Before leaving I loaded up the iPod with about 1,000 songs. I brought a cassette adapter but, taking a calculated risk, left the FM transmitter at home. The rental car only had a CD player (ugh), and to make me bitter it turns out they do have the same FM spectrum at the U.S. (there were reasons to doubt this). Luckily, I did have a laptop, some digital music, a CD burner and a 4 blank discs for picture backup. We burned three CDs. They got heavy rotation but all held their own. Two albums from the Icelandic band Sigur Ros - Agaetis Byrjun and ( ) - who have been hailed as the 'saviors of 21st century rock' and was a perfect atmospheric accompaniment to the landscape. The other was the Stones' Exile on Main Street...which pretty much fits any scene framed by a windshield.
We began the day on the black beaches of Vik, just down the hill from our hostel. We headed our separate ways and walked the sand in mediation for what seemed like hours.
A perfect fall off of Route 1. We climbed a small fence and then up a steep, terraced hill to get near the splash. Below is a view of the very typical Icelandic farm.
Coming down the terraced hill.
