Who would visit Iceland and NOT see a geyser? Not us, so this trip was high on our agenda. The distant spouts of the geysers were intermittently visible as we crossed country from Pingvallam, and when we finally arrived at the visitor centre, we were pleasantly surprised to discover that we could visit the site, at leisure, with no charge.
We took the route from the car park and entered the geyser park, the odd vent of steam and then some spluttering from the one they affectionately call Litli-Geysir. And then, with an eruption to our right, we see the tale end of the spot. Initially, I’m disappointed, and then I remember that this geyser, Strokkur, erupts every 20 minutes or so. Despite the lousy weather, we can be patient and wait for the next performance. Cameras at the ready, we form an orderly queue, but take our eye off the geyser momentarily just at the very moment the things decides to erupt. After a time (Strokkur was performing more frequently than ever, as it was more like every 5 minutes), we sussed out the telltale signs. The water in the well hole would start to bubble, then be sucked into the hole before being blown out to form a significant dome on the well’s surface. Shortly after, a massive eruption would take place and a torrent of water and steam would be shot skyward before subsiding. Sometimes Strokkur would blow off two or three times in quick succession, and others just the once. As if to confuse the hoards of tourists gathered for the spectacle, Strokkur has no set frequency and sometimes will suck the water into the depths several times before going for the big one. It is a phenomenal sight and so impressive, you are guaranteed that a routine will be played out for your amusement.
A gentle tip – check out the wind direction before positioning yourself for a photo. We saw several visitors who failed to do the calculations – wind speed x height of eruption = trajectory + potential drenching. The resultant dousing can be significant! We didn’t explore the park too fully, as the weather was not too kind to us, but made our way back to the car park, not being able to resist a frequent look back over our shoulder to catch a further demonstration of Strokkur’s prowess.
Predictably, there’s a shop and café on site, and like countless others, we head for it. The prices seem ridiculously high, but the items are high quality and not outrageously more expensive than anywhere else in the island. Here you can buy clothing (protective and fashionable), coffee-table books, and a whole range of gifts and souvenirs. Remember, if you spend over 4000kr in one shop, you can claim the tax back as you leave the island, which makes the prices a little more reasonable.
It was a fascinating experience well worth the effort.