Author: - The Reykjavik Grapevine

Across the Country in 40 Days – Adventures of the Lonesome Traveller, Leg 3

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Askja. For a long time, since my first visit in 2001, that little and harsh name evoked the mightiest images…

Across the Country in 40 Days

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Let’s clear up one thing straightaway: hitchhiking in Iceland no longer is the bonanza it used to be. Or, at…

Across the Country in 40 Days:Adventures of The Lonesome Traveller, Leg 1

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“Why on earth am I doing this?” The question surfaced a bit earlier in the morning and lingered there for…

The Lonesome Traveller – Lónsöræfi

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On the second morning of my early-season trek from Stafafell to Snæfell, voices woke me up from sleep. I looked…

Mountain Pioneers

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When I first scheduled an interview with Icelandic Mountain Guides (IMG), my intention was simply to direct the spotlight on…

Fighting Hypothermia at Iceland’s Highest Peak

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The following minutes passed slowly, staring through the mist at the snow mantle that stretched ahead, my knees firmly dug…

The Lonesome Traveller: Delusional at Last

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“Well, of course it’ll be difficult!” Fabrizio stretches his hand out to the cigarette pack and appears nervous, as the…

Exploring the Historic Sights of Grettissaga

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“It’s not the destination, it’s the journey”, have you ever heard that one? Even upon arrival at Keflavík International Airport…

The Lonesome Traveller: Kárahnjúkar

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It takes only ten years of detoxification and total abstinence from cigarettes for a smoker’s body to completely undo the…

The Lonesome Traveller: Kjölur

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Kjölur – a strip of barren land stretching between the glaciers Langjökull and Hofsjökull, slicing the country north to south…

The Lonesome Traveller: Kerlingarfjöll

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“So, are you ready?” “Well, not exactly. But are there alternatives?” The fifth day, I spend in uttermost solitude after…

The Lonesome Traveller: Hornstrandir

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Tourist-tailored representations of the country – so focused as they are in selling glaciers, hot springs and volcanoes – often…

The Grapevine’s Lonesome Traveller

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For eight kilometres I’ve been ascending the barren wasteland of Hrafntinnusker, 900 metres above sea level. The snow, common here…