Gravel Roads, the East Fjords and Hengifoss

There's not much that needs to be said about this day! We drove... and drove... and drove. The weather changed a dozen times and the scenery changed even more. We set off from Hofn knowing that we had quite a long drive through the east fjords to Seydisfjordur, but I had a detour planned to hike to Hengifoss which was about 30 minutes off the ring road.

I think for this post... the pictures should tell the story.

View from the hotel lobby - beautiful morning rainbow with mountains and glacier back drop

On the road again

This chair? 

#drivinginiceland

These one-lane bridges are everywhere! The reasoning is that when the volcanoes erupt, these bridges are much cheaper to replace than a full two-lane bridge. 

We pulled off so I could enjoy the views! #driverprobs

Just your normal, everyday, side of the highway view

The weather changes so fast! 

Rain with fog rolling in

Our first gravel road! We had been warned but it was so much worse than we expected... Remember we're in a Yaris! 

This road was so bumpy, my fitbit gave me credit for an "outdoor bike" ride

Oh pavement, glorious pavement! 

Finally! Coffee!! There had been nothing for miles and miles... but this shop was closed :(

Views from the highway

Noooooooooooooo

I guess this is my life now

GRAVEL SWITCH BACKS up the mountain?! East Fjords, what have we done to deserve this? White knuckling while Andy snaps photos (and tells me I'm doing a great job)

Made it to the the top of the mountain and it feels like heaven up here! Are those trees?! Is that a blue sky???? Is that greenery?? Have we taken a wrong turn and left Iceland?

Photo credit to Andy... some of these turned out just stunning

Lagarfljót Lake

First view of Hengifoss!

Hengifoss is regarded as Iceland third tallest waterfall at 128m

Trailhead

This is Litlanesfoss! It's along the hike to Hengifoss

Andy's getting excited!

I must drink all the waterfalls

LOL

I really like how this shot turned out :)

The path to no where

These photos don't do this area justice. It was just SO gorgeous in every direction

There's the road we came in on! It crosses the lake

More switchbacks!! Our drive down to Seydisfjordur! 

There's my Day 5 photo album! Andy had a hard time deciding if the Hengifoss hiked beat the hike to Kvernufoss, the secret waterfall :P How can you even compare... another day, another adventure. Iceland is more to offer than we have time and energy! The rest of this day was rather uneventful. The car was absolutely filthy from the rain and muddy gravel roads, so we went and washed it at the gas station. I also inspected it for damage... I was driving like a grandma on those roads - I had read way too many rental car company horror stories about gravel damage and how much it can cost you.

We ate dinner in Seydisfjordur... it was supposed to be at a sushi place (the best in Iceland according to some) but we has missed it closing for the season by a week!! I can't believe I didn't see that anywhere when I was researching :( We weren't thrilled about the place we ended up instead. We did have a really nice beer though - Viking White Ale - MUCH better than Viking's lager.