Starting about 11:00am today we held a mini-conference. Various project staff members talked about our results to-date, and a couple of Icelanders talked about the Skagafjord valley and the manorial system of farms that concerns our work. This lasted until about 4:30, at which point two groups of five of us went horseback riding at a nearby farm for half an hour.

None of us had any horse riding experience so our two guides led our horses along in single file up a riding path by a road, then back along a path by a stream. The horses went into their special Icelandic gate, called the tolt, a couple of times. It seemed pretty bouncy, but I'm guessing that if I had more of a clue about how to sit in the saddle and grip with my legs that it would seem much smoother.

Hans left today, headed for Egypt. His unique good humour will be missed. Tomorrow we lose Antonio, Tim, Joyce and Bob, and a car. We have also arranged a four-hour boat tour around Skagafjord, which almost everyone will join, to see the islands up close.