THE bleached earth trembled beneath the soles of my boots. Then, with a great, gurgling groan, a spout of boiling steam shot more than a hundred feet into the air ...a bucolic welcome to a holiday at the centre of the earth.

Iceland truly is one of the world's most surprising destinations and genuinely offers something really different for a traveller bored with a diet of sun, sand and sangria.

Surprisingly, you would be wrong, however, if you thought your travelling companions were all likely to be hikers and outdoor enthusiasts interested purely in geology, flora and the country's wildlife.

Because the island's capital, Reykjavik, with its excellent restaurants and lively nightlife, makes an appealing destination for a short city break with the cachet of all things icicle.

Arctic Experience, the seasoned Surrey-based independent tour operator, has a wide and diverse range of holidays for visitors drawn by the island's enormous and varied scenic beauty.

I travelled with them to share the excitement of the popping mud pools, gassy steam vents, bubbling springs and sulphur pits - just like a scene from one of the Star Wars epics.

At the very heart of this geothermal activity is the fascinating Geyser region, the chance to see, first-hand, the dynamic power of the spouting force field, whose energy is shrewdly harnessed and tapped for domestic and industrial use.

In all, there are 15 major areas on the island offering testament to this on-going, combustible hot air display. And there are at least 30 volcanic systems which, in very much their own unnerving time, give out the odd eruption more a giant belch that the real thing.

Iceland though is a genuine paradise for hikers and excellent routes are clearly marked in the country's numerous national parks and conservation areas. And, if you dip a fishing rod into any one of their famous fish farms, you're likely to land a very fat salmon or char.

However, according to legend, it's a sheer coincidence that Reykjavik was the residence of the first permanent settler, Ingolfur Arnarson.

It seems he arrived in the year 874 with his retinue and, on sighting land, cast the wooden pillars of his high seat overboard, vowing to settle where it drifted ashore.

Luckily, they touched the bay where the capital now stands, and where a thriving 100,000 population ensures you are given a warm welcome linked with excellent shopping, restaurants and night clubs.

If, like me, you thought you'd need an overdraft to afford a meal or drink on the island, then you'll be surprised. I found lunches particularly good value, offering two and three courses for under £20-a-head. Fish dishes are usually cheaper than meat - and it's always worth asking for the catch of the day' because its comes straight from the local unpolluted waters.

If you are self-catering, best cuts of lamb cost about £5 a pound with lovely fresh salmon and haddock fillets costing about £2 per pound. Local subsidised dairy product costs slightly more than at home.

But the real bargains come, surprisingly enough, with the swimming pools. For about £1.50, you get entry to the pool, unlimited hot showers with soap provided, access to Jacuzzis, hot pools and, sometimes, even a sauna. Campsites too are among the best bets for cheap overnight accommodation with fees around £5 per person per night and, according to my backpacking friends, site facilities far better than anything in the UK.

Icelanders say their homeland can - and often does - throw up four seasons in any one day. But, thanks to the Gulf Stream, it enjoys a far milder climate than many other northerly destinations with average summer temperatures in the lowlands ranging from 11-15 c.

-Arctic Experience have a 15-day Icelandic Way package, which offers a fly, drive, and lodge stay this summer, all at your own pace.

Staying in four different summer houses, you can visit the stunning falls and glaciers in the South and the uninhabited highlands of the North. Adult prices start at £919 a head, based on two sharing, and include flights from Heathrow, 14-nights self-catering accommo-dation and car rental on an unlimited mileage basis.

Between May and June, they are offering a free place to a fifth adult in each party, subject to availability, or, alternatively, two free child places travelling with a minimum of four adults.

For more information, call Artic Experience on 01737-214-214, or visit http://www.artic-experience.co.uk.

And don't forget to visit the Snaefellsnes Peninsula and the Snaefellsjokull Volcano which, according to Jules Verne, is at the entrance to the centre of the earth.

April 10, 2003 12:30