Photos: (1) View from the hotel window; (2-4) Mushrooms, blueberries and crowberries, taken over the next few days in ÞórsmörkI’m on my way to Iceland again! This is my birthday trip. I will be turning 40 this month and what better way to celebrate such a milestone than with a trip to my favorite place in the world? Originally I considered doing something really big and special for this trip to Iceland, like climbing the highest peak Hvannadalshnjúkur (2,109 m/6921 ft) or hiring a guide to take me to the top of a mountain that has always fascinated me – Hrútafell (the one along the Kjalvegur hiking route). Later I decided on a more relaxing alternative – spending a few days in Þórsmörk, a nature reserve in the southern highlands, nestled in a valley between glaciers, that is known for its lush vegetation. Although I’ve been there once before in the summer a few years ago, fall is a special time of the year with the vegetation turning brilliant colors and the hillsides abundant with various berries and mushrooms. However, the destruction of my tent a few weeks ago changed my plans a bit.
I arrive in Reykjavík the early evening and check into my room at the Salvation Army Guesthouse. It’s a mild 15°C (60°F). The recent hurricane Irene that caused bad weather on the US east coast brought this mild, unusually warm weather to Iceland. After buying groceries for my trip into the highlands tomorrow, I meet a friend or dinner. It’s Friday night in the city, the weekend party is in full swing, and the walls are so thin at the guesthouse that sleep is next to impossible. But I’m on vacation and don’t mind one bit!
