Done & Dusted

Just back from a long and dusty 250km drive through the northern regions of Iceland.

We started out bright and early, heading westwards to Husavik - the whalewatching capital of Europe - on Highway 1 which turned (to my chagrin) into dirt-track 87!!! Eeesh.... There I was, trying to get used to a left hand drive, on a one-lane road, perched on a bluff, with steep sides leading to either age-old volcanic remains or bleating sheep on either side, and trundling along in lovely harmony to the non-existent suspension in our 4WD Hyundai Santa Fe jeep.

After passing a total of 5 vehicles (in both directions) and one very tense hour and a quarter, we arrived in Husavik, a little town flanked by mountains rising from Skalfjandi bay, still dotted with ice caps.

The whalewatch trip was a disappointment, to say the least... we paid all of S$200 to see dolphins frolicking in the water. So much for 'whalewatching capital'... bah... We´ll just have to try again in either NZ or Monterey Bay i suppose... bleah.

XJ sulking cos no whales! (Dolphins dun count):
Ok, so quirky highlight of the day - the Phallalogical Museum! 178 specimens of ahem... special parts of animals, from whales, bears, little black rats, elephants and even trolls... haha.

Lunch was a lovely affair - baked cod and shrimps and smoked puffin meat! yes, those cutesy little penguin-like birds with orange beaks and webbed feet, also spotted on your eponymously-named Puffin readers... It was yummy! XJ says since i was so totally incapable of catching one for him to take home, he´d just have to eat some so 'it will always be a part of me'... *roll eyes*

After lunch, we headed east towards JÖkulsargljufur National Park, stopping by at TjÖrnes, a stubby little peninsula lookout point where XJ spotted a 'dead bird'. Said dead bird turned out to be a really derelict mother, trying to shield her little nestlings from evil humans stomping around her home sweet home.

Tjornes Peninsula:

Asbyrgi was our next stop - the horseshoe-shaped canyon in the heart of Jökulsargljufur NP. It was then a horribly bumpy and dusty 4WD track to Dettifoss - the most powerful waterfall in all of Europe - rising 45m and 100m across.

Asbyrgi:
Breaktime!:

Hafrilgafoss, 2 km down from Dettifoss:
Dettifoss at 8pm:
At 8.15pm, with the sun still high in the sky (it IS the land of the midnight sun afterall), we made our rumbling way south on route 861, desperately looking out for signs of Highway 1 (silly map showed everything but the crucial junction! *roll eyes*). And in no time (*smug*) we were home in Reykjalid.

Stay tuned for more tales from the land of Fire & Ice and check out the pics when we post them.

Now, time for my promised foot rub... ah.... ;p

We're Engaged!

We are in this little town of Reykjahlid in Iceland, a volcanic area with lotsa hardened lava fields, steam emitting from the ground and boiling sulphur pools ('It´s very simple, if you fall inside, you will DIE!' warns our helpful tour guide). Rented a 4WD and headed for Leirhnjukur, one of Iceland´s most impressive - albeit potentially risky - attraction, a colourful crater which is due to explode again anytime soon.

Hiked up the unearthly landscape, surrounded by steaming vents, sulphur pits and acres of black lava fields. When we were at the really windy summit, the moment felt right and on the pretext of taking a picture of her on a rock (she could never resist pictures taken of her), I started videotaping and asked her whether she would marry me! Everything else happened rather quickly and in a flurry of kisses and adolescent fumbling (for the ring which was stuck in my jacket). The important thing is that she said 'YES'! 3 or 4 times! heh!

The whole thing went so fast I actually forgot to go on one knee! not easy proposing, searching for a ring, holding a camera with the other hand, trying to maintain my balance while being buffetted by the strong swirling winds AND looking devilishly handsome so she can´t say no you know!? After the deed was done, we made our way down the summit and I suddenly realised that I had forgotten to kneel!!! Flashes of Elaine screaming 'You didn´t even kneel when you proposed you ídiot!´in future arguments streaked through my mind and I promptly went down on one knee again and asked her to spend the rest of her life with me. phew! close one.

That´s all the public needs to know about our engagement. The rest of the dirty details will be kept close to my heart. heh! Anyways, suddenly a huge load´s off my heart, the skies seem bluer, the birds chirpier and the flowers sweeter. Engagement - try it!

xj

Timeout!

After a long long journey, finally find myself in elaine's HUGE apartment! I mean, just her room alone is CAVERNOUS! i could stay here forever... heh. she's sharing the place with another colleague and there's a very big living room, proper kitchen and balcony area. could have a party here for 20 persons comfortably. Compare to this place, my little place in NY last year was a mouse hole.. sigh.

elaine's at work now. bumped into her at the tube station as i was making my way to her place. she literally pounced on me! heh! pleasant surprise. going to meet her for lunch in a couple of minutes, then probably visit St Paul's cathedral (didnt visit it during my last visit to london) and do some shopping later in the afternoon. weather here is nice and cool! but skies are really dreary. oh well, much better than hot and steamy Singapore, unless you wanna do some outdoor sports lah.

Will try to take some pictures and post it here. gotta run now!

xj