Well, if yesterday was all about the ice – today was about water.   Ice and I got along just fine yesterday.   Mind you, I did walk all over it so maybe its’ pal water was a little mad and decided to take it out on me today…

We left Vik, our final stop on our Ring Road adventure, and headed back to Reykjavik around 10am.   First we stopped at Reynisdrangur which are a cluster of sea stacks in the water near Vik.   We parked the car at the entrance and walked towards the sea stacks only to find they were not the only attraction at this beach.

Along the beach there is a cliff face made of basalt called Halsanefshellir that forms columns down the side and then sea caves down below.   Of course, for me, I can never get enough of the sight and sounds of rolling waves crashing onto the shore.

Like a little kid, I rushed down the black sand down to where the waves were rolling in to see how close I could get to them.   I found the answer – too close!   Not once, but twice, the waves quickly rolled in past my feet soaking my boots and the bottom of my pants.

I didn’t care.   I was having a great time.

I then ventured down the beach to where Reynisdrangur was standing about 20m away from the shore.   I kept walking past the growing number of large jagged rocks that were littered at the end of the beach to, once again, see how close I could get to the cluster of sea stacks.

The answer once again – too close!

I thought I had protection from the crashing waves by standing a foot off the ground behind a giant rock.   I took my video camera out and for the first while the rock did exactly what I thought it would.   The waves hit the rock and parted to each side leaving me protected.

And then a giant wave crashed upon the shore soaking me from head to toe.   Once again, all I could do was laugh.   Like a little kid, I was enjoying this experience.   I was grinning from ear to ear even if I desperately needed a change of clothes and something to wash out the taste of salt water from my mouth.

I will say it made for good video:

Next we went looking for an old plane fuselage someone had told Dorianne about.   It wasn’t technically a tourist attraction so there was no signage to where it was and she had very obscure instructions on how to get there.

We never did actually find what we were looking for but we did drive about 2 miles over black sand to the ocean front.   Once again I was a kid but this time the waves and I had an understanding and I came back to the car unscathed.

We also went up a windy road up a hillside to see a lighthouse.   When I got out of the car to explore, I couldn’t believe how windy it was up there.   I actually had trouble holding still as I took photos.

We stopped at a couple of waterfalls along the way too.

The first was Skógafoss.   Unfortunately it was a cloudy day today so we didn’t get to see any rainbows that are usually prevalent here.   We climbed up the hillside on a metal staircase to the top.

Of course, we went to the bottom of the falls where I decided I would so how close I could get to the falls.

The answer – yup, you got it – too close!

Soaked for the 2nd time today!

After a second change of clothes I was now in my 3rd and final pair of pants I had for this trip – my sweatpants I use as pajamas.

The second waterfall we went to was Seljalandsfoss.   At this waterfall you can actually follow a path behind and witness it from both sides.

I didn’t take any chances this time and put my wet jeans over my sweats which actually gave me 4 layers of clothing.   It worked!   My sweats staying dry!

Yay!   I had something to wear the rest of the day!

Around 5pm we finally arrived back in Reykjavik.   It’s always weird coming back into a city you’ve already visited as you truly do feel at home.   You recognize the streets and the shops and of course you know the layout of the hostel already.

After a quick checkin I went to my room where I immediately started the great “clothes drying mission”.   I cranked the heater in the room and systematically placed my wet clothes over it.   I have to say, the mission was a success and by the end of the night everything was once again dry.

As my clothes were drying I went out into the Reykjavik night to have a nice fancy dinner.   It was so amazing that I have devoted a whole blog just to it.   You can read Part 2 of this day here.