On Day 4 of my Iceland road trip I depart Seydisfjordur and head back inland to the nearby city of Egilsstadir to fill up on gas. From there I wind down the eastern coast, a remote part of the country with gorgeous scenery — I drive miles at a time without seeing another car in either direction, first crossing mountain passes and then cruising by dramatic ocean cliffs. My plan is to get to the glacier lagoons (Jokulsarlon and Fjallsarlon) by 2:30pm so I can hop on a zodiac boat tour. I’ve made a last-minute reservation and now I just have to get there in time — easier said than done when I still want to pull over and take photos of the landscape every couple of minutes. It will take me 3 hours to drive there without stops but I’m guessing that 3.5 hours is more realistic. After the glacier lagoons, I’ll drive onward to camp for the night at Skaftafell National Park.

I don’t even make it all the way out of Seydisfjordur before pulling over at a waterfall. The clock is ticking…

And then I pass a few clusters of sheep blocking the road. They don’t care that I’ve got a glacier lagoon tour to get to.

Check out the epic views I photographed while crossing this stretch of rugged, mountainous terrain:

Back on the coastline, I’m greeted by views that remind me of southern California — sandy beaches, blue water, rocky cliffs.

Fog rolls in, adding dramatic flair.

I have barely enough time to stop in the fishing town of Hofn for a quick bite to eat. I place a lunch order to go and wander around the wharf for a few minutes while they prepare my food.

Here’s the place where I stopped for lunch — Hafnarbudin, the same spot my sister and her friends visited on their trip six weeks earlier. I am totally following in their footsteps.

My sister recommended the langoustine baguette and it hits the spot. Of course I eat it in the car while speeding to the glacier lagoons, but I’m just glad I have time to grab something.

I am THRILLED to share my glacier lagoon photos in tomorrow’s post. Stay tuned!