Iceland ~ with a Camper & Scooters

Hæ! We were supposed to land here with our bikes in early July, but Aleks got injured before that, so we're arriving a few months late.

This time we left our bikes at home, and <i>scootered</i> away from the airport with 6 hanging bags.

We immediately got a taste of the constantly changing polar weather on our multi layered skin.

We decided to move around the land of fire and ice in a more humane way.

»Damn Icelandic weather« muttered the <i>Happy</i> employee while filling out the rental form for our camper, outside in the pouring rain.

Even though we watched several »How to pay for gas?« YT tutorials, we still had a hard time entering the <i>correct</i> settings into the machine.

It's not hard to tell apart a tourist from a local.

A cart of groceries costs 160€. The only country in Europe where it's more expensive is Switzerland, at 10€ more. European average is 100€.

Most tourist services are paid (only) via mobile apps. A parking ticket for 1 vehicle is considered as the entry fee for all passengers.

... what happens if passengers don't follow the pilot's instructions to remain seated until the aircraft has come to a complete stop.

We scootered as far as we could, then hiked to the photo point cape.

The ocean is 150 m below us, so posing over the edge (due to sudden gusts of wind) is not exactly safe.

Icelanders do not have traditional surnames. Descendants are given a different name - a patronym - after their father. For example, Aleks' surname would be Robertsson. The set of allowed personal names is also limited. In directories, they are sorted by personal names.

The number of tourists visiting Iceland increases each year by the same amount as the population.

It looked like all photographers were competing to get the best (com)position... actually, what were they even taking pictures of?

We also brought a bunch of photo equipment, but we took most of the pictures on our phones.

Do we regret not cycling here in the summer? Not at all!

Bikepackers don't have it easy here. There are no shelters, not even 1 tree … and even no toilets.

It was worth rescheduling the trip to shorter days.

Sleepy all-inclusive Aurora borealis breakfast with a hungry view.

How many visitors must be trying to get a solo selfie during the high summer season?

It's (not) always windy in Iceland. We were <i>suffering</i> through a windless day, just a few hundred meters from the coast, on an open field.

We are transporting (almost) all the comforts: a refrigerator, stove, sink, and water supply. The heater under our bed was heating up our bedroom so much that we had to ventilate it all the time.

Influencers (and the other million of tourists) haven't discovered this year-old wreckage yet.

Iceland is considered one of the safest countries in the world.

(That's why) the country doesn't have its own army, but it has been a NATO member since its founding in 1949.

We are casually steaming in the oldest thermal spring. The changing room is a protected monument.

The Great Geysir, after which all other geysers were named. It stopped <i>operating</i> years ago. Now its smaller neighbor Strokkur erupts every 5-10 minutes.

Hello, Happy rent? The camper has been working fine so far, shaking only on dirt roads and rattling only when Björk was singing on full volume, but why is this light flashing in the middle of <i>nowhere</i>?

You can't even make this up. Who is going to believe a rainbow appeared in clear weather?

A national sanctuary, where the parliament was established in 930 and remained there until 1798. The toilet was built 6 years ago.

The ravine where one side shifts eastward while the other drifts toward America.

A third of Icelanders (120,000) live in the world's northernmost capital, and the other third in its wider area.

While approaching the iconic monument from the other side, we thought we missed a turn because it looked like a completely normal church.

This kiosk has been making »the best hot dogs in town« as its name suggests. Clinton Bill also treated himself to one during his last visit.

The concert hall and conference center. The complex glass facade, composed of 1000 irregular 12-sided steel polyhedrons (on the left), was made in Wuhan, China. They were the only ones in the world who dared to take on the order.

This rental company was founded in 2019 by a then 19-year-old Icelandic programmer, who has since become a millionaire and has franchises in 13 countries.

The city swimming pool was closed on Sunday. Otherwise, we would be cooling off with the locals in the refreshing Atlantic.

A ghost town, once with 3700 inhabitants, who (including the ghosts) were permanently evicted due to volcanic eruptions. The area has been closed for 1 year. Surprisingly we were able to drive through it during our visit.

The landscape captivated us with its enchanting beauty. We will definitely return, next time in late spring and a 4x4 camper.

A few kilometers before returning the camper, the check engine light turned off by itself. Or maybe it just burned out?

We spent the last krónur for tasty Icelandic souvenirs and flew home. This otherworldly trip cost us 3.200 € (3.340 $).

3 weeks later, the parking lot where we last parked was completely flooded with lava.</br><i>With permission from photographer ~ volcano chaser Ragnar Visage.</i>

Bicycle tours

Exploring the sights of Copenhagen, Malmö and the Øresund strait with bikes.

Copenhagen (DK) ~ Øresund ~ Malmö (S)

80/31 km | September 2023

Cycling along the Neckar, Main and Rhine River.

Germany: Neckar ~ Main ~ Rhine | Stuttgart > Frankfurt > Cologne

575/555 km | June 2023

Cycling over Liechtenstein and Switzerland

Switzerland & Liechtenstein: Journey to the beginning

475 km | August 2022

With bike from Salzburg over Sölk Pass to Ljubljana

Austria | Slovenia: Salzburg ~ Sölk Pass ~ Seeberg ~ Ljubljana

426 km | August 2022

Slovenia: With bikes from East to West

Slovenia: from East to West

784 km | June + August 2021

Carinthia | Upper Carniola

Austria | Slovenia: Faak . Pyramidenkogel . Klagenfurt Seeberg . Ljubljana

180 km | September 2020

With bikes around Slovenia

Slovenia: for everyone

780 km | June~July 2020

Berchtesgaden

Germany | Bavaria: Berchtesgaden

164 km | September 2019

Lake Millstatt ~ Lake Ossiach ~ Lake Wörth ~ Lake Faak

Austria: Lake Millstatt ~
Lake Ossiach ~ Lake Wörth ~ Lake Faak

221 km | August 2019

Netherlands, Belgium, Germany

Amsterdam ~ Haag ~ Rotterdam ~ Antwerp ~ Cologne

594 km | June 2019

Salzburg, Chiemsee, Inn, Passau, Danube, Traunsee

Salzburg ~ Chiemsee ~ Inn ~ Passau ~ Danube ~ Traunsee

543 km | September 2018

Weissensee

Austria: Weissensee

142 km | August 2018

Prague, Czech Republic

Czech Republic: Lipno Lake ~ Moldau ~ Prague ~ Elbe

510 km | June 2018

Milano ~ St. Moritz ~ Innsbruck

Italy | Switzerland | Austria: Milano ~ St. Moritz ~ Innsbruck

498 km | June 2018

Lake Neusiedl ~ Vienna (Wien) ~ Bratislava

Austria | Hungary | Slovakia: Lake Neusiedl ~ Vienna ~ Bratislava

358 km | September 2017

Bozen ~ Stelvio Pass ~ Lake Como ~ Lake Garda

Italy:
Bolzano ~ Stelvio Pass ~ Lake Como ~ Lake Garda

405 km | June 2017

Spring of the river Drau ~ Brenner Pass ~ Innsbruck ~ Munich

Spring of the river Drau ~ Brenner Pass ~ Innsbruck ~ Munich

400 km | June 2017

Lake Balaton, Hungary

Hungary:
Lake Balaton

244 km | September 2016

Venice ~ San Marino ~ Rimini

Italy:
Venice ~ San Marino ~ Rimini

377 km | June 2016

Spring of the river Drau ~ Cortina d'Ampezzo ~ Venice

Italy: Spring of the river Drau ~ Cortina d'Ampezzo ~ Venice

304 km | June 2016

South Tyrol ~ Lake Garda ~ Venice

Italy:
South Tyrol ~ Lake Garda ~ Venice

495 km | September 2015

Rhein ~ Lake Constance (Bodensee)

Austria | Germany | Switzerland:
Rhine ~ Lake Constance

328 km | June 2015

Parenzana

Slovenia | Croatia:
Parenzana

225 km | June 2015

Tour along the river Mur Austria

Austria | Slovenia:
Tour along the river Mur

320 km | June 2014

Salzburg ~ Ljubljana

Austria | Italy | Slovenia: Salzburg ~ Ljubljana

379 km | September 2013

Alpe Adria cycle path

Slovenia | Italy:
Alpe Adria cycle path

296 km | June 2013

Murska Sobota ~ Varaždin ~ Ptuj

Slovenia | Croatia:
Murska Sobota ~ Varaždin ~ Ptuj

165 km | June 2012

Venice ~ Isola

Italy | Slovenia:
Venice ~ Isola

370 km | June 2012

Drau cycle path ~ Drauradweg

Drau cycle path

609 km | September 2010