Another day in Þjórsárdal
Chilly morning today and we get up in the drizzle. Going to Ytri Rangá again to meet our local friends and have a bit of a paddle together.
We have a great ceremony to perform this morning. The giant cardboard box we have used to store the first two weeks of food in has come to an end. It is a bit large, and has been cluttering up the back of the Landrover and generally getting in the way. There is one tin of tomatoes left which I eat before we smash up the box.
We all meet up, and there are quite a few Icelandic Kayakers here today. We just paddle at the slalom site and this proves to be great fun. I don’t paddle as my shoulder is rather painful, but I get some great pics to Tom playing in his Pyranha Mountain Bat. One of the Icelandic gets led on by Tom and swims! It is his first swim for 11 years, much to his embarrassment.
The day turns in to more of a social gathering than a serious kayaking day, but we all enjoy it. We attempt to introduce the game of kicking a hacky sack about, but with limited success. We say our goodbyes for the week and promise to let them know what we are up to at the weekends.
Set off east again to look for new entertainment and get temporarily halted by a fat bus trying to cross a small bridge on the Ytri Rangá. Everyone gets out of the bus and the driver offers the vehicle to the bridge. Alas, the bridge is too small, or the bus too fat, and he has to back off.
Off towards the Markarfljót and a big canyon to inspect. Also discover it costs £8.00/night/person for sleeping bag accommodation, which appears to be a space on the floor of a village hall. Not hard to see why we are wild camping so much.