Light rain is falling, but that sound is not what awakened me. Urgent email notifications were buzzing from my phone. I see that my ship has been delayed by one day for the next part of my journey. Although I have almost a week before that part of my trip, it still fills me with anxiety. I need to find a place to stay for the extra night in a town that already has very limited accommodations.
As luck would have it, my current location is relatively close to the town of Seydisfjordur where the ship departs, so I have an early, quick breakfast and get on the road to head over the mountain, in hopes that I can secure lodging for an extra night. The detour is about two hours off my scheduled route. The rain is still falling lightly and the fog is thick, making visibility tough and stress levels high.
As I arrive in town, I see the infamous blue church, but can’t fully appreciate it given my current predicament. I find that my current hotel as no rooms left for an extra night. In checking AirBnb and other sites, nothing is available. I head over to the local park, to see if I can get a tent. He is more than understanding, and thinks he can help me, but it’s up to the owner, and that person is currently unavailable. I’m succumbing to the realization that I may be sleeping outside under a tree, which is not ideal.
I end up not getting anything resolved, but have a few emails out with the hopes that once I end up in my final location for today that I’ll have heard back from someone that can help me. With that, I head back onto the road. There is only so much I can control.
I see small Skogafoss waterfall as I leave town. The rain has let up for the moment, so I pull off the road and take a small walk up to it. The rocks are extremely slippery from the night’s rain, but seeing this beauty helps my mood brighten.
As I come to my first eastern fjord, my mood gets better. The rain and low clouds have lessened, and the scenery of these small villages against the backdrop of mighty mountains, waterfalls and the ocean take my breath away.
The was my best day on the Ring Road so far. When I finally arrive in Höfn, I see the mighty Vatnajökull Glacier in the background of a beautiful glacial valley. I almost immediately just start hiking, exploring this area by foot, feeling the wind against my face.
That evening as I sit down for my meal, I see that I can get a bed in a hostel for the extra night that I need. I have to arrange a few different taxi’s though as the hostel isn’t in the town where my ship departs, but at least I have a roof over my head. I’ve never stayed in a hostel before, so I look on the bright side of things and chalk it up to another new experience.
It at least puts my mind at ease, as I watch the sky slowly turn dark. It’s almost 11 p.m.
