I’ve been looking forward to this since this morning. Freshly washed, bedding and camping equipment checked, breakfasted – I’m ready for my next adventure! You don’t know who I am? Sorry for not introducing myself. I’m the minicamper Renault Kangoo from rent.is and I’ll be the home for two German girls for the next 10 days.
Kathrin and Kristina collect me from Keflavik Airport. I’m pretty sure that they find me quite cool. Their eyes give it away. Or maybe I’m interpreting that wrong. At least my immediate impression is that the three of us will get along just fine.
I still don’t know the pair’s Iceland itinerary, but I’m happy with the first overnight stop in Eyrarbakki. We are pretty much alone at the campsite – which, incidentally, is free – and from the murmuring before they go to sleep, I make out that tomorrow we’ll be heading further along the southern coast.
But Iceland has its own plans. In the next two days we get to know each other much better. With non-stop wind and rain, Kathrin and Kristina spend a lot of time in me. For me, the weather makes no difference at all. I love driving, and driving reliably, whether in sunshine or rain.
I think it was during this time that they both started to call me ‘Kangaroo.’ I have no idea what that’s supposed to mean. But it sounds affectionate and sometimes they laugh while calling me that, so I can’t complain.
I experience many wonderful things during these days both on and off the Ring Road:
How happy the two of them are to seek shelter in me just before a downpour and, without further ado, to make their sandwiches on my seats. They filled my cooler well at the start of the trip, and that together with the complete camping dinner set, meant that they lacked for nothing when cooking their own meals.
How peacefully they sleep and then comment mornings about how cozy it is up there. And if it gets a bit chilly, they just throw the heating on for a bit.
How impressed they are when they return from the black beach in Vik or the icebergs in Jökulsarlón. Or how excited they are over a waterfall in the distance and how they count the sheep next to the road.
How they juggle their plans, depending on the weather. Ultimately, with me, they are independent, have everything they need and at the end of each day, just need to find a little bit of camping ground to park on. As a result one day we take a spur of the moment shortcut to Egilsstaðir – with gravel, steep ascents and incredible views – or a detour with its hairpin bends to Seyðisfjörður far in the East.
I also find it enthralling, that we drive around the island counter-clockwise. Most people go in the other direction as most guidebooks do as well. For Kathrin and Kristina, it was not as easy as it was for me, as they had to read the guidebook backwards. As a result, they often just stopped when they took a shine to a place.
Even after just a couple of days, I notice that the girls have gotten into a routine. In a flash, the table and chairs are set up, the food is cooking on the gas stove and important things have found their place inside.
We continue our road trip by driving via the Hengifoss to Mývatn, meander through Ásbyrgi and Húsavik, head through Akureyri towards Hvammstangi and finally to the peninsula Snæfellsnes.
The early worry the two had about not finding enough petrol stations faded quickly. And the campsites, where we stop at night are also easy to find. Of course some are better than others. But even a poor campsite in a storm with rain and only cold water can redeem itself the next morning with breathtaking views and a stunning photo shoot.
Kathrin and Kristina always take little devices with them when they leave me, and in the evening they talk about them. I think they call them ‘photos’. I haven’t had a chance to see these ‘photos’, but they seem to be a good thing. The girls say that they can capture wonderful moments, of which there were many in the last few days.
And now I am also sure – I definitely have a place in the hearts of the girls after our adventures together. As we say goodbye, they gave me a gentle pat and say something like, “All the best, dear Kangaroo, and thank you!”
Read more: Camping in Iceland in a Camper
Happy Camping! #CamperStories
Iceland Travel Guides
If you like what you see, please subscribe to our YouTube channel!
