Southern Iceland

If the rest of the trip goes half as smoothly as the first night, we’re all set! Ride to the airport in our own car from @backroadbennetts, two checked duffels (17kg and 14kg) and nice folks at security. #thisishowweroll #youseemerollin #onlydumpedwynneonce #travelwithkids #familytravel #shouldntjinxit

Landed in Reykjavik and have no idea what time it is. At the last second, we ditched the plan of the girls sitting in their car seats on the plane when the crew belatedly informed us their seats could only be in the windows which would mean breaking us all up. As it turned out, even tho Mae was trying to stay awake until the plane took off, we eventually had to lie to her and tell her we were in the air so she’d pass out. Wynne followed soon behind and they both slept about 6 hours. A little iPad and we were in Iceland! Now I think it’s time for dinner? #travelwithkids #familytravel #redeye #sisterhoodofthetravelingparents

The math works out; After an 8 hour overnight flight, we were ready for a 7 hour shorter day where we landed. All we had to do was muster enough energy for a short walk up to the cathedral - including a stop for amazingly rich hot chocolate, a convenient roadschool geography lesson and getting up close and personal with a few locals - and we could make it to dinner (tho not *all* of us made it *thru* dinner 😴). Then, under the guise of trying to cement ourselves into our new time zone, I was able to rendezvous with @his.tinyasscamper for a beer or two at Mikkeller and Friends as recommended by our local Petaluma Icelander @icelandic_yogurt! #familytravel #travelwithkids #onlyoneofusresemblesthelocals #reykjavik #iceland #roadschool #worldschool

Despite some sleep deprivation caused by “morning” coming at to each of us at several random times last night, we pushed (well, steam-rolled might be a better word) through bad moods to barely make our bus out to The Blue Lagoon in the afternoon. There are few things a soak in 2.4 million gallons of 100 degree sea water laced with minerals from more than a mile below the earth’s crust cant turn around. Kids are passed out now, and we’re close behind. We’ve enjoyed Reykjavik but are ready to collect our campervans with @backroadbennetts and @his.tinyasscamper/@her.tinyasscamper and head off on the Ring Road tomorrow. #iceland #bluelagoon #reykjavik #familytravel #travelwithkids #thepicswithalgaemasksweretooscarytopost

We’re vanlifers! Picked up the rigs this morning, hit up Iceland’s largest health food chain (there are 3 stores), then a discount Bonus supermarket (there are almost as many as residents of Iceland) and made it out of town towards the Golden Circle. Of course, it wouldn’t be an adventure if we didn’t pull into a full campground after dark... But what a great crew to do it with! @his.tinyasscamper, @her.tinyasscamper, @advodna_ann, @backroadbennetts #iceland #vanlifebreedersunite #nomadicbreedersunite #childrenareinthevanswatchingipads

The Golden Circle route is known for a picturesque national park, geysers and huge waterfalls right within a couple hours drive of Reykjavik. Fortunately for us, we’ve got plans to see a lot more of all those things elsewhere around the Ring Road, but we had to at least do a fly-by of the massive Gullfoss (foss means “falls”). Check out the path in the bottom center that goes all the way out to a rocky ledge beside the falls.
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With a cold wind and spray whipping us as we started to descend the stairs, we opted for the view from above followed by a hot chocolate in the visitor center. After the server generously split one hot chocolate into two small cups for the girls and then proceeded to pile them high with whipped cream, tiny chocolate chips and a huge chunk on top, I slid the masterpiece in front of Mae who immediately broke down with screams of “I didn’t ask for hot chocolate!” After Ann assured her that she didn’t have to drink it, she calmed down, smiled coyly looking at the cup and said, “Mom! I just changed my mind!” #threenager
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#gullfoss #iceland #travelwithkids #familytravel #goldencircle

Notes from the first days of #vanlife:
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- Wish the kids were closer to us while driving. For now, “snack toss” is the name of the game.
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- Van rule: No more than one person may stand at one time.
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- Transitions are key; drive mode to cook/eat mode to lounge mode to sleep mode and back to coffee mode.
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- Best van setups would spin the front chairs. In our layout, we not only have to climb over the kitchen to get to the back, but can’t really use the front seats while camped except for storage.
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- Most popular spot in the van is in front of the heater (or behind the back seats with an iPad, even if you have to share with your sister).
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- When the rain slows up even for a second, you gear up and get out!
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#sisterhoodofthetravelingparents #kidsinavan #vanlifewithkids #familytravel #travelwithkids #iceland

I really couldn’t decide which of these pics to post as the primary. Camping along the edge of this cliff of waterfalls (even in the overflow area since most of the main camping pitch is too muddy), and hiking behind Seljalandsfoss (that’s Ann and Wynne in the bright rain jackets) has been an all-time travel highlight for me. Can’t wait to see what Iceland holds next! #iceland #seljalandfoss #gochasingwaterfalls #travelwithkids #familytravel #wynnehangingwiththefamily

You can’t really blame Mae for opting to look at the rainbow instead of the camera. Settle down, Iceland. #skogarfoss #iceland #gochasingwaterfalls #familytravel #travelwithkids #maepretendingnottoknowus

This crew! #sisterhoodofthetravelingparents #plusameandaddygoatandhislittlebrother #littleairstreamfriends #littletravelingfriends #familytravel #travelwithkids #iceland

Vatnajökull glacier covers 8% of Iceland, 3100 sq miles with an average thickness of 1300 ft, and is the largest by volume in Europe. One of its terminuses (termini?) is the Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon where calved icebergs float lazily before draining out to the ocean. As they are battered by the waves, they break apart and wash back up onto the volcanic black sand beach, looking like diamonds in just the right light.
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Today felt like we finally hit our #vanlife stride. Though kid schedules are still shifted about two hours late (9a - 9p instead of 7a - 7p), we all got the kids fed and the van contents stowed relatively smoothly. Short drive, some great exploration and amazing views back at camp. That is until some jackass parks in front of it.
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#jokulsarlon #diamondbeach #iceland #travelwithkids #familytravel #nomadicbreedersunite

Me: “Hi, so have you heard anything new about the closure of the Ring Road?”
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Girl at Counter: “Ah yes, zee main bridge has been completely collapsed and zee road washed out in several places.”
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Me: “Wow, so do they have an idea when it will be fixed?”
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Girl: “They say a veek, maybe two veek, but is very easy if you want to get to other side, you just [insert clockwise arm motion and possibly a whistle sound effect] drive around zee country.”
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Particularly after seeing the huge bent steel girders from a previous flood (above), we turned back west to get around to the east. It’ll add about 10 hours of driving to the trip, but staying flexible meant a little more time to explore the black sand beach and fragmented sea stacks at Vik, the moss covered bubbles of hardened lava and the dramatic cliffs - many with spectacular waterfalls - flanking lush grazing land filled with sheep wearing puffy wool sweaters and proud Icelandic horses with majestic feathered manes that would make members of Whitesnake put on suits and head to the barber.
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#iceland #ringroad #vik

426km today to get from the south to the north of the country (see map pic 3), but we traversed some beautiful pasture lands, high valleys rich with fall colors and some steaming with fumaroles, dramatic coastline and two tunnels, one 6.4km long under a bay and one much shorter but with only one lane and undecipherable (at least to me and I was leading!) signals. Not sure which was more exciting.
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And speaking of exciting, here are some actual transcripts of texts from today’s 11 hours on the road with 6 kids:
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Ann: “We’re gonna find a potty stop for Mae. We’ll catch up.”
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Jenn: “Making Potty stop”
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Tyler: “We stopped for a potty emergency and are just staying put to make lunch. See ya down the road ✌🏼”
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Adam: “We’re gonna move on. Mae has cracked open another bottle of yogurt I hear.”
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Sarah: “Are you by the fjord or by the bay, Dave?”
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Tyler: “Pee stop”
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Jenn: “Us too”
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#roadtripwithkids #travelwithkids #familytravel #iceland #icelandichorses #icelandichorsesofinstagram #pottytexts #mightnotwanttoclickthat