The wrap up (Part two)
I posted the first of 3 or 4 wrap up posts on our Iceland trip. The plan was to post another right after July 4. This did not happen. While everyone thinks that COVID is a done deal (us included), it is not. Laurie and I have battled it and have reached the point where we no longer have to be isolated. I didn't feel like posting.
The university and my supervisor were kind enough to let me work remotely. I was actually incredibly efficient working remote and accomplished a lot of tasks. I even caught up on a few that I haven't been able to get around to. But when the work day was over, I would crash hard. So I didn't post. I head back to work on Monday, but plan to wear a mask so I don't expose others in the event something is still hanging around.
I've got comments from Laurie on the next few posts as well. Let's get back to Iceland.
The university and my supervisor were kind enough to let me work remotely. I was actually incredibly efficient working remote and accomplished a lot of tasks. I even caught up on a few that I haven't been able to get around to. But when the work day was over, I would crash hard. So I didn't post. I head back to work on Monday, but plan to wear a mask so I don't expose others in the event something is still hanging around.
I've got comments from Laurie on the next few posts as well. Let's get back to Iceland.
Hvalnes lighthouse and mountain
Number of tourists- Comparing our 2013 to our 2023 visit……the numbers aren’t even close. Tourism has exploded since our first visit. 2012 showed around 675k visitors for the year. 2018 was a record at 2.49 MILLION. 2022 was 1.7 million. Covid cut the numbers but they’re continuing to climb back as more people travel.
In 2013, we were often the only tourists in small towns we visited, or often even in Reykjavik. This is no longer the case. There are tourists everywhere and rightfully so. Iceland has done a fantastic job catering to them. And let’s not forget how gorgeous Iceland is…..it’s amazing.
In 2013, we were often the only tourists in small towns we visited, or often even in Reykjavik. This is no longer the case. There are tourists everywhere and rightfully so. Iceland has done a fantastic job catering to them. And let’s not forget how gorgeous Iceland is…..it’s amazing.
Helluland horse farm
Farm stay- We stayed on a horse farm one night. Laurie wasn’t aware of what I had planned but loved it. We were supposed to go for a two hour ride on a black sand beach, but the winds on the beach were so high that we couldn’t. We instead took a two hour ride through a highland plateau which was actually quite nice.
The horse farm was in northern Iceland, around 5 miles from a small town of around 2600 called Sauðárkrókur, and no I can’t pronounce it. This area was quite remote, around 160 miles from Reykjavik. The guest house was a converted outbuilding and was nicely done. We liked it……well…….Laurie LOVED it.
The horse farm was in northern Iceland, around 5 miles from a small town of around 2600 called Sauðárkrókur, and no I can’t pronounce it. This area was quite remote, around 160 miles from Reykjavik. The guest house was a converted outbuilding and was nicely done. We liked it……well…….Laurie LOVED it.
Helluland farm guest house
The farm had 170 head of horses and hosted riding tours for tourists and locals alike. The day we arrived there were buses of high school aged kids (assuming they were from the city) finishing their riding tour. There were seasonal farm workers/riding guides from all over Europe.
We drove by farm after farm in remote areas of Iceland. Laurie kept saying “I wonder what life is like on these remote farms?” Now we know. And our experiences on the farm taught us it is much more than meets the eye.
We drove by farm after farm in remote areas of Iceland. Laurie kept saying “I wonder what life is like on these remote farms?” Now we know. And our experiences on the farm taught us it is much more than meets the eye.
Shared living area, Vogar Travel Service, Myvatn
Lodging- Most of our accommodations happened to be out in the country and only a few were in what we would call a town. Even though out in the country, hotels would usually have a prepared breakfast and a bar open in the evenings. Good internet, great views, and really nice staff. We liked the rural lodgings.
The ones in town were nice as well. In town guest houses were in Egilsstaðir (population 2500…don’t even ask me how to pronounce) and Myvatn (population 500). Egilsstaðir was in a residential area and was well taken care of and comfortable. It had a decent kitchen, internet, TV, etc. Vogar Travel Service in Myvatn was exceptional, with a commercial grade kitchen, lots of appliances, in room sinks, and a great common/sitting area.
We really didn’t stay in any places we would consider “bad” or even marginal. Every place was nicely done and well taken care of. Maybe there are bad places to stay in Iceland but we didn’t find any of them.
The ones in town were nice as well. In town guest houses were in Egilsstaðir (population 2500…don’t even ask me how to pronounce) and Myvatn (population 500). Egilsstaðir was in a residential area and was well taken care of and comfortable. It had a decent kitchen, internet, TV, etc. Vogar Travel Service in Myvatn was exceptional, with a commercial grade kitchen, lots of appliances, in room sinks, and a great common/sitting area.
We really didn’t stay in any places we would consider “bad” or even marginal. Every place was nicely done and well taken care of. Maybe there are bad places to stay in Iceland but we didn’t find any of them.
Fog really obscures views
Weather- The most defining trait of Iceland is weather….and of weather, the most dominant part is wind. We dealt with rain, cold, and yes, lots of wind. Sometimes all at the same time. Iceland is small and exposed in the north Atlantic with nothing controlling the weather that rolls in from the ocean. Weather is a part of all travel to Iceland and you have to be prepared.
One of the preparations is that you have to be prepared to be disappointed. Our Westman Islands leg was canceled and left us scrambling for other accommodations. The weather can affect what you see and IF you can see something. We missed a canyon on the south coast and seaside overlooks on the west coast, simply because fog rolled in and we just couldn’t see things.
Flexibility is key. If you can’t see this particular place or thing, move on. There are so many amazing things to see you’ll run into others. You can’t change the weather so expect what you can’t change.
One of the preparations is that you have to be prepared to be disappointed. Our Westman Islands leg was canceled and left us scrambling for other accommodations. The weather can affect what you see and IF you can see something. We missed a canyon on the south coast and seaside overlooks on the west coast, simply because fog rolled in and we just couldn’t see things.
Flexibility is key. If you can’t see this particular place or thing, move on. There are so many amazing things to see you’ll run into others. You can’t change the weather so expect what you can’t change.
Candy aisle at a small grocery store
Grocery prices- We actually did a fair amount of our own cooking this trip. Guest houses and accommodations with cooking facilities made this so easy. We also found it incredibly easy to buy a two pack of hamburger buns, burger patties, things like that. Portions were perfect for a single meal.
When we were in Iceland in 2013, there was a substantial difference in grocery prices compared to what we paid in the states. On our 2023 trip…….not so much. Sometimes Iceland was even cheaper. Inflation in the U.S. has driven grocery prices to the point where Iceland prices aren’t that bad.
Examples are a 20 ounce Coke, at around 200 ISK, or around 1.50….actually a little cheaper than in the states for singles. Six packs are cheaper in the states but in Iceland they sell it by the single bottle almost everywhere. Ground beef was on sale at every grocery store we visited. Quality was quite high and it was cheaper than in the U.S.
When we were in Iceland in 2013, there was a substantial difference in grocery prices compared to what we paid in the states. On our 2023 trip…….not so much. Sometimes Iceland was even cheaper. Inflation in the U.S. has driven grocery prices to the point where Iceland prices aren’t that bad.
Examples are a 20 ounce Coke, at around 200 ISK, or around 1.50….actually a little cheaper than in the states for singles. Six packs are cheaper in the states but in Iceland they sell it by the single bottle almost everywhere. Ground beef was on sale at every grocery store we visited. Quality was quite high and it was cheaper than in the U.S.
Tastes like...........krap
I expected grocery prices to be worse than in the states. While there were a few items that were quite pricey, items were nowhere near what I expected them to cost. Chicken was an example of a high priced item. In the states, chicken is cheap. In Iceland, chicken costs more than steak.
On our 2013 trip we found prices about 50 percent higher than US stores. This time they were pretty much at par for many things. Some things were more expensive and some were less. It also varied store to store…..but cooking for ourselves was much cheaper than restaurants.
On our 2013 trip we found prices about 50 percent higher than US stores. This time they were pretty much at par for many things. Some things were more expensive and some were less. It also varied store to store…..but cooking for ourselves was much cheaper than restaurants.
Fish stew and lamb chops!
Iceland food- There are of course the weird foods, like cured shark meat, boiled sheep head, dried fish, etc. These things are nasty and I’m not sure who eats them except for tourists. The locals sure didn’t. These things are nasty and the locals will tell you so.
What was “normal” food in Iceland was almost universally high quality and incredibly tasty. We had Asian food one time at a noodle bar on the Ring Road and it was quite good. We had a lot of fish, all fresh and well prepared. I had lamb chops which were excellent. We had burgers that were great. Laurie had lamb soup several times which she loved. Real Icelandic food is excellent!
What was “normal” food in Iceland was almost universally high quality and incredibly tasty. We had Asian food one time at a noodle bar on the Ring Road and it was quite good. We had a lot of fish, all fresh and well prepared. I had lamb chops which were excellent. We had burgers that were great. Laurie had lamb soup several times which she loved. Real Icelandic food is excellent!
Charging station
Packing/luggage- Iceland Air had a restrictive carry on policy. Our normal carry on luggage was bigger than allowed. We went with two checked bags, very small carry on luggage (mine was full of camera gear), and a “personal item” that was a computer shoulder bag. We were able to bring everything we needed in this configuration.
For clothes we went with 5 shirts/underwear/socks and two pairs of pants. We had thong sandals as we planned on going to hot springs. I bought a fancy bottle of concentrated travel soap but didn’t wind up using it. We brought laundry soap packets but ended up using detergent left by others. We didn’t really overpack, but didn’t need some of the things we brought.
I bought a 8 port USB charger for this trip. Everything we use is USB charged it seems. Camera batteries, phones, Go Pro batteries, all were USB. Most nights all the ports were full and we were swapping batteries out as they charged. This was an incredibly handy purchase and saw heavy use. We also had USB to USBC cables that are on a tiny reel. We brought 5 of these with us and used them all.
For clothes we went with 5 shirts/underwear/socks and two pairs of pants. We had thong sandals as we planned on going to hot springs. I bought a fancy bottle of concentrated travel soap but didn’t wind up using it. We brought laundry soap packets but ended up using detergent left by others. We didn’t really overpack, but didn’t need some of the things we brought.
I bought a 8 port USB charger for this trip. Everything we use is USB charged it seems. Camera batteries, phones, Go Pro batteries, all were USB. Most nights all the ports were full and we were swapping batteries out as they charged. This was an incredibly handy purchase and saw heavy use. We also had USB to USBC cables that are on a tiny reel. We brought 5 of these with us and used them all.
Bring good clothes!
Clothing- Have good quality rain gear and rain pants. Dress in layers so you can adjust how warm you are by adding or subtracting layers. I actually spent most of the trip with just a light gore tex shell and long sleeve shirts, occasionally donning a light ski zip up under the shell.
Laurie had decent rain gear and she also had things that were wind proof. Laurie gets colder than I do so she usually had a warmer coat and often a sweater. We both had decent hiking boots (goretex). Clothes are important.
Laurie had decent rain gear and she also had things that were wind proof. Laurie gets colder than I do so she usually had a warmer coat and often a sweater. We both had decent hiking boots (goretex). Clothes are important.
Boating at the glacier
Glacier boat tour- Bucket list. We rode rigid hull Zodiac inflatable boats through a lagoon full of icebergs and up to the base of the glacier. https://fjallsarlon.is/ was the tour operator. It was around $75 per person, not cheap but not incredibly expensive either.
We chose to go to a smaller lagoon with fewer tourists. We had to walk to the boats which was over the crest of a small hill. We topped the hill and found ourselves looking across the lagoon at a glacier that was around 30 percent of the size of Iceland. The photos are amazing…..and the videos are as well.
I am not easily impressed, but this was breathtaking. I look back at the photos and video and can’t actually believe I was there. I’ve been accused on more than one occasion of being cynical, but that all melts away when you top the hill. The view will convert even the most jaded. If in this life you get the chance to do this……you must.
We chose to go to a smaller lagoon with fewer tourists. We had to walk to the boats which was over the crest of a small hill. We topped the hill and found ourselves looking across the lagoon at a glacier that was around 30 percent of the size of Iceland. The photos are amazing…..and the videos are as well.
I am not easily impressed, but this was breathtaking. I look back at the photos and video and can’t actually believe I was there. I’ve been accused on more than one occasion of being cynical, but that all melts away when you top the hill. The view will convert even the most jaded. If in this life you get the chance to do this……you must.
Stokksnes light house
Midnight sun/daylight- It was light nearly 24 hours a day. The sun didn’t drop below the horizon until after midnight, and even then it never got what I would call dark. Because it was totally daylight, you could sightsee or visit the beach until very late. I flew the drone one night and noticed that while fully daylight, it was nearly 11 p.m.
We found ourselves in the habit of staying up late, often until after midnight. We would sleep late to compensate for this. Your body struggles to make sense of it and it seemed to be easier to just roll with it. Other than stores not being open, there was no difference with 10 p.m. and 4 p.m. Most places had blackout curtains to help you cope with the constant daylight.
We found ourselves in the habit of staying up late, often until after midnight. We would sleep late to compensate for this. Your body struggles to make sense of it and it seemed to be easier to just roll with it. Other than stores not being open, there was no difference with 10 p.m. and 4 p.m. Most places had blackout curtains to help you cope with the constant daylight.
Stykkisholmur
Tipping- Icelanders don’t tip. They’re paid a real wage and tips aren’t necessary. This doesn’t mean we didn’t tip. Our boat tour had a tip box and I put a few thousand Kroner ($15-20) as our guide was fantastic and did a great job. I rounded up the horse tour and told the young lady who was our guide to keep it (around $15).
Other than that tipping wasn’t required or even expected. If you took what a decent restaurant meal (with table service) costs in Iceland and compare to what it costs in Tennessee (plus tip), they were nearly the same, maybe even cheaper at times. Not having to think about or deal with tips was actually quite nice.
Small towns- Outside of Reykjavik capital region (217k), Keflavík (16k), and Akureyri (18k), most Iceland towns were tiny. The rest of the towns had populations of a few hundred to a few thousand people at the most. They usually had a gas station and some type of grocery store. They were a functional oasis to get supplies, fuel, food, etc.
Other than that tipping wasn’t required or even expected. If you took what a decent restaurant meal (with table service) costs in Iceland and compare to what it costs in Tennessee (plus tip), they were nearly the same, maybe even cheaper at times. Not having to think about or deal with tips was actually quite nice.
Small towns- Outside of Reykjavik capital region (217k), Keflavík (16k), and Akureyri (18k), most Iceland towns were tiny. The rest of the towns had populations of a few hundred to a few thousand people at the most. They usually had a gas station and some type of grocery store. They were a functional oasis to get supplies, fuel, food, etc.
Now a few comments from Laurie!
Our trip is over, we have settled back into life in Cookeville. Usually by the end of a longer trip I am ready to be home and I was, but this time I was reluctant to leave. Iceland is such a unique and beautiful place. Even though we spent 10 days there, it wasn’t nearly enough. There is so much to see there you could spend months and not see it all. I understand the allure of living in a place that has so much to offer, even if the weather is difficult a lot of the time.
Happy time!
We have talked about the weather already so I won’t belabor the issue. What we have been able to do and see on our last two trips has been very much shaped by the weather. The ideal way to see Iceland would be to have the luxury of enough time to change plans depending on the weather. Because we had to advance book places to stay along our route, we did not have that luxury.
If we were to go back I would stay for several days in strategic places so we could do day trips to different places working around the weather. But it was also part of the experience of Iceland - the land of fire, ice ….and wind. It’s like loving something beautiful and perfect versus loving something that is somewhat gnarly and imperfect.
If we were to go back I would stay for several days in strategic places so we could do day trips to different places working around the weather. But it was also part of the experience of Iceland - the land of fire, ice ….and wind. It’s like loving something beautiful and perfect versus loving something that is somewhat gnarly and imperfect.
Bundled up!
I always have a bit of an existential crisis packing for a longer trip. This one was a little easier because I knew it was going to be cold the whole time and probably wet. We each brought one checked bag, a carry-on and personal item. Bill was super paranoid about Iceland Air baggage size restrictions which actually was good because it limited (a little) what he brought.
He overpacks and I tend to pack as lightly as possible. Turns out they are not so strict about the size of carryon bags and we saw a lot of larger carryon roller bags he thought would be excluded. But they do care about the size and weight of checked baggage.
He overpacks and I tend to pack as lightly as possible. Turns out they are not so strict about the size of carryon bags and we saw a lot of larger carryon roller bags he thought would be excluded. But they do care about the size and weight of checked baggage.
Stykkisholmur lighthouse
This is what I packed:
3 pairs of pants - 2 pairs of hiking pants from REI that were perfect and I lived in those the whole trip. They are wind and water resistant and very comfortable with lots of pockets and were perfect for this trip. I brought jeans but never wore them because they soak up water. I probably wouldn’t bring them again because I had a pair of sweatpants that I wore to travel in; 4 long sleeve shirts; 4 pairs medium weight hiking socks; 5 pair underwear; 1 bra.
Raincoat - I was disappointed in the REI raincoat I bought that was supposed to be waterproof but really wasn’t. (lesson learned - I bought it because it was light and easy to pack. I am still searching for the perfect raincoat); Gortex rain pants I got at REI that were perfect; L.L. Beans down jacket that stuffs into its own pocket so is easy to pack and fit under my raincoat without a problem; Thule fleece ‘jacket’; wind resistant gloves; scarf; bathing suit: night clothes; flip flops.
3 pairs of pants - 2 pairs of hiking pants from REI that were perfect and I lived in those the whole trip. They are wind and water resistant and very comfortable with lots of pockets and were perfect for this trip. I brought jeans but never wore them because they soak up water. I probably wouldn’t bring them again because I had a pair of sweatpants that I wore to travel in; 4 long sleeve shirts; 4 pairs medium weight hiking socks; 5 pair underwear; 1 bra.
Raincoat - I was disappointed in the REI raincoat I bought that was supposed to be waterproof but really wasn’t. (lesson learned - I bought it because it was light and easy to pack. I am still searching for the perfect raincoat); Gortex rain pants I got at REI that were perfect; L.L. Beans down jacket that stuffs into its own pocket so is easy to pack and fit under my raincoat without a problem; Thule fleece ‘jacket’; wind resistant gloves; scarf; bathing suit: night clothes; flip flops.
Amazing views abound
I bought a wool hat with a fleece lining there. I wore Merrill hiking boots - lightweight, Gortex lined and my feet were dry and comfortable throughout. I didn’t bring any other shoes. So with what I had on to travel in I had enough clothes to only do laundry once in 11 days.
We did laundry about 3 days into the trip and there was only a washer, no dryer. Common in Europe so you have to plan laundry (laundromats have dryers but there aren’t any outside of the bigger cities) to accommodate air drying time. We were supposed to do it again about 3 days before we left but the place did not have the advertised washer/dryer (or microwave or a working tea kettle) so we washed some things out by hand and carried all our dirty laundry home. It was fine.
We were warned that there are no places like Walgreens or CVS that carry over the counter medications there. I brought Ibuprofen, Tylenol, cough suppressants, decongestants, gasX, benadryl, first aid stuff. Seems like a lot but if you need it and can’t get it, it’s miserable. Bill was getting over some sort of lung/sinus thing when we got there so we did use a lot of what I brought.
We did laundry about 3 days into the trip and there was only a washer, no dryer. Common in Europe so you have to plan laundry (laundromats have dryers but there aren’t any outside of the bigger cities) to accommodate air drying time. We were supposed to do it again about 3 days before we left but the place did not have the advertised washer/dryer (or microwave or a working tea kettle) so we washed some things out by hand and carried all our dirty laundry home. It was fine.
We were warned that there are no places like Walgreens or CVS that carry over the counter medications there. I brought Ibuprofen, Tylenol, cough suppressants, decongestants, gasX, benadryl, first aid stuff. Seems like a lot but if you need it and can’t get it, it’s miserable. Bill was getting over some sort of lung/sinus thing when we got there so we did use a lot of what I brought.
Mountains on the south coast
We talked to a lot of people who rented campers of various sizes. It used to be possible to just pull off the road anywhere and camp. Of course people started trashing up the roadsides so they stopped that and you have to stay in designated campgrounds. These seem to vary in price and from what people indicated, were not hard to get into. Bill calculated that the price difference between camping and staying in hotels, etc was actually cheaper to stay inside.
I like camping but with the weather the way it was, I was very glad to be able to get inside and out of the wind and rain. With the very high winds I was also very glad not to be in a high profile vehicle. Someone showed us pictures of the remains of a camper van that got blown over. No thank you. Once you leave the cities most of the roads are very narrow, many are gravel or just dirt roads and I was glad not to be in a bigger vehicle.
The Jimny was a bit of a tactical error on Bill’s part. It was tiny and had a cage separating the front and the back. There was very little room in the front to put anything and to access the back we had to get out and go around. I wouldn’t rent one of those again. It did fine but really wasn’t particularly comfortable for a 10 day road trip.
I like camping but with the weather the way it was, I was very glad to be able to get inside and out of the wind and rain. With the very high winds I was also very glad not to be in a high profile vehicle. Someone showed us pictures of the remains of a camper van that got blown over. No thank you. Once you leave the cities most of the roads are very narrow, many are gravel or just dirt roads and I was glad not to be in a bigger vehicle.
The Jimny was a bit of a tactical error on Bill’s part. It was tiny and had a cage separating the front and the back. There was very little room in the front to put anything and to access the back we had to get out and go around. I wouldn’t rent one of those again. It did fine but really wasn’t particularly comfortable for a 10 day road trip.
Diamond beach, south coast
Back to Bill- We'll call this post over. We have so many photos and saw and did so much! More photos coming on the next posts.......hopefully without a pretty unpleasant illness between posts. And if you haven't gotten your vaccine, get it. While COVID was unpleasant, the vaccines did what they were supposed to and prevented severe illness. We were waiting for fall before getting another booster.....but we waited too long! Be well everyone.