EPIC ICELAND

In August 2025 my wife, daughter & Son-in-law drove and lived in an RV as we travelled around iceland for 10 days - now hear what we experienced!  You can SEE some of what we saw on my website, and more completely in my book available as a pdf or printed at

https://www.blurb.com/b/12547137-iceland-travelling-the-ring-road

Transcript

EPIC ICELAND

Thundering wondrous waterfalls,

gurgling geysers,

black lava fields.

Pale green moss,

basalt column gorges.

In the North,

the humpbacks 

blow and dive 

flashing flukes,

breaching close enough

sending waves of water

into our boat.

Surrounded by oceans,

cool waters from the Arctic,

shoals of cod and herring.

Now on the table,

In the herring museum,

 six concoctions

of marinated herring

and lamb for meat eaters.

Reaching the East coast

Steep sea shore hillsides

dotted with puffin burrows;

they dive down to fish

successfully returning,

beaks full of sand eels

Geothermal lagoons,

swimming pools,

hot tubs and water slides.

Deliciously cool and pure

Icelandic drinking water.

Busy farmers harvesting

hay in white plastic wrap.

Hydroponic greenhouses

buzzing with dutch pollinating bees,

tasty tomatoes and strawberries.

Serving delicious tomato soup.

The eggs of Merry Bay;

Thirty four shiny 

multicolored granite

eggs shaped perfectly

representing native birds.

Petra's hobby,

A rock collection became

 an enrapturing garden.

Geodes, flowers, sculptures

fountains, perfectly placed together,

inviting thousands of visitors.

Herds of Icelandic ponies,

black and white sheep

Slowly cross roads 

and wander around

in the hills and valleys.

Black sandy beaches.

blocks of ice diamonds.

Glaciers sliding down

Blue and white icebergs

and freezing lakes

for seals and ducks.

Pure white swans

flock to the warm lake.

Ferry across,

reaching volcanic expanding

island of friendly people.

Playing golf at night,

hanging out in hot tubs

and steaming pools,

ready to eat, drink and laugh.

Camping in the crater,

climbing up to the rim,

the sheep waiting and chewing,

greeting the tired climbers.

All along our way

fellow campers 

have their stories:

Chinese driving through Asia,

then Europe and ferry here,

returning through Europe to Africa.

The retired English baker,

hitchhiking for his tenth summer

here in Iceland.

Stories of hitchhiking 

through the USA.

The Polish camp manager,

visiting worker,

selling her friend’s blueberry cake,

loving dark quiet winters

and Aurora Borealis nights.

For now a brief sunset,

maybe around 10 pm,

by 4 am light arrives again.

Occasionally the grey clouds

allow sun and blue sky

to make brief appearances.

Weather changes fast,

rain coming and going.

We kept driving, moving

to the next volcano or glacier

or steaming mud or hot tub,

or fish and chips

or rhubarb pie.

To the simple church

alone on the shoreline,

then finally completing the circle,

at the airport once again.

©MartinStrasmore2025

Thanks. I hope this poem painted a picture of the dramatic landscapes of Iceland.  To actually see what we saw please go to my website thewalkingpoet.net, and you can also see my book around Iceland, a family trip on the Ring Road. This is available as a PDF or printed copy at blurb.com.

https://www.blurb.com/b/12547137-iceland-travelling-the-ring-road