Faeroe Islands

Day 3:
On Sunday morning most of us were awake by 7 or 8am getting ready for our day of adventure. Mathieu and Gunnar had planned to go hiking on Vágar for the day and then Fionnuala decided to join them and they rushed to the bus station. Tom, Ásta and Julia were originally going to bus to Leirvík then ferry to Klaksvík and then bus back, but while waiting at the bus station they met up with Mathieu, Gunnar and Fionnuala and decided to join them. I should add that it was very cloudy, rainy and windy day.

So it leaves me, Leif, Roisin, Maren, Hannah, Adrian, Anna Vala and Linda. Leif, Roisin and I were trying to arrange cars to rent for the day. First problem, we are not sure if we can even get the cars because the only drivers with liscences with them (me and Leif) are not 21 which is the age limit for renting cars. Second, if the cars don't work out we want to be able to get to the bus station for 10:55 to Leirvík, and at that moment it was 10am. Third, none of the taxis are available (still busy with business from the night before!) and the rental place is probably a good 30 min walk away. So Roisin phones the rental place asking if he can pick us (Roisin, Leif and moi) up. We get there and hope that they don't mention the age restriction. Luckily he doesn't say anything, BUT they only have one automatic car to rent, we end up having to get the second in standard. So Leif drives me and Roisin back in the automatic, we pick up Maren, who can drive standard, we get back to the rental place (the guy had already given us the key, didn't even care about seeing her liscence, which was lucky considering she had left it in Iceland), her and I hopped into the standard, both cars drove back to the hotel and picked up everyone. Then we were on our way.

Originally Linda was going to take the helicopter to Klaksvik, meet up with people there and then take the bus back. Then she was going to drive with us to Klaksvik and then take the helicopter back to Tórshavn, but really there was no point because it would be rainy, windy, foggy all day, so she would not see anything.

Several of the people were still quite tired or hung over, so we were going to drive until Oyrarbakki, which said on the map had a Shell station and a restaurant. So off we went. Even though the weather was kind of crappy, the view was still nice. There were many waterfalls streaming down the mountains/hills/cliffs. We saw many wet looking sheep munching away on soggy grass. After maybe 30 mins or so of driving we arrive in Oyrarbakki, but the Shell station is closed. So we look at the map and it says there is a restaurant in Eiði, so we decide to head there. At this time both Maren and I have to pee really bad. Perhaps another 10-15 mins we arrived in Eiði. We parked by this info booth which said WC on the side, but only the guys washroom was open which only had urinals. The day before Anna Vala had bought this gag gift of these cardboard funnels for girls to be able to pee standing up, and at this point I thought it would have been really useful to have one of these. So we trek through (more up) Eiði looking for this supposed restaurant. It is almost getting painful now. Maren and I had run ahead of everyone hoping to come across something. She decides to pee behind some barn, but it was part of someone's property, just beside the garage so I was worried someone would come out and see us. So I continue on my way and it seems never ending. I come across this school which is deserted. I run behind the building which has a rock cliff right behind, drop my pants and relieve myself. I come out and meet up with everyone else. Leif and I decide we should probably go back and get the cars to drive up and look for the restaurant. We all return to the cars and drive up the windy roads up the cliff of Eiði. We have to double back a few times but we finally found this restaurant, which looks like it has been closed for several years now. So no food or coffee for us, but now that Maren and I are relieved we can continue on.

Next stop is Gjógv. Here there is suppose to be a Sea-stack, some rock formation that comes out of the sea. We arrive and it has a pretty river flowing through the town. Similar style of houses as the other towns we have been in and is right on the ocean. We drive around and find this hotel-looking place. We park and wonder in side. It looks like a family reunion and just in time for dinner. The owner of the place though comes and greets us (seems every Faroesean can speek perfect English). We actually happened upon a hostel and said we were welcomed to the food once the others had their fill. We just wanted some coffee so he made us two big pots of it. Roisin had some of the soup, which was cream of broccoli. I tasted some, it was good but I had brought food and had eaten earlier in the car.

After "lunch" we take a walk to see if we can see the Sea-stacks, though the guy at the hostel said it was a good 2 hour walk. We walk up to the end of the cliff and look out to the ocean. It was really windy here and I felt like I'd be picked up and thrown over in to the sea. We took some photos and then continued back in car.

Now we were heading to Leirvík to catch the ferry to Klaksvík. At this point Leif had switched places with me and I was now driving. It was fun to be driving again. The roads at least were not back, but it was still raining and getting foggy. After perhaps 20 mins we made it to Leirvík but just then we had just missed a ferry but we saw a building with a Bowling sign so we decided to pass the time playing. Leif and Roisin said the next ferry was at 5pm I think so we had lots of time to spare considering it was 3:30pm at the time. In Bowling I was playing with Maren and we were doing really well in the beginning but by the end Leif some how jinxed me and all my balls went into the gutters, so then Leif and Adrian ended up winning. When we were returning the shoes Leif had asked about the ferry and we found out that actually ferry left at 4:30 and the next ferry was at 6. So we went to the restaurant beside the bowling to discuss what to do. If we took the ferry at 6pm would not get to Klaksvik until 7pm, and it would be getting dark, and would be just a waste of money. So we decided to drive more around the island we were on.

We started heading out but then it was raining more and was getting even more foggy as well it was starting to get a bit darker. So we pulled over and agreed to just head back to Tórshavn. We got back in 30 mins.

When we got back Fionnuala and Ásta were already back and told of their hike, and attempt to climb a mountain but they, and Tom and Julia decided to head back and Gunnar and Mathieu continued on. Tom and Julia were going to take the bus, and Fionnuala and Ásta hitchhiked back to the hostel. Tom and Julia had not showed up yet though. Around 6:30 Mathieu and Gunnar arrived. They had actually taken the 4:30 bus home but stopped for dinner in the city. Perhaps and hour and a half later Julia and Tom finally showed up. They had decided last minute to try and walk to the waterfalls at the south of Vágar, then took the bus back. Everyone was soaking wet.

After warming up a bit and eating we were going to head downtown. Because we still had the cars we were able to drive everyone down, though in a few shifts. A few went to the pizza place I had been on Friday, then me Mathieu, Gunnar, Roisin, Leif, Adrian and Kristján went to some sports bar with pool tables. It was me and Mathieu against Leif and Roisin. Leif was really good so their team kicked our ass the first game, but I think we won the second game. The the others that had gone to the restaurant joined us, we hung out for a bit then went to our hang out place Kaffi Natur where Maren, Hannah, Linda and Julia were.

I found it weird in the Faroes because I am used to having a good sense of direction but some reason in Tórshavn I never had a clue which way was which. So when I was driving people back to the hostel (I had to do two trips) the first trip I wasn't sure which road I had to take to the right which would take me all the way up to the main road, so I went a bit too far and had to wind around back to where I started and finally found the right street. The second time I picked people straight from the bar and we had to find the street which would get us to the street where I could turn right then drive up the road up to the main road.. but there were many one way streets and one street had construction halfway between so had to turn back. After some more detouring I finally found the way back up.

When we returned Anna Vala and Fionnuala had bought some chocolate bars and milk and made some hot chocolate. Was so yummy :) Then Tom made nylon roped- bracelets/anklets for everyone, except Adrian (who is a wimp). We have to keep it on until it falls off and it will remind us all of our trip to the Faroe Islands with the friends we met in Iceland.