The remarkable display is all around us and is almost continuous for about 90-minutes. We gradually get colder with the temperature below freezing and are wondering whether to return to the warmth of the bus when the display becomes even more amazing as immediately above us a starburst of light is created. We are very tired, but enthralled by what we have witnessed, when we get to bed at 1:30am

The following day we explore the Reykjanes Peninsula visiting the Blue Lagoon and the 'Bridge Between Two Continents' that links the American and Eurasian tectonic plates - despite the awful weather, we enjoy delicious ice creams. The weather is marginally better the next day as we take a bus tour for the 'Golden Circle Classic Tour'

The first stop on the tour that takes us to the east of Reykjavik is Pingvellir National Park -

the location of a dramatic rift valley and the site where the world's first parliament met in 930 AD.

We then travel on to view the stunning Gullfoss waterfall

The waterfall's location is where a broad river passes the falls and then turns at right angles into a very narrow defile. The result is an amazing spectacle as a huge volume of water passes over two closely placed drops. In the adjacent visitor centre we sample the restaurant's famous lamb stew and take full advantage of the free refills offer

Our next destination is Geysir, an area that is visible from some distance away by the clouds of steam arising from the many fumaroles. On a grassy and snowy slope beneath the Bjarn volcano there are several steam vents and bubbling pools of very hot water. Every few minutes, the Strokkur geyser erupts