Iceland: We, Mr. Grey and the origin of the country
Our Top-Fans Stefania and Guiseppe were on the road in Iceland with their chic e-line "Herr Grau” (Mr. Grey). They already told us about it in their last report and now the journey continues...
"Herr Grau” is ready and when he is ready...the journey begins!
After crossing all of Germany and entering Denmark, we arrived in Hirtshal, where we then continued by ship to the Faroe Islands. Here we had a two-day stopover and discovered an area worth visiting before approaching Iceland. This is a group of islands that is certainly interesting in terms of scenery and wildlife, a taste of what awaits us on Icelandic soil.
During the drive, we were reminded of trips we had already made. In fact, the country is a mixture of Northern Ireland, Scotland and Norway and it was here that we finally saw the first puffins!
And then... Iceland at last!
It is not enough to say "beautiful".
One has the feeling of immersing oneself in a documentary film entitled "The Journey to the Centre of the Earth".
This is the only definition we can give to those who ask us, "What is Iceland like?"
The emotions follow one another and change according to the landscape, which becomes more varied with each kilometre.
The green, the black of the lava and the transparency of the water, as well as the hills created over time by the various eruptions.
Iceland: a country that lies between Europe and America. A country you don't hear much about because it has few inhabitants.
We can say that we met more sheep, cows, wild geese and horses than people!
Yes, horses: Did you know that the Icelandic horse breed is descended from the ancient Vikings? It is a special breed that is used to being out of the stable, even in winter, as its coat stretches and thickens. It also has a special gait: normally horses have 3 gaits, the Icelandic horse even 5. In order to preserve this breed, no other types of horses may be mixed.
Iceland: the country where you feel small in the face of natural events. At every turn, we witness exciting natural phenomena that make us understand what the birth of the earth must have looked like...
and so we see the fumaroles, whose geothermal energy is skilfully harnessed by the Icelanders. We see the volcanoes, we see the glaciers and we see the geysers! It goes without saying that travelling in a motorhome gives you the freedom to stop where and when you want, perhaps to admire the midnight sun or a waterfall that leaps out of the ground like an angry deity.
Iceland's location, just below the Arctic Circle, allows us to take advantage of the long daylight (almost 24 hours) for our tours and excursions that we never want to end.
The desire to see and learn is so great that you almost never go to sleep, taking in every little moment you experience on this magical island.
Every natural phenomenon enriches the soul and the eyes: the waterfalls with their roaring, splashing and the rainbows remind us that water is life, that it is power... and then you go a few kilometres further and find yourself... in the "Devil's Kitchen", where the earth bubbles and hellish fumes and smoke escape.
A journey where man is pushed into a corner and the stage is set by nature alone.
So we board a boat and try to see her, her majesty - the whale.
We can assure you that it is an indescribable feeling to look out to sea and see the whale surfacing and submerging.
On our many trips to Northern Europe, we had never been able to see puffins. Well, we saw them on this trip!
With our chic e-line Mr. Grey we reached the reef of Latrabjarg after a few kilometres on a gravel road and there... we gave free rein to our desire for puffins!
The urge was great (we had been trying to admire them in Scotland since 1991) and even with the incessant drizzle and wind on the cliffs, we were not going to miss the opportunity to admire these cute birds from just a metre away!
Exciting is putting it mildly.
The surprises on this island are endless.
What about the geysers? The earth is alive and every now and then... every eight minutes on the dot... it blows... and what a puff!It's fantastic.
A source that comes directly from the earth and holds an incredible energy.
It is precisely this energy that caused the Icelandic crust to break open millions of years ago.
Thingvellir National Park is one of the places where you can see the rift between the American and Eurasian plates.
Imagine that the two plates are separated by about 2 cm every year due to earthquakes on the island!
There are many different landscapes in Iceland, but one in particular has grown on me (...and now that I'm writing it, you'll think I'm crazy).
Sitting in my motorhome and seeing icebergs in front of me. You know what I thought?
"My motorhome brought me here."
I could have come here in other ways: By plane, by rental car or by rented motorhome, but it wouldn't have been the same. The symbiosis you form with "your motorhome" during a trip is unique. It is your cave while you discover the world.
When I re-read what I have written, I realise how many emotions this trip has left behind - but that is what Iceland leaves behind:
A flow of emotions that follow one another moment by moment and that one would like to share with others so that everyone can experience them.
