Hengill

So. We're in Iceland. "We" being myself, my old friend Siri and her friend Vivek, whom she shared an office with in Geneva a couple of years ago when she was working for WHO. We rented a car at the airport in Keflavik and set off without further ado towards some geysirs and shit Siri had read about on the plane. Have I mentioned that this is by far the least planned trip I have ever been on?

After some initial insecurity regarding how to get to Reykjavik, how to get OUT of Reykjavik and where to go once we GOT OUT of Reykjavik, we were on our way across the mountain plateau know as Hengill. Wind & cold and snow have been our followers ever since.

All pics.

Yours truly, closely resembling a fat, frozen porcupine.


Windswept Siri. The weather was not all that cold,but the wind chill made it absolute hell on earth. I had problems breathing up there; it was the coldest I have ever felt.


Me and Vivek, an American of Asian Indian origin. He's a doctor, just like Siri.


The road across the mountain, plus one of the many hot water pipes that carry energy and warm water to Reykjavik. This nation gets 85% of its energy from geothermal sources.


The plateau had an otherwordly beauty to it. Much of Iceland does.


Our car is a cool Toyota Landcruiser. It's a good thing we got a free upgrade; with the windy weather we've had, we might have gotten blown off the road in a smaller car.


The valley where Hengill ends and lake Thingvallavatn starts. Very beautiful place.


View towards the lake.


The geothermal plant in the valley.


Sun going down behind a ridge of the Hengill plateau.