Conquering The World
by Tomas Cironis
Iceland 2015
I came back from South America and had just few days to relax and get my things together before our departure to Polar circle. The worst enemy was jetlag, which was 7 hours less in Arequipa and when I got used to european time, I left for Iceland where are 2 hours less, again. This lack of sleep hit me on day four, but about that later on.
We set up a lot of things during my time in Peru, so back in Czech republic I was finishing just last details. I believed everybody was looking forward to that trip. Our team had 6 members; me, Petr, his girlfriend Evka, my travel-mate Drboš, buddy from floorball Hafik and our common friend Cína. My brother should came with us but we couldn't find free time for our trip, he was in Tel Aviv/Israel, at that time.
Monday 7th of September
Hafik came to our flat one day earlier, we packed most of the staff into Petr's bag and then went to Chinese restaurant for a dinner and beer. You know, as a reward! During that night I realised that Hafik's birthday number, which I put on insurance contract, is incorrect. We could leave it and don't care but you know Murphy and his laws... When something can go wrong, it will.
Tuesday 8th of September
I went to the insurance company in the morning to change the contract and make sure Hafik is all right. Around 10am came Drbos and Cina to our flat in Prague and we decided to unpack everything and put it into Cina and Hafik's bags. When we finished, Drbos went for a weight machine and we found out that our bags weight around 50kilos (limit was 32)! After short discussion we decided to buy one more big bag to the airplane, so our limit was 55kilos now, which should fit.
We ordered pizza for lunch and watched "Around the world in 80 days" movie with
Jackie Chan. You know...as a reward :). After that we went to Florenc for PolskiBus, which left Prague on time at 3:40pm (what a difference to Peru where "departure at 3:40 means that Bus comes around 4...maybe..."). After only 20mins we got stuck in traffic, Drbos stated "that ended quite quickly...".
We crossed the borders to Poland around 7pm and got to Wroclaw at 9pm, during the way we were talking (especially Drboš was) and telling jokes. I remember only one; „Víte, proč se Slovensku říká MaRoKo ?“
I'll tell you someday...
Wednesday 9th of September
In Gdansk we found the railway station, where we hid our heavy bags and asked I believe the only pretty girl in Gdansk (!), for the way to airport. We didn't meet any more pretty girls in Poland. Drbos came with another joke; „do you know how is pretty girl in Poland called? Tourist....“ Then walking in downtown and around river, we had hot dogs for lunch and after that went to the airport. Weight of luggages was unfortunately higher, we had to change things. When we finished, we realized that our flight was 1 hour delayed... not cool. After getting through Control Point we were waiting and watching a guy from window, who was loading the luggages to our airplane and we were waiting for our bags, because they were one of the heaviest.
The flight was ok, Hafik was really excited, first time for him travelling by a plane. He took a lot of pictures from window. When we arrived in Keflavik, we went to change money, I found GEYSIR and TAXI, who then took us to FitHostel. We quickly checked-in, walked around, took a dinner and went sleep.
Thursday 10th of September
In the morning we split up; me and Petr went for car, others were shopping and Evka made Spaghetti for lunch.
Our first stop was famous Blue Lagoon. It was nice view but so smelly around there. Everywhere was Sulfur. We took some pictures and then got back on the way. Our next stop was famous cave called „ARNAKER“. Eventhough it was new adventure for me, I made a huge mistake over there. We split up;
Hafik, Drboš and me went to the longer part of the cave and I didn't let Petr know. He, Evka and Cina staied on surface and they were scared about us because we weren't coming back for more than hour. I know how angry would I be, if they went to cave and I was waiting outside, so I apologised deeply when we came back. That shouldn't happened, especially in dangerous enviroment, such as caves.
Our first night was in the middle of forrest where we built our tents. I slept quite well.
Friday 11th of September
After breakfest, we quickly packed everything, went to explore seconed cave where Petr, Hafik and me got to the very end of it. Accordint to info table, it was more than 1 kilometer long. Big adventure! Next we went to a shore, checked the famous (and so crowded) Geysir, and went away from people to have a lunch.
We found great rest place near the road where we stopped. During the cooking, came near us a guy with USA Scholl Bus. I told him: „nice Bus“ but he understood me "nice butt", so I succesfully made another akward moment in another country...
Our next way took us to the Iceland's most famous waterfall which name I succesfully forgot but I'm gonna Google it (if I don't forget). The most memorable moment was when we crossed the safe fence to get better picture with waterfall and only Hafik was caught by Police-Woman. She was quite angry at him and we showed him support by laughing so much. We're really great friends....
We spent this night at camp which looked silently. But only looked, during the night we heard music from near Discoparty, but that wasn't the worst thing that happened to me that night.
Saturday 12th of September
I didn't sleep even few minutes. There was always something wrong with me, I felt really miserable. Around 5am I gave it up and got up from tent. It was then when I realised I couldn't breathe correctly and couldn't open my eyes widely. I found out that I had (for the first time in my life) an allergic reaction. Till now I don't know what caused it... Luckily it went away after 2 hours so we could got back to the car. But that day there was everything wrong right from the beginning. I'm not gonna complain much so I'll tell you about the biggest disaster that happend.
Before I borrowed the car from GEYSIR I asked them what type of fuel I should choose at the Gas Station. „It's diesel“ I was told. I looked into technical papers from car and there was witten DIESEL. So when we got to the Gas Station I put diesel in our car. Then we went for approximately 2 kilometers away and our car broke down.
I knew it had to be this problem so I only once tried to start the car and then gave it up. I called the agency and they told me that our car is for Gasoline of-course.
I described them what's our position and they told me they're gonna bring us new car, but we have to wait for 4 or 5 hours....
Others went for a small trip, I stayed in the car if the Agency came up early. I could atleast sleep for a little
while.
When others came back we checked the bridge. Guy from agency came before sunset and he gave us new car in LIMITED edition! He took our broken one. We gave some candies to his kids who came with him. It had to be nice trip for them during Saturday. Anyway back to the car... Everything was electronic, it was like super-car from future! We had even heated seats and driving wheel and doors were opening and closing automaticely and so on... We decided to call that car ENTERPRISE which makes me Kirk, because I'm the captain. But Petr didn't agree all the time... He doesn't like to be Spock, I believe...
This night we spent at the viewpoint with guys from Polland, who were weird. All people from Polland I met this year were really so much different to me, I don't know why. When the Sun set we went to watch the Northern Lights but we were unsuccesfull. Atleast we survived because Hafik and Drbos decided to be our cooking chiefs. They made a soup called „everything“. It's so difficult to make... you just put everything you can find to the bowl and boil it. I'm glad we're still alive...
Evka and Cina went sleep in ENETEPRISE, Hafik slept with Petr and me with Drbos which is always remarkable experince. This time this great guy left open doors from our tent till 3 am during the wind and rain. What a suprise we were freezing in the morning... When I told him he's crazy he just answered me: „don't cry...“
Sunday 13th of September
After breakfest we split up again. Cina and Drbos decided to climb near volcanoe called Hekkla. The rest of us went to check things around and find some place to sleep for upcoming night. During the search we discovered clear water and found small woodden house for sleeping.
We didn't make it to Uluru mountain, which is the one we found and looked so similar to the famous one in Australia. During the car travel around we changed for driving, so I could sleep for a while. Hafik was driving and he was really good at it. It's not so easy to drive automatic transmission car for seven people, on Iceland.
Cina and Drboš came from Hekla but it was to hard to climb. It was really high mountain but they deserve respect even for trying.
We spent a night in this Hobbit's type of house where it was warm and lovely. It was like sanctuary in the middle of enemy's land. Me nad Drbos went for a little walk around before sleeping but we didn't find anything breathtaking. Atleast we got tired and I slept well after few terrible nights.
Monday 14th of September
We visited the Ejafjallajökull centre, where everything was so informative and so expensive. But one Lady over there told us about nice Hot Springs near by, which are free but you have to find them.
I thought she's just kidding but after maybe half an hour of walking I thought I found first bad person in Iceland. And I had to admitt I was wrong because at the end we found them. They were in the middle of mountains, volcano, iceberg and river.
Sounds like cool place for Hot Springs.
Drbos went in the water few seconds after our arrival. He's this type of guy who first shoots and then asks.
I didn't want to go because I knew I'll be freezing when I go out from water but Hafik decided he wants to go and that I have to go too.
And when Petr told me he's going back to car for towels and swim suits I agreed and went into the water. Of-course it was super warm! Of-course it was one of the best and coolest experiences of our Iceland trip but of-course I almost died when I was leaving the Hot Springs. Of-course it was fuc.ing freezing!!
Then we headed to the southest town of Iceland called Vik. There are maybe 300 people living. There is one Gas Station, one Supermarket, two restaurants and one big swimming pool. And one really nice camp. We got ready for tomorrow for the most important place for me...the wreck airplane site in the black sand beach. It's unknown place for many tourrists, it's difficult to find and it's remarkable. Sounds like great place for me!
We spent this night at living room of our camp and we were checking the Aurora forecast for Northern lights. Around 11pm we found one and it was so awesome! I was looking for them for quite long time so I felt really happy when I saw it on the sky. It's difficult to describe, you have to see it. I'm happy it's even not easy to capture on camera, as I said; you have to see it.
Eventhough we already saw it, we decided to take car and leave the town lights and go into the darkness for better view. We found it maybe 6 kilometers away. And it was breathtking.
Tuesday 15th of September
I couldn't sleep during the night again so I went to the public rooms where I met a guy
from North Korea and we had a really good talk. Those people from Korea are so interesting. It's completely different type of people and living their lifes. They enjoy every minute away from their country. Then we went to find the airplane. We left ENTERPRISE at the main road and made rest of the walk by foot.
It's more than 4 kilometers away in the black sand. It was long distance walk. Drbos had an idea to split up to cover more space. At the end the distance between us was more than 200 meters so we covered more than 1 kilometer. I don't wanna praise myslef, but guess who found the plane? Yes, it was me.
And funny story; Drbos got lost and couldn't cross small river near by. What a small kid... I took almost thousand of pictures, I really enjoyed the time around the plane because it was on of my tasks to find it. Same like to see Northern Light and I succesfully accomplished all of that during one day and night. I felt so good.
The only dissapointing thing over there was other people. It got so crowded.
We had a quick lunch and went for second waterfall – Skogafoss, I believe. One lady from United States called Drbos „crazy man“ after knowing him for 35 seconds. And how she could know he's crazy? It's easy... he decided he wants to have nice picture so he climbed right up the view point in front of the waterfall. It was maybe 40 meters down and he was jumping there and taking pictures... What a crazy man, right?
We decided to follow the river then. It was quite relaxing trip; Hafik, Drbos, Cina and me went maybe 3 kilometers next the river and then we sat down and were just talking. Then we went to send a postcards. Drbos, Hafik and Cina wanna sent one, I have to ask them if they arrived in Czech rep.
Later on we came back to the Vik camp to spent a night. We visited the church over there which looks so nice during the night. In the camp I made a bet with Drbos: "you're not gonna climb that hill ?!" so me and him went for a high distance trip. We got to the radio station and saw all the south coast. Quite nice view.
When we got back I was exhausted so I knew I'm gonna sleep well. But Drbos and Hafik came up with an idea to watch a movie! It was great idea and Hafik made it all work but I felt asleep after maybe 2 seconds.
But it's camping for 21st century, right ? :D
Wednesday 16th September
Me and Drbos woke up early again so we went to public room and we talked about the best breakfest we wish to have. And then came a group of Americans and they made exactly same breakfest as we talked about it! So unfair! Those Americans have no imagination...
Then we went to "Mýrdasjokull", which is an iceberg. But we couldn't get far because it was dangerous without equipment. We had atleast lunch made by Hafik and Drbos again called
„everything together" (biscuits, chocolate, pastika, salam, soup). I'm wondering we're still alive after what we ate over there...
Plan for the rest of a day was to climb the highest mountains over here "Hatta" (504 m.y.s.). Evka made dinner meantime and then we were watching Jurassic Park in our tent but I felt asleep again pretty soon.
Thursday 17th of September
In the morning me and Drbos went for eggs to supermarket. We want to make our own best breakfest! It was crumbled eggs. We left Vik and headed to Reykjavik, we checked the downtown (church, museum etc.) which was entertaining. Then we went to Keflavik, found place for sleeping and Hafik, Drbos and me were sleeping in a tent again. Boys decided to watch Futurama this time but even that didn't made me awake. I felt asleep.
Friday 18th of September
But funny things were happening in the morning.
Hafik played Jurassic Park movie again but Drbos destroyed everything when he throuwn on the floor our last soup that we had for breakfest. What a surprise when he and hafik decided to eat it form ground anyway. That was too much on me...
Then we slowly got to the airport, returned the ENTERPRISE and waited at the airport. Drbos built F14 from paper, and we played "who am I?" game to spent time. After check-in we didn't find anything cheap in Duty Free Zone so I bought salt chips and Drbos stole marmelade so we made Czech Tacos :D
Our flight was according to plan.
Saturday 19th of September
We went to McDonalds for breakfest, then PolskiBus and 13hours home. I have never been more glad when we crossed czech borders, than in that moment. I made it. I took everybody to the Iceland and back safely home without any injuries or problems.
This was Viking's journey...