Iceland 2015 Day 4 Return to Reykjavik and off to Snæfellsnes

On my fifth day I woke up at the Wilderness Center. We had our flight back to Reykjavik at 10.30 so after a very good and comfy sleep we had a marvelous breakfast before quickly driving back to Egilstadir airport. No stops on the way, our program was over. We checked in quickly and after a turbulent, say very turbulent flight we landed unexpected smoothly at Reykjavik airport where we said goodbye and thank yous to the group. It was an amazing experience and so very welcome for me as I typically travel no budget and have to be so carefull with my money. Its good to have this full service break with plenty of food, activities, laugh and no worries.
Before I knew it I was on my way to Snæfellsnes. After I leave the crowds behind in Reykjavik my face starts to smile again. Its not that I dont like Reykjavik, but I so love the remoteless when you leave it behind.Thats when I feel most happy. Just me and the world alone. Sort of. I can be around people more than is good for me back in the swamps, but for now I need this.

I will start next blog with a map of Snæfellsnes on which I will draw a route I drove, with numbers of the places. So you got an idea of what is where. Snæfellsnes is a wonderfull magical and mysterious part of Iceland, it is the bakermat of many fantasy stories, and while being there you clearly understand why famous authors got so much inspiration. You expect to see hobbits pop up from any corner, elves or dwarfs. Of orcs I dont want to think though. But yes LotR found its inspiration here, you see that in the used names. Filmed in NZ instead of Snæfellsnes is a pitty but sure I understand the reasons, and probably it is better that way. Also Jules Verne spend lots of time here, and within Snæfell mountain should be the entrance to the center of the earth.

Waterfalls everywhere in Snæfellsnes!

Barnafoss

Horses on the south side of the peninsula

Plenty of rainbows are the gift of days with rain.

The fun to drive into Snæfellsnes already starts when you turn left in the north of Borganes. The last bigger town north of Reykjavik also to find the bigger stores and that things before you head out into the more remote Snæfellsnes. While driving on, you enter more and more lava fields, the autumn is starting to show here, but not yet in full power. I feel to be lucky to be in time to witness the so famous and loved autumn outburst of Icelandic nature any moment. Last time it matched my autumn holiday I was in Thorsmörk, with pouring rain. And Thingvellir another awesome place to be in autumn outburst. But most of the time, Im just too late.

In the distance bigger mountains appear from the fog, the weather isnt the best. I cant see the top of the mountains, but I see waterfalls everywhere. And sheep. I havent seen any wild roaming sheep during my last stays in Iceland, and here the roadsides are 'littered' with living wool. Some farmers are also trying to round them up a bit. As my first day is just a 'transfer day' I dont aim to visit a lot of places. I just stop where I want to. And on this ride thats just at Vatnaheidi, a bigger stop on road 56 which connects the north and southpart of Snæfellsnes. Its a beautifull stop which I will visit frequently the coming days.

But my station for the next days is Grundarfjordur, a modest town (in Icelandic terms) at the base of famous Mount Kirkjufell. But this mountain didnt reveil more than just a shadow in the fogs today when I arrived. I went to do some more shopping for food and relax a bit in the hottub, which is next to my room.