10th September
I have no idea how long the drive from the hot springs to the horse place took, but it did feel as if we were hugging the coastline forever. The 427 was a good road and recently tarmaced, but that's a regular occurance it appears; undulations in the ground, movements and sinking all contribute to a high turnover of road surfaces. I could imagine how vulnerable you'd be if, in the winter, when its virtually twilight all the time, with the road covered in snow, you broke down. The thought made me shudder.
Our guide regailed a story he knew to be true. On the land either side of the road were deep fissures between razor sharp rocks. The mosses grow thick and even, over the surface and what appeared to be solid ground was more likely to be one of these trenches which acted like quick sand.
One hunting season a couple of years ago, a group of 5 men, all locals, went out in search of their Christmas dinner (ptarmigan). Each had their guns and a radio to keep in touch. Four men returned and although they looked for the fifth for several days, it was declared he had stood on one of these patches and had been swallowed up by the moss.
As a addendum, skeletons of large animals and people have been recovered from these areas in the past, and more are turning up as they attempt to build new interconnecting roads through the area.
Mm, makes breaking down just a little more ........💥
So onto the horses, we arrived and I felt the tears rise as a group of four fjords stood outside ready for our show. The other bus had already reach the destination and were patiently waiting for us to get inside and sit down.
We quickly filed into an indoor school and sat down in the viewing area. In front of us occupying the central region of the school were four sheets of plywood, layed end to end making a track for the horses to trot, walk and tupp across. I thought of mine.....cross plywood? for that long? with that level of noise? I'd have ended up riding a rodeo horse, bucking and squealing! I laugh now.
They came in to a fanfair of music and with their rapid trot, took themselves and their riders around the arena.
I gave up, the tears rolled and all I could do was sniff and hope I could hold back the desire to howl with the pain of not being able to ride anymore.
The riders showed the skills of the horses and the commentary told us of their uses and how they had been the driving force behind the colonisation of much of the island and the only method of transport from anywhere to somewhere.
Oh, the pain, I was ready to give in when the lead horse trotted along the boards. Oh dear, I tried so hard, then the next one, then the next, then the black and white.
No pictures got taken, I was too busy controlling my emotions but it was wonderful and when the show finished and the horses went to have their tea, I began to relax.
Strong coffee awaited us with a piece of Icelandic cake! I needed it.
Our journey back to the ship was easier. We had now picked up a main arterial route back to the capital and I sat back, I'd had enough. I wanted nothing more than the ship, deck 11 and a decent cuppa. It would be dinner time shortly and I wanted to get back to my cabin and have a shower. I felt as though the smell of the sulphur was clinging to me and with the distance we'd all been sitting down, a wander along deck 7 would be in order.
Tonight, the movie on the pool deck was "Men in Black: International" (2019) and I fancied that. It was either that, or into the Lounge for some relaxing jazz with Crystie James. Decisions, decisions.
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