Iceland - Day 10

The wind howled all night and today it was as if Storm Eunice, Storm Dudley and Super Storm Viking all collided to throw the most awful weather at us. I think if we were in the U.K. they would have closed all the roads but here in Iceland one carries on regardless.  

After breakfast we checked out and went back to Arnarstapi to photograph the rock stacks and rock arch. It was so windy I was almost blown off my feet, for the first time in my life I was pleased to have the extra 10kg of my camera bag on my back. It was the most challenging weather we have experienced all week, but the arch with the water crashing through was worth the sight!
 
We left there and as the weather was so bad we decided to change plans and go to Reykjavik en route to our final stop at the airport hotel at Keflavik. However by now conditions were so bad, the wind was forcing the vehicle to skid across the road, as the roads were sheet ice, despite the vehicle having studded tyres. Shortly after we set off we saw two cars off the road stuck in snow, and the vehicle in front of us was skidding all over the road even doing a complete turn around. That vehicle came to a stop and we could not risk passing it as it was in the middle of the road, so we were stuck. Even the poor crows tried and failed to fly in this wind. We waited for the gusts to calm down and as soon as there was a lull we managed to pass the vehicle stuck in the road. It was very scary driving in conditions like that, and I was very pleased we managed to avoid an accident.


We stopped off in Reykjavik for a short visit, we photographed the opera house, the sun voyager sculpture and the church. I have an extra of the sun voyager sculpture and the colourful houses and shops.


We have finished dinner and are now going out to see if we can find an aurora, and hopefully we will get some photos. The conditions are looking good! If we do see an aurora borealis I will post that tomorrow as it will be after midnight.