The natural beauty of Iceland never ceases to amaze. The sun was setting as we left our last waterfall and began the long drive back to Reykjavík. At first it was simply pretty—a rosy glow in the sky. But then the colours deepened as the sun lowered behind the distant Westman Islands, and it became breathtakingly beautiful. Literally everyone in the road pulled over and got out into the cold to witness the magnificence of the setting sun. And then it was over. Everyone climbed back in their cars and drove on feeling a bit of reverence for what we had seen.

According to history (folklore?) the Westman Islands get their name from certain events in the earliest Settlement period, mire than a thousand years ago. The Norwegians, on their way to settling Iceland, stopped off in Ireland (Westland) to pick up slaves. The slaves of one of the two chieftains killed him and fled to the islands for refuge. Alas, the remaining chieftain pursued them and took his vengeance—and thereafter the islands were named for them.