Asterix goes to Iceland

[asterixsg]

Yet another dream came true when I went to Iceland last month. There are so many memories from this trip, that I don't know where to begin.

I don't really have any adjectives to describe Iceland. All I can say is that it is one of the most beautiful places on earth and the people are the nicest I've ever met in my life. Everywhere I go, I do find a few people who touch my life in some way or the other. But the Icelanders are several notches higher in hospitality and they care from their hearts.

I will share some of the research here so that anyone who wishes to visit this beautiful paradise on earth can benefit from it. I spent months and months reading up websites and looking at photos, getting to pronounce the names of places - yeah the Icelandic names are quite a tonguetwister - and quietly planning.

I went there with a friend and fellow photographer who lives in London. From London, we flew in to Keflavik airport in Reykjavik, rented a 4WD the next morning and drove to the Snæfellsnes peninsula, spent 2 nights there, then off to Laugarvatn for a night, then down south to Vik for a night, then to Jökulsárlón for 2 nights, followed by a long drive back to Rekkjavik and flew back to London the next day.

There is a saying in Iceland - If you think that the weather is not good right now, wait for 5 minutes. It could either get better or worse

I drove in a severe snow storm and on snow laden roads, dealt with vehicle breakdown, played like a kid in fresh snow, walked in thigh deep snow in places, braved blistering winds to get that one shot that I had visualized, and overall, I had a blast.

The weather alternated between cloudy gloomy gray skies and beautiful serene blue skies, with rain and snow storms in between. What more can one ask for in life ?

The beauty of Iceland is in its people, the landscapes are a bonus. These photographs in no way do justice to the beauty of Iceland. If you do a search in flickr, there are at least couple of dozen (if not more) photographers who live in Iceland and whose work is phenomenal. I can only look at their work and wonder with awe.

If you need any further information than what I have written here, please drop me a PM. Any comments and critique on these photos is always welcome.

Thanks and have a nice day.

Will start off with the highlight of my trip - Aurora Borealis aka The Northern Lights.

I had 8 nights in Iceland and got to witness the famed Aurora Borealis on the 7th night. And what better place than Jökulsárlón i.e. Glacier Lagoon

1. Aurora Borealis

 

[asterixsg]

Flights into Iceland
The best option is to fly IcelandAir from London Heathrow. www.icelandair.com

Accommodation
Reykjavik
I stayed in a guesthouse called "Our House". The owner Bedda is a phenomenal lady, always bubbling with energy. If you see a Singapore fridge magnet still on the fridge in the kitchen, know that I was there
www.ourhouse.is

In Grundarfjörður, I stayed at Hotel Framnes
http://www.randburg.com/is/framnes/

I ate the best pizza of my life at a cafe nearby called Kaffi 59.

The rest of the places I stayed in Farmhouses. I would recommend that to really experience Icelandic hospitality, one should stay at these Farmhouses.
http://www.farmholidays.is/

Transport
If you are renting a car, there are several options, some cheap, expensive. After much deliberation, I settled on a rental company called CheapJeep www.cheapjeep.is
These guys buy used 4WDs without taking a loan i.e. they buy a vehicle when they have enough cash to make the purchase and do all the maintenance work themselves. I was particularly drawn to that idea, as most of the world tends to live on credit. But these guys are different. So, I booked a 4WD through them. However, you have to take into account that since these are used vehicles, there might be that odd occasion when the vehicle might breakdown or give some maintenance problem. Its really your luck. With my bad karma, I did encounter some minor problems and one major problem, but these guys were quick to resolve it and didn't charge me a cent. Would I use them again ? I am not sure.

I met a few people who had rented from a company called ATAK : http://www.atak.is/
All of them claimed that when they did the research, they found ATAK the cheapest. I might consider them when I go to Iceland again, as apparently you can even collect the car at the airport and drop it off there.

If you don't have your own transport, then you are dependent on the FlyBus service that will take you from Keflavik Airport to BSI Terminal. For an additional charge, which is called Flybus Plus, they will drop you off at selected hotels and guesthouses from BSI Terminal in mini-buses. If you want to save time, its best to book online and print the voucher and carry with you. You will still have to exchange it for actual tickets at their counter at the airport. But it just helps you avoid the hassle of paying there...
http://www.re.is/Flybus//

Miscellaneous
Since we had a car, I didn't go with any of the day tours that people usually go on. There are many operators, but I think Reykjavik Excursions is one of the biggest and popular one.
Everything is expensive in Iceland, even with the devalued króna. Food in restaurants is quite expensive. Since we were not sure of our meal timings keeping in mind the flexibility to indulge in photography, and also in order to keep our costs low, we decided to eat supermarket foods as much as possible, with the odd restaurant meal thrown in. Breakfast was included as part of the accommodation and needless to say, it used to be our biggest meal of the day. For lunch/dinner, we used to make sandwiches, wraps and soups. We also bought lots of finger foods that we could munch on while driving from one place to another, since time was such a premium.
Bedda advised us that the supermarket called BONUS (the one with a logo of the pig) is the cheapest one in Iceland. At the beginning of our trip, we went to a Bonus hypermart and loaded up on goodies.
There are lots of ATMs in Reykjavik and the bigger towns and at least one or two in every small town.

A final note of caution. If you drink, DON'T drive. Can't say this enough. The alcohol limits (and I am extremely happy about it) for driving in Iceland are extremely low, and rightfully so. Not even a glass of wine, not even a can of beer.

Fuel
Quite a few of the fuel stations are unmanned. You can fill up and pay by credit card, but they only accept "chip n pin" cards. Unfortunately, none of our Singapore issued cards have that facility (we do have a Chip on our cards, but no pin associated - at least none that I own). Luckily my friend had UK issued credit cards, so it was not a major problem for us. But the alternative is to purchase a fuel card from one of the gas stations and then you can use it in that particular company's fuel stations.

BTW, I saw the fuel company called N1 with the most number of fuel stations. It might be worth buying a fuel card from that company. The strategy we used was to make sure that we always had at least a quarter of a tank with fuel. The moment we reached that mark, we would fill up diesel at the next fuel station.

Websites used for researching Iceland
How to photograph the Aurora Borealis ?
http://www.alaskaphotographyblog.com/how-to-photograph-the-northern-lights-with-a-digital-camera/

Iceland information
www.icelandtotal.com

Flybus for airport transfers
http://www.re.is/Flybus/

Glacier walk
http://www.mountainguides.is/DayTours/GlacierTours/BlueIceExperience/

Expenses
Updating costs based on what I can remember...
Return flight from London Heathrow to Reykjavik : GBP 191.00 (approx SGD 400+) booked months in advance.
Flybus Plus (airport transfer from Keflavik Airport to guesthouse) : ISK 4500 (approx SGD 50) booked online in advance to save the hassle of paying at the airport
4WD rental with CheapJeep : ISK 89,600 (approx SGD 1000). This was shared by two of us, so SGD 500 each. Booked online in advance.
Accommodation in Ourhouse guesthouse : ISK 12,000 per head for two nights. Approx SGD 130. Booked via email in advance
Accommodation in farmhouses : EUR 36 per person per night (approx SGD 60 odd), inclusive of breakfast. Booked online in advance.
Fuel : can't exactly remember. But I think it was around SGD 500 for the entire trip. Split by two of us, so SGD 250 each.
Restaurant meals for 4 nights : SGD 150 per person
Supermarket food : approx SGD 50 (split by two of us which kinda lasted for the entire trip). That should tell you the difference in prices between supermarket food and restaurant meals
Glacier Walk : ISK 6600 per person (approx SGD 75) Booked online in advance.

Total : SGD 1920 (including flights from/to London)

 

[asterixsg]

2. Hallgrímskirkja

This is where it all begins...

3. Kirkjufell

My favourite mountain in Iceland. Its an unusual mountain facing the town of Grundarfjörður - Snæfellsnes.

4. Where's the road ?

After a beautiful snowstorm, there was no way to tell where the road was

Thank God for the yellow markers. All you got to do is make sure that your vehicle in between those yellow markers and PRAY

 

[ClemC]

...

Asterixsg _ I'm camping here

First, it was your "Colour of Yunnan" - cant forget that sunset over the field..
Now Iceland!!.. :thumbsup:

 

[asterixsg]

5. Skógafoss

There are lots and lots of waterfalls in Iceland. Skógafoss is my favourite. This is not a B&W rendition. It was overcast, had snowed heavily the previous night, the black ash is from the eruption from our dear Eyjafjallajökull which shutdown all of Europe's airspace in April 2010.

6. Skógafoss

This just gives you an idea of the size of Skógafoss. This place is teeming with tourists, but since the weather was pathetic, there was nobody and whoever came would disappear in a few minutes. As I was busy composing the previous photo, a couple came and they walked close to the waterfall. I sensed an opportunity and captured this photo...

 

[asterixsg]

Asterixsg _ I'm camping here

First, it was your "Colour of Yunnan" - cant forget that sunset over the field..
Now Iceland!!.. :thumbsup:

Thanks ClemC. I am not yet done with Yunnan ;p

I have lots more to share, but no time to sift through and retain the keepers...
And whenever I open a photo, my mind wanders... sigh...

 

[melvynyeo]

Amazing! Pls share moreee!

 

[asterixsg]

Amazing! Pls share moreee!

Thanks Melvyn. More coming

 

[asterixsg]

7. Skógafoss

I can't have enough of Skógafoss

If I had cloudy, overcast skies while going past Skógafoss, on the way back after 2 days, the weather was AWESOME. Clear blue skies and a bright sun. And since I am a hardcore kiasu guy, the moment I saw a rainbow being cast in the spray from the waterfall, I got down to work...

Waited and waited for the wind to pick up and carry the spray farther away from the waterfall. Got treated to a double rainbow

 

[Ichiowen]

Amazing! A place that i hear more than i see. And you are there!
Seeing Aurora Borealis is great.
I will camp here to see more wonderful places of iceland. Thanks for posting!

 

[edutilos-]

Hi Srini, thanks for sharing these photos. I have heard a lot about Iceland from my friends who went and I must say I should regret not going, but well, we're stuck with what we have done with our lives that has passed. I hope to go there soon. Post up your photographs please.. And let's meet up soon!

Using the ipad now, so I'll give detailed comments later..

 

[kuantoh]

Oh my oh my!!! Iceland!! Much heard, much read and u went! I must say #3 and #6 are really great. #3 captures the stillness in motion, #6 the sheer size contrast of man vs nature. Aurora Borealis has always been one of my dreams to capture, love #1 for the starry skies and the northern lights. More more!

 

[limwhow]

Lovely lovely pictures of a place that I am sure many would long to travel to.
I am also here waiting for more of your works!

 

[asterixsg]

Amazing! A place that i hear more than i see. And you are there!
Seeing Aurora Borealis is great.
I will camp here to see more wonderful places of iceland. Thanks for posting!

Thanks for your comments. Will post a few more and avoid variations of the same location...

Hi Srini, thanks for sharing these photos. I have heard a lot about Iceland from my friends who went and I must say I should regret not going, but well, we're stuck with what we have done with our lives that has passed. I hope to go there soon. Post up your photographs please.. And let's meet up soon!

Using the ipad now, so I'll give detailed comments later..

Thanks for your comments, my friend. Life is full of choices. Our present is shaped by the choices we made in the past, and our future will be shaped by the choices we make now
I am sure you will get a chance to visit Iceland sometime soon. Your photos from all the trips that you went on during your student life in UK, are exceptional. So, you did make the best of the choices you made. So, why regret ?

Will look forward to your comments on these photos. And yeah, lets meet up sometime soon.

Oh my oh my!!! Iceland!! Much heard, much read and u went! I must say #3 and #6 are really great. #3 captures the stillness in motion, #6 the sheer size contrast of man vs nature. Aurora Borealis has always been one of my dreams to capture, love #1 for the starry skies and the northern lights. More more!

Thanks for your comments. These shots are mere record shots. They are in no way an ideal representation of the beauty of Iceland. These short trips are like that. I just capture what I see at that moment. Sure, I can plan to the minutest detail, research a location to death, but until I go to that location I don't really know what to expect. Moreover, I am still at the mercy of the forces of Nature. To photograph a location in the ideal conditions needs hard work, patience and perseverance...

 

[asterixsg]

Lovely lovely pictures of a place that I am sure many would long to travel to.
I am also here waiting for more of your works!

Thanks limwhow for your comments. I am quite a slowpoke compared to the lightning speed at which you post your photos :bsmilie: I still remember the speed at which your Myanmar and Japan threads flew. :thumbsup:

Will work doubly hard over the next few days to post photos in this thread.

 

[asterixsg]

8. Sólfar

Sólfar is an abstract work by the famous Icelandic artist Jón Gunnar Árnason that represents the original Viking settlers arriving in longboats...

Hallgrímskirkja and Sólfar would probably compete for the "most photographed" location in Reykjavik. I, for one, was not going to be left behind

Shot at least two dozen compositions from different angles. Finally settled on posting this one... And if you tell me that something is wrong with my vision, I will admit so.

9. Stream

Stopped at a rest area enroute to Ólafsvík in Snæfellsnes. Went exploring on the black sandy beach and found this stream with an interesting pattern...

Wish that I hadn't walked next to that stream. But who knew that I would find this pattern when I looked from the other side ?

10. Svartifoss

Left lovely weather at Jökulsárlón and drove 70-80 odd kms to Skaftafell National Park, then hiked around 30 odd minutes in gloomy conditions, a bit of rain, some snow and blistering winds to reach this waterfall. And then shot this boring composition, while being constantly drenched in the spray from the waterfall. I was pissed off at myself at having taken that decision. And when fog rolled in, my friend kept hurrying me to packup quickly as he was afraid we would lose our way back to Skaftafell visitor centre. Pissed off. Pissed off. Mighty pissed off. If there is one waterfall in Iceland that I hate, its Svartifoss. Just kidding...

You will see some semblance of the basalt columns in the Hallgrímskirkja church in Reykjavík...

 

[B-setting]

wonderful series! keep it up!

 

[SK1968]

Hello! You make me hate myself, for not visiting this beautiful place when I was in Europe during an extensive stay back then...haha, I can only read your travelogue now Keep them coming

 

[edutilos-]

Ok, some comments:

#1 - love the sky, but a pity about the foreground composition... But I guess being there is enough!

#2 - I'm not sure about this one. The sky is beautiful, that structure is nice, but it doesn't fall into place. I have no other suggestion how to shoot this one though...

#3 - Beautiful! I prefer to crop off some of the left to make this a centered composition with the mountain just right in the middle. Right now it's just a tad right heavy.

#4 - A bit too much space for me here. I would have chosen to use a longer focal length to hit that section with the curve only... After the yellow poles to the left of the 2 road signs...

The waterfall shots are great - the one with the tourist/guy there... I would just shove him in the corner for once, and crop the rest away (right/bottom).

I think #8 is great, though I might cheat by smoothening out the snow, or cloning it in post if that couldn't be done.

Would choose to crop the bottom off #9 slightly to ensure that leading line of the pattern starts from a corner.

These are all very beautiful, just nitpicking really.

[EDIT] - I've left some notes in Flickr which tie in to these comments...

 

[asterixsg]

wonderful series! keep it up!

Thanks. Glad that you enjoyed the series so far...

Hello! You make me hate myself, for not visiting this beautiful place when I was in Europe during an extensive stay back then...haha, I can only read your travelogue now Keep them coming

Bro, don't be so hard on yourself
I am sure you will be going to Iceland soon.