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It's 11 o'clock in the evening in mid-july. You've just finished a dinner of ram's testicles and boiled potatoes and your new found friends are ready to strip naked and jump into the hot springs. But before you go, you'll have to down another shot of brennivin. Your throat tightens around the fiery schnapps. It goes down with a smile as you slide into the steamy water and look up at the midnight sun, wondering if you're dreaming. Welcome to Iceland.
Set between North America and Europe, Iceland's craggy volcanic landscape and tempestuous climate aren't obvious draws to adventure travelers. But a closer looks reveals a desert landscape punctuated by sparkling glaciers, surging streams, and cobalt lakes. This geography, coupled with a Scandinavian-rooted culture emphasizing social justice and good living, makes for a spectacular place to pass a couple of weeks.
Reykjavik, the capital city (population 170,000) has the international
airport, so plan on starting your trip here. Some travelers spend two nights here as part of stopover on a cheap f~re to or from Europe. That's a great way to get a flavor for the place, but to really see Iceland you'll need a while longer. The first adventure on your agenda should be the Landmannalaugar trail.
Because ofthe variety of landscape covered, it's considered the best trek in the country. From Reykjavik, buy a ticket on the BSI (Iceland's main bus company; www.bsi.is) bus ($SS), and ditch the tour when you arrive at the trailhead. For four days, you'll traverse lava moonscapes, bound across steaming geothermal vents, and gasp at 30-mile-long crevasse. You can climb Mt Haskeroingur (1,278 meters) without technical skills or special equipment. You won't need a tent either; there are small, water-equipped huts all along the trail. Next, head to the northeast and the Myvatn area. Once a glacier that was
melted by lava flows, Myvatn is surrounded on all sides by volcanoes. Check out the Haverarond mud pits, which are so hot they actually boil. Then dive into the waters of Viti, a hot spring crater with 2S"C water. Afterward, hike over to Eldhraun, a barren lava
48 ICELAND TRAVELER FACTS:
POPULATION DENSITY: 4.3 people per square mile POPULATION: 275,365 AREA: 63.860 square miles LANGUAGES SPOKEN: Icelandic, English PEOPLE: 97% are a mixture of descendants of Norwegians and Celts HOW FAR: from NY 2,590 miles; From SF 4,190 miles HOW MUCH: from NY 5.5 hours; Icelandair $587 RT; From SF 13 hours; Icelandair Sl, 117 RT www.icelandair.com 800-223ยท5500 MAIN ADVENTURE ACTIVITIES: Hiking, skiing, snowboarding, whitewater rafting OUTFITTERS ACCESSING: Highlander Adventures www.highlander.is; Ultima Thule www.ute.is
field where the Apollo 11 crew practiced moonwalking.
From here, it's a short drive to jokulsargljufur National Park. Comparisons to the Grand Canyon and Niagara Falls aren't far off. jokulsargljufur is a 300-foot deep, l,soo-foot wide canyon dotted by powerful waterfalls, giving off enough mist to dampen your fleece.
Reykjavik is known as a party city . For its size, the city's nightlife is considered among the hippest in Europe. This owes, in large part, to the engaging and open-minded Icelandics who aren't afraid to party. Promiscuity, say some, happens freq uently and shamelessly. Like any major city, the " in" spots change every week. Most bars are situated on Laugavegur and branching off down Austurstr