KGH's Defender

Kgh

Let’s go already!
The camp showers and kitchen. Grass and wildflowers growing on roof.

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Reflections in mountain lake. This is the plateau. So barren it is stunning. Would love to spend more time here.

Both sides of roads have 8-10' tall poles to guide plows in winter.

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Getting artsy.

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Kgh

Let’s go already!
Tomorrow: Bergen. City of seven mountains. Will trip around a little and see if we can catch the Fjordline ferry to Stavanger and then onto Hirtshals, Denmark.
 

Kgh

Let’s go already!
Managed to catch ferry. Reserved online, drove to Bergen and walked a bit, then to port for drive-on. We enjoy the driving around Europe, but time constraints make the ferry the best choice this trip.

Had a nice conversation with the other two Defender owners this AM. Nice folks, nice rigs (both 300TDi) and very well travelled. Again we heard about Norway during the low light months, known locally as the blue period. Hopefully we get back during that.
 

Kgh

Let’s go already!
A little of what we have done

Racking up miles and tire wear.

Return from Solihull with the 1995 110.
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Norway trip, minus ferry from Bergen to Stavanger to Hirtshals, DK
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Our French tour. Nice, lavender fields in Provence, Paris.
Camped in Alps in Switzerland and Italy on way down.
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Kgh

Let’s go already!
More of past trips this year.

Stuttgart to Vienna with Alps camping on way.
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Trip to Brussels and other Belgium areas.
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Kgh

Let’s go already!
I posted in the Europe section of the forum on how to get German export license plates and registration for car bought in Germany.

I did this today. Simple, quick, no residence requirements in Germany. Gives up to 360 days in Europe, legally.

For anyone wanting to travel around over here, it is a good way to go.
 

Kgh

Let’s go already!
Taking a flight and renting this tomorrow:

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Yeah, Iceland. Going to spend a a week and try to see a lot of the island. Might actually do this as a trip report.

We chose the camper due to: weather (starting to blow cold there), F-road ability, no hotel and reduced food bills, and an onboard toilet (cannot go crap in the wood..no real woods).

Tips we have gotten so far-
Free drinking water, just fill your bottle, canteen etc.
If you see a fuel station, get fuel. Always.
Dress warm and be prepared for dressing warmer.
Use multiple maps and GPS, as spellings do not always correlate.
 
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Taking a flight and renting this tomorrow:

View attachment 367896

Yeah, Iceland. Going to spend a a week and try to see a lot of the island. Might actually do this as a trip report.

We chose the camper due to: weather (starting to blow cold there), F-road ability, no hotel and reduced food bills, and an onboard toilet (cannot go crap in the wood..no real woods).

Tips we have gotten so far-
Free drinking water, just fill your bottle, canteen etc.
If you see a fuel station, get fuel. Always.
Dress warm and be prepared for dressing warmer.
Use multiple maps and GPS, as spellings do not always correlate.

Wow, what a beautiful rig! By any chance can you inform us on what you might be paying per day for something like that? Or at least post the company for hire?

Cheers,

E
 

Kgh

Let’s go already!
Well, it's gonna hurt. Lol.

http://www.rvrental.is/index.php/en/4x4-campers?view=cardetails&carid=7

After looking at food and lodging costs with a 4x4 rental, it actually is pretty even. Iceland is not an inexpensive destination, although some have done it. With this rig, we have freedom of movement as we desire, no fixed room reservations or timelines.

Besides, I paid in Euro, and that looks so much like Monopoly money, I forget it is real.
 

Kgh

Let’s go already!
Up at 530. Coffee. More coffee. We had both packed and showered last night, so a matter of throwing a few last minute items into the rucks. Starbuck's VIA instant coffee. Extra iPad cords. Etc etc. Quick trip to Stuttgart airport with sunrise framed in the speed limit signs.

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Sitting on plane now, first leg is to Copenhagen with a 3 hour layover.
 

Kgh

Let’s go already!
Arrived København. AKA Copenhagen.

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Airport lounge = free food. Grabbing extra packs of butter, apples, and oranges for the backpack to supplement out food supplies.

The first Starbuck's coffee I have had in months.
My tastes have changed.

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Kgh

Let’s go already!
Picked up Def130 camper. Wow. Pretty sweet. The rear overhand makes any angle of departure an issue, but we are not going "wheeling" for wheelings sake. A lot of the F roads are unpaved, but manageable. The ones on our paper map labelled F but shown as dorred lines are no go for most rental vehicles anyway.

After getting a familiarization from the guys, we headed out. First stop, groceries. As we were loading the stuff into the camper, a great looking TD5 pulled in. Of course, I went over to talk. Nice French couple, they came by ferry. Cheaper if one has time, as it is a 3 day trip! Had a quick chat, and we headed out to Tingvellir. Campground is listed, but we discovered only for tents. We pulled into a side gravel lot, set up, and made some 4 cheese tortellini, bread with olive oil and balsamic vinegar, and some hot coffee. Good to have a warm meal on a cool night (50 deg).

We have brought our camp chairs, so we decided to bundle up and enjoy coffee outside. About 9:30 I noticed some bands of light in the sky!

We did not get the multi-color aurora this night. Instead, from E to W there were large whitish bands with maybe a blue tint. Twinkng and curving, appearing and dissapating. It was pretty amazing. We watched for probably 20 minutes, then they faded, and the wind got to be a little much. Set the alarm for midnight to see if they reappeared, but it had clouded over.
 

Kgh

Let’s go already!
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Gullfoss. Very impresive falls

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Geyser about to blow.


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This actually took better part of ten hours.

We did pick up a hitch-hiker. An Italian guy who is walking/thumbing Iceland for 3 weeks. Nice guy, good conversation.

Tomorrow we find a plane wreck.
 

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