Life at the Top of the caldera

Share author traveled Vulkan in Iceland Glacier yagn hooks to Black, heated controversy, and learning coexist with Lava.

Text by Jonathan B Tourtellot (is National Geographic Fellow), executive summary by darmansjah

"I was able to fly you to vulkan!" Cried the enthusiastic pilot. "This is a rare opportunity! We'll fly low zig-zag between the ice cliff. "He moves his hands like a wriggling snake, adding:" Flying lower the better. Flying high could hit the cliff. "Then he told me about the wonders of lava, the greatness of nature, carelessness government-things I do not know. Vulkan or mountain berapai it, Eyjafjallajokull, erupted two years ago. Blankets ashes crippling road and air traffic in Europe for days-the worst disaster after World War II (called, "that vol-CANE-oh in ICE-land").

The pilot was the Icelandic versatile, Omar Ragnarsson, 70, radio entertainers, filmmakers, newscasters, journalists, comedians, politicians, and environmental activists. In the summer, he wrote a blog about the dangers that threaten the countryside in Iceland. He wrote what he saw from the cockpit of his Cessna 172 for the 35-year-old opener people about Eyjafjallajokull (read: Ehya-fyettala-yuh-kuttle).

I'm doubtful. It seems not a good idea surrender my life to the aging pilot who likes to fly this plane passed. Especially my wife, Sally, had intended traveled vulcan in Iceland (this trip with his wife for the third time, and I personally the sixth time). We never get tired of enjoying the diversity as well as natural and cultural uniqueness of the country inhabited around 309 000 inhabitants. While Virginia hit by a humid summer, we have reason to fly to Iceland to experience the cold dry, volcanic eruptions as well.

Iceland topped the Mid-Atlantic ridge, belt mountains and valleys where the eruptive fissure periodic basis to expand the Atlantic Ocean. We want to experience living in settlements frenzy, down the active volcano area of the south coast after the Westman Islands, wading interior Arctic, to the city of Husavik on the northeast coast. Just what we worry about: Will the recent eruption attract crowds of tourists?