400 km drive to Reykjavik

400 km drive to Reykjavik, covered by insurance for car, evening in Reykjavik

It was a dry day with sunlight and cloud. I drove past Akureyi university since buildings there had been displayed in the architecture exhibition. The buildings were small scale; the university only has 1500 students. There was an attractive sculpture of a bell.

The drive was lovely, the long sections through green valleys with small farms, then up hillsides. I also drove next to wide river beds. The scenery is American in some ways with a grandeur of scenery but small scale habitation. Even the towns on the R1 are small. I stopped in Blonduos and looked at a very attractive modern church built of grey stone and with clean lines. I picnicked high up and overlooking lava fields. I stopped in Borganes and had tea at the settlement centre. It clouded over as I approached Reykjavik, enveloping one of the glaciers I hoped to see. I struggled to find the drop off place for the car but managed by using my phone and a map to get there. When I did get there I told them about the damage and filled in an accident report, they were quite relaxed about it and pointed out that at least no one else had been hurt. The young man checking the hiring said that it was my lucky day cos I had taken out full cover for damage so I only had to pay £150, it would have been 10 x that without cover. I was v relived.

My last hotel is in the old part of town, Odinse. I enjoyed going out and browsing the shops, buying a Bjork CD and sitting in a cafe reading. Had a v elegant tapas type supper in a cafe I had seen last week, Reck, close to the big church, nice fish, mackerel and cod but v small portions. Had chocolate crepes in another cafe and so to bed. V pleased with my driving, it took about 8 hrs with stops, a bit longer than I had estimated.

Good thing the drive
Bad cloud on the mountains
Surprising the pleasure of being let off a huge damages bill for the car