Week 56- Home

Monday 6th August, we had to be out of the camp by midday, so we decided to do a short three-hour morning walk without packs after breakfast. We walked down one path and followed some steel steps into a crevasse. We found some very clear water and assumed it was freezing glacial water in a cave, but we have since learned that it was an amazing hot spring. Regret.

We walked to a marked cave later where it was signed not to swim before continuing to summit the crater of a massive volcano. There were great views from the top, but we didn’t stay long as we had to get back for 12 and it was windy. We packed the tent, had an early lunch, saw some dead fish in the sink and began hitching.

This time we were third in line and were picked up third (though we overtook the others later) by a couple headed for Reykjavik for a flight. The couple were going to the airport to fly to a wedding in Canada. He was a foreman in a fish factory, and she was a mum of four. We waited an hour and 15 min but were lucky not to have waited longer as the couple were headed along the south road originally, but the water built up behind a glacier had managed to force underneath it and flood the road so they had to turn around and come past us. They drove us 2.5 hours to Varmalith, stopping on the way to buy us ‘Classic Icelandic’ hotdogs. After pitching our tent, we went in search of a secret hot pool. We walked most of the way (our attempt to borrow bikes from a skip was foiled on account of the bikes being broken) with a short lift from a local who pointed us in the right direction. The wind was picking up and the pool was very full when we arrived, so we found a sheltered spot and Sam made a stove ring to guard from the wind.

Once we had eaten, we returned to the pool, stripped off and got in with about 10 others. They all shortly left, apart from 2 Aussies (who are now working in London), as it wasn’t super warm due to the wind. It was lovely being in a mud pool with the river and waterfall right beside us.

When we got out it was a race to get dressed again as it was cold. The Aussies dropped us to camp in the back of their little camping van before we settled down for a bit of Poirot.

Tuesday 7th August, we had set aside the 7th for getting as close to the airport as possible. We were out on the road between 09:30 and 10:00 with the wind blowing a gale. We waited for an hour and a half in the cold and even considered splitting up just to get out of the cold when our saviours in the form of an elderly Austrian couple in a mini campervan picked us up. Their vehicle was warm and their welcome warmer. They gave us a fudge to give us energy and when we reached Blönduós (50km away) we stopped and they made us a fresh cup of tea and gave us a special Austrian chocolate wafer biscuit called Manner, which was delicious. I was truly happy at that time. They even gave us the rest of the packet as we left.

With our spirits high once more we began hitching again. This time the wind was in our faces, which made it harder to look happy. After 45min or so a couple (who live in Warsaw but have a flat in Raykjavik) picked us up. We tried more dried fish and this time it was better but that could have been due to us being hungry from not eating lunch. We took another detour to a waterfall that cascaded from between the layers of lava rock which was pretty special.

From there we parted ways at the campsite in Borgarnes. We debated going to the pool but in the end just pitched the tent in the wind, read some Poirot, cooked dinner (‘Best of the trip – pasta and wraps’), met a longboarding photographer from Minnesota and finally finished the book. She tricked us again. It was quite difficult to sleep as we were beside a road, but we eventually nodded off.

Wednesday 8th August, our last day in Iceland. The wind had calmed by the morning and we polished off the rest of our oats. From here we walked across a busy bridge and after having to turn down the lift of an older lady in a Nissan Leaf we were collected by a principal/mother of four/farmer/mountain rescue person on her way to Reykjavik. We heard many of her stories before she dropped us off on the road to Keflavik. On this leg of the journey we officially completed our circumnavigation of Iceland. We walked a little way down the road to find a hard shoulder and literally 2 seconds later a Catholic Polish priest pulled over. We were only just lifting our thumbs. He got us to sign his book for hitchhikers in his car and told us of his work before leaving us at the Bonus supermarket in Keflavik. We got gifts for the family and spent the rest of our money on many biscuits. After Sam binned his ruined hiking boots we walked to where the swimming pool was.

The sun was high, so we found a spot out of the wind to cook noodles for our wraps. The swimming pool required us to shower naked before getting in, but we then spent over three hours in various hot tubs, soaking our limbs and skin and playing some games. We also met some American Geologists who were in a foreign country for the first time. Feeling clean, we walked to the airport to complete our journey. We were almost home but we weren’t flying until the following morning, so we were going to be spending the night in the airport. We were there by late afternoon, so we wandered around looking for good spots to stay the night and looking for sockets. I also managed to hit my head on the strangely designed roof supports. When it came to dinner there were many signs indicating no cooking or camping in the airport, so we left again to find somewhere to cook. We found a large clump of bushes and climbed into the middle to cook our last meal. It looked like we weren’t the first to make use of this spot. With all our food consumed we gave away the rest of our gas as I had bought too much and were given some chocolate in exchange.

We found a quiet spot of floor by a wall and set ourselves up for the night. Playing games, eating so many biscuits that we were completely sick of them, observing frustrated flyers who had lost their bags. We both dosed at various stages but nothing meaningful. At one stage I went to the bathroom and a guy nearly collapsed on me and medical services had to be fetched. Eventually the night passed, and it was time to fly. We were separated on the plane for the first time in two and a half weeks, but we survived and made it to Dublin.

Once we landed, I quickly changed clothes in the bathroom, putting on my shirt from Hawaii, we grabbed our bags and walked out into arrivals. There waiting for us were Mum and Dad and Holly with a large ‘Welcome home Leo’ sign (with a small ‘and Sam’ in the corner). It was wonderful to see all the family again and we shared a warm embrace. It was a strange feeling driving home. So much had changed in 13 months and yet it was all very much how it was when I left. The suitcase that I had shipped from NZ was at home waiting for me when I got to my room. Mum and Dad had organised for a large group of friends and family to come for lunch to welcome me home which was a lovely surprise. Everyone kept commenting on how thin I was looking. Admittedly I was about 7kg lighter than when I had left.

It is funny how a journey like this can just come to an end. 13 months I was away from home and I met so many wonderful people in that period, formed relationships that will last a lifetime, saw incredible places and experienced things I was never expecting. Without doubt the best year of my life so far. I am incredibly grateful for everyone who made this possible, particularly Mum and Dad, but each person that played a part, no matter how small, in my journey over the previous 13 months- every detail of which is included here on this blog. I hope you enjoyed being part of my adventure.