ICELAND TRAVEL DOCUMENTARY | The Grand Icelandic Roadtrip

by CrSh
Iceland
Born from the fiery womb of the earth, and shaped by glaciers, tempests and swells,
Iceland bears a likeness to the earth when it was young -
a boisterous spirit, untamed and running wild.
Combining the inhospitable plains of the central highlands
with moss-adorned river canyons and massive ice sheets,
the island is the crown jewel of our planet’s rich treasures.
10 weeks, 9.000 kilometers, and 137 river crossings -
this is the Grand Icelandic Roadtrip.
Our journey through Iceland started by leaving the ferry in the port of Seyðisfjörður.
Located in the east of the country, this small town is mostly famous for its wooden church,
as well as the majestic fjord it is embedded in.
Already intrigued by the scenery, we decided to follow a little trail along the shoreline.
Several water crossings later, we received a warm welcome from the local fauna.
Along this path, there is a very good chance you'll be attacked by birds
because I am surrounded by a breeding colony of Arctic terns.
And they are fiercely territorial birds.
And they will attack any predator, real or perceived
by swooping down onto their head, sometimes even drawing blood.
Aside from being intensely shrill dive bombers, Arctic terns are a highly impressive species.
Known for their extremely long migrations, they are the frequent flyers of the avian world.
Their annual round trips between Iceland and Antarctica can easily add up to 70,000 km.
This allows them to spend one summer in the northern, and another in the southern hemisphere.
Breeding, however, occurs solely in the Arctic.
Whereas they are highly capable aerial acrobats,
they are not overly enthusiastic when it comes to nest building.
Laying one to three well-camouflaged eggs in a depression in the ground,
both partners share in the incubation, until the chicks hatch three to four weeks later.
Of course, even then, the parents' work is far from over,
as the voracious little birds continuously call for food.
For the next month, both male and female bring an endless stream of fish to their offspring
before they teach them how to take care of themselves.
Once we left the immediate danger of the colony behind,
we finally had the chance to take in the magnificent landscape.
On a clear day, the East Fjords are nothing short of breathtaking.
Geologically, this is one of the oldest parts of the island.
Over the course of several ice ages, massive glaciers have carved out deep fjords.
More often than not, the resulting mountain walls are adorned by countless waterfalls.
Closer to the ground, it was hard to miss the colorful blanket of lupines.