Jokulsargjufur National Park. There is now an official campsite at Dettifoss on the west bank of the Jokulsa a Fjollum (ie the side with the marked walking route, not the side with the good road. It's approx 100 yards along the way marked trail running north from the jeep park (ie I would not encourage anyone to take a car along this road). The campsite is not visible from the parking area. Camping there is free - please sign the visitors' book kept by the water supply. Facilities are very basic: pit toilets back at the parking area and a small drinking water supply. Good (non-glacial)drinking water can be found about an hour's walk north along the way marked trail. The Asbyrgi warden asks campsite visitors to follow standard "good camping" practice - don't leave any litter, don't pour hot water out onto vegetation etc. We were also warned not to drink the water from the large butts by the toilet - this water is intended for handwashing only and its potability cannot be guaranteed. The campsite is intended for short visits by small groups of walkers and does not have vehicular access. The Dettifoss to Asbyrgi hike was one of the high points of our Iceland trip and I would count it as one of the best walks I've ever done.
Sue Thomason & Rory Newman (July 98)
The telephone numbers are changing - all the five digits numbers were replaced by six digit numbers. To obtain the new number, just add a 3 after the country code : Faroe country code + 3+old 5 digit number.
Marco Simone Zuppone (May 98)
What a great destination Rekjaaviik is. The scenery is spectacular, we loved the Golden Circle Tour. In one day we walked along a beach and spotted icebergs, had a snowball fight at a glacier, ran away from steaming hot jets of water from a geyser, and took some fabulous piccies of huge glacial waterfalls and a four hundred year old church. This was all on a thumping hangover courtesy of some of the best nightclubs I have ever visited. Most people in Iceland still believe in little goblins that live under the ground and come out at night so they are a pretty interesting bunch to talk to (and very attractive too!). If possible, I recommend a guided trip into the interior (constantly shifting due to volcanic activity) by four wheel drive. Take plenty of money as everything is expensive and stock up on the duty free booze.
Susan Reid (Apr 98)
It is possible to hire 21-speed mountain bikes from the Reykjavik campground for Ikr1100 for the day. It is not a joke to undertake a bike ride only if the weather is calm and clear. When we left the campground it was overcast but by the time we reached Krafla we could just about see our hands in front of our faces. We only got to Viti by leaving the bikes at the Power plant and hitching along with some Fins who had been living in Iceland for the past two years and even they lost their way as the fog was so thick. When we eventually did reach the crater we could just about make out the line of the water and no more; so if the weather is not clear when you plan on going to Viti, just buy the postcard instead.
Avril Behan (IRE) & Nathalie Chuat (CH) (Aug 97)
The fate of the Greenland coastal ship Kinunguak
The Kununguak was sold in 1991 to Ovik Line and renamed OVIK SAGA. "Ovik" is the usual short name of the city of Ornskoldsvik in northern Sweden, from where the ship was to have run cruises to Finland. The OVIK SAGA was laid-up for some time at Gustavsvik near Harnosand to the south of Ornskoldsvik, before being sold again in 1995 and renamed LINNEA. In March 1997, the LINNEA was advertised for sale for US$1.5 million; the ad said she was laid-up in Bangkok, but a Danish phone number was given.
G P Hamer - UK (Jan 98)
The Samskip Line (as mentioned in the LP guide to Iceland - cargo ship travelling) no longer operates its passenger service between Hull and Reykjavik.
No name (Dec 97)
