Pre-Hike -- from Reykjavik to Landmannalaugar. September 7, 2016

Note -- the photos on this blog were taken by Sage, Alex, and me. 

Drive from Reykjavik to Landmannalaugar

September 7, 2016

It was an easy walk to the BSI bus terminal (the main terminal in Reykjavik) from our hotel.  Actually, if you're staying in the city's center, probably any hotel is within an easy half hour walk to BSI.  We arrived at the station in plenty of time to take our Reykjavik Excursions bus to Landmannalaugar.

Many Laugavegur trekkers take the bus to Landmannalaugar and then begin their hike straightaway.  I can see why people might want to do that, since Landmannalaugar is crowded and touristy, but we were glad to spend the night at the hut before starting our trek...even if there was a giant group that drank and sang at the top of their lungs until midnight (bring earplugs...I repeat, BRING EARPLUGS).  It was nice to have an afternoon of exploring the immediate area after spending three hours on a bus.

The ride to Landmannalaugar was an adventure unto itself.  The first part was routine enough; the large, comfortable bus (with supposedly free wifi though I never got a signal) zoomed along the main paved road for perhaps two hours (can't remember exactly how long) until it was time to turn onto the narrow, dirt, rutted road that led us to our destination.

That little narrow dirt road was...interesting.  This is the part when all three of us stopped our dozing and paid attention to our surroundings.  At one point, the driver pulled off the side of the road and said we should take photos, since it was a rare beautiful day.  We dutifully did as he suggested.

Five minutes later, we were back on the bus and heading toward a more exciting part of our journey -- a narrow, dirt, rutted road that precariously went up and over several large hills with no guardrails.  At the top of one of these hills, the driver turned the bus around and backed up right to the side of the hill...I had a mini heart attack since it seemed the driver had decided to end it all and take us with him...but then he threw on the brake and told us to get out and take more photos.  We did.

Not long after experiencing this exciting bit of road,  we arrived at Landmannalaugar.

Landmannalaugar has a main hut building (no one is allowed in except folks with reservations), an info/warden's area, a warden's hut, a large bathroom/shower building, many tenting areas, a covered eating area, a few large trash and recycling bins, a wooded walkway, and a natural hot spring.  This is a popular destination for day visitors and campers, not to mention people beginning their Laugavegur trek, so the crowds are thick and the atmosphere is less than tranquil.  Still, there is a lot of space outside of the hut area in which to wander about.    We enjoyed the immediate surroundings for a bit before going in to claim our sleeping area.

Sign for our trek!  Exciting!

 Our sleeping area consisted of two rows of side-to-side mattresses.  If you stay here, you are going to get very familiar with your roommates.

Before going to sleep, we sampled the hot springs.

The hot water was wonderful.  The temperature varied from lukewarm to boiling depending on where you were.  One could move around and settle in to wherever felt best.

One thing about the hot spring area though -- there is one platform where people leave their clothes and/or change.  Since this is Europe, public nudity is not frowned upon.  Once you're in the hot springs,  if you don't want to look up and accidentally see someone drying all their parts in detail (really digging in there and/or letting every single intimate bit fly in the breeze), then make sure you and/or your kids are sitting with your back to the platform.

We were glad we'd eaten dinner early since the kitchen was packed from 6pm onward (the crowd of drunk and singing people).  Sage found a deck of cards and brought them into the sleeping area; we played games in our little corner while other people came in and claimed their own bits of mattress.  The room was completely full by the end of the evening.  The girls and I went to bed fairly early...around 9 or so...there were two American guys across from us who also went to bed early.  I think the five of us were still experiencing a tiny bit of jet lag.  The two American guys were named Brandon and Alex -- they would become part of our hiking bubble and we'd see them at every hut for the rest of our journey.  They were nice fellows, and we were happy to get to know them a bit.

Tomorrow -- Landmannalaugar to Hrafntinnusker, during which we experience all kinds of exciting weather and some beautiful views.