a drink, which came to £54 and were very average indeed.

Back on the bus for a short drive to the next to last stop, Gullfoss.

The plan had to park down on the lower levels, but the road down was closed because of snow, and the steps from the upper level closed because of ice.

So, everyone was to have to wait their turn at the upper view point.

Dozens of coaches and buses parked, and a long line of people walking out to the viewing platform snaked across the snow.

I joined them, and was rewarded with spectacular views of the waterfall, now half frozen in the cold weather. I took shots, a video, and what else is there, join in with the influencers in taking selfies to prove I had been there?

I walked back to the bus, so to be first back for a change, and follow the footie on the BBC website, Norwich home against Coventry.

We all got back, then drove to the last stop: the Secret Lagoon, where some, including Jools went for a dip, while I stayed dry, had a coffee laced with Baileys, and followed the games.

City came from behind to win 2-1, while outside the snow began to come down heavier than ever.

Time to go back to Reykjavík. So we climb back on the bus and back over the lane that snaked over the moorland to the main road. The sun had set, but the light didn't fade much, just got flatter.

The snow came down again, and we joined a long line of cars heading back to the capital, sometime overtaking to get some clear road.

In the murk of dusk, mountains loomed on the right hand side, coming out of the dark blue gloom, showing where old volcanoes still sleep on.

It took nearly two hours, and the blizzard was really coming down, so imagine our surprise to find a fun run having closed off most of the roads in the city centre, and as we came to a stop by a barrier, I realised we were just a block from the hotel, so jumped out and walk up beside the runners.

We went into the hotel restaurant for dinner, had lamb burger followed by crème brulee all washed down by a bottle of fizz.

We know how to live