Reykjavík Grapevine - 20.05.2011, Síða 32

Always best price online.
Various online-offers to all Air Iceland's destinations.
www.airiceland.is
websales@airiceland.is / tel. +354 570 3030 Contact Air Iceland or
travel agent for reservation.
ÍS
L
E
N
S
K
A
S
IA
.I
S
F
L
U
5
13
93
0
9/
20
10
KEFLAVÍK
BORGARNES
STYKKISHÓLMUR
SNÆFELLSJÖKULL
DRANGAJÖKULL
FLATEY
NESKAUPSTAÐUR
BLÖNDUÓS
SIGLUFJÖRÐUR
BOLUNGARVÍK
HRÍSEY
NARSARSSUAQ
Greenland
FAROE ISLANDS
REYKJAVÍK
AKUREYRI
EGILSSTAÐIR
ÍSAFJÖRÐUR
VOPNAFJÖRÐUR
ÞÓRSHÖFN
HÚSAVÍK
GRÍMSEY
KULUSUK
Greenland
Blue Lagoon
AKRANES Geysir
Gullfoss
Jökullónið
Kárahnjúkar
Kraa
Hallormstaður
NUUK
Greenland
ILULISSAT
Greenland
www.airiceland.is
CONSTABLE POINT
Greenland
The classic road trip is as old as roads themselves.
Planning a road trip shouldn’t be a daunting task,
but for any highway newbies out there, here’s one
idea for an easy trip that will leave you feeling on
top of the world.
My travel buddies and I took a car for a one-
day jaunt on Route 1 to the town of Vík í Mýrdal.
Roundtrip from Reykjavík, it totals at about 370
kilometres, or five solid hours of driving. Leav-
ing plenty of time to soak up the scenery, the trip
lasted ten hours, which was easily doable in one
day.
DO YOUR HOMEWORK
Knowledge of the trip ahead of you is probably
the most important thing to have on any trip, so
don’t skimp on the research. Major sights along
the way are the waterfalls Seljalandsfoss and
Skógafoss, you pass by the glaciers Eyjafjallajökull
and Sólheimajökull, and the beach at Dyrhólaey is
definitely worth a detour. There’s not much to do in
Vík besides taking pictures, but it’s beautiful and
quaintly Icelandic, and about as far south as you
can go on the island.
Choosing a car is obviously another big part of
planning a road trip. Luckily, Route 1 from Reyk-
javík to Vík is totally paved and clear of ice most
of the year, so a cheap compact car may be all
you need. However, if you find some interesting
sights off the beaten path, a larger vehicle with
4WD could be a wise investment.
LITTLE COMFORTS
I rallied my companions and set out at 11:00 and
hit the road (another helpful tip: if you’re riding
with someone else, BE READY ON TIME). Within
minutes, I realised one thing for which I had not
planned: I didn’t bring any music. Unless you’re a
fan of the agonising mixture of American pop and
radio static ubiquitous on Iceland’s FM dial, make
sure to bring a formidable music library.
It was about the time we passed through the
town of Selfoss, I realised another total n00b mis-
take I made. I didn’t bring any snacks. It’s amazing
how hungry you can get staring out the window,
so bring tons of snacks. Munching is also a good
way to break up the monotony of driving. Music
and snacks: don’t leave home without ‘em.
After two hours, we finally arrived at Selja-
landsfoss. Although the amount of water flowing
over the falls isn’t that much compared to some
of Iceland’s other waterfalls, Seljalandsfoss is im-
pressive due to its sheer height, and you can take
a trail behind the falls. Wear good boots, because
by the time I got back in the car my shoes were
carrying an extra two pounds of mud. We spent
an hour taking photos of Seljalandsfoss from every
conceivable angle before setting off.
Only twenty minutes away is another gem,
Skógafoss. A wide waterfall with a high volume of
water, and respectable drop of 60 metres, Skóga-
foss is a classic scene. Seriously, ask anyone to
draw a waterfall and they’ll come up with some-
thing that looks like Skógafoss. There’s a conve-
nient staircase to the top of the falls and a tiny
path where the brave/foolish can look over the
edge.
NOT ALL WHO WANDER ARE LOST
We continued on toward Vík. This is where good
research paid off. Earlier that morning, I was flip-
ping through my guidebook and spotted a small
blurb about a beach facing the island Dyrhólaey.
It didn’t sound especially spectacular, and I don’t
know what about it piqued my curiosity, but it’s
always better to indulge that sense of adventure.
On any road trip, don’t ask yourself, ‘why?’ Ask
yourself, ‘why not?’ Sometimes the best experi-
ences are the ones you almost missed.
So off we went in our little Toyota down the
rough gravel road. This is where a big SUV would
have been nice. The short detour became a mine-
field of potholes, mud ruts, and huge rocks just
waiting to take chunks out of the bottom of the car.
But curiosity was rewarded with stunning black
sand surrounded by huge rock formations. We
took photos, ran on the beach, wrote messages in
the sand, and just revelled in the sheer beauty. So
cliché, I know.
We bounced back to the main road and twenty
minutes later we were in the tiny town of Vík. One
unique feature is the church, built on the highest
point in Vík and the only refuge should nearby
Mount Katla wake up and destroy the town. We
grabbed a bite to eat and made our way back to
Reykjavík as the sun began to set.
When all was said and done, the trip cost
around 25.000 ISK for rental and fuel, but that
could change depending on what car you choose
and what time of the year you go. If you’re a road
trip first-timer, the south road journey is a great
way to dip your toes in and test the water.
32
The Reykjavík Grapevine
Issue 6 — 2011
Travel | On your own
Road Tripping For n00bs
A beginner’s guide to the south road
Words
Steve Ganey
Photography
Vanessa Schipani
“On any road trip, don’t ask yourself, ‘why?’ Ask yourself,
‘why not?’ Sometimes the best
experiences are the ones you
almost missed
The Most Utterly Basic Roadtrip Checklist: 1) Research! 2) Music (unless
you love awkward silences). 3) Snacks (no pungent odours, I'm looking at
you, fish jerky), and most importantly: 6) Good travel buddies.