Iceland 2026 ~ Land þar sem náttúran vann töfra sína

Tomorrow afternoon, I will drive south to Keflavik, where Icelandair will take me back to Nova Scotia., marking the end of this Iceland 2026 adventure.

My time here on this little island perched at the top of the world, was unique, special and constantly captivating. I saw wonderful landscapes each with its own story of geological times, I looked over terrains sculpted by volcanoes and glaciers, with powerful waterfalls carved through ancient canyons, stood on ground with steam rising from below my feet, and saw diamonds on a beach.

Within my first blog of this visit titled ~ "Iceland 2026 ~ the land of fire and ice …", I wrote the following ~ “…… with everything I have viewed and read about Iceland, during the days ahead I may feel that I am on another planet." ~  Well, I certainly did feel I was on another celestial body orbiting a star, that gave me an otherworldly experience, characterized by raw natural wonders, in a land where fire and ice collide in a dramatic way, from geothermal fields to drifting icebergs, a land where nature puts on its grandest show every single day as a testament to our planets restless energy.

Iceland is often considered the ultimate embodiment of stark beauty. With the sweeping volcanic deserts, endless black sand beaches, jagged glaciers, and the sharp clash of stark basalt columns against rushing waterfalls. Within all that I was very surprised to see vast fields of purple and blue Nootka Lupines blanketing the countryside. Native to North America they were introduced to Iceland in 1945 as part of a reforestation and soil reclamation effort. Iceland’s harsh climate, frequent volcanic activity, and overgrazing by livestock had left large parts of the land barren. To combat soil erosion and improve fertility, lupines were planted because of their unique properties ~

Nitrogen-fixing ability: Lupines can enrich the soil by drawing nitrogen from the air into the ground, making it more suitable for other plant growth.

Hardiness: This species thrives in Iceland’s challenging environment, tolerating cold temperatures, poor soil, and high winds.

With 24 hour daylight, the only time I saw darkness in Iceland was during a 2Km drive through a tunnel just north of Höfn. As a result, I had no idea if my internal clock ever adjusted to Icelandic time. In fact most of the time, I found it strangely difficult to know if it was morning, afternoon or night.

I really enjoyed driving in Iceland, it was smooth, uncomplicated, and at times dramatically stunning. With so few main roads, I believe it would be near impossible to ever get lost. 

While on the subject of driving, it does not take too long to be in this country to notice that the Icelandic people must love white cars. I would say about 65% of all cars are white, I have no idea why, but it is a fact. When I picked my car up at the airport, the guy at the Budget counter gave me directions to the carpark, then added, "look for a white Toyota." When I got there every car in the large carpark was white, and about half of then were Toyotas ...!

Here are some facts I learned about Iceland …

The country has no railways, so travel depends upon cars, buses and aircraft.

Like Scotland it has no mosquitos, due to its cooler climate, but again like Scotland the Gulf Stream provides a milder climate than often expected.

Iceland is the world’s safest country, with the lowest crime rate.

It is the most volcanically active region on the planet.

Geothermal heating provides warmth for 90% of Icelandic homes.

In a similar to Europe, English is widely spoken alongside the native Icelandic.

The capital Reykjavík, runs entirely on renewable energy.

The country has no standing army, but interestingly is one of the 1949 founding members of NATO.

Unlike many other Nordic countries, Iceland has very few trees, only about two percent of the country is forest.

It is very expensive ~ when looking at something in a store, eating place or whatever, after doing the conversion to dollars, it is never a case of thinking "that's expensive", it is more like "what year have I woken up into." Indeed, it is extremely expensive, but certainly worth the price to have the experience of Iceland.

The country provided me with a number of personal firsts, one in particular was completely unexpected, and occurred just four or five hours after my arrival ...

During my planning for the trip, I learned through various sources that you should never pull over to the side of the road, as it is considered to be very dangerous. Having now driven many miles here, I totally agree. There are no hard shoulders, and the roads in most rural locations are actually much higher than the surrounding landscape, so if you did attempt to pull over, you would very easily and abruptly fall off the edge.

During the morning of my arrival, after a sleepless overnight flight from Halifax, I drove to Selfoss. to pick up some groceries, passing through the incredible sight of many miles of fresh lava fields around Grindavik. By the time I left Selfoss at around 10.00am local time, I had been awake for about 26 hours. While driving east with the sun bright in the sky, I was dangerously becoming very sleepy.

During my recent overseas trips, Euro 2024 and Euro 2025, I learned about the huge advantage of power naps. Just 20 to 30 minutes of a deep sleep can provide huge benefits, when it comes to combating jet lag, or just being awake far too long.

With me feeling increasingly tired, I was deeply concerned about instantly falling asleep while driving, so the search was on to find a good location to pull over and have a power nap. This went on for many miles, before I came across the first layby I had seen in Iceland. I pulled over, put the car seat in a comfortable position, and instantly feel into a very deep sleep.

I am not sure how much later it was before I heard tapping on the car window. Thinking that I was dreaming, I initially ignored it, then it happened again, but this time much louder. I awoke and looked up to see two cops looking down at me. I opened the door and said "good morning", they asked if I was "English", which in itself could have caused a very serious situation or rapid escalation …

They went on to tell me that I was parked illegally in a potentially dangerous location. I said that it appears to be a layby, to which they agreed, but told me that it is used only for turning. I explained my situation of having just arrived in Iceland, being awake for 26 hours or so, and felt my situation driving was becoming extremely dangerous. Perhaps not believing my story, one of the officers produced a breathalyzer test machine, and I proceeded to have my very first official test to estimate a potential blood alcohol content. Fortunately, I have not had any beer or other form of alcohol since my last Fish & Chips outing a couple of months ago ~ so that test was easily passed. It was a huge and unexpected surprise to have a breathalyzer test, but after being awake for so long, and feeling as drowsy as I was, they may rightly have thought I was having a hangover at the side of the road in rural Iceland.

I found during my travels that Icelanders absolutely love their country, I don’t blame them; they stuck it out through hundreds of years of brutal weather and the cataclysmic eruption of 1783/84 that killed many, which resulted in a famine and plague. They have always came out on top through their sheer hardiness and stubbornness, without much help from anyone. In a country with a population of around 402,000, and lower tax base than some North American cities, their infrastructure and general living standards are very impressive, there seems to be a huge depth of quality in Iceland. The few locals who I spent time with, were always very keen to highlight the traditions, and successes that carried them to where they are now ~ I suppose a bit like the Scots do …!!

Below are pics from my wander today in and around the capital city of Reykjavík.

With around a population of just over 140,000, and a latitude of 64° N, Reykjavík is the world’s northern most capital, where Iceland’s vibrant lively artistic scene meets dramatic nature. It is located between icy blue waters and snowcapped mountains, and is cultural and economic heart of Iceland, offering numerous museums, art galleries, theaters and music events.

I am generally not a city person, I normally prefer to spend my time exploring natural rugged scenery, but in the case of Reykjavík it was really nice to wander around, to soak up the pleasant friendly culture of the place. 

Starting with my home for the last three nights, Hotel Cabin ..

Hallgrímskirkja ...

In the heart of Reykjavik stands a towering testament to Icelandic heritage and architectural prowess, the Hallgrímskirkja Church, named in honour of the 17th-century Icelandic poet and clergyman Hallgrímur Pétursson

As Reykjavik's largest church and one of its most iconic landmarks, Hallgrímskirkja dominates the city skyline with its striking silhouette and commanding presence. Designed by renowned architect Guðjón Samúelsson and inspired by Icelandic nature, this Lutheran church is a symbol of national pride and cultural identity.

Construction of Hallgrímskirkja began in 1945 and took nearly 50 years to complete, with the church finally consecrated in December 1986. Standing at an impressive height of 74.5 metres (244 feet), it is one of the tallest structures in Iceland and boasts a distinctive design influenced by both Gothic and Expressionist architectural styles. The church's imposing facade, characterised by its sweeping lines and angular features, pays homage to the rugged landscapes of Iceland, especially the large concrete pillars in its exterior walls that resemble natural columnar basalt, while its towering spire evokes a sense of spiritual ascent and transcendence.

I have really enjoyed my visit to Iceland ... 

Land þar sem náttúran vann töfra sína ~ a country where nature worked it magic.