Iceland, wiggling along fjords and over mountain passes. It’s basically a big oval that looks like it’s been drawn by someone who’s sat on a plane with severe turbulence. 

Today we found ourselves in northern Iceland, near Mývatn lake – which felt like another planet – for the billionth time in this country. 

We were standing on a volcanic landscape, the ground beneath us was covered in cracked mud, grey bubbling mud pits and fluorescent yellow sulphur. A hill rose ahead of us, stained orange and scattered with fumaroles that projected steam like a smoke machine at a disco. 

A trail led us up the hill so we could look down on the bizarre scene and see the landscape change colour. The sunset hues turned into green moss and behind that were black volcanic cones. 

Nearby was another moonscape to stroll across, but we had to make a little pit stop at one of the coolest roadside attractions we’ve come across – a hot spring shower. 

A dirt track led to a gravel pit where we could park up, and in the centre was a shower, fed by geothermal water that was constantly flowing. We wasted no time and got into our swimsuits, enjoying one of the best showers of our lives. It was such a funny scene. The only downside was the extra-large midges that invaded the airspace. As soon as we got out of the shower they swarmed us in a rather apocalyptic manner. 

Up the road was the colourful, geothermal area of Krafla where we stood above a blue lake surrounded by steep red cliffs. We also explored a volcanic landscape with a milky blue pool that looked like it had been filled with toothpaste. The ground around the pool was orange, but beyond that, the whole landscape turned jet black. 

There was another lake nearby, which was a fabulous opaque blue colour. On the shoreline was a warning sign saying ‘100°’. We assumed it was warning us about the water temperature being too hot to swim in, but then a plume of hot steam swept our way from a geothermal factory and we realised it was probably best to leave the area. 

There was one more sight that we wanted to stop at nearby – and it turned out to be incredibly crowded. But, it was easy to visit, and a few steps from the car park we were standing inside a warm cave filled with bright blue water. 

We did a little walk around Myvatn Lake, where grassy volcanic cones formed peninsulas, and then it was time to continue our journey west. 

We passed lush meadows with galloping Icelandic horses but five minutes down the road we’d come across an orange volcanic landscape that resembled honeycomb-covered hills. 

We ended the day by soaking in a free hot spring that flowed down a river. It was made up of little pools as it cascaded down the hill but the water wasn’t exactly hot. In fact, it was like a bath that had been made and forgotten about. We couldn’t help but laugh because as cold as the water was, it was still warmer than the outside temperature so we were awkwardly trying to stay beneath the surface. After a spot of dinner cooked off the back of our van, it was time to find a spot to camp for the night, ready for another day of adventures.