An unbelievable day in Iceland

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 15/09/2008 (6510 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Imagine if you will, a Land Rover mated with a Sherman Tank, and then taken to a posh refitter to ensure the comfort of its passengers. Well this is the vehicle that I have been driving all day, and what a day it has been.Anyone who thinks that they have seen everything, and have had every imaginable experience known to man has not driven such a jeep (38″ tyres and an air intake raised six feet off the ground to allow it to run through raging rivers). A day out in the Icelandic countryside will bring the spark back into anyone’s life – guaranteed.We left the hotel early this morning… drizzle, cloud and poor visibility. Within a few minutes we are bouncing along Thousand Lake Road – a name that really conjures up the truth – not really a road, but a series of tiny lakes connected by a barely discernable path of gravel, small rocks and lumps of lava. Bouncing through the water (boys are so pathetic), watching it ride up and over the “car” was amazing, and as our journey progressed and we headed further and further away from roads and people the fun got even more intense.Driving these astonishing vehicles over lava, rocks, through rivers, under volcanic lips, through black sand and intermittently pouring rain was wonderful. Not the sort of holiday to appear on the covers of mainstream brochures, but a heart-pounding and rejuvenating experience none the less.And en route, we learnt something. Stuck way back in the hills is a brand new (will open in 2015) power station that heats Reykjavik with the country’s famed geothermal energy. It is an extraordinary process; basically water that lies at a depth of 3000m and is 300C is under too much pressure to boil. It just remains very, very hot. By drilling holes into the water system, the pressure brings the water to the surface where it turns to steam, and this steam is used to drive generators and provide electricity for the power grid. There are many more details, off shoots (superheated energy flowing through massive heat-exchangers in a manner that I didn’t quite grasp, but nevertheless effective), and some breathtaking statistics.It opens in seven years, yet already provides 160 megawatts of power; a considerable percentage of Reykjavik’s 280 megawatt needs. And so onAnd off we went – through more rivers, over more mountains conquering and mapping new territories and finally ending up at Sigfus’s summerhouse. Where we are now, cooking dinner and looking forward to what surprises Iceland will throw my way tomorrow. What a fine country. And the company that makes all this possible, and dreams come true? Iceland Experience!