Iceland: Hindsight

Thanks for following along on our Icelandic adventure! Here are some lessons learned and tips if you’re planning to head to the Land of Fire and Ice.

Costs

Iceland is expensive. Simple enough. From gift shops to restaurants to rentals and hotels, Iceland is expensive so be prepared to have your wallet raided. That said, many of the locations we visited were free outside the cost of parking, which was usually 1,000 ISK (or about $8 USD). Be sure that your payment in the lots actually goes through. My payment at Reynisfiara never completed and I was ticketed nearly $40 from the rental company as a result.  If you’re an American renting a car, the rental prices are a little high, but gas is way high. When we went, gas prices in the US were around $3.00/gallon. In Iceland it was 300 ISK per liter. That’s just shy of $9.00/gallon.

Add this to the list of vehicles I want to own.

You can lower costs by securing some simple groceries for some breakfasts and lunches. We brought a collapsible cooler to keep with us as we trekked along the south coast for three days and that worked out pretty well. There are several grocery stores near the airport in Njarðvik that have reasonable prices. Smaller shops in the city are a little more expensive. We generally did breakfast in our apartment and lunch on the road, saving our biggest meal expense on dinner.

Plokkfiskur (Mashed cod) from Messin in downtown Reyk.

Slow-cooked lamb prime in Skaftafell.

Planning

I spent about six months planning for this trip. I researched as much as I could to understand what was and was not worth our time there. I read reviews and blogs, watched videos, and looked up top-ten lists. I dropped myself into Icelandic roads and intersections in Google Maps to get familiar with what the city and routes would look like and be comfortable with where I needed to go. Once I was there, I felt like I had been there before.

My advice for Iceland (or anywhere, really) is to have a good plan of your own. Have a good list of places you absolutely must see at all costs, some places that you could do without, and leave room for some extras. In that mix should be some outdoor and indoor activities. The Skogar Museum was an incredibly welcome reprieve from the damp air and chilly wind as we made our way along the south coast and it was a place that was not high on our list. Conversely, I wish we had reconsidered the drive out to the Vestrahorn. Although the waffles were incredibly good at the Viking Cafe, it really chewed up the better half of a day that could have been spent closer to the hotel. Be flexible in your plan and have some options.

If you’re travelling with kids, be extra flexible in your plans. Ours were troopers and outside of the first day of heavy jet-lag, they slept when they needed to, were adventurous in trying all the foods, and were happy to be out of the car and see the land up close. If you’re checking all your bags for the flights or if you’re doing some day trips, be sure to have some extra clothes on hand. Spills happen.

Artic Fox in captivity at the zoo in Reykjavík.

Timing

We were constrained by some external factors, so we had to go in early June. At that time, there are about 21 hours of sunlight. I don’t think I utilized the golden hour and twilight hours appropriately. With the kids along, we tried to maintain a roughly normal schedule for sleep. If I were to do it again in June, I would plan to sleep during the day when the sun is high, crowds are high, and light for photography is blah. I definitely regretted it when we got to Kirkjufell. I’ve seen so many fantastic pictures of this mountain bathed in glorious twilight, but I got bland light and blue skies. With so many locations open all day, there’s really no reason not to go in the middle of the night when there’s no one else there and the light is beautiful.

If I were to go again, I would target some shoulder months like April or September. Better light earlier in the day, plus chances to see the aurora.

Blah light at Kirkjufell.

Gear

In all my reading, there were a bunch of things that other travelers recommended. Here are my takes: 

Sleep masks: Lots of folks recommended sleep masks for this time of year. I found them helpful the first night, but in general, I got used to the bright light overnight. 6/10.

Shoe covers: These are rubber liners that cover your hiking boots. They’re smaller than a pair of waterproof boots, so they pack down well and slip on quickly. I bought a pair, but opted not to bring it in the end. It may have come in handy at Gljúfrabúi or Skógafoss, but it would have been one more thing to pack. I’m more likely to use them locally while hunting waterfowl. 3/10.

Compression bags: I’d never used these for travelling before but I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to go back. I was able to fit almost all my clothes into three mid-size bags. It kept our stuff organized and allowed more room for souvenirs. 10/10.

Rental gear: We had the option of renting a Garmin GPS with our vehicle. Not knowing the terrain or cell service, I decided we should take it. I also opted for a Wi-Fi hotspot that plugged into a USB port in the car. The Wi-Fi was great and allowed us to use Google Maps and keep our data rates low. The Garmin was outdated and slow. Skip the GPS rental if you have the option. Get the Wi-Fi if possible. 

Small tools: When travelling, I always bring some tools. My Leatherman is a must as a knife and multi-tool. Small screwdrivers are typically reserved for camera repairs or adjustments. But the king is duct tape. Duct tape has never failed me. I’ve used it to repair suitcases in the Congo, fix sandals on the Susquehanna, and in Iceland I used it to store some granola and prepare some photo prints for the return trip. Bring duct tape. You don’t need an entire roll. I have a very small roll that I can flatten so it doesn’t take up much space. You’ll thank me later.

Icelandic Culture

The people of Iceland were very friendly. There was always a smile and they were quick to help when we needed it. My smattering of Icelandic certainly sweetened the deal. Taking the time to learn even just a handful of phrases like “yes” or “thank you” or “hello” changes your position with the locals. Being able to regurgitate a sentence or two puts you on another level with them.

We were surprised at how bleak a lot of the architecture is. Aside from some rural buildings along the coast, many of the structures in the parts of the city that we visited were very utilitarian. Colorful and covered in beautiful murals, but utilitarian.

In Reykjavík, we were surprised at how global the populace was. People from all over the world were behind the counters of shops and stands throughout the city. Our horse guides were largely German and American. And much of the food was global too: pad thai, shawarma, American Style, etc. We were expecting a much heavier diet of fish and lamb, not pizza and tacos and burgers. Be cognizant that many restaurants close earlier than they do in the US and may require reservations in peak tourist season. We had a lovely little dinner of ramen at the apartment because we got back late and did not have reservations. The missus was not happy about it.

One thing I did really like, and it may seem strange, were the traffic lights. In the US, the light cycles green, yellow, red. In Iceland, the light cycles green, yellow, red, and then about two seconds before it turns green again, both the yellow and red come on, indicating to drivers the change is about to come. It’s a nice way to get ready to move again.

The cafe at the botanical gardens.

Next Time

As I write this, there’s a new volcanic eruption going on that just started this week. Greg and I floated the idea of a quick weekend getaway to Iceland to go see it, but (fortunately or not) common sense got the better of us. I would have loved to see it firsthand.

There were some things that I would definitely want to do again if I had the chance. I’d spend more time in the twilight hours at some of the places we visited, so there’d be less people and better light. The Vestrahorn eluded me this time, so it remains high on my list. Puffins also eluded me. I would do some more and better research on where to find them up close. The horseback ride was cool, but I’d skip it in favor of a whale watching trip. I’d also trek deeper into the highlands to see places like Fjallabak. 

Fossalar

Last notes

Iceland was a great place and I wish I had more time there. Certainly, I have my to-do list when I return. As a photographer, I tend to get stuck behind the camera so I will repeat our mantra.

Put the camera down, put the phone away. Just enjoy the view, the sights, sounds, the company for a few minutes. Take only pictures, leave only footprints, kill only time. 

See you on the next adventure!