I initially wanted to visit Snæfellsnes National Park on day 4, but I quickly realized that it was an overly ambitious plan. As it was, I spent most of the day driving even without making the detour onto the peninsula! I definitely could have used another two or three days with the car to see more sights. It just means I’ll have to go back one day.

I woke up near Akureyri fairly late on Thursday morning and had a leisurely breakfast at a cute cafe in town. I then drove for nearly five hours, finally arriving at Borganes in time for dinner. I had a lovely meal of pasta and lobster at the Settlement Center and walked around during sundown to observe the always-beautiful Icelandic sky. I learned a bit about the history of the town, including the story of Thorgerdur Brak. She was the nanny to Egill, the son of Borganes’s founder Skalla-Grimur. She was killed by Egill’s father in the river after trying to protect Egill.

Finally, after getting a taste of the pleasant coastal town, I got back in the car and drove another three hours toward Thingvellier National Park.