Hi, I'm Vatnsleysufoss...please call me Faxi

Quite a number of tour operators in Reykjavik offer the day-long excursion to the "Golden Circle" (the Icelandic tourist board's brilliant marketing term) - the trifecta of south Iceland's most popular historical sights consisting of the Geysir (hot water shooting up into the air), Gullfoss (thundering two-level waterfalls), and Thingvellir national park (site of the world's first-ever parliament, outdoors to boot).

So, for the traveller spending only a few days in Iceland, this tour is one of the must-dos. The only decision really is which mode of transport to take. The biggest company, Reykjavik Excursions, operates huge tourist buses that accommodate about fifty people, while a host of smaller companies like Go Travel Iceland use more intimate mini-buses that can seat roughly twenty or so. Thus, it was a no-brainer for R. and I - we decided to book the Go Travel Iceland tour for the next day. Our driver/guide was Gummi, an affable man full of information about Iceland, its history, and sights - all told with dry humor that kept it fun for the passengers.

Since these three main attractions are located relatively not far from Iceland's capital Reykjavik, and somewhat close to each other, it makes you wonder why the bus tours take 8 hours. If you bother to read the trip itinerary, buried in the fine print (if mentioned at all) are other stops along the way including the Kerið volcano crater (pretty cool, pun intended), Hveragerði greenhouse village (residents live above the hot springs, risking total destruction of their homes), Skálholt church (fascinating mosaic tile image of Christ, as pictured), and the Nesjavellir geothermal power plant (nice - if staring at heavy machinery turns you on).

For me though, the biggest pleasant surprise among all these "extras" was the Vantnsleysufoss (or Faxi, a widely-used name for horses), one of the lesser-known waterfalls even among Icelanders, as Gummi pointed out. (True enough, no mention of Vatnsleysufoss in either Lonely Planet or Rough Guides). Located just seconds off the main road, people drive past it all the time - oblivious to Faxi's beauty. Their loss, I say.

Note: Be sure not to miss the guy who climbed to the left hand side of the waterfalls (in the first few seconds).


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