“To do the Ring” is an Icelandic expression that generally refers to travels on Route 1, the highway that encircles the country. To travel this road is something that most Icelanders do at some point in their lives, and some even prefer to do it every summer. The reasons for going are of course different, but many people probably set out with the idea that on the way they’ll learn more about their fellow Icelanders or native beliefs, that they’ll see more of their country. However, travelling on the Ring Road is a risky business. On the way, you might learn something about yourself or your family, regardless of whether they live close to the highway or share the car with you. A lot of journeys on the Ring Road have ended in divorce, while babies have been born in the wake of others. And there is no guarantee that you’ll learn more about Iceland on the way. When it comes to travelling (and photography?), what you see matters less than the way you look at it.
We did the Ring. In May of 2010, driving a green Opel Astra Station, 1994 model. And we were back on square ten days and 1450 kilometres later.
Text: © Huldar Breidfjord