Europe – DEV D

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The ultimate guide to Tromsø (4-5 days)

When it comes to travelling in winter wonderland, few places can match upto the astounding beauty of Tromso. After being locked up for a considerably long time due to the pandemic, me and my girlfriend decided to pack our bags and head to Tromso for a small break from the hustle-bustle of Copenhagen and be close to nature. Fortunately, we ended being right in the middle of it !

This itinerary will help you in planning a hassle-free trip to Tromso and explore all the possible unique activities that one can try here.

Important tip: It is NOT needed to rent a car in Tromso! All tour companies provide pick-up and drop-off from hotel which is included in the price of the activities. So, its absolutely fine to use the public transport to go to Tromso city from the airport and then transportation related to every tour is taken care of by the tour agencies.

Day 1 : Arrival in Tromso

We arrived at Tromso in the afternoon around 2 pm on a very grey day with intermittent snowfall. We took a cab from the airport to our hotel Scandic Grand Tromso, put our bags in the cloak room and headed out to grab a bite. We wandered around the picturesque streets for sometime before heading to Mathallen for a late lunch. We tried the fish soup and it was delicious ! Their wine collection is super impressive. For dinner, we had already reserved a table at Bardus which is an impressive restaurant in terms of its decor, menu and service. I tried the reindeer meat which i can highly recommend while my girlfriend tried the fish which was very tender and delicious as well. We coupled it with some red wine.

Day 2 : Sami experience and reindeer feeding

It was a very bright and sunny day which started with an excellent breakfast at the hotel after which we headed out for our adventure of the day which was to feed reindeers and experience Sami culture up close with the native people. We chose Sami adventure for this trip. It is a 5-6 hour long activity where we drove out to Sommarøy to see some beautiful snow covered landscapes and then had lunch at a very fancy restaurant. After that we headed to a reindeer farm owned by a Sami where he carries out herding activities. It was amazing experience to feed the reindeers by hand. They are very calm animals and don’t shy away when food is offered to them. Post that, we went into a traditional tent and had an informative session about the Sami culture and the importance of ‘joik’ which is their traditional way of singing and a very important part of their culture whilst sipping some hot tea. On our way back, we witnessed a magnificent sunset over the city.

A word of caution: It is recommended to wear safety glasses or sunglasses when feeding the reindeers to prevent any chance of injury to the eye from the sharp antlers of the reindeers. Injuries have happened in the past and to the herders themselves !

Day 3 : Husky sledging

What’s a trip to the northernmost part of the Nordics without some husky sledging ! A lot of people have the idea that husky sledging is unethical because animals are subjected to an activity for pleasure of humans. I too had my skepticism in place which was put to rest once i reached the husky farm and we were given an introduction on how huskies are natural hunters and why its important for them to run and be physically active. The treatment to the huskies was top notch and they are incredibly friendly, viciously energetic and very well taken care of. We chose a self-drive husky sledge with Arctic Adventures. Overalls, boots, gloves and caps were provided by the team and was included in the price of the trip. The sledging tour took around 2 hours where we rode the wooden sledge through the snow and taking turns to switch between rider and passenger. There are around 3-4 members from the travel team who oversee proceedings for the whole time. It is a relatively safe activity to do.

Day 4 : Snowmobiling in Lyngen Alps

A trip to Norway in winters is incomplete without a day of snowmobiling in the Lyngen Alps. We chose to go with Green Gold of Norway for this activity. Due to the restrictions on where snowmobiling can be done, we had to drive out of Tromso for this. The journey consisted of a 50 minute bus ride, then changing on to a ferry for crossing a fjord and then riding in cars for 20 minutes to the location of the snowmobiling. The guides were super fun and briefed us about the safety procedures. The gear that they rented out to us was in extremely clean and in very sturdy shape. After a 10 minute practice session we proceeded to ride up the mountains and manoeuvring among the trees was a super adrenaline rush ! At the very top we had some coffee and then had a ‘free-go’ of 15 minutes where we could ride at whatever speed we wanted in a relatively flat and clear area. We were also offered a free snow-shoeing activity which was also very nice on part of the agency. A warm and cosy lunch was also served with a very beautiful view from the dining room.

Day 5 : Northern Lights

The whole point of traveling to Tromso was for seeing the Northern Lights in the first place ! It is one of those places on earth from where the chances of seeing the Auroras are the highest and we were blessed with that when we went out on our adventure with Marianne for that. We chose Aurora Chasing Tour at Mariannes Heaven On Earth Aurora Chaser Tours since the tour is organized in small groups with special focus on photography. Overalls, winter socks and boots, winter gloves and handwarmers were provided to all. Marianne also has 10 tripods in her car along with other practical accessories like small torch lights etc. so that photography enthusiasts can have the full experience. We drove out of Tromso around 6 pm and went all the way to the border of Finland where we witnessed the magical auroras for the whole night at a freezing temperature of -12C. We had some warm soup and hot cocoa too and made our way back to Tromso at 2 am in the morning.

Day 6 : Exploring city

We had our return on this day and spend the morning exploring the city on foot. There was heavy snowfall and it felt nothing short of a winter fairyland with the streets white from snow and the colorful buildings providing a stunning backdrop. We checked out of the hotel at 12 pm and went to the airport to catch pur flight back to Copenhagen with a memory card full of pictures and a bucket full of memories.

Where to stay in Tromso:

Standard accommodations are available like:
1. Scandic Grand Hotel (Budget)
2. Scandic Ishavhotel (Budget)
3. Radisson Blu (Luxury)
4. Thon hotel (Mid-range)

How much does it cost ?

The activities are usually priced around the same range for all agencies. Here is something to help you get an idea of how much should you plan for different experiences (price per person0: 1. Reindeer feeding: 165-180 USD 2. Husky sledge: 220-240 USD 3. Snowmobiling: 200-220 USD 4. Northern lights (small group): 170 USD 5. Food and drinks: 50-80 USD/day

Budget friendly tips:

1. Book a hotel with breakfast.
2. Lunch is usually arranged on the group tours at really good places.
3. Avoid renting a car.
4. Bring in booze from duty free because alcohol is very expensive in Norway.
5. Most tours provide winter clothing so you can travel light.

The guide to an epic ICELAND Road trip-Part III

This is the last part of my trip and it continues from where i left off in the second part.

The first part can be read at The guide to an epic ICELAND Road trip – Part I

The second part can be read at The guide to an epic ICELAND Road trip – Part II

Day 9

Kirkjufellsfoss

From Blondous I headed to Kirkjufell Mountain, one of the most iconic and photographed places in Iceland. The overcast conditions were just perfect for me to take the kind of photographs I wanted to create over a year. I was spellbound and counting my blessings to be actually present at that place. Accomplishment!

I even witnessed a pre-wedding shoot at that place. Courage to the man and woman dressed in marriage clothes standing in those wet conditions on slippery rocks and getting drenched all in those windy and cold conditions. Well , marriage ain’t an easy thing for sure!

Djúpalónssandur

Next stop was Djupalonssandur beach, a place where one think that Batman’s cave might just be round the corner of the next rock. Smooth and shiny black pebbles, bizarre rock structures and stunning waves on the shore make for a spine chilling experience at this location. It even felt eerie at some point.

I drove through the empty Icelandic roads and stopped at random places to click photographs of birds from the side of cliffs. Even shot a beautiful slow-mo video of the birds flying on blue waters.

Búðir

My penultimate stop for the day was the famous Budir black church. It was quite an amusing sight to see a church painted totally black on the exterior. The sky was very flat and I did not manage to get any dramatic shots of it.

Barnafoss

The last stop of the day was Barnafoss and Hraufossar. Two very beautiful waterfalls and a delight for photographers who love the long exposure for getting the best in their waterfall shots.

I decided to retire for the night at Borgarnes and spent the night at Hotel Borgarnes. I ate like a hungry beggar the next morning because the hotel had a wonderful spread for breakfast. The kitchen staff were staring at me wide-eyed seeing my appetite. Little did they know that i was surviving on Skyr, dry fruits and instant noodles for the last 8 days.

Day 10

Westfjords

The day started with a risky decision to explore the Westfjords, a part of Iceland which many tourist don’t keep on their check list but in my opinion it should definitely be visited. It’s topography and beauty is something very unique and unlike anywhere in the rest of Iceland. Serpentine roads, bridges through water and sighting of seals is really unique to this part of Iceland.

Iceland Visit Hostel

I reached Holmavik, a quaint little town and decided to spend the night at the Iceland Visit Hostel. I had the entire hostel to myself. It was a pretty state-of-the-art hostel with each bed equipped with an individual T.V set! Talk about hostel standards, learn it in Iceland!

Day 11

Arctic Fox Centre

I decided to drive around the periphery of the Westfjords and made my first pit stop at the Sudavik Arctic bear centre. It’s a non-profit organization which focuses on the Arctic Fox. I got a chance to learn about these smart animals and even to photograph them up close. Cuteness overload! One was really friendly, while the other did not enjoy my company that much.

Dynjandi

I drove through very treacherous roads made slippery with mud and melting ice and driving was a huge challenge. The car was sliding at some places and I was just mumbling God’s name under my lips. I finally reached a good part of the road and saw the incredibly huge Dynjandi waterfalls! The shape of the waterfall is really unique and unlike any I had seen before.

Patreksfjörður

I found a very nice homestay Guesthouse Stekkabol in Patreksfjordur and spent the night there because it was chilling outside. Had a nice dinner of instant noddles and single malt while watching the clear skies outside. Quite a spectacular view.

Day 12

Látrabjarg

I checked out a few nice locations surrounding Patreksfjordur and while doing that, the road conditions were so bad that i had a flat tire while returning from Latrjabarg. Changing tire in those windy conditions was a big challenge and a local farmer turned out to be my saviour in distress. I had to hurry back to town to get it repaired and fortunately for me there was one shop which was open and helped me get a replacement.

Apotek Hostel & Guesthouse

I drove through the Westfjord roads and finally reached Akranes, where i booked the Akranes HI hostel for the night. Slept like a baby after the drive through the winding roads and my bottle of Ardberg whiskey helped me relax a fair bit.

Day 13

Old Akranes Lighthouse

Next morning’s first stop was the Akranes Lighthouse. You will be met by an incredibly friendly gatekeeper with whom you shall start gossiping within a few minutes. The climb to the top is tough for tall people but the views are worth it. He gave me a really good idea to photograph the old ships at the port. I was really impressed by the weather that day and did the best I could to do justice to the abandoned ship.

HOSTEL B47

From Akranes, I drove to Reykjavik and on the way stopped to photography the Icelandic horses to my heart’s content. They are very friendly and love to be petted.

I reached Reykjavik in the afternoon and spent the entire evening and night pub hopping and drinking to my heart’s content at the pubs in downtown Reykjavik. A few cool pubs to check out are Dillon, Kaffibarinn, Slippbarinn, The Dubliner and Lebowski bar. The drink prices in Iceland are just mental, but going to these places in the Happy Hours truly makes on happy. My accommodation for the night was Hostel B47 which is one of the rare hostels in Reykjavik who have their own parking lot. A blessing for people on road trips!

Dillon

Reykjavik
Day 14

Hallgrimskirkja

The next day was my last in Iceland and it was spent exploring Reykjavik on foot. I went to the Hallgrimskirkja church, the Harpa Concert Hall and explored the posh localities on foot. In the evening I once again headed to Seljalandsfoss to catch a last glimpse of Iceland and was surprised to find that the number of cars had nearly tripled! Well, the tourist season was definitely on.

I also saw a nice show with music and people on horses marching through the streets. Wonderful display of local customs and a great opportunity for a tourist.

Keflavik International Airport

I left the town at 11:00 pm and reached the airport at midnight. After handing over my car keys to Blue car rentals and checking that there was no damage on my account, all formalities were complete. The guy in charge was surprised to find that I drove for more than 4500 kms in 14 days ! As i entered the airport to catch my return flight to Amsterdam, it marked the end of my E.P.I.C solo road trip in Iceland. Cheers to life and hope that you find this article useful.

The guide to an epic ICELAND Road trip – Part II

This is the second part of my road trip in Iceland in the summers of 2017. I will start from where i left off at the end of the first part. The first part can be read at The guide to an epic ICELAND Road trip – Part I

Day 3

Skógafoss

The mighty Skogafoss waterfall was where I started my day. The wind was so strong that all the photographers were having a tough time taking pictures as their lenses were covered by mist. There were a few words flying high in front of the fall. A series of steel steps led to the top of the waterfall and it was a sight to behold. The river coming at the slowest pace and then taking a sheer vertical plunge of 30 metres or more and impacting the ground in all its might.

I wanted to do a glacier hike and reached the site of Icelandic Mountain guides but unfortunately they were sold for the day. Driving through moss covered fields on both sides of the incredibly treacherous road did not make for such a pleasant experience because my chances of the glacier hike were jeopardised.

I decided to check out one of the most highly coveted tourist spots in Iceland – the Solheimasandur plane crash site. One needs to park their car by the side of the road and walk for 4 kms to reach the crash site which takes about 45 mins with normal walking speed. The sight is something unique since one walks on black sand and suddenly there is a skeleton of a crashed plane from WW-II. Pretty surreal! The day i was there was terribly windy and i had a hard time even to stand still. Lucky for me, i got a photograph of the plane with a rainbow in the background!

Dyrhólaey

After having a quick lunch of Skyr and muesli, i headed to Dyrholaey arch in the afternoon. The ride up the slope is not an easy one and takes some skill. A 4WD definitely helps in this regard! The wind conditions atop Dyrholaey were absolutely terrifying and i had a narrow escape from the heights of death since i was literally thrown over the cliff by a strong gust of wind.

The car was bombarded with small pebbles and i had to park my car at a lower elevation. There was absolutely no chance of taking any pictures, but still i managed to get a few of the famous arch. I realised that the bad weather conditions are going to persist and its best to make a move and go to the next location – the small town of Vik. I reached Vik in the late hours of the evening and found a nice resting spot for the night to sleep in my car.

Day 4

Reynisfjara Beach

After a dip in the hot tub and a sauna in the local pool, i headed to Reynisfjara black sand beach from Vik. My jacket pockets were filled with black sand and my tripod was almost thrown into the sea due to the extremely windy conditions on that day. People had to stand at a precarious bent angle to avoid from being smacked face down into the sand. But nonetheless, it was a sight to behold. That was the first time in my life i saw black sand. The waves crashing on to the shore were very different from what we see in the traditional sand beaches. Pure beauty of nature!

Fjaðrárgljúfur

Later in the day i headed to Fjadargljufur – the only canyon in Iceland. It can be easily reached with a car and the hike up the to the top is scenic and all the more pleasurable under the afternoon sun.

As they say, the weather in Iceland changes really frequently, I found myself in a mild snowfall just after an hour of bright sunlight! I retired for the night at the parking lot at Skaftafell.

Day 5

Skaftafell

The day started with a glacier walk at Skaftafell. It was an incredible adrenaline rush walking with the crampons on the glaciers with volcanic ash engrained in them with the path being dangerous too at some locations. Our guide did a wonderful job in explaining to us the history of formation of the glaciers and how to judge the thickness of the glaciers at places.

Jökulsárlón Iceberg Lagoon

After a quick lunch, I headed to Jouklsarlon, one of the best places to watch glaciers in Iceland. I was there in time for sunset and without an iota of doubt, it was one of the best sunsets I have a memory of ! What many travellers miss here is the Diamond beach which is located just on the opposite side of the road. The speciality of this beach are the completely transparent pieces of ice broken off from the icebergs which line up the black sand in a long stretch! A scene straight out of a fairytale novel.

Höfn HI Hostel

On my way to Hofn, I picked up a hitchhiker from Canada who was a musician. I had a hearty chat after a long time with her and got to know about her German roots. We reached Hofn HI Hostel where the night was spent drinking beers and whiskey and making some new friends.

Day 6

Lækjavik

Now i was headed to the East of Iceland and I drove to Leakjavik beach to get some nice landscape shots under the overcast skies. The drive was a scenic one as usual and i had a wonderful time to myself stopping at random locations, having a lunch wherever i wanted to and spending all the time contemplating on the importance of this trip for myself while admiring the scenic beauty of Iceland.

Seydisfjordur HI Hostel Hafaldan

I reached the Hafaldan HI hostel at Seydisfjordor in the late hours. In all probability, it is one of the most picturesque buildings in Iceland with grandé interior decór and plush furnishings. The kitchen is an absolute delight !

Day 7

Dettifoss

It was snowing heavily the next morning and I was headed to Dettifoss waterfall. The driving conditions were absolutely terrifying with severe winds and nearly horizontal snowfall making it an absolute nightmare to drive nearly a 100 kms in those conditions. I managed to reach the waterfall but had to hike through a kilometre of deep snow to reach the view point. The scene was laid out in grey in front of my eyes. The photo below from that day is a testimony of the fact!

Selfoss

I also visited Selfoss waterfall but could not reach close to it because the approach road was still closed owing to bad weather conditions. For the first time in my life i saw a waterfall literally flowing upward because the winds were so strong that it was carrying the falling water up ! I got caught up in an unexpected snowfall and had to hike my way through a very bad condition to reach my car. Ahh, the joys of travelling !

Hverir Parking

Later in the day I visited Krafla power plant and Hverir. Boiling water gifted from nature and orange mud all around made quite an interesting composition at that place. Of course the fart smells of sulphur were a bit unpleasant, but one soon acclimatises with it.

Goðafoss Waterfall

My next stop was the mighty Godafoss waterfall. Fortunately for me, the skies were clear and I finally got a chance to try my long exposure photography for this waterfall underneath the floating clouds. The size of this waterfall in one word is mammoth! It can literally gulp a semi-truck without even burping!

Akureyri Backpackers

Akureyri Backpackers

I headed to Akureyri for the night and spent the night at Akureyri backpackers. Met a very friendly German who insisted that we go out later at night for viewing some Aurora activity and boy he was right! For the first time in my life i got to view the Auroras in all their might. Although the activity wasn’t that spectacular but still it made me go in a trance seeing those dancing lights.

Day 8

Hvítserkur parking lot

The next day I headed to Glaumbaer which is famous for its cute turf houses. After taking a few nice photos I headed to Hvitserkur, the elephant shaped rock formation in the sea. The drive was a bumpy one with potholed roads but the scene was splendid with blue skies and milky white ice in the background. I am yet to find out the science behind the formation of such a rock structure in the middle of an ocean.

Kiljan Apartments & Rooms

I decided to spend the night at Blondous in the hopes of catching some Aurora activity but my luck did not favour me. I had a taste of the traditional Icelandic fermented shark and in all honesty, it was yucky. I had to gulp down a strong whiskey straight from the bottle to keep myself from throwing up. I also spent some nice time in the hot pool at the local club. Talk about hospitality … learn it from Icelanders!

The guide to an epic ICELAND Road trip – Part I

Nature in its pristine form has always been mystery for me rather than a soothing sight. It compels me to explore the intricacies which renders it so pure and complete in its absoluteness. My special love for the ‘untouched’ nature made me read numerous blogs and research a 1000 articles and finally I set my sights on exploring ICELAND. The land discovered by vikings is famous for its raw beauty and notorious weather but is a heaven on Earth. Maybe it isn’t even a part of earth – it just feels like a different planet. 100’s of kilometres of barren land only to open up to moss covered fields which then give way to black sand, it seems the road to discovery has no end ! I decided to take a road trip through Iceland, which I knew from the first day was the best and an economic way to explore and discover the pricey tourist destination. I shall divide the blog into 4 parts for ease of reading and registering in memory (based on the route I took). So here goes the first part.

Duration : 15 days

Airline cost : 800 USD (round trip ex New-Delhi via Amsterdam)

Car rental cost (Off-season) : 1540 USD (4WD for 14 days with ALL INCLUSIVE insurance)

Gasoline : 600 – 1000 USD (depending on how much driving is undertaken. Gas price is 2 USD/liter.)

Food : Suit yourself ! I survived on Skyr, dry fruits and instant noodles. Purchasing from Bonur/Kronan is really helpful.

Keflavik International Airport

Car rental: I picked up my rental, a 4WD Toyota RAV4 from Cars Iceland (their office is just 3 mins walking from the airport and there is also a shuttle bus service every half hour to drop you off at the offices of the various car rental companies around the Keflavik International Airport). I had pre-booked on the internet for the duration of my trip and I found a good deal on it with free GPS … yippeee ! It’s always an intelligent decision to prebook cars in Iceland because the rental prices for on-spot booking are sky high … umm no wait … galaxy high !

Part I – The Golden Circle

DAY 1

Þingvellir National Park

I reached Reykjavik on a day when it was a celebration time and to my utter dismay even the supermarkets (Except 10-11) were closed. I picked up my rental car from www.bluecarrental.is located at a stone’s throw away from the Keflavik airport. I opted for a 4WD with Automatic transmission and was given a Toyota RAV4 in impeccably good condition. After adapting to an entirely opposite rule of driving conditions I was headed towards Reykjavik for my first night stay at the Bus Hostel . It is situated a bit outside the main city but at a very convenient location. There is a 10-11 store nearby and I got my first night’s dinner from there (saviour in distress). The next morning I was greeted by snowfall and the receptionist informed me that the tours for the Golden circle were cancelled due to the bad weather conditions. What a bummer ! But since I had my car, I could go ahead and give it a try (the Icelandic way of doing things – Never give up!). So I headed out to Reykjavik and picked up some rental equipments from Iceland Camping Rentals. I highly recommend this store for all your rental needs. Delphine who runs the store is extremely helpful as she made sure I got my car power inverter even on a holiday ! A big thanks to her because without it I would have been in serious trouble. I headed out of town using the app maps.me which is an incredibly useful online and offline Android app for navigation in Iceland.

Stop 1 – Pingvellir National Park (64.2559° N, 21.1304° W)

This National Park is famous for housing the world’s first parliament and for the unique activity of scuba diving between the two tectonic plates of North America and Europe! The dive occurs at Silfra (mainly organised by www.dive.is )and is a unique experience (didn’t do it personally but got reviews from the travellers who dived in). I tried my level best to get some photographs but it was terribly windy and the rainfall prevented me from getting any decent shot. Also, since it was my first day in Iceland from a tropical climate of 40degC to 3degC, I was having a hard time adjusting to the brutal weather conditions. The winds were ridiculously blowing at nearly 80 -100 kmph ! After strolling around for sometime I decided to move on to my next destination.

Geysir

Stop 2 – Geysir (64.3104° N, 20.3024° W)

The famous natural phenomenon of hot water shooting up in the sky seen in the videos of Iceland was my next stop for the day. It was very crowded even on a cloudy and windy day. Photographing in the wind was again a challenge here because the water shoots up pretty high and the sudden gust of winds were spraying the water as a fine mist on the people who were standing close. Fortunately I could judge this mishap before it occurred and took the precautionary measure of positioning myself away from the ‘hot spot’ of photographers. Its important to exercise extreme caution there as the water is scalding and has a temperature of 90 -100 degC and the nearest hospital is located 62 kms away. There are rope demarcations preventing tourists from entering the risk zones, and IMO its best not to cross them and be adventurous in a stupid way.

Gullfoss Falls

Stop 3 – Gullfoss waterfall (4.3271° N, 20.1199° W)

The mighty Gullfoss – thats the phrase which everyone utters when they see this spectacle for the first time ! A waterfall of gigantic proportions which had a lot of ice around it is an absolute bliss to photograph on a sunny day and an absolutely horrific experience to photograph on an overcast and extremely windy day. The ice was blown away by the wind and was hitting the face so brutally that one flake could badly injure an eye if it hit it directly. I had to wear my shades even on that cloudy day to prevent any damage to the eye. I could get a good shot and a beautiful slow-mo video of the waterfall. Later on I headed on the Kerid crater but could only hike down without my camera to get a view of it as the rain had begun to come down really hard by that time.

Place to stay : I decided NOT to spend the night in the car as it could be risky and headed to Selfoss to stay for the night at Selfoss HI hostel and was given a single room at a nice discount by the friendly German who was in charge. The next day I started from Selfoss having stocked on my food supplies for the next 14 days from a store called Kronan (there is also a BONUS store nearby but it opens a bit late in the mornings).

DAY 2

Seljalandsfoss

Stop 4 – Seljalandsfoss

The iconic waterfall made famous by SRK in the song Gerua. Many thought that the rainbow was a special effect, but the rainbow in fact is a very common phenomena on a sunny day. As is my luck of travelling in a shoulder season, there was no interesting colour but just the might waterfall. What a fall !!! I was staring at it for the first 5 minutes just trying to gauge its intensity and fervour. The unique feature of this waterfall are the stairs which lead to ‘behind’ the waterfall where there is a cave like formation for clicking the much coveted pictures from behind a waterfall. I used my mobile to get those picture because there was no point in taking a camera is the lens was getting covered by mist in a split second. But the feeling of standing there behind a waterfall was second to none. The feeling of kicking one off the bucket list is so satisfactory !

Gljúfrabúi

Stop 5 – Gljúfrabúi

This is a hidden waterfall very close to the Seljalandsfoss. Going in takes a bit of perseverance as one has to balance oneself on loose rocks. Its best to access in barefoot to prevent the shoes from getting wet. The waterfall is right above you once you manage to reach in and find a spot to stand. A waterproof cover for the camera/smartphone or an action camera is highly recommended for taking photos at this place.

Stop 6 – Skogafoss

Okay , lets get this straight – this waterfall is HUUUUUGE. And I mean every alphabet of it ! The gigantic proportion of this natural wonder makes you awestruck and you need to pinch yourself to understand that this is really happening. Voluminous to an extent that a normal video looks like a slow-mo when viewed on screen, this is one of the best waterfalls I have seen till date. Birds flying in front of the falls and people looking like ants in proportion to the fall makes this a place to get a perfect picture showcasing the enormousness of nature in comparison to mortals. There is a solid staircase path for accessing to the top of the falls. The water is so calm up there as it flows horizontally only to have a completely vertical drop of nearly 50 metres.

P.S : For drone lovers, this place is a paradise. But beware, I met a fellow photographer who crashed her drone after losing control to the extreme winds.Don’t crash your drone as it’s gonna pollute nature at some point of time. The water was bone chilling cold and was a great quencher to my parched throat.

Solheimasandur Plane Wreck

Stop 7- Solheimasandur Plane wreckage (63.459523,-19.364618)

Who hasn’t seen the iconic photograph of the wreckage of a plane in Iceland ? This is the iconic spot where a US Army plane crashed during WW-II when the pilot changed over to an empty fuel tank by mistake only to crash his plane in the middle of black sand. There were no casualties from the crash, but I wonder how much time did it take for a rescue team to arrive back in those days ! The wreckage has become a hot tourist spot and a picture in front of the plane is a testimony of the fact of having visited Iceland. Its disheartening to know that tourists have salvaged and even taken away parts of the plane as souvenirs for their personal collection. I saw a team from USA shooting the ending scene of a music video there. A very classy choice I must say! There was a group of tourists with their guides on ATV’s dressed in orange jumpsuits and against the backdrop of grey skies and black sand it looked as if they were astronauts on the moon. What surrealism ! I was lucky to photograph the plane with a rainbow in the background (perks of being a crazy fellow who braved the windy conditions).

CAUTION: The road to the site has been closed off from the main highway by fence and its NOT possible to take the car to the crash site. A 4 km walk (approximately 40 minutes) needs to be undertaken to reach the site but its totally worth it ! Barren land on both sides and walking on a path highlighted by markers makes for one of the most vivid memories of a lifetime.

Seljalandsfoss Parking

Place to stay: I slept at the campsite adjacent to Seljalandsfoss waterfalls. The incredibly friendly care taker shared a tonne of facts about the Icelanders and the legend of the Vikings. Turns out that ‘The Mountain’ of GOT fame is his batchmate ! And there was a very friendly and chubby cat who very comfortably slept on my chest for the night.

Hallstatt

Hallstatt is a small and picturesque town located 2.5 hours from Salzburg. It is accessible both by bus and train. The bus route is a bit longer and might be uncomfortable as I have seen people standing all the way from the start to end. The Postbus 150 is available from the bus stop at Salzurg HBF and it goes upto Bad Ischl. From there, Postbus 542 needs to be taken to reach Hallstatt. I took the train IC 543 from Salzburg at 06:15 hrs which reached Attnang-Pucheim at 07:00 hrs. From there another change via train RE 3406 bought me to Hallstatt station. The station is a very small one with no luggage storage facilities or even a toilet. From the station, a boat takes you to the other side where the town is actually located. I didn’t alight at Hallstatt, rather I continued for 2 more stops to Dachstein from where I took Postbus 543 to the Dachstein tourist info center for my tour of the Ice caves and the famous viewing platform called Obertraun 5 fingers.

The time I reached (around 09:00) was perfect because the office opens at 8:30 a.m. So before the tourist influx, I managed to get my tickets and advance towards the tour of the ice caves. A word of caution here: the hike up to the ice caves from the ground level is a pretty steep one and people with physical ailments related to knees should avoid it in my opinion. Also it’s advisable to carry a piece of warm clothing as its pretty cold inside the caves. I overestimated my masculinity by wearing just a cotton t-shirt and ended up with frozen fingers, water down my nose and red eyes by the time I came out at the exit, looking like a survivor who found his way down to civilization after days of wandering in the mountains. The ice caves are indeed a miracle to view and are open only during the summers. In winters it is closed off since the ice is allowed to form during that time. It’s a guided tour in English and German with a group size of approximately 30 people. The view of the valley on exiting the ice caves is nothing short of spectacular. On a day with clear skies you will be rewarded with one of the most promising views!

After the ice caves, I got the cable car for the ‘5 Fingers’. Again a considerable hiking was involved (approximately 30 mins) from the cable car stop to the 5 Fingers. Even on the hike, the views are scenic and refreshing. The river flowing down and the mountains form a backdrop which is best enjoyed while taking a break and sitting down on the grass with a beer in hand. I saw some paragliding enthusiasts who were having the time of their life.

Needless to say, the 5 Fingers was completely packed by travellers by the time I reached. But luckily I was able to find some moments where my frame had only the landscapes in it. I made the most use of that time frame to capture some shots which made me feel like the best travel photographer who has ever graced the 5 Fingers. Although, it was a sunny day but there were a lot of clouds in the sky which were moving very fast. So sometimes, shadows from the clouds were there to provide some respite from the sun during the hike.

Post hiking, I had a hearty lunch of grilled pork ribs and blonde beer served by a very beautiful and jovial girl at the restaurant located there. She said the best part of her everyday was coming to work and enjoying the views from up there. I take her every word for it. The views while relishing food from that place lends another dimension to travelling! I came down to the town center and walked around the small yet picturesque place. Colorful buildings, numerous cafes and streets full of tourists made it look like any other tourist spot in the first place, but the vibe of the place was something unique to it. The streets were narrow, the air had the aroma of freshly made food and the weather was perfect for a leisurely stroll down the streets. For people who love to collect memorabilia, this place is a treasure trove with so many shops selling a variety of gift items. The handicrafts made of wood deserve a special mention.

On return I took the train but this time from Hallstatt crossing the river on a ferry. I picked up my luggage at the hostel and headed to the station for my train to Oberndorf where I couch surfed for the next 3 days. The train to Oberndorf was a ‘Localbahn’ which departs from the underground platform at Salzburg Hbf. There is a train every 15 mins and tickets are bought on the train itself. It’s a picturesque train ride through the un-spoilt rural beauty of the Austrian countryside. Breathtaking at times!

Zell-am-See

While enjoying a peg of whisky at a pub in Salzburg, and striking up a random conversation with another fellow lonely guzzler, I chanced upon this beautiful place called Zell-am-See. He suggested that I definitely visit that place to get some great shots of the glacier with the lakes and the scenic beauty surrounding it. So I chucked off the small yet straight out of fairytale town of Durnstein and instead modified my itinerary to visit the Kitzsteinhorn glacier.

As usual, I took a train (RE 1504) from Salzburg Hbf for a 1.5 hour journey through the scenic Austrian countryside to Zell am See HBF and from there hopped on to a bus to reach the base of the glacier from where the tickets to the 4 stage funicular are sold. On reaching the base, my heart sank as it was completely cloudy at that location. The clouds were thick with layers of fog to obstruct the view. And to add to my woes, the tickets were pricey too, at 42 EUR for an adult. But hardly did I envisage that this was the only thing which could go wrong. Further miseries were awaiting me. On reaching the 1^st level, my inadequacy in planning this day trip, ‘shivered’ through me as I was greeted by the chills of the wind. The only thought which played my mind in an endless loop were my prayers to god in helping me survive this day and in return I shall preach his existence for this lifetime! As I was ascending through the altitude changing cable cars at every level, the wind got more intense in its chill factor. Somewhere in between I was deeply regretting the decision of not carrying my jacket. There were even a few rentals at the 1^st level, but I gave them a pass. Upon reaching the final level I was surprised to find that there wasn’t at all windy and that I was pretty comfortable in my t-shirt. My happiness and elation knew no bounds as I was relieved from the fact that I won’t die of frostbite while photographing a glacier. No wonder I drew a lot of stares from the other viewers who were surely mistaking me for a yogi with supernatural powers for surviving the cold. Honestly, even I started believing that indeed I had some!

Armed with a couple of beers to keep myself warm and a jumbo sandwich for breakfast, I started photographing the mountains with a day of the poorest visibility in my entire trip. Obscured by clouds is probably the perfect phrase to describe that day. Nonetheless, I still managed to get some shots to have a place in my personal collection. After the descent, I took the return bus and reached the town center to some magnificent bright and clear skies … sigh! As the sun started burning my skin, I started to explore the town on foot and came across a splendid performance by a local music school. Talented kids and an even more talented teacher showcased their music protégé to the delight of the viewers.

It was an energetic and soulful performance, the soothing notes of the violins, the tone modulations from the singer and of course a cameo by a very young pied piper. The lake surrounding the town was big although the water was not the cleanest. Lots of places to laze relax and enjoy a quiet lunch. Oh, and the ducks might want a share of your lunch too. Be friendly and share with them too!

What to pack for Iceland ?

Packing for the dream trip to Iceland requires some careful homework and research. But you don’t have to invest your time and internet bandwidth for that, because this blog is all you need to refer to for that list !

Waterproof Jacket – It is ABSOLUTELY essential to pack a waterproof jacket for Iceland as there is ample precipitation during any season. From sunny to windy, the frequency of weather change equals that of the trains on the London tube during rush hour ! A waterproof jacket goes a long way in keeping miseries and difficult situations of dealing with heavy wet clothes out of the way. A must when going near waterfalls.
Fleece Jacket – It is advised that clothing should be in layers when dressing up for Icelandic weather. It saves a lot of time and hassle to change from a get-up of an eskimo to that of a summer tourist within minutes. A fleece jacket comes in real handy in all seasons.
Rugged hiking boots – The hiking boots should have some degree of water-resistance as you shall be going near and sometimes behind waterfalls. So its absolutely essential that the boots are rugged and don’t let the water seep in and dampen your socks and spirits. I personally used a Decathlon hiking shoe and it was very comfortable and useful.
Headgear – This serves two purposes – first it keeps your head and ears protected from the bone chilling winds and second. It prevents your hair from dancing all over your face while you are busy photographing or admiring the sceneries.
Sunglasses – Bring at least 3 pairs ! Yes, you do need back-up since there is a high chance that you might lose one to the wind or during a hike or a glacier walk or worse, small stones which get carried away in extremely windy conditions can damage the coating or the glass itself. Pretty extreme … isn’t it ?
Food supplies – You can focus on reading this and then thank me later for having saved you a bunch of hard earned money. Food is expensive not just by Indian but by Global standards in Iceland. So if you can bring in a few big packet of instant noodles or dry fruits, then it shall save you a few minor heart attacks in the supermarkets at least.
Leggings – Well, people mostly focus on keeping their torso warm but its equally important to keep the legs warm. So have thermal or normal leggings and wear them as your second skin. Will save you those chills up the legs.
Moisturizer and lip balm – An obvious and absolute necessity in this cold and windy weather. Especially the lip balm is going to save the ordeal of cracked lips which hurt really bad.
Torch – A torch (preferably a head mounted) is essential because more often than not people find themselves camping or navigating the road after dark. Since there are no lights on the maximum part of the roadways, it is a wise decision to keep a torch handy and charged should any emergency arise.
Extra memory cards – Remember one thing, you need to pack at least 2 extra memory cards because you shall yourself be surprised on the number of photos that shall be clicked any day. Clicking 217 photos in a day is a very normal thing to happen !

So now that you know what to pack for Iceland, just go ahead and prepare that checklist so that you don’t forget anything. Remember, its always best NOT TO rely on memory , but on lists which are written down and can be referred to. Happy packing and have a safe trip !

For travellers who feel I have left out somethings which might be of importance, please feel free to give your feedback in the comments section below. Cheers !

Austr!a

A comprehensive travel blog for the Bavarian travel enthusiasts

When the journey to the land of Mozart and Bavarian beers is just a week away, then there is no point in keeping calm. I was super-duper excited for my first solo Euro trip. Yes, you read that right – I did 4 countries in 15 days – SOLO. You can refer to my earlier blogs under the ‘Tips and Tricks’ section for more info on planning trips.

So there I was in Munich at 06:00 a.m. after an 8 hour flight from New Delhi (during which I slept like a log and didn’t even consume one glass of the complimentary booze!). After exiting immigration, which wasn’t as tough as I thought given my scraggy hipster beard and Indian looks which has earned me disapproving looks from civil authorities on many occasions, I headed straight to the nearest Metro (bang opposite to the airport exit) to take the S8 bahn to Munchen Hauptbanhof (Munich central train station) from where I took the connecting train ECB 85 to Innsbruck HBF. A word of caution for international travellers outside the Schengen region on advance ticket booking on the German trains – a credit card is required for online booking and it is COMPULSORY to show that credit card during the journey as a proof of identity since a Passport in NOT accepted as a proof of identity! Sounds like an epic troll, but such is the German way. Since I didn’t have a credit card, I had to get the tickets from the self operating kiosks which are convenient and function smoothly as a breeze.

I had the plans of covering Innsbruck, Salzburg, Hallstatt, St. Gilgen and Kitzsteinhorn Glacier. And must I say I covered all ! So here is the step by step detail of all the aforementioned places.

Innsbruck (the Mecca of winter sports)

Innsbruck, the capital of Tirol is often regarded as the Mecca for winter sports. It’s the venue for the winter Olympics as it offers unparalleled opportunities for skiing (albeit, a bit expensive) and other snow sport activities. As I alight from the train at Innsbruck Hbf, I’m greeted with a slight chill in the wind (given the fact I travelled from 34⁰C) and unpolluted clean air to breathe. I felt like going for a run through the town but unfortunately my feelings felt under the containment protocol as I didn’t bring my running shoes and had my 6 kg camera bag on my shoulders. As I was busy making my plans of going to Nordkette, a sudden realization dawned on me which wasn’t a good one. I planned to store my luggage at the lockers available at the train station but to my utter dismay I found out that there was not ONE single locker that was empty! Palmface moment. So the next thing I do is get a bottle of water and start walking towards the Innsbruck Congress station after asking for directions from a stern but cooperative security guard. While chugging along with my 15kg trolley I realized what a beauty Innsbruck is! Bright sunshine made it look like a town straight outta fairytale chapter. It took me around 20 mins to reach my destination by walking (I am a pretty fast walker) and I got my tickets for the Hungerburg funicular (cable car) to the topmost sight-seeing spot (Hafelekar) which cost me about 28 Euros and embarked on the ascent to my first photographic location to satiate the thirst of the traveller within me. I made a stop at Seegrube and asked at the ticket counter (yes, there is a ticket counter at the intermediate stops too) whether I could keep my big trolley somewhere. A very polite official offered to keep my luggage in their storeroom and spared me the agony of pulling my luggage at an altitude of 7400 ft. God bless such kind and understanding people!

On exiting the cable car at Hefelekar, I was in complete awe of the view. I was mesmerized beyond the dimensions of reality by the beauty of the Tyrolean range. Oh boy, what a scene to behold! I could exhaust a 16 GB memory card standing at that one location itself. The town of Innsbruck at the center surrounded by green mountains, the view of which was obscured by some floating clouds, presented a picture where even MMA fighters could stop their fights midway and start reciting poetry. I saw quite a number of hikers who were enthusiastically hiking all the way from bottom up the steep trail to reach where we stood in what seemed like 8 hours (we reached in 8 minutes, thanks to the superb cable car). That’s when I learnt from my fellow European travellers that hiking is undoubtedly the most common outdoor activity in which people engage along with their friends, families and pets. Needless to say I was engrossed in capturing the beauty with my newly bought Nikon 18-35mm lens (http://www.nikonusa.com/en/nikon-products/product/camera-lenses/af-s-nikkor-18-35mm-f%252f3.5-4.5g-ed.html). More on the lens later for my photography enthusiast readers, for now let’s stick to Tirol!

Atop the place, I met a very friendly family. The lady who was a mom of 2 impeccably cute kids gave me some useful info on navigating the old town. But the most important help which she did was to find a place for me to stow my luggage. There is a shopping mall called ‘Sillpark’ where I can keep my luggage for 3-4 hours. I couldn’t thank her enough for the help she extended to me! Her friend asked me about my whereabouts and was so pleased to know that I came from India. On asking the reason for her happiness, I discovered she was a travel agent posted in Sri Lanka for 20 years! Now that’s some true example of global outreach of business. She expressed her dismay of not being able to visit India even once in those 20 years, but I assured her she could be my guest anytime.

After 2 hours of extensive photography and innumerable panoramas, I took the cable car and descended to the level of horse drawn carriages and tress from amongst the clouds. Found out ‘Sillpark’ and kept my luggage, thanked the personnel at the counter for his cooperation and made my way to the old part of the town. It was the typical European small town with lovely stone roads and colorful alleys. Very soulful in its absoluteness. I strolled into the market area where the shops and eateries are located. Saw the house with the golden roof. It was a pretty busy street with the usual hustle-bustle as it was the first day of sunshine after a long heist of rainy days. The sun gods were definitely pleased with my presence and endeavor in the land of Mozart. Beautiful homes adorned with flowers, polite shopkeepers, enthusiastic travelers and the street performers make it an absolute delight for anyone visiting this place. There are a lot of shops selling a myriad of gifts to take home to, but as is usual with touristy places; they were ridiculously over-priced.

I took the evening train RJ 169 back to Salzburg where I retired for the night inYOHOInternational youth hostel (booked it from http://www.hostelbookers.com). It was a really good value-for-money hostel with loads of young people and incredibly helpful staff. I even managed to get a wake-up call at 05:00 hrs the next morning from the guy at the reception who was in the night shift! The Greek god (the reception guy was from Greece) bestowed a good start to my day for Hallstatt. They even stored my luggage very securely for the whole day while I was touring Hallstatt to pick it up in the evening. For the journey to Hallstatt, check my next post!