On Tue, 15 Dec 2015, Dan Stephenson wrote:

Starting northwards from the capital, eastward on the northern side of
the island, etc..

We did the opposite, not by our choice. I am trying to reconstruct by
memory ...

Landed at Keflavik (Reykjavik international airport) and slept at
an hotel near the smaller in-town Reykjavik airport. Spent half a day in
town, and half a day in the surroundings (I think the main Geyser and
Gullfoss waterfall ... anyhow "-foss" is a waterfall, but could have
been Thingvellir),

Next day Thingvellir (if it was not the previous day), which is the
place where around 900 aD the first icelandic "parliament" met. It is a
plain on a rather impressive fault which separates the american and
european tectonic plates. Then continued east, reached the coast,
stopped to see a waterfall, and the puffin nests, and slept near Vik.

Next day along the ring road, stop in Kirkjubaejarklaistur (nice name
meaning church-farm-cloister) to see the volcanic Kirkjugolfid (?),
something like Giant's Causeway but smaller. Crossed a volcanic sand
area, stopped in national park to see Svartifoss (the black waterfall,
also with basaltic pillars), then the ice lagoon of Jokulsarlon, and
reached Hofn

Next day morning along the see to watch birds (our tour guide was an
ornitology fan), then continued to Egilstadir, partially in the
interior, Stops for lunch, to see an amateur rock collection, and a
whaling museum.

Next day along the ring road, which here runs inland. Stopped for a
coffee in Modrudalur, the most isolated farm of Iceland (the road is now
at some distance, but it is a must to stop there). I believe it was that
day (or was it the day after) we left the ring road towards the northern
coast, to see a waterfall and a natural "sport in the landscape" (a
horseshoe shaped closed valley where small trees can grow). Reached lake
Myvatn area.

We had a hot shower with the water smelling of sulphur. Some other
guests were having a bath outside in the hot pools with an air
temperature around 10-15 C.

Next day toured aroung lake Myvatn (it means "midges lake", we were
lucky with the weather and there were no midges, only a few at
Thingvellir, but we had mosquito nets to wear (and they are on sale
there too). Dimmuborgir, thermal fields with faults filled of water
(there is a road all around the lake but part may be closed during the
nesting season). Eaten smoked trout of the lake with bread cooked on hot
rocks.

For the evening moved to Akureyri, with some detour towards the coast, I
am not sure if it was this day or the next we visited Glaumbaer, which
is a museum of an old settlement (turf covered huts).

Last day was just back from Akureyri to Rejkyavik, for me the less
scenic part. Unfortunately we did not go to the Snaefellnes peninsula
(the location of Jules Verne's trip to the centre of the Earth), had a
nice fish supper where they served for the brave also the famous rotten
shark (did not try it).

Very last day, we stopped at the "Blue lagoon" spa on the way to the
airport (rather touristy, but the landscape is interesting)

About the quality of the roads, good, narrow with passing places,
usually paved except some hills where they prefer to leave it unpaved.
The coach driver was washing the coach at almost each stop.

We did not try any of the interior paths (those marked with an
F-number).