++ ICELANDIC DREAMS ++

This is the 28 June 2005 edition of this page

	        THE MIGHTY VATNAJOKULL

                     ICELAND - 1994



 Why MIGHTY?? 

It is simply because of the scale of this glacier. Add ALL the areas of ALL the ALPINE Glaciers together - and they are still well below that of this Icelandic monster. It is more than just a LARGE glacier, however!!!

Underneath it is a ginormous VOLCANO that periodically melts the snow!!**!!

I approached this great expanse via the Skaftafell national Park, stopping even before there, at the BASALT formations after leaving the hotel at Kirkjubaejarklaustur. I walked over Skaftafell with a couple who hailed from Norfolk - but at the higher (but NOT great) altitudes, I joined a lady from Long Island, New York whose husband was not very fit - and with her we explored several waterfalls - up to Svartifoss, and descended into it to take some photos of the place. This feature was a black basaltic columned formation forming a beautiful waterfall.



Later, at lower altitudes, I joined up again with my friend from Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) and he had some interesting comments on his Country, its politics, its deposed leader, its rain forests and so on!

Having returned to the 4-wheel-drive coach (that explains its astonishing performance!!) we headed further eastwards towards the Jokulsa Lagoon. Enroute to this, we stopped at a small school (its seven pupils were on holiday!) for our lunch. A nice touch!!

To be continued in Chapter 5.

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