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Chris Dickson
Chris Dickson

Chris Dickson

matkusti 57 maahan. Lue lisää🇦🇺Sydney
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  • Chris DicksonNew Zealand 2025Matkaaja
    Intrepid walker, in the sun, rain and wind, all at once
    The Twizel RiverThe Twizel RiverDistant view of Mt Cook, from Twizel. Only time we saw itLake PukakiScrambling up the Glencoe TrackA tui. I thinkThe road in to Aoraki/Mt CookViews from the Glencoe WalkKea Point TrackView from Kea Point. Mt Cook is somewhere out thereLake PukakiTribute to the border collies and their role in the sheep industryThe Church of the Good ShepherdFootbridge over the Tekapo RiverLake Tekapo

    Aoraki/Mt Cook and Tekapo

    14.–18. lokak., Uusi Seelanti ⋅ ⛅ 13 °C

    Our New Zealand holiday came to an end with two more incredibly scenic destinations, as has been the case for the past three-and-a-bit weeks.

    It is a beautiful country to visit - unspoiled, unhurried, uncrowded, in some cases untamed. You can find a parking spot in all but the busiest places, and the tourist setup, especially in the national parks, is beyond excellent. There is history aplenty to go with the stunning natural beauty.

    We returned to the alps with a visit to Mt Cook, about forty-five minutes from our base in the town of Twizel. Even the drive in was great, with pretty Lake Pukaki adding still more shades of blue to the world’s collection.

    When we arrived, we set out on the short Glencoe Walk, only about twenty minutes to a viewpoint just behind the township. It was a steep, scrambling affair that soon had us regretting the excessive food and drink of the past three weeks. The views from the end of the walk were excellent, though.

    Back in town, we had lunch at a cafe that managed to include not a single healthy item on its menu. You could have a burger. Or a cake. They didn’t even do decaf.

    Then we walked out to Kea Point, about six kilometres return. The walking was easy, along gravel tracks and boardwalks, and the scenery excellent.

    The weather was interesting, too. It was sunny, with light rain falling, and an icy wind that at times cut through the thickest of clothing.

    Anyway, we soon reached the end and were rewarded with a striking view of the glacier moraine and the nearby cliffs. And the space between the cliffs where Mt Cook would be were it not completely obscured by cloud.

    So we made our way back, Mt Cook viewless, and drove back to Twizel for some drinks and dinner.

    Our final destination was Lake Tekapo, a short drive from Twizel.

    Another impossibly-blue, impossibly-scenic lake, with a small but growing township at its southern end, we enjoyed a quiet few days to finish off the holiday.

    We took a look at the Church of the Good Shepherd, which, back in 1935, its founders had the good sense to put on a promontory with lake and mountain scenery all around.

    All that is needed for the perfect photo, apparently, is to strike the right pose in front of it, or so it seemed from the busloads of people who were doing just that.

    And so we are on our way home, looking forward to seeing loved ones, going on a diet and saving up for another adventure.    Lue lisää

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  • Chris DicksonNew Zealand 2025Matkaaja
    Northern royal albatross
    Dunedin Town HallThe stylish Regent Theatre, conveniently between two pubsDunedinDunedin courthouseDunedin Railway StationCustomer desk from the local BNZ branchSome fossilsBaldwin Street, Dunedin, steepest in the worldBeautiful KaritaneKaritaneŌamaru historic buildingsMr and Mrs Dickson welcome you to their homeTold you it was hands onSteampunkQuick rendition of the Monster MashSteampunk feature in our hotel room

    Dunedin and Ōamaru

    10.–14. lokak., Uusi Seelanti ⋅ ☁️ 20 °C

    After we hopped off the boat in Milford Harbour we did a coast to coast drive, ending up in the south-east, in Dunedin.

    And what a nice, neat city it is! A good selection of historic buildings, including the iconic Dunedin Railway Station, a semi-pedestrianised city centre with shops of every persuasion and a lively drinking sector near the beautiful Regent Theatre on the Octagon.

    But before all that, we visited an albatross.

    We took a long, slow drive around the north coast of the Otago Peninsula, hugging the coast the whole way and passing through numerous tiny villages until we reached the Royal Albatross Centre. That’s “royal” as in a northern royal albatross, not “Royal”, as in some kind of kingly or queenly patronage.

    Unfortunately, the albatrosses were either shy or, more likely, not back from their two year sojourn on the southern ocean winds, as we only saw one.

    They are an incredible creature, mating for life, heading off separately for two years, flying thousands of kilometres (sometimes a thousand kilometres in a single day) and then when the time comes to get together to mate again, landing back at exactly the same spot within a few hours of each other.

    It was also red-billed gull breeding season, so we were treated to numerous instances of red-billed gull fornication on the way up to the hide.

    Back in Dunedin, we enjoyed the nice buildings and the aforementioned lively drinking sector, as well as the Otago Settlers Museum.

    With all manner of exhibits, from the very early years, to the City Council’s old IBM computer, and a few boats, cars and trams in between, it was a great presentation of the history of the city, while also paying appropriate attention to Dunedin’s Scottish Free Church history.

    Then we popped in to Karitane. Not the local baby-feeding-help clinic, but the village of Karitane, where the first such place was opened at the house of infant nutrition pioneer Sir Truby King. It was an absolutely beautiful little place.

    Further north is Oamaru, where spent a few days.

    Again, we kicked off with some wildlife spotting, spending a few chilly hours watching the occupants of Oamaru’s blue penguin colony make their way home after a day’s fishing. It was fascinating to watch them emerge from the water, clamber up the bank, then, on some random impulse, dash (well, waddle quickly but awkwardly) across no man’s land to the nests. Sadly, no photos were allowed of this fantastic sight.

    Oamaru has some considerable former glory, having made fortunes out of gold, shipping, wool and frozen meat exports - it was the first in the world to commence this last one.

    As a result of this, it has a couple of blocks of extremely well-preserved Victoria /Edwardian buildings, now repurposed into museums, arts centres and shops.

    We had a look at the wonderfully fun and informal Whitestone City, a museum with all manner of hands-on artifacts.

    The third arrow in Oamaru’s quiver is as a centre for steampunk. We spent a couple of very fun hours at Steampunk HQ, enjoying the interesting-to-say-the-least exhibits.

    The steampunk theme was continued at our hotel, which was decorated like pretty much no other we have seen. Our room was adorned with whips and tractor seats, although I promise neither got used during our stay.

    Next off, we head inland again for the final few days of our trip.    Lue lisää

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  • Chris DicksonNew Zealand 2025Matkaaja
    Milford Sound
    Cromwell Historic PrecinctArrowtown Chinese SettlementArrowtown Main StreetLake Wakatipu, QueenstownQueenstownThe celebrated TSS Earnslaw, on WakatipuPrecipitous street down to townAnother jetty, on Lake Te AnauA takahe, endangered, and rather odd-lookingEglinton Valley, en route to Milford SoundA kea, brazen and cheekyOn board the good ship Milford MarinerMilford SoundOur mooring for the night, in Harrison CoveOut in the Tasman SeaMirror Lake, on the way back out

    Queenstown and Piopiotahi/Milford Sound

    5.–9. lokak., Uusi Seelanti ⋅ ☁️ 9 °C

    On the way to Queenstown, on a cold, clear morning, we stopped firstly at the Cromwell Heritage Precinct, a bunch of old buildings relocated to higher ground when Lake Dunstan was created in 1992.

    From there we popped into historic Arrowtown, a gold mining town dating from 1862.

    The remains of the town’s Chinese settlement were fascinating, as was the historic Main Street of the town, where the businesses are now employed extracting gold from the wallets of the tourists.

    Queenstown itself more than lived up to its hype, although the weather was a little unkind to us. We enjoyed walking down the incredibly steep hill (not so much walking up, though!) from our accommodation to the township, and walking past the forty-five-minute-plus queues at Fergburger to get to the waterfront.

    Being too old, too sensible and too tight-arsed for the adventure activities, we enjoyed the walk out around Queenstown Gardens, a cruise on Lake Wakatipu and a drive up to the village of Glenorchy in pouring rain.

    From there, via a couple of nights overlooking the picture-postcard lake at Te Anau, we made our way to Milford Sound for an overnight cruise.

    The weather by this time was a bit dreadful, very cold and windy and with a major rain event forecast. In fact, the Milford Road was forecast to close the day we drove in, leaving us to hope it would be reopened in time for our exit the following day.

    As it turned out, though, we were a bit lucky. Quite a few of the 6,800 annual millimetres fell whilst we were driving in but once we set sail from Milford Harbour the rain stopped and we had a couple of wonderful hours cruising up close to the waterfalls, some permanent and hundreds of others just random rivulets cascading down the cliffs.

    It was a wonderful experience to wake up in the morning, pull the curtains aside and see the light slowly bringing into focus the calm water and the imposing cliffs rising on all sides.

    The following morning was clearer still, as we sailed out through the entrance to the sound for a brief sojourn in the Tasman Sea. That entrance is hard to spot from the ocean, so much so that even noted apprentice grocer James Cook missed it as he sailed past.

    Leaving Milford, we were third in the queue when the road was reopened, too, so our luck held out to the end. What a great experience!    Lue lisää

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  • Chris DicksonNew Zealand 2025Matkaaja
    Peter's Pool, a kettle lake near Franz Josef
    Extract from the Arahura Deed of PurchaseFranz Josef Glacier, from the viewpointGlacier closeupPeter's PoolThe Waiho RiverBridge across the Waiho leading to Robert's Point TrackFox GlacierNot a kiwi, but a tuatara, also at the Wilderness CentreA new day - and a change of weatherThe Waikukua RiverRoaring Billy FallsThe Haast River, and Roaring Billy FallsThunder Creek Falls, also on the Haast RiverFantail Falls, also on the Haast RiverBridge to the Blue PoolsThe Blue Pools, on the Makarora RiverThe Blue PoolsThe Blue PoolsLake WanakaWanaka. It started raining soon after we arrivedEels in Lake WanakaLake WanakaThe Tree at WanakaWanaka Station Park

    Franz Josef/Waiau and Wanaka

    1.–5. lokak., Uusi Seelanti ⋅ ☁️ 8 °C

    We left pretty Punakaiki in very unpretty, wet, windy weather, and drove south to Hokitika, where we took a glance at Sunset Point before retreating into the Hokitika Museum.

    There, we read about the Arahura Deed of Purchase, whereby the white people bought 7.5 million acres of the West Coast for three hundred pounds - about $NZ45,000 (or less than a cent per acre) today.

    Actually, the agent who did the deal was sent out with four hundred pounds, but managed to beat them down. It didn’t matter so much, though, as of the fourteen signatories to the agreement, two were women, so they didn’t get anything anyway.

     On a chilly, four-degree morning, we took a scenic walk out to Franz Josef glacier.

    The track took us to a viewing platform right next to the glacier. Oh, wait - that was in 1910!
    The glacier has now retreated three kilometres back into the hills, mainly thanks to the actions of we pesky humans.

    Actually, the lack of close-up glacier contact was more than made up for by the peaceful, still atmosphere. There were very few people around and the only sounds we could hear on our walks in the area were birds and the occasional gurgle of a nearby stream.

    Later in the day we drove the twenty kilometres or so to Fox Glacier, for a very distant, but scenic, view.

    Oh, we also saw a couple of kiwis, at the West Coast Wildlife Centre, in Franz Josef/Waiau. No photos, unfortunately, but we were so taken with these cute fluffy animals, poking around in the foliage with their stick beaks, that we went back the following day for another look.

    Then we headed south, and across the mountains through the Haast Pass.

    Roaring Billy Falls. Thunder Creek. Fantail Falls. The Blue Pools. The trip was a succession of walks along immaculately-maintained tracks to churning aquamarine streams and waterfalls, all with the imposing snow-capped peaks looming above.

    Soon enough, we were in Wanaka, a pleasant, buzzing town with a long, picturesque frontage on to its eponymous lake. After the relatively empty west coast, we were also a bit stunned to be back amongst crowds.

    Unfortunately, we had pretty bad weather for our visit and had to time our sightseeing between showers of rain.

    We managed a couple of walks along the scenic foreshore, a trip out to Glendhu Bay and a look at Wanaka Station Park.

    “That Tree at Wanaka” sits proudly in the lake and gets so many photos it might have a Banksy painted on its trunk.

    Next stop, hopefully drier, will be Queenstown.    Lue lisää

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  • Chris DicksonNew Zealand 2025Matkaaja
    Lake Rotoiti
    Cloudy BayLake Rotoiti residentsStoat trapThe wild Tasman SeaThe very fancy Visitor CentreThe path to the Pancake RocksNew Zealand flax1Tree hugging on the Truman TrackAt the end of the Truman TrackThe entrance to Constant BayConstant Bay

    St Arnaud and Punakaiki

    27. syysk.–1. lokak., Uusi Seelanti ⋅ 🌧 11 °C

    We left a sun-drenched Picton and drove to Blenheim, where we spent an enjoyable hour or so at the Cloudy Bay Winery, tasting a few samples purely in the interest of research.

    Then we headed up the valley, until the endless vineyards of Marlborough made way for hillier country, with the braided and fast-running Wairau River the dominant feature, before arriving at tiny St Arnaud, on the edge of Lake Rotoiti.

    The lakefront is incredibly picturesque, with a solitary jetty just crying out for a bikini-clad lass - admittedly with frostbite - posing on its edge. Unsurprisingly, there were none around.

    Refurbishment of the local beech forests is a big thing here. Apparently the female scale insect burrows into the beech tree and eats the sap. It then excretes honeydew through its anal passage, and this secretion is ambrosia for the birds and insects of the forest. And also, unfortunately, for the wasp, which, since being introduced into the country, has decimated the local wildlife.

    So there are hundreds of wasp-bait stations in the area, along with traps for larger predators such as rabbits, stoats and the like. The dedication of the local group who are doing this work is admirable.

    After a couple of days, we made our way to the west coast, via the very scenic old gold mining town of Reefton, to Greymouth and, finally, to Punakaiki, home to the Pancake Rocks and Blowholes.

    These proved to be much grander than their name suggests, in part thanks to the heaving, frothing Tasman Sea, which absolutely pounded the shore for the entire duration of our visit.

    From the architecturally impressive visitor centre, the path meandered through acres of New Zealand flax plants as we made our way about fifty metres to the coast.

    Once there, the circuit took us along the top of the cliffs, weaving between chasms full of churning water. From time to time, a thrump! told us to expect spray from a blowhole somewhere. It was amazing.

    We also took a drive north to Charleston, and pretty Constant Bay. Unbelievably, this tiny inlet was at one time gazetted as the official Port of Charleston. Too bad the entrance is only about thirty metres wide, and thirty metres of surging, unforgiving ocean at that. Little wonder that there were eight shipwrecks in thirteen years.

    Two days in Punakaiki has been perfect; there has even been the occasional period of fine weather! Tomorrow we head to glacier country.    Lue lisää

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  • Chris DicksonNew Zealand 2025Matkaaja
    Kaikoura township
    The Seaward Kaikoura RangeAlong the Kaikoura Peninsula WalkwayPlayful humpbackSmelly sealsSmelly seagullsSnoopy's triumphDe Havilland MosquitoJungle wreckWaikawa Bay, near PictonA change of weather, and the Picton ferry terminalPelorus BridgeCullen Point views3

    Kaikoura and Picton

    23.–27. syysk., Uusi Seelanti ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C

    We set off from Christchurch and drove a few hours up the coast to Kaikoura, through impossibly-green countryside, sometimes on easy straight tarmac but frequently very up-and-down and twisting.

    Kaikoura, despite being on the coast, is on an incredibly steep slope. The snow-capped Kaikoura Ranges rise 2,000-plus metres to landward, and the undersea Kaikoura Canyon rapidly drops 2,000 metres not far from the shoreline.

    We took a walk across the Kaikoura Peninsula, not far south of the township, and were rewarded with spectacular views and, once, the sight of a humpback whale playfully lob-tailing not far from the shore.

    The peninsula is also the site of a seal colony and sea-bird breeding ground, and we walked past these at the base of the cliffs, taking in equally the fascinating sights and the retch-inducing smells.

    Kaikoura also has the title of the site of New Zealand’s second-biggest earthquake - a 7.8 magnitude eruption back in 2016. Some of the memorabilia and photos of the damage were incredible.

    En route to Picton, we stopped at Blenheim, and popped in to the Omaka Aviation Heritage Centre. Partly the work (and, presumably, money) of Sir Peter Jackson, it was an excellent presentation. Aircraft from each of the two World Wars were depicted in typical situations, with extremely realistic backgrounds and mannequins. The sight of the Australian soldiers stealing the fur boots from the body of the Red Baron was a good example.

    Remarkably, too, there was hardly anybody there - we didn’t sight a single other visitor as we walked around the exhibits.

    The following day, we took a drive around Queen Charlotte Sound, along the tortuous scenic route to Havelock, passing pretty little seaside hamlets and spectacular cliff views - or, at least, that’s how it might have been had the incessant rain eased just slightly.

    It did clear in the afternoon, so we stopped in at Pelorus Bridge for a quick look at the attractive river, and then at Cullen Point, where, after a steep, muddy and slippery 500 metres, we found stunning views for miles up Pelorus Sound.

    Next, we move on to St Arnaud and then the West Coast.    Lue lisää

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  • Chris DicksonNew Zealand 2025Matkaaja
    2The earthquake-damaged Christchurch Cathedral
    The River AvonBotanic garden flower bedUnspeakableThe Arts CentreExhibits at Quake CityEarthquake-proofingThe Earthquake MemorialThe Church HotelNew Regent Street - eating, drinking and - if you're interested - tattooingChristchurch from Mt CavendishLyttleton from the summit of Mt CavendishThe Cardboard Cathedral

    Christchurch

    20.–23. syysk., Uusi Seelanti ⋅ ☁️ 19 °C

    Our tour of the South Island began in Christchurch, a very pleasant place indeed. We spent two full days taking in the sights and admiring the attractive gothic revival buildings - or, at least, those that were still upright after the earthquakes of 2010 and 2011.

     Christchurch, named for the Oxford University college, was founded by a bunch of Englishmen called the Canterbury Association, who acquired land, made up suitable English-sounding place names and, in 1850, sent four ships loaded with settlers over to establish a colony.

    On a cloudy-but-warm Sunday, we wandered through the botanic gardens, full of spring blooms and cherry blossoms, then back along the banks of the River Avon before a quick lunch amongst the crowds at the Riverside Markets.

    Then in the afternoon we visited Quake City, the museum dedicated to the earthquake-prone city and in particular the disastrous 2011 quake.

    The exhibits and facts were interesting, but the stories told by the people who were actually in the quake were simply compelling and, in some cases, heartrending. Interestingly, at the conclusion of the museum was another segment showing the thoughts and experiences of the same people ten years on from the quake.

    There is also a beautifully understated memorial wall on the bank of the river, listing in simple white marble the names of the victims.

    After all that earthquake trauma, we needed some refreshment. We were lucky to get a tip from our friends Chris and Vicki about the Church Hotel. It was (once) a real church, given a delightfully irreligious makeover into a pub, with lots of live music, lots of craft beers and lots of people having fun.

    It was so good that we broke our “five o’clock - beer o’clock “ rule just this once. So far.

    Our second day found us riding the Christchurch Gondola, 448 metres up to the top of Mt Cavendish. The views from the top, both south to the port of Lyttleton and north over Christchurch and to the distant snow-covered mountains, were superb.

    We took a bit of a walk around outside before riding the Christchurch Discovery Ride, an interesting, though maybe slightly condensed, six-minute journey through the millions of years of Canterbury’s geographic and cultural history. It was quite entertaining.

     Back in town, we visited the Christchurch Transitional Cathedral - the “Cardboard Cathedral “ - built as a temporary structure for use whilst the real cathedral was repaired. This is ongoing, so the temporary five-year structure, with a roof supported by cardboard beams, is still doing good service fourteen years after the earthquake.    Lue lisää

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  • Chris DicksonSri Lanka 2025Matkaaja
    Stilt fishermen, making money
    Turtles, a few days oldNote this poor guy/girl only has one front flipperDutch church in Galle Fort. It was initially Portuguese, then Dutch then English.Galle Cricket GroundSunset drinks, not for the first time on this tripHarvesting toddyDrinking the finished poison, I mean productMadu River mangrovesMadu River birdlifeHarvesting cinnamonIndependence Square, ColomboOld Parliament HouseColombo Lighthouse (1952)1One of the insanely-driven blue buses, stationary for a change

    Bentota

    27.–30. maalisk., Sri Lanka ⋅ ☁️ 30 °C

    Our last destination for this trip was partly for some relaxation as well as seeing a few things.

    We travelled here via the south coast, and our first stop, just south of Galle, was for a look at the stilt fishermen.

    It’s a good gig, really. You put some big sticks in the sand and charge tourists a few thousand rupees for a few photographs of you pretending to fish. On a busy day this could be quite a few rupees per hour, for sitting still on a pole in the water.

    Then we went to one of the numerous turtle hatcheries in the area. In equal parts heartbreaking and uplifting - much like the Elephant Transit Centre - we saw some magnificent creatures, all without an arm or a leg or with a hole in their shell, mainly through collisions with ships.

    The hatchery part of the activity involves harvesting eggs and ensuring they are released in the evening so that there are far fewer predators waiting to eat them on their obstacle course stumble to the sea.

    We have had a great trip, and have seen so many great sights, but felt like we short-changed Galle somewhat. We only had time for a quick whip through the fishing port and the historic fort, with the cricket ground in its shadow. So much more to see that we missed!

    We were heading to our hotel for the night, driving along the very scenic coastal road from Galle to Bentota, when the sunset beckoned. Prashan, our guide, never short of good ideas, pulled into a rather tired looking hotel, found the bar and ordered some drinks and snacks to be taken next to the pool overlooking the beach. He then had a swim in the pool, and we enjoyed barbecued prawns and a beautiful sunset.

    We also took a boat trip on the Madu River, braving the oppressive heat to look for wildlife in the numerous mangrove-encircled islands. Reminiscent of the safaris, there were probably more tourist boats than animals, but it wasn’t a bad way to spend the morning.

    On the way to the boat ride, Prashan spied some men, high in the coconut palms, collecting toddy, which is the fermented sap of the palm tree. Fourteen per cent alcohol, not a great taste, and nine-thirty in the morning - probably not the way to enjoy a relaxing drink! Still, the skill of the men who harvest the stuff high up in the trees was incredible.

    Our last event on the trip was a look around Colombo, which, to tell the truth, isn’t the prettiest or most exciting city we have seen. Still, Independence Square, where independence was declared in 1948 and with a statue of Don Stephen Senanayake, Sri Lanka’s first prime minister, was very nice, as were both the new and old parliament buildings.

    Post script

    We very much enjoyed our brief tour around the country. We will almost miss the crazy driving at heart stopping speeds, and the red (government) and blue (private) buses that dominate the roads, speeding along, overtaking everything in sight and with the conductor hanging out the door shouting out to potential passengers.

    There is culture aplenty, and a mix of religions happily coexisting. There is also beautiful countryside and wildlife and some marvellous iconic sights - Siguriya for one.

    It was also stinking hot, and there were a few heavy afternoon downpours.

    With a good guide to show the way through the incredible range of foods, to help buy beer and wine at the liquor stores and to handle the crazy traffic - and maybe even to tell you a little of Sri Lanka’s life story - it is an incredible, wonderful place to visit - especially with Steve and Kim, our great, long-time travelling companions.    Lue lisää

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  • Chris DicksonSri Lanka 2025Matkaaja
    Ravana Waterfall
    A cheeky monkeyBuduruwagalaOn safariPainted storksSpotted deerPeacockBee eaterTwo bee eatersTwo bee eaters, fornicatingCrocodile and water buffaloWater buffaloFeeding at the Elephant Transit Centre

    Udawalawe

    27.–28. maalisk., Sri Lanka ⋅ ☁️ 31 °C

    We had a busy day, and a bit of luck, on our trip to Udawalawe, and its eponymous 131,00-hectare national park.

    A quick stop at the scenic Ravana Waterfall turned exciting when a monkey grabbed a packet of biscuits from a tourist and proceeded to open it and start eating. The imbecilic tourist got closer and closer to have her photo taken with it, then tried to grab a biscuit back from the monkey. It was only intervention from our guide that saved her from likely injury, as she clearly wanted to keep tormenting the creature.

    We then visited Buduruwagala, an archaeological site containing a fifteen metre high Buddha statue carved into a huge rock face, and dating from the seventh or eighth century. The Buddha is accompanied by six other statues, and there are extensive other ruins in the complex.

    This took some time, and we had a long drive in front of us. We were due to go on a safari in the national park that afternoon but it became obvious that, even driving extra-suicidally, we wouldn’t make it. This was our good fortune, though, as it rained all afternoon but was warm, still and clear for the rescheduled event the following morning.

    And what an event it was. Plenty of elephants - and plenty of Jeeps watching them, it must be said, spotted deer, water buffalo and come quite beautiful birds. We hadn’t even reached the national park when we stopped to look at some incredible painted storks.

    After the safari we visited the Elephant Transit Park, where sick or orphaned elephants are helped to transition to life in the wild. We had great seats, right near the feeding and amongst a bunch of pre-schoolers.

    The elephants were sent to the feeding station in groups and the smaller ones given some milk but only enough that they will still be hungry and therefore seek out more food. It was exciting to watch not only the feeding but the jostling for spots as the bigger animals literally threw their weight around to get at the juiciest snacks. The viewing area was absolutely packed and it was good think of the support provided by the entrance fees for such a worthy cause.

    From Udawalawe we head south to the coast and thence to Bentota, our final stop on this trip.    Lue lisää

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  • Chris DicksonSri Lanka 2025Matkaaja
    Views from our Ella accommodation
    2Path up Little Adam's PeakLittle Adam's Peak viewsA trainNine Arches Bridge. The last step down is a doozy

    Ella

    24.–26. maalisk., Sri Lanka ⋅ ⛅ 27 °C

    Ella is a very tourism-oriented town a few hours of manic driving south of Nuwara Eliya. Almost every shop is a bar, restaurant or transport provider and the town bustles with backpackers and other travellers. The tuk tuk population is enormous, too.

    We stayed in a home stay a few kilometres out of town, very basic but perched right on the side of a hill with the most incredible views. The bathroom got so wet you needed to leave your pants outside when using the toilet, but that’s a small price to pay for the magnificent outlook. It was amazing sitting on our balcony as the sun went down, nursing a drink and watching the lights of the train weave around the hill opposite.

    We took a walk up to Little Adam’s Peak, just to keep up the number of hot sweaty climbs up lots of steps. The views from the top were spectacular. About half way up was an outdoor activity centre with a giant swing - and a shop with outfits you could wear whilst swinging - and a zip line. Both of these were in constant demand and the area was crowded with thrill seekers and old people like us taking a breather from the constant stairs.

    In the afternoon we took a train ride. We were actually supposed to catch the train all the way from Nuwara Eliya, but due to some form of black market scalping or other corruption all the tickets had been sold.

    So we were on the tourist train, which was probably better. All seats faced the windows and there was an open-air carriage that would have been fantastic had it not been raining.

    Our trip started in Demodara, then rattled down to the Nine Arches Bridge, a most picturesque piece of engineering. Everyone hopped off for a look around, which was easier said than done, as the steps on the carriages only reached about half way to the ground. It was even more fun climbing back on to the train, with lots of heaving and groaning and pushing and pulling.

    In persistent light rain, we travelled to Ella, and thence through very attractive rice-growing countryside to Bandarawela, a bustling little town, much more commercial and less touristic than Ella.

    We had a demonstration of Sri Lankan rain once we were back at our digs, about half an hour of absolute downpour. When it had finished the air was beautifully clear and the waterfall on the hill opposite had turned into a muddy brown torrent.    Lue lisää

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  • Chris DicksonSri Lanka 2025Matkaaja
    Ramboda waterfall
    The tea pluckers workspaceInside the tea factoryThe road to Moon PlainsPotato farmingView from Moon PlainsWith fellow travellers Peter and ChristinePlucking

    Nuwara Eliya

    23.–24. maalisk., Sri Lanka ⋅ ⛅ 23 °C

    The road from Kandy to Nuwara Eliya twists and turns constantly for 76 kilometres, climbing all the time. It was a fascinating few hours, passing through numerous small townships built along the ridges of the hills, all bustling and offering more opportunities for road carnage.

    We stopped for a tour of the Damro Tea Factory, which was interesting. From green leafy bush to tiny browny-black particles is quite a journey, and the free cuppa at the end of the tour was welcome, too.

    Nuwara Eliya is sometimes called “Little England” for the numerous colonial buildings and institutions that remain from the days of sweaty white people who ran the tea plantation or who would journey up the hill for respite from the heat of Colombo. When we arrived, around six o’clock, these were nowhere to be seen. We found only a typical Asian shopping area, with the supermarket next to the tyre fitter and the ladies’ dress shop between a tattoo parlour and a battery shop, all with traffic at a standstill and vehicles parked on every scrap of ground.

    The following morning, we ventured up to Moon Plains. We boarded a Jeep and drove up through extensive potato farms to a magnificent 360-degree viewpoint, with Sri Lanka’s highest mountain in clear sight. Well, not all that clear - the weather was very hazy and any distant sights were completely obscured. There were native buffalo in the distance, and rumoured to be leopards in the adjacent jungle.

    Finally, as we exited Nuwara Eliya, we did take a turn around some of the quite attractive buildings from the English period. The Post Office - still in use, the very exclusive-looking Hill Club and numerous fancy-looking villas.

    As we left, also, our driver pulled over to the side of the road and after a rapid-fire conversation Sharon and Kim found themselves with bags on their heads, learning to pluck tea. Suffice to say it’s not a skill that can be learnt in a few minutes, even when taught by a bunch of laughing women with very bad teeth.

    After our short stay here we are moving on to Ella.    Lue lisää

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  • Chris DicksonSri Lanka 2025Matkaaja
    Buddha, viewed from the bottom
    Inside the Dambulla Cave TemplesThe Royal Botanic GardenCannonball tree. The pic doesn't do the flowers justice - they were magnificentKandy from aboveCultural show in the auditoriumCultural show in the car parkSmall crowd on stairs of Temple of Sacred Tooth

    Kandy

    22.–24. maalisk., Sri Lanka ⋅ ⛅ 29 °C

    On the way to Kandy lies Dambulla, where there is a rock that rises 160 metres above the surrounding countryside. Near the top of that rock there are some caves where, a bit over two thousand years ago, some dedicated monks decided to build the Dambulla Cave Temples.

    So we sweated our way up another hill, donned our knee-covering saris, removed our shoes and spent an hour or so in awe of the hundreds of statues of Buddha, Lord Vishnu and various other deities. It wasn’t only the statues, too. The walls and ceiling are entirely covered with murals - remarkably well preserved and quite artistic. It was a very worthwhile few hours.

    The variety of edible fruits, vegetables and spices in Sri Lanka is simply amazing, and we are slowly being educated about them. One stop on our way here was a spice centre, where we were shown around the various plants from which the spices originate.

    The spices have various medicinal and health-restoring properties; our guide may well have been a well-preserved ninety-year-old if he used them all regularly.

    We continued our plant education in Kandy, with a visit to the huge Royal Botanic Garden, 59 hectares of every plant imaginable. In particular, we are now experts on bamboo, perfumed orchids and the stunning flowers of the cannonball tree.

    Our inevitable cultural performance took place in Kandy, too, and it was very good. Once the main show was over we were herded into the car park, where some spectacular fire dancing took place.

    Our final stop in Kandy was the Temple of the Sacred Tooth, a temple built near the royal palace to house the relic of one of the Buddha’s teeth. Apparently, whoever has the tooth relic gets to run the country, so it was quite important to the kings.

    Since the tooth relic is only on display once in a blue moon, we didn’t get to see it - and didn’t really care, actually. The atmosphere in the temple, though, was something else. It was Sunday morning and the place was packed, mostly with locals out to do their devotions. There were lots of Sunday school kids as well, resplendent in their white outfits and with notebooks in hand.

    We shuffled through the various chambers, enjoying the decorations, but it was really more about the hundreds of devotees, all with not a knee or shoulder in sight. By way of extra information, there are apparently 32 different sacred tooth relics scattered around the world.

    From here we head to the high country to taste some tea.    Lue lisää

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  • Chris DicksonSri Lanka 2025Matkaaja
    Traffic jam at elephant central
    Rare unbuilt pic from an ox cartSkilled cooking girl, just out of high school, about to start universitySiguriya Lion RockAbout half way upSteps to the summitIncredible view from the top

    Siguriya

    18.–21. maalisk., Sri Lanka ⋅ ☁️ 32 °C

    Where to start? Visiting a country for the first time, and the first three days have been a whirlwind.

    We started in Negombo, near the airport. We took a quick trip around to look at the fishing industry, with big ones for sale at the market and thousands of little ones spread out to dry in the sun.

    Then we headed north-west to Habarana, where we kicked off with a wildlife safari in the Minneriya National Park.

    It didn’t start overly well. We came across several elephants, unfortunately surrounded by about a dozen jeeps full of spectators. The traffic jam was horrendous and the elephants were a bit pissed off at all the attention while they chewed their way through kilo after kilo of grass.

    Things improved though, when we came upon a couple of groups of elephants that we had almost entirely to ourselves, then a dam with some impressive birdlife. They really do need to reduce the visitor numbers, though.

    Next stop was a most touristic combination, beginning with an ox-cart ride. It was slow, unbelievably bumpy and smelly. Not recommended other than for lovers of ox farts - thumbs down.

    Our next activity was a boat ride on a quite large man-made lake. Our boatman was very diligent and we saw numerous different birds, egrets, cormorants, pelicans and even some nestlings. Overall a thumbs up.

    Next was a cooking display. The food was delicious and the skill and friendliness of the ladies who prepared it quite brilliant - another thumbs up. It poured with rain while we were there, so maybe a small thumbs down for the drips through the palm frond roof.

    We later came across the youngest of our cooking ladies, in boxer shorts and t-shirt and playing with her younger brothers - a nice personal insight into the people involved in the family business.

    The following day we climbed Siguriya, the famed Lion Rock.

    It is a stunning landmark, 200 metres high. What a place for a castle, as King Kashyapa decided in the year 477, taking it away from the Buddhists who had been there for the previous few hundred years.

    It was a long, hot, slow climb to the top, in the company of the other few thousand visitors for the day, but the rewards for the sweat and aching legs were magnificent views from all sides and the quite interesting ruins of the fortifications. Thoughtfully they even provided one tree for shade, into which about a hundred people were crowded.

    After a jam packed few days were are now moving on to Kandy, slightly cooler weather and some different attractions.    Lue lisää

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  • Chris DicksonIceland 2024Matkaaja
    Riddarholmen Church, resting place of the Swedish Monarchs, on Gamla Stan
    Riksdagshuset - the Swedish ParliamentThe Swedish Royal PalaceI thought they'd be tallerThe not-so-good ship VasaWaxholmVintage steamer

    Stockholm and home

    1.–4. syysk. 2024, Ruotsi ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C

    My, how time flies! One minute we’re on the train to the airport, the next we’ve been home for four days! Anyway, for the sake of completeness here’s the last footprint that I drafted earlier.

    What an exciting, many-faceted city Stockholm proved to be!

    We’ve just spent three days admiring historic buildings and winding cobblestoned streets, looking into a couple out of a huge selection of museums and sailing out to the Stockholm archipelago for a look around a quiet and scenic outpost of the city.

    Gamla Stan is the island that contains most of the old stuff, as well as the comparatively modern Royal Palace, with its ceremonial trooping of the guards around the square, and hoards of tourists (not us) disappearing inside for various tours.

    It’s also souvenir central, should you need a fluffy reindeer or snow dome.

    Many of the museums are on another island - Djurgarden. On a damp day we walked there - the trams being temporarily out of action - and found both culture and technology.

    The ABBA Museum gave a good insight into the lives of the band members before, during and after their reign at the top. It was also, like their records, slickly commercial, with crowds in every room juggling their audio guides and cameras and jostling for some clear space.

    And life for the band members after ABBA? Well, Bjorn did Mama Mia and dabbled in real estate, but who knew that Benny is Sweden’s very own Red Wiggle? The Benny Anderson Orchestra plays regular gigs and has a few recordings to its credit as well.

    We then got wet walking to the Vasa Museum, the giant building housing the poorly designed ship that sank in Stockholm Harbour in 1628 and was raised in 1961, remarkably intact.

    It’s a huge object, and remarkably well-preserved for its 450-plus years. And, ironically, if it had been seaworthy, we wouldn’t have the opportunity to look at it today.

    Our last expedition was out to Waxholm, an hour and a quarter on the ferry from the city.

    It was a quiet, peaceful spot, and we visited on a beautiful sunny day, timing the return trip perfectly so that we not only had time for a drink before we sailed but our returning vessel was a vintage steamer, built in 1908. It was very stylish, all polished wood (and heat from the boiler), and a perfect last memory for our visit.

    And that’s that.

    We’re now - hopefully - back home enjoying a newly-renovated house and the closeness of our family, but the fun we had with our friends and the stunning places we saw over the last six weeks will be long in our memories.    Lue lisää

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  • Chris DicksonIceland 2024Matkaaja
    Prototype Volvo, 1926. Note bumpers not yet like a dodgem car's
    Lock on the city's canal systemVintage ships at the Maritime MuseumBarken Viking (1906), biggest sailing ship built in Scandinavia, now a floating hotelLipstick, voted seven times Gothenburg's ugliest building. With good reason.The City Museum, in the former Swedish East India Company's headquartersViking ship remainsThe Gothenburg Festival of CultureCulture aficionados burping and farting by the canalNot sure, possibly the German drinking song club's get together

    Gothenburg

    30. elok.–1. syysk. 2024, Ruotsi ⋅ ⛅ 19 °C

    There’s tons of history here in Gothenburg, from the Vikings to the foundation of the modern city in 1621 to the Volvo in 1926. Incidental fun (?) fact - “Volvo” derives from the Swedish for “I roll”, a reference to the ball and roller bearings that started the company off.

    There’s also tons of current-day fun here too, with the Gothenburg Culture Festival taking place while we were visiting.

    We were out on a morning walk when Sharon was roped in to a university activity, being forced, by some young people in rather peculiar costumes, to push a person in a shopping trolley up the street to Gotaplatsen, the city’s cultural area. Actually, she pushed it about a hundred metres, but at least she didn’t tip the jockey out like some others did. No photos, so you just have to take our word for it.

    On a beautiful sunny day, we took a boat tour of the city’s canals and out into the harbour and enjoyed some beautiful views, plenty of low bridges and even more bad jokes in the commentary.

    The maritime history is powerful here, with a massive museum full of vintage ships and a shipbuilding industry that only chucked in the towel about ten years ago.

    We also visited the city’s museum, partly because it was free due to the Culture Festival. This was interesting, but with about a day’s worth of information when we had an hour. All the same, the remains of the Viking ship were fascinating, as was a bit of more recent history.

    A fire at a disco in 1998 killed 64 people. Four people were known to be responsible, having argued with security, snuck in and, out of spite, started a fire in a stairwell full of old furniture. The city, as civilised places do, rallied as one around the bereaved, the survivors, the first responders and the carers. The stories of the aftermath of the tragedy were incredibly compelling, and, although every country has its own stories of tragedy or heroism, this one will stay with us for a long time.

    So it was then back to the Culture Festival, which consisted at least partly of hundreds of young people listening to loud music and eating greasy, fried street food.

    We met up with the Roffes, the paths of all our friends seeming to criss cross all over Scandinavia since we parted in Oslo.

    A couple of drinks near the loud music, then a nice dinner a few blocks back, gave us our fill of culture for the night.

    Next stop is our last on this trip, Stockholm.    Lue lisää

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  • Chris DicksonIceland 2024Matkaaja
    Bad posture, stuck on a rock and perved at by thousands
    AmalienborgRosenborgNyhavnAgnete and the Merman - underwater statueChristiansborgChristiansborgFrederiksborgFrederiksborg interiorMeat Packing District

    Copenhagen - just the two of us

    27.–30. elok. 2024, Tanska ⋅ ☁️ 22 °C

    We said our farewells and left our friends to scatter to other Nordic cities, then caught the ferry to Copenhagen.

    Copenhagen on a hot Tuesday was absolutely bustling, with bikes, buses and cars (and oblivious tourists) all competing for the same road space, miraculously never touching each other.

    And it was hot. No more thinking about which jumper to take - it was shorts weather for our entire visit.

    There seemed to be so many things to see here - we looked at countless palaces and buildings and streets, all of them incredible, and still didn’t cover it all.

    But first spare a thought, if you will, for the burden that comes with being the symbol of a city. We took a look at Copenhagen’s symbol and found a tired half-lady, shoulders bowed, alone on a rock facing thousands of cameras every day. She should get a pay rise!

    Palaces they seem to have in countless numbers. We first visited Amalienborg, a residence of the second Australian member of a royal family - Dame Edna, Duchess of Moonee Ponds, having been the first- with a nice changing of the guard, then Rosenborg, with magnificent gardens. Then came the Danish seat of government at Christiansborg, with stables, a library, a parliament, you name it.

    The waterfront areas were also attractive and busy, from the old harbour area of Nyhavn to the busy waterfront near the Opera House.

    For a change from the city, we journeyed out into the country, to Hillerod, and Frederiksborg - yes, another palace. It became a museum after the Royal Family tired of one fire after another, and the tour was extensive to the point of brain-numbing, but it was a fantastic way to spend a few hours.

    The architecture seemed to epitomise Scandinavian building styles, and the gardens were magnificent in themselves.

    Near to our hotel was the Meatpacking District. Repurposed from the original meat processing factories and dating in parts from the 1800’s, it was chock full of bars, restaurants and - most importantly - an ice cream shop. The queue was out the door but the ice cream, according to good authority, was absolutely fantastic.    Lue lisää

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  • Chris DicksonIceland 2024Matkaaja
    Oslo Opera House
    View from the roofVigeland Sculpture ParkVigeland Sculpture Park - Attack of the Babies?Contorted naked peopleThe mind bogglesThe Folk Museum

    Oslo

    23.–26. elok. 2024, Norja ⋅ 🌧 15 °C

    It was exciting to arrive in Norway’s very civilised capital city, particularly as it was about five degrees warmer than icy Iceland!

    And we enjoyed our three nights here very much, quickly adapting to the $20 beers and enjoying the unique scenery.

    The Opera House, completed in 2008, is a masterpiece in white granite and marble that seems to rise out of the water. We joined the throngs for a walk up over the roof for some unique views of the city. The foyer, with fifteen metres of glass on one side and oak cladding on the other, is simply magnificent.

    We also walked around the back of the building, past the set- and costume-design workshops, where the large windows gave a good view of these generally-hidden parts of the operation.

    Gustav Vigeland (1869 - 1943) was responsible for the Vigeland Sculpture Installation in Frognor Park, full of his statues, and a wonderful open space filled with locals (Oslonians? Osloafers?) out for a weekend walk. He may have been a little odd, based on the number of naked people that adorned the bridges, fountains and paths of the park. Too many penises at eye height!

    Once we had our fill of contorted, naked bodies, we moved on to the Norse Folk Museum and looked at some very interesting exhibits - whole interior rooms relocated from farmhouses and apartments, a 1950’s farmhouse kitchen you could walk through and endless (i.e. hundreds) barns, cowsheds, storage sheds and farmhouses in the outdoor section.

    And that was the end of the group holiday. We had a fabulous Indian meal to finish off, along with excessive drinking again, then went home to pack and get excited about the next chapter.    Lue lisää

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  • Chris DicksonIceland 2024Matkaaja
    Narrow passage near Bergen
    SognefjordThe FlamsbanaKjosfossenSiren of the falls, or some such crap

    Back to Bergen and Beyond

    22.–24. elok. 2024, Norja ⋅ 🌧 15 °C

    We have made our way to Oslo now, by a flight to Bergen for a pleasant overnight stay, then a terrific, scenic day on a ferry and some trains to make our way to Oslo.

    In cool and cloudy - but dry - weather, the Norled ferry left Bergen and threaded its way between a myriad of Norwegian islands to the Sognefjord, Norway’s biggest at an average 5 kilometres wide and an incredible 1,000 metres deep for over 100 kilometres of its 200 kilometre length.

    The scenery was amazing, especially as we sailed away from Bergen and then as we reached the upper reaches of the fjord, where the cliffs were steep and dotted with some spectacular waterfalls.

    We disembarked at Flam, a tiny town that nowadays owes its existence to the Flam Railway, the classic train ride we were about to take.

    But first we took a quick look around the town and its quite interesting railway museum, along with thousands of people from a cruise ship that was berthed in the fjord. No point complaining, though, when a bit over a week ago we were invading similar tiny towns from a cruising behemoth ourselves.

    The Flamsbana itself was a very scenic twenty kilometres up steep hills, through hand-hewn tunnels and with incredible valley views on both sides of the train.

    About half way up is Reinunga Station, with the Kjosfossen Waterfall and a quick floor show - music and a lady in an elegant red dress dancing in the nearby hills near the falls. Actually, it was a long way off, so it could just have easily been a man in an elegant red dress.

    The Flam Railway terminates at Myrdal, where we boarded a regular train for a long four hours or so to Oslo, which we reached late in the evening. The day had been very long but completely enjoyable.    Lue lisää

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  • Chris DicksonIceland 2024Matkaaja
    Kirkjufell
    Waterfall in the wind at GrundafjordurNot a serial killer at HellisandurPeninsular rocks at LondrangarCold and windy at ArnastapiArnastapi1

    Back to Reykjavik

    21.–22. elok. 2024, Islanti ⋅ 🌬 9 °C

    We had a rushed and rather unpleasant drive around the Snaefellsnes Peninsula to finish off our Iceland road trip.

    This was a pity, because the scenery was outstanding on this very westerly outcrop of land. But it was eight degrees and the icy wind - strong enough to make it very hard to open the car doors (or dangerously easy, in the other direction) - brought the “seems like” temperature down to about two. So it wasn’t a day for a relaxing stroll admiring the vistas along the coast.

    So we looked in at Hellissandur, Iceland’s self-proclaimed street art capital. Who thought a mural about Iceland’s most famous serial killer was a good idea?

    We did stop at a couple of viewpoints along the way, stagger out to the shoreline and take a few photos. Of the puffins said to inhabit the area, we saw none; they were much too smart to be out in that sort of weather.

    So our drive finished with a long, tedious drive back to Reykjavik, trying to control cars buffetted by the wind and finally trying to find our hotel in the surprisingly heavy late afternoon traffic.

    Soon enough, we were in a Mexican Restaurant, drinking some beers and reminiscing about the week we had just spent together. With Gary and Jan leaving for Belgium the following day that would leave just six to carry on the the next part of the journey, back in Norway.    Lue lisää

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  • Chris DicksonIceland 2024Matkaaja
    Gudrunarlaug thermal pool - rather small
    The change roomAnother random waterfallIcelandic horsesLiefer Eriksson at the Viking Longhouse1The Viking LonghouseBedding and obvious privacy inside the longhouseRandom white church - there are millions of themThe road to the west1Stykkisholmer

    Stykkisholmur

    20.–21. elok. 2024, Islanti ⋅ ⛅ 11 °C

    The shortest driving day of our circumnavigation of the island, and one with few sights, meant this was a pretty easy one.

    We were interested in a swim in the thermal pool - well, maybe interested in the idea of a swim in a thermal pool, as it was about seven degrees - at Gudrunarlaug.

    After a drive of about forty minutes we arrived and walked up the pathway to a most attractive circular pool, reasonably warm and with a nice outlook over the surrounding countryside. Only problem was it was tiny; four people would have filled it up and the eight of us would have experienced a new level of intimacy had all we got in at once.

    So we skipped it, got the nice lady who was in the pool when we arrived to take a picture of us standing on the edge, and drove away the way we had come in.

    The replica Viking Longhouse, at Eiryksstadir, was quite different.

    We paid our money and walked inside a small turf building of the type used by Eric the Red and his brethren. Inside was a lady in traditional costume telling all sorts of stories of the way of life of the Vikings, from their food to their weapons to their effect on the landscape and their remarkable explorations of far flung places.

    It was a fascinating forty-five minutes or so, delivered by a lady who was clearly knowledgeable and passionate about her subject.

    It was our last night on the road and we stayed out of town at the Hotel Stundafridur.

    At six we met up to arrange a time for dinner. The gentleman took our orders and said he was leaving now, and the owners would be arriving in an hour or so. In the meantime we were to HELP OURSELVES TO THE BAR AND JUST KEEP A RECORD TO LET THEM KNOW. Haven’t had that happen in many places!    Lue lisää

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  • Chris DicksonIceland 2024Matkaaja
    No name, just a typical Icelandic roadside waterfall
    Another example of Icelandic terrainThe walk to DettifossDettifossDettifossDettifossAsbyrgi CanyonHusavik

    Husavik

    20.–21. elok. 2024, Islanti ⋅ ☁️ 7 °C

    Leaving the fisherpeople to their pursuits, we drove through increasingly scenic country, and increasingly dodgy weather to Faskrudfjordur, a tiny town with quite a connection to France, mainly due to thee hospital which served until 1935 to treat French fishermen. Even the street signs are still bilingual.

    We pushed on in increasing rain, driving along what in fine weather would have been a magnificent coastal drive. The view was enhanced, but the passengers alarmed, as the road skirted the steep cliffs. As on most of Iceland’s roads there was little or no space on the roadside.

    The weather was pretty bad by the time we reached Dettifoss, Europe’s second most powerful waterfall at 44 metres high and 100 wide and an average of 136 cubic metres disappearing over it every second. Only the Rheinfall is bigger.

    Despite the wet and freezing cold walk to the falls, they were a sight to behold, with the spray being blown every which way and hordes of visitors hunched over against the wind as they took their selfies.

    On that note, it is summer, and therefore peak season in Iceland. This apparently means huge crowds everywhere. Car parks are full, and there is virtually no chance of taking a photo without a few random heads or arms in it. The roads are crowded with motor homes.

    Our last stopover was Asbyrgi Canyon, a green, hundred metre deep oasis in the treeless, boulder-strewn landscape that we had driven through.

    Finally we arrived in Husavik, a neat little town that no one would have heard of had it not been put firmly on the world stage by the classic, artistic movie “Eurovision”.    Lue lisää

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  • Chris DicksonIceland 2024Matkaaja
    Dimmuborgir Lava Field
    A genuine 100% real Yule Lads encampmentLake MyvatnGodafossVista near SiglufjordurGrafarkirkja

    Hvammstangi

    19.–20. elok. 2024, Islanti ⋅ ☁️ 7 °C

    Our personal Icelandic saga continued in better weather at Dimmuborgir Lava Field, where we wandered around looking at fascinating contorted rock formations and some crappy stuff about the Yule Lads, possibly ancient Iceland’s answer to the Bay City Rollers.

    We then called at Lake Myvatin, where we walked to a couple of viewpoints and admired the twisting foreshore of the lake and its many islands. A shallow lake, it was created 2,300 years ago by - funnily enough for Iceland - a volcanic eruption.

    Next up was Godafoss, yet another spectacular waterfall, this one handsome in a nice setting and on a dry day.

    Then, a drive up around the peninsula to Siglufjordur, easily the farthest north we had travelled in Iceland and beautiful scenery all the way.

    We also did a couple of tunnels. The Veggjald Tunnel before we reached Akureyi, seven kilometres long, was modern and had a lane each way, and a toll to go with it. Interestingly, its construction was delayed by the ingress of geothermal hot water, and this heat causes the temperature in the tunnel to reach 26 degrees at times.

    The other two were single lane, meaning you had to judge the speed and distance of the oncoming headlights before deciding whether on not to aim for the next passing refuge or keep waiting. Five kilometres of this nerve wracking activity were more than enough.

    Finally, we walked a little way along a muddy farm path to Grafarkirkja, turf roofed and the oldest church in Iceland.    Lue lisää

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  • Chris DicksonIceland 2024Matkaaja
    Path to the glacier
    Some of Iceland's stock of stonesGlacier Lagoon1Recently upturned g&t ingredient2Diamond Beach1Diamonds are a girl's best friend

    Brieodalsvik

    18.–19. elok. 2024, Islanti ⋅ ☁️ 9 °C

    For a change, no waterfalls today. Excluding, of course, the ever-ending unnamed streams that cascade down the side of the cliffs whichever way you turn.

    Today was glacier day, and we started by visiting Vatnajokull National Park. The Vatnajokull Ice Cap covers fifteen per cent of Iceland, although on our walk to the glaciers it was repeatedly evident that it is shrinking at an ever-faster rate.

    The walk took us to a magnificent viewpoint at the junction of three glaciers - all names unpronounceable - before we took in a few more glacier facts on the way back to the cars.

    The landscape as we drove along was a fascinating changing mix, from seemingly manicured grassy hills, to barren rock and gravel, to rock covered in a spongy moss-like plant. Iceland has the market for rocks and stones cornered, but almost no trees, as these were all burned for charcoal but in the Viking days and they sort of haven’t come back yet.

    And then, the incredible Glacier Lagoon.

    We parked the car, walked to the water and were confronted by hundreds (well, maybe tens) of chunks of ice - the biggest maybe ten metres long - that had carved off the glaciers and were waiting on the tide to take them out to sea.

    As they floated around they would occasionally turn turtle, showing off their bright blue underwater colour for a while.

    A short walk away was Diamond Beach. Black sand isn’t beautiful, but it can be made to look that way by pieces of ice laying all over it.

    And that was it for the day. We stayed at a fishing lodge, with a sitting room adorned with stuffed animals and intrepid fisherpeople putting on their cold weather gear and looking determined to enjoy themselves.    Lue lisää

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  • Chris DicksonIceland 2024Matkaaja
    View from the hotel window - Hella
    Seljalandsfoss, with people behind in outdoor showerNatural fountain - Seljalandsfoss1Skogar Outdoor Museum1Turf housesUpstairsDownstairsReynisfjara Black Sand Beach2Hotel Laki, Kirkjubaerklaustur

    Kirkjubaerklaustur

    16.–17. elok. 2024, Islanti ⋅ ⛅ 10 °C

    Told you it was unpronounceable.

    We woke at Hella to a clear day, a fast running river and a couple of fishermen, before hitting the road again.

    First stop today was Seljalandsfoss, sixty metres tall and with a path that allows people - at least those who brought their rain gear - to walk behind the water.

    Not only was the main waterfall a torrent, there were even jets of water coming out of the ground, so sodden was the earth and so intense the pressure. The amount of water that must rain on Iceland each year is incredible.

    For a change, we then visited a museum - the Skogar Museum in fact. There were a number of sections. The Technological Museum was of interest only to those who already have a collection of vintage mobile telephones. The Outdoor Museum had a collection of turf houses and demonstrated the upstairs downstairs hierarchy of Icelandic life - upstairs (and incredibly cramped) for the humans, downstairs for the animals.

    Moving on, on what were becoming incredibly busy days, we reached Reynisfjara black sand beach.

    It was an attractive setting, with cliffs and pinnacles and hundreds of tourists ignoring the signs warning of the dangerous beach conditions.

    However, one person’s black sand is another person’s dirt, and it’s unlikely Bondi will have much competition from its darker cousins.

    Then a trip to Vik, a small town where we raided the Vinbudin - the state-run liquor monopoly - and stocked up on wine, beer, bread and cheese.

    The day closed with a fun wine, beer, bread and cheese session on the verandah of our hotel. Spending time in a unique and wonderful country, with snow covered mountains in the distance and good friends up close - what could be better?    Lue lisää

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  • Chris DicksonIceland 2024Matkaaja
    Oxarafosss at Thingvellir
    2Old people at Oxarafoss, ThingvellirSharon, Don and DaveUsed to be a path down below here until it collapsed some time agoThingvellirGullfossGullfossSmelly hot water at GeysirGeysir at GeysirKerid Crater

    Hella

    15.–16. elok. 2024, Islanti ⋅ 🌧 12 °C

    We disembarked from Norwegian Prima in pouring rain, picked up a couple of hire cars and, with the Brickwoods, the Roffes and the Websters, set out to drive around the island.

    First stop was a biggie, Thingvellir National Park. The site of Iceland’s first parliament, all the way back in 930 - a mere 1,094 years ago, and the site of its 1944 Declaration of Independence from Denmark.

    It’s also on Iceland’s largest underground lake and the boundary between the North-American and Eurasian tectonic plates, meaning there is water aplenty and some fascinating landscapes caused by the bumping and grinding of the ground.

    From there, Gullfoss. No need to worry about the light rain, the spray from the falls got us plenty wet anyway. There was lots of water and it was reminiscent of a small Victoria Falls in the way it fell into a narrow, diagonal ravine. It was quite incredible.

    From there, Geysir. A bit more rain, this time concealed by the sulphuric-smelling steam rising from the ground, which was awash with near-boiling water. Geysir is the original for which all the rest in the world are named, but the original got blocked up because people kept filling it with rocks to see how high they would go. Not to worry, though, the current one is still one of the highest shooters in the world.

    The rain was a bit set in by then, so are final stop, Kerid Crater, was a bit cursory, a 55-metre deep, 170 metre wide crater with water at its bottom that even in with the grey skies was an almost radiant blue.

    Then a major disaster, we arrived in town after Vinbudin, the state-run liquor monopoly, had closed for the day. So a first alcohol-free day for the month of August!

    We move on east tomorrow, destination an unpronounceable Icelandic name.    Lue lisää

    Katso käännös
  • Chris DicksonIceland 2024Matkaaja
    Harpa
    The old harbour area"Pufa", or at least as close as we got to itSharon and another blockheadCity HallRainbow StreetRainbow Street leading to the cathedralThe magnificent HallgrimskirkjaLeif Erikson, having finished raping and pillaging, discovering America and designing mobile phones"Sun Voyager"

    Reykjavik

    14.–15. elok. 2024, Islanti ⋅ ☁️ 12 °C

    Our cruise, and all the decadence, luxury and excessive consumption that it entails, was coming to an end, sadly, but before our last night on board we got out to explore Reykjavik.

    The impression it gives is of a modern city - although small at a population of 240,000 - that is a happy blend of historic and new and where everything fits in.

    We started with Harpa, a modernistic performance space and conference centre, all angles and coloured glass and perched right on the water’s edge.

    Then we looked in at the historic port area, with lots of informative signage and a view of “Pufa”, an interesting installation consisting of a mound with a spiral path leading to its top. Must mean something.

    We set off to walk to Pufa, but took a wrong turn and ended up with about forty metres of water between us and it, so gave up on the idea.

    We had a look at the lake that occupies a few blocks in the centre of town, with the maligned but somehow appropriate City Hall building nestled alongside it.

    The Roman Catholic cathedral is nice in an Icelandic-austere sort of way, but pales into insignificance once you see its Lutheran counterpart standing on top of an even bigger hill and towering over the whole city.

    In Reykjavik it somehow seems appropriate that Rainbow Street, the city’s symbol of support for the Pride Movement, leads straight on and upward to Hallgrimskirkja, the aforementioned Lutheran Cathedral.

    It took forty years to build the church, completed in 1986, and if you like magnificent towering buildings with curves that are just right (think Eiffel Tower) it was time and money well spent.

    A quick look at “Sun Voyager”, a stainless steel boat statue on the waterfront, and were back on our own boat for our last night, one spent packing and having a last pleasant meal and too much to drink with our wonderful group of friends.    Lue lisää

    Katso käännös

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