Morgunblaðið - 08.08.2016, Page 7

Háls (gen. plur., hálsa),
neck, connecting ridge
(or between valleys,
múli).
When planning to drive,
bike or hike, especially in
remote areas in Iceland,
you should leave
your travel plan with
someone. This can be
done through
safetravel.is
Something not
dangerous in Iceland!
Tap water is usually
drinkable everywhere
and because we have
“soft” water, less washing
powder, for washing
machines or detergent
for dishwashers, is
needed than in many
other countries.
Although unlikely to
address strangers,
Icelanders would usually
answer in a friendly
manner, and many
would speak English or
even some other foreign
languages.
Through all the centuries
of inhabitation, probably
less than 1.5 million
people, altogether, have
been born in Iceland.
When travelling in Iceland, good,
strong and warm clothes are
necessary and solid shoes. And
remember that umbrellas are
seldom useful against rain which
is often followed by strong winds.
Among the many dangers on Icelandic roads are old narrow bridges
– too narrow for side by side traffic. The general rule is that the car
which first arrives at such a bridge, has the right to pass first – carefully.
Among the dangers, when driving in Iceland,
as in many other countries, is the possibility of
having collisions with animals. In eastern Iceland
a reindeer could run over the road. Another
matter is the sheep or mostly lambs.
Biking is one way to get in
close touch with the land.
There are many possible
biking routes in Iceland,
easy and difficult, for
example many interesting
circuits.
Driving through water claims good
knowledge about both the car, and the
condition of the river or the stream (brook).
One serious danger is the sea. It is the Atlantic Ocean, in most cases, coming
unhindered towards the coast. The waves can be pretty high,
and the currents very strong and dangerous.
Place names and
landscape
Most of the place names in Iceland are
obviously drawn from the landscape.
Some names seem to be connected with
names of people. Others have something
to do with the use of the land. In some
cases the settlers seem to have just
brought with them a name from their
foreign home. They can be descriptive in a
beautiful or inspiring way.
Dear friends
Now we have published a new book especially
written for you compiled by the Reverend Vigfús
Ingvar Ingvarsson on Egilsstaðir in East-Iceland:
Travelling Safely in Iceland
Hearing the Land speak
This book contains a lot of practical information on
safe travel in Iceland. In the first main part: Iceland,
charming, safe and dangerous.
In the second part: The living nature and
culture. You can learn something interesting about
animals, birds and plants in Iceland and the people
and their culture.
The third part: Icelandic and place names, gives
you information about the language and how to
understand the place names. And how
interwoven these three factors are in Iceland:
The land, the people and the language.
Sold in bookshops, Information
bureaus and so on.
Have a safe and
enjoyable journey!
A special
memorandum
to travellers in Iceland
Hryggur gen. hryggs,
plur. hryggir (gen.
plur., hryggja),
spine,
ridge.
Höfði gen. höfða, cape, headland.
Öxl gen. axlar,
shoulder.