[Gandur] Erlendur ferðamaður rændur á tjaldsvæðinu í Laugardal - toppurinn á ísjakanum ?

[valsson at centrum.is]

Til fjölmiðla,



________________

Svo virðist að óprútnir náungar stundi þjófnaði á tjaldstæðinu í Laugardal og e.t.v. víðar. Hugsanlega er þetta bara toppurinn á ísjakanum?

Ég tel að lífsreynsla Ulf Hoffman frá Berlín eigi erindi við almenning. Í fyrsta lagi þurfa þeir sem reka tjaldstæðin að endurskoða öryggismál hjá sér, og svo þarf almenningur að vera betur á varðbergi.

Ulf Hoffmann heimilaði mér að áframsenda þenna texta og vill gjarna heyra frá fjölmiðlum.

Kv, Stefán Helgi Valsson
897 2790

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Unsafe Campsite in Reykjavík?

Is it still safe to camp at the campsite in Reykjavik Laugardalur? On 
sunday afternoon, one or more person came to campsite and throwing rocks 
with an approx. weight of 2 kg, to check if somebody is in the tent. 

Fortunatly, Ulf Hoffmann, Journalist from Germany, wasn´t in the tent, 
so they the destroyed "only" the tent. After they convinced, that no one 
is in the tent, they are looking for valuabe things from Ulf Hoffmann´s 
belongings. The campsite employee, Rakel Sveinsdottir, told Ulf 
Hoffmann, that this wasn´t the first time, it happened. They are looking 
for money, and let the stuff unattended, she says. Normaly.
But in that case they have stolen a handlebar-bag for bicycles, but left 
the bag in the bushes on the walking path.  A walker has found it, and 
bring it to the reception. Unfortunately Ulf Hoffmann didn´t get 
everything back.

Some electronic items were stolen. Together with Rakel they find some 
moments later a battery, which was throwing in the bushes.
The situation at the campsite getting from year to year worser. Ulf 
Hoffmann travelled since 1988 around Iceland, has written the only 
cyclingguidebook about Iceland, he reported, that every year the fence, 
that has protected the campsite guests getting more and more holes.
In former years they closed in the night the gate to the park, now it´s 
open all the time. So people can walk through the campsite. But the main 
problems are all these "illegal" entrance beside of a small walking 
path, that is connecting the park of Laugardalur with Laugarvegur.
It´s isn´t any more a protection and the walking path behind the bushes 
is the good direction for thieves to escape or to check out, which tents 
are unattended.

What must be happen at first, that the town will repair the fence to 
protect the guest at day and night?  At the campsite they told Ulf 
Hoffmann, that they will fix the fence.
But it´s sound a little bit, that somebody like to let the problem under 
the carpet, that things were stolen from the campsite.  Because the hole 
in the fence are not new.

What could happen if somebody is in the tent and a 2 kg heavy rock is 
falling down? The first dead person on the campsite, probably.
There is no more really campguard, as years before when it was running 
by a teacher. It took a long time to get a talk to manager, only with 
pressure that I talk to my lawyer.  The manager was very friendly, but 
not really find a solution for the problem.

So especially at weekend young Icelander came to the campsite, stay 
there celebrating partys. It happened for example last nights, and was 
the reason, why Ulf Hoffmann moved his tent after one night, with the 
hope to get more sleep.

Because no campguard came to the noisy group and stop them.
The solution is what campsite in Akureyri have done after several 
problems with drunken people using the campsite as a walking path 
getting faster to downtown. Ulf Hoffmann reported this many years ago 
and warned tourist not to stay on that campsite on weekend after 3 
drunken men hast destroyed his tent when they jump on the tent. Nowadays 
it is fully fenced with some gates.
So the situation is quite better.

Ulf Hoffmann is working the next weeks in Iceland to prepare the first 
English edition of his guidebook .

Ulf Hoffmann
Tel. 8440917
In Germany 0049(0)30 163 159 50 40
E-Mail info at journalia.de
www.bikingiceland.com