European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - April 21, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse                                C e l by Ponya Najeep a journey to the uninhabited icelandic Interior by Melanie prestige London observer service the rain slashed Down against the red and Green Reykjavik rooftops but the Pale faces that loomed out of swirling Clouds seemed oblivious to the weather. Iceland inspires a passion almost As dramatic As its climate. Nearly All the travellers i encountered were planning to return or had been Back at least six times already. A journey into the uninhabited Interior provides the most vivid Way to understand the country s past and present. It was in the Remote farms and monasteries that the scandinavian sagas were written. Even today crossing petrified lava mountains glaciers and unabridged fast flowing Rivers presents difficulties for icelanders. Most of the Interior is Only accessible by four wheel drive Small plane or Pony. Minutes after driving out of Reykjavik the Clouds lifted to reveal a Barren and pitted landscape. The next instant steaming crevasses and sulphurous yellow Hills were lit up by spectacular Sunshine. We passed through the town of average rid with its mass of Geo thermally heated greenhouses growing everything from bananas to tropical fruit on our Way to mount Hekla. Impressive As it is geothermal Power is child s play compared to the might of Hekla one of Iceland s most Active volcanoes which last erupted in 1991 on the Day the persian Gulf War began. At the Remote Hamlet of Leir Bakki we met up with Gisli from the Hekla Mountain Guesthouse and abandoned our wheels for ponies. We were a group of 10 riders with another 15 ponies following along behind. Hekla s Snow covered Peak was a constant feature in the Skyline As we crossed open grazing Choppy Rivers and scaled Steep lava inclines. Iceland stands astride the mid Atlantic Ridge on a tectonic plate Boundary. A volcanic zone splits the Island in a line running roughly Southwest to Northeast. The resulting clash of geological forces creates a turbulent landscape. While Europe sinks into menopausal Middle age Iceland is experiencing its terrible 2  the country is being pulled apart at a staggering rate of eight tenths of an Inch a year. And around the base of Hekla which the sagas portray As the Gates of hell magma rises from the Earth s Center to More than fill the 8ap-my Pony was Small but sturdy and sure footed and did not object to the Corkscrew wind which blew under its Tail. There Are eight icelandic words for wind but i was quite Happy to experience just the one the icelandic Pony has remained a pure Breed since settlers first brought Over Stock from Norway nearly 1,000 years ago. Until this Century they were the sole Means of land transportation and they still play a vital role in the autumn sheep roundups. Stopping for lunch meant herding the Loose ponies face into a co nil against a but. Wms 33695 Caff big Ashe Field podia up cured to Opther Feite me sat Dor sar.&�d�&. Sack pm the Trail � if Racse a serious efort to be 3s or Gas with visit erg � area acc i ingae so csac3c ponies scr their St liar 10 a fast san. It had been a while Arica i last Safe Tut taking Cas easy As icelanders Iassc heat a to i will ised a Lehow rider s acid the Toi Truls a Dre Araw pro lds Yoy Wear silk knickers or use vase Sirej after rive hours it was pc Dracass to measure that 1 slipped into the guest to be i Stair i cd and watched Che sen sink Bird Curt h the Fri Schirg Day was Rrt or a scr safari  the Trdinic Chain of ecu coins re i of the St to world s most sophisticated jeeps equipped with Telephone six cd player Raduj and navigation computer. Our Driver stuck to marked trails to avoid dust and damage to delicate vegetation. Iceland appears rugged and powerful but its environment b extremely Fra gift. If Velides stray from the tracks tire Marks carved into the landscape can remain for hundreds of years. All around us Lay chunks of shiny Black Obsidian lava and honeycombed segments of pumice. Turning Over a handful of tiny stones was like dipping into a bowl of Jelly Beans. The Hilk were covered with Neon Green Moss and Uchen interspersed with patches of Pink Campion and White Cotton grass challenging common notions of a Lokanc wilderness. Turning East we drove toward Torf Jokull ice Cap. Our Driver Harpor told us How the previous week some tourists had driven Over the Glacier in a blizzard and alien into a deep Crevice. The Interior is not a place for amateurs to Blunder about in. Harpor knew the territory and by reducing the tire continued on Page 16 ipril21,1994 stripes Magazine 75