Since the global economic crisis, every Icelander has been carrying a per capita debt of 330,000 dollars on their shoulders. So it's no wonder that our guide Magne Kvam has such a serious face. His mortgage doubled overnight on 8 October 2008. And there are said to have been people who, in their initial desperation, preferred to bulldoze their house and blow up their beloved off-road vehicle - before they had to give it back to the banks that owed it all. As a tourist, you are therefore on a powder keg: you don't want to be a body snatcher, but you are happy that you can finally afford a trip to Iceland. Instead of 15 dollars, a beer at the bar now only costs five. Former status symbols such as Land Cruisers and Range Rovers are now called "Grand Loser" and "Game Over". It's gallows humour that is best not laughed at too loudly as a tourist, as the mood can sometimes change, especially after the fifth beer.
Biking in Iceland: a colourful spectacle in a class of its own
Our first ride takes us to the summit of Blue Peak, deep in the mountains of south-east Iceland. An introverted morning sun is just breathing its hello over the rounded peaks as we reach the highest point and one of the most spectacular viewpoints in the world: Yellow earth flows into rust-coloured and then bleeds out into crimson. Sharp-edged lava rock breaks through everywhere, but is already covered by mosses in all shades of green. Hills let off steam everywhere and regurgitate pink-coloured broth. Golden veins of lava make their way into rivers, where they hiss as they plunge into the melting water of the glaciers. And our shimmering blue trail winds its way between all these natural wonders.
You can find the entire article on the MTB tour through Iceland as a PDF download below.
