Today, we drove with eagles - literally. Our route took us slightly west, then north, into the great northwest fjord country. The drive was fraught with challenges. My headcold has grown, and added to that was the first bout of traveller's diarrhea. The cramps came upon me halfway through the journey and, with no towns or village, no WC in sight, I had to endure. Add to this some of the most intense rally-style driving of the trip, and, to say the least, I was spent upon arrival in Isafjordur.
On the plus side, the drive was spectacular. We climbed high cliffs, drove across tundra, then descended into long fjords. Again, we had the sensation of flight rather than driving, and I had to concentrate hard to keep our car safely on the wet, often gravelled roads. The views were unbelievable. Along the bottom stretches, birds and more seals cavorted on the water. In the upper reaches, sheep with utter fearlessness stood their ground against our car's approach. Then, on high ground, a huge bird rose up on the wind currents and soared along side us. It was a golden eagle who joined us and flew along side in perfect formation. The bird was serene in its majesty, power, and freedom, paying us no heed as we drove in its wake, completely honoured to be in its company, completely in awe if its beauty.
Isafjordur is a fine, tidy fishing town at the head of a deep and long fjord. It is completely ringed in by some of the most dramatic cliffs imagineable. The setting was truly remarkable. We toured the interesting little fishing museum and had the BEST fish dinner of the trip. But the eagle.... what a sight !!
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