Frag Out! Magazine

my adventure with a real survival has ended when i left the odadahraun desert – a few days in a total loneliness, reliant only on myself while looking for wa- ter and a road through the labyrinth of the rocks, it has been an achievement. the south part of island to which i have just got to is famous for being visited by a lot of tourists. when i have walked my way, dozens of the off-road vehicles, campers or even buses have passed me by. these people when noticing me with such an amount of the equipment, in my goggles and balaclava, have stopped and asked what i have been doing there and where i am going to, and some of them have even taken pictures of me. i have felt as a next tourist attraction... A climate and a flavor of the interior has passed away in this place. instead of joyfulness from finding a water source or reaching a destination, i have been irritated while noticing a large campsite, a great deal of people and tourists wander- ing on the main trails. The Porsmork (or Thorsmörk, Thor's Forests) direction – from this moment i have felt what means island in the mountain variation. the trails have been mainly under the snow banks, do you want to go up- wards? o.K. climb, here are very steep ascends, cov- ered with ice and snow. the weather has been good, very sunny, with a minimal wind. it has been felt the first cold blasts blowing towards me from a glacier walls which is a few kilometers from here. the iceland wind can even blow while there is good, sunny weath- er drawing out the whole warmness from you. the wind, with which i have been to test with, while go- ing between two glaciers, has been the greatest chal- lenge to be overcome during this expedition. i have planned to encamp in the half of my way, at Alftavatn lake. After a few hours of climbing a mountain from 100m i have found myself at 1200m, fording in snow and mud. while crossing large spaces, i have seen my destination on the mountain peaks, covered with snow, in the distance. Alftavatn lake. i have found my- self in the great abyss, a steep route leads downwards, between the first waterfalls, canyons with icy streams and steam vaporing from the volcanic crevasses. the Landmanalaugar region is characterized by a high vol- canic activity. All around you have been able to smell an odor of rotten eggs and sulphur – the same as at the beginning of my expedition in namaall After a 1.5-hour descend and a real hard labor for my knees and Achilles tendon i have reached a flat area. the next river to overcome - i will try to cross a riv- er without changing my boots. i have stepped care- fully on the protruding stones. my boots have been half submerged in water. the last stone and the first fall in the water, fortunately i have quickly jumped on the shore. water has not reached inside my boot. LowA is a good brand, and the boots with gore- tex membrane are truly waterproof. the area has changed for a surrounding lake, green meadows with a great deal of sheep. i have felt relieved, in my head has appeared a thought about a desired hot meal. I have awaited it the entire day! www.fragoutmag.com

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