Rawhideone's travel blogs:
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the volcanos are real??
Entry 6 of 15 | show all | print this entry |
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Big hike today with Lisa, Panos from Greece, and Sara from Italy...been hanging out with Panos a bunch...he's odd and funny and smart and very enjoyable...we made eggplant balls together last nite (actually he made them, I just helped cook them) and then hamburgers on the grill (what ALL Americans eat)
The hike is all good until we get on this steep mountainside....with a path made for a llama or something....slope sliding straight down towards the valley far below...striking scenery...two glaciers, then three in the view....but treacherous...Panos explores an alternate way out....steep climb up...no exit...down on our butts....catwalk back....still a great hike....so glad to be in this company....then there's the hot spot ...with two terrorist Icelandic girls, 5 and 7....beautiful kids...spitting water back and forth...playing games...then they hatched a plan right in front of us...the mud throwing starts...mud in the hot pot....out of control...we leave and shower.....it's their hot pot now...
There's this Australian woman, Deanne, doing grad work studying people's perceptions of the threat of a volcanic eruption...she interviews some volunteers....has interesting stuff to say...apparently there's serious threat of an eruption...and although there's lots of volcanoes on Iceland, there's three most likely to burst and one is right over here...It's called Katla ...now what does that sound like? Used to be spelled KOTLA apparently....it was named for a woman who did bad things - I can't remember exactly what but it's a major part of Icelandic folklore....Helga and Jacob were quite impressed that it was my last name....it was supposed to blow 2 yrs ago but they're still waiting...it would cause some major ice hunks to drop off the glacier and raise the river level 45 feet...which puts us under water right here... then there's the ash and acidity and gases and of course the lava...anyway I think I hold some weight around here having a name like that...in fact I had to give my name to someone and they spelled it KATLA even though I spelled it for them...maybe it weighs on their minds ....
Apparently there are no warning systems in place but I suppose you'd feel the ground shake....I know I'd run to higher ground as fast as my knees would carry me...she says you'd have 20 minutes to 1 hour before it got here and posed a threat....not sure how high I could get in 20 minutes but I think I could beat the flood....I just look at these valleys and imagine lava flowing down through them...seeing it from up above would be scary but also amazing I'd think...bet I could get some great footage for the BBC... More thumbnails ...
Latest Comments (4)
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Katla! (reply)
Sep 24, 2007 09:15 EST by pagne
WOW!! You are inspiring! Always thought of you as volcanic, full of energy spewing at times... rumbling with the drumming... who knew about your volcanic namesake? Loving this trip you are on, thanks for taking me along... keep the words and visuals coming.
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WOW, I'm almost speechless... (reply)
Sep 18, 2007 08:51 EST by kdjaffee
Karen and Lisa,
just spent an hour pouring over your pics and blog entry's and felt like I was in the rugged terrain of Iceland myself! What an absolutely incredible experience. Food sounds excellent too. I want to try those eggplant meatballs when you get back.
Miss you guys.
Kim
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News from Home, i.e., Mills River, NC (reply)
Sep 18, 2007 06:00 EST by paulshoemaker
Hi Karen and Lisa, We're loving your blog and the pictures. It's really special receiving almost daily reports on your adventures. Lisa must be fascinated by the high meadow plantlife. Much Love, Simone and Paul (Mom and Dad).
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Holy %@#* (reply)
Sep 16, 2007 19:46 EST by crepetti
the scenery is AMAZING. It really does seem like you are on some other planet or something. The blog is amazing by itself, but then to have some pics to with it - out of this world.
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