The video is about 2 minutes, if you want to skip to the sound of a volcano or see what happens when you throw a snowball into rocks near lava, you can do that, too!

Yes, there are two Icelands and they are like twin, beautiful, yet antithetical daughters.  One is cool, chic and a little shallow.  She’s the kind of woman you might pick up in a bar – exciting but brief, that’s Reykjavik.  The other is mysterious, deep and earthy.  She is unyielding and does not give herself over easily.  She is the kind you marry, that’s the other Iceland.

Reykjavik.  It’s quaint and interesting with lots of old buildings to see and explore.  It is also modern and lively, with a rather infamous nightlife.  The downtown main thoroughfare, a street called Laugavegur is very nice, with lots of pedestrian activity, shops, bars and the like.  It’s worth seeing and experiencing, no doubt.  But, Reykjavik is fairly small as capital cities go and one could see most of it in a weekend. 

What is truly unique about Iceland, is that which lies outside of the capital; it’s the other Iceland and it is the real reason why Iceland is such a gem.  The total population of the entire country is approximately 320,000, two thirds of which live in Reykjavik.  That means that the rest of the country is open space – clean, beautiful and exotic open space with natural wonders at almost every bend of the road. 

For most of us getting away from it all is quite a chore.  In Iceland it is as easy to access as a Sunday drive.  Out in the country, you’ll see few cars and few people.  What you will see is an unspoiled land filled with natural wonders.  This other Iceland is a place where time slows down a bit.  A place where you can acquaint yourself with nature as it was.  A place you can still drink water from a stream.

And, the beauty of Iceland is that it is not as far away as you think.  It is not yet a mainstream destination for the hordes of hungry global tourists.  So, if you go, spend a little time in Reykjavik, than treat yourself by spending more of your precious time in the other Iceland.  Rent a car, travel the ring road, stay at guesthouses, go horseback riding, walk on a glacier – soak it up.

If you want you want a little more structure and local knowledge, book an Iceland tour with one of the many tour operators.  There are all kinds of fun adventure-type tours for your choosing:  4×4 tours, mountain climbing, ice climbing, trekking – whatever moves you.  The main thing is do yourself a favor and see the ‘other’ Iceland.  Just skip the bus tour, you won’t find her there.

#1 – Hallgrimskirkja – literally, the church of Hallgrímur, is the largest church in Iceland and is centrally located in downtown Reykjavik.  Though not the oldest church in Iceland, it is the tallest at 244 feet.  In fact it’s tall spire can be seen from almost anywhere within the city.  For a nominal fee, you can take an elevator up to the observation tower for some spectacular views.  The interior is beautiful and distinctly Scandinavian in style and decor.  Lastly, if you get a chance, the church has a great pipe organ.  Outside the church is a large statue of Leif Ericsson, the statue itself was a gift from the United States in honor of the 1930 Althing Millennial Festival, commemorating the 1000th anniversary of Iceland’s parliament at Thingvellir in 930 AD.

#2 – Downtown Reykjavik and the central square – Downtown Reykjavik is lovely and offers an interesting mix of old world and cutting edge modern buildings and architecture. Reykjavik’s downtown is fairly small so it is easy to enjoy on foot.  Just find the main artery, Laugavegur and start walking.  there are numerous restaurants, cafe’s, bars, clothing, art galleries and just about everything in between.  If you want to enjoy Reykjavik’s nightlife, this is pretty much where you want to be.  If you keep heading down the street you will come to the central square.  Just make a left on Pósthússtræti and you will see it immediately.  The central square is lined by the old Parliament building, the Althing, a beautiful old church, the Hotel Borg and many other old buildings.  In the center of the square is a statue of Jon Sigurðsson, a national hero in Iceland. 

#3 – Skaftafell National Park – Skaftafell National Park is located in SE-Iceland about a 6 hour drive from the capital.  And, it is worth the drive.  This beautiful park sits at the foot of Iceland’s largest glacier, Vatnajokull.  You can camp here or stay in a guesthouse outside the park.  What this place offers is some of the most pristine and beautiful nature I have ever seen.  You can hike to waterfalls, go mountain climbing to Iceland’s highest summit, hike on glaciers, ice climbing and more.  Or, you can just relax and enjoy clean air and green grass.  For some reason, the weather at this location can be good even when its bad everywhere else.  I think that the glacier provides a high-pressure dome.  

#4 – Snaefellsness Peninsula – The Snaefellsness Peninsula is about a 3 hour drive north of Reykjavik.  In fact on most days, you can see the dome of Snaefellsjokull (Snaefells Glacier) from the capital even though it is like 150 km away – pretty impressive.  The peninsula is gorgeous with sweeping views of the ocean, beautiful beaches, lighthouses and quaint villages.  There is much to see but one thing you should see up close is Snaefellsjokull.  It is a relatively small glacier and you can drive right up to the edge and experience it up close.  Snaefellsjokull was made famous by Jules Verne in the book, “Journey to the Center of the Earth” as the point of entry to the Earth’s core.

#5 – Akureyri – Akureyri is the called the capital of the north and it is the farther away of all the Iceland sightseeing recommendations in this article.  By car, Akureyri is a full day’s drive.  The drive is long but will offer lots of sightseeing opportunities.  If you want to avoid the long drive, you can book a flight to Akureyri on Iceland’s domestic airline and be there in one hour.  The airport for domestic flights is near downtown Reykjavik.  Akureyri, which is located near the end of a long fjord,  is small and charming and boasts quaint shops, restaurants and hotels.  During the summer, when the sun hardly sets, the locals spend a lot of time in the city center just hanging out, partying and just enjoying themselves.  All of which makes for a fun, festive atmosphere that is quite memorable.

#6 – Reykjavik public pools – Swimming is simply one of the things you do while in Iceland.  There are several nice pools in Reykjavik that are run by the city that offer just about everything for only 300 kronur (about $3.50): lap swimming, hot tubs, steam rooms, slides for the kids and more.  It’s a great deal and a great to meet Icelanders.   In fact, Reykjavik is unofficially called the ‘spa city.’  This is also because of the next top nine attraction, the blue lagoon.

#7 – Blue Lagoon – The Blue Lagoon is one of the top tourist destinations in Iceland.  It is located about halfway between Keflavik (where you will fly in) and Reykjavik.  In fact you will drive past in on your way from the airport to the capital.  The Blue Lagoon is a geothermal spa unlike any other on earth.  The best and most efficient way I can explain this place is with a picture (see above).

#8 – Waterfalls, Geysers & Hot Springs -  Iceland has water in spades.  It is also one of the more geologically active places on earth.  That means it has lots of waterfalls, hot springs and one well-known geyser called, “strokkur,” which translates as “boy.”  There are waterfalls everywhere.  Some of the most famous are Skogafoss, Dettifoss and Gullfoss.  Hot Springs are all over the place too.  My recommendation is to book a tour.  Let the locals take you to the best spots.  Many of these Iceland tour operators have tours built around these famous attractions, the most well known is called the Golden Circle Tour, which include Gullfoss, Geysir (strokkur) and Thingvellir. 

#9 – Thingvellir & Thingvellirvatn  – Thingvellir is area of land located about 45 minutes outside of Reykjavik.  Now a national park, it was the site of Iceland’s original parliament, called the Althing which was formed in 930 AD.  Leaders and everyday folk would come to this location from all over Iceland to make laws, settle disputes, buy and sell and generally stay connected.  The park has many rifts, some you can walk through, others are filed with the clearest water you’ve ever seen.  In fact these water filled rifts are a popular scuba diving spot.  The park also boats a beautiful waterfall, streams, amazing vistas and a large lake called Thingvellirvatn.

Granted there are more than nine top attractions in Iceland.  Listing every possible worthwhile place is outside the scope of this article and frankly, my time.  That said, the attractions listed above are all things I have experience first-hand; I can say with confidence that they are worth seeing.  And, now’s still a good time to visit Iceland.  Your dollars, or Euros, or whatever currency you use will go a long ways because of Iceland’s economic misfortune which led to a massive deflation of their currency.  Without sounding mean-spirited I say, take advantage of this while it lasts.  You’ll be helping the local economy and getting a world-class travel experience in return.

Food expenses are always an important consideration when you are travelling.  In some countries this is not a big issue because food is cheap, or at least moderately affordable.  And, many countries offer a true bounty of food choices.  Iceland’s food scene is neither cheap nor abundant.  I know because I lived there for two years.

That isn’t to say that there isn’t good food in Iceland.  Far from it.  I have had some truly memorable meals there.  But I digress.  If you are travelling in Iceland and aren’t swimming in money, you will want to know where to go to get reasonably affordable food. 

Grocery stores
Forget dining out for every meal.  This is especially true when you leave Reykjavik.  There are numerous small towns outside of the capital city and while many of them have restaurants, they are usually more like truck stop cafes with very simple menus.  My suggestion is to stock up on supplies at the various grocery stores.  The cheapest of which are Bonus and a store called Kronan.  Stock up on the basics: bread, cheese, Skyr (an Icelandic dairy product similar to yogurt), deli meats, etc.  Buy local greenhouse-grown vegetables like tomatoes, cucumbers, lettuce and peppers. Almost everything else is imported.  If you have a place to cook your own meals, your options will increase.  In that case, I recommend buying fish.  It’s fresh, clean, reasonably affordable and doesn’t need any fancy sauces or condiments to be tasty.

Hot dog stands & local shops
Icelandic hot dogs are excellent.  They are made with lamb and pork and have a unique flavor that is slightly smoky and more than slightly delicious.  If you ever go to Iceland, I highly recommend that you try one – and order it with everything.  There are hot dog stands in many locations, the most famous of which is downtown (see picture).  You can also buy them at the various and even more numerous local shops.  These stores sell the basics:  candy, ice cream, sodas, pre-packaged sandwiches as well as hot dogs and hamburgers.  Not the healthiest fare but it’ll do in a pinch.  And, that is kind of how it goes with eating in Iceland.  It is not the normal plethora of choices that many are used to (especially Americans), but rather what’s available.  When you are on the road and hungry, you will lower your standards and be happy to have found a pre-made sandwich and some skyr.  Mark my words.  If it matters to you to have vegetables, buy them at a grocery store and bring them with you.  Don’t expect to find vegetables at these shops.

Fast food
There are many fast food restaurants in Iceland, mostly only in Reykjavik.  While I am not a big fan of eating at McDonalds and the like, I would recommend eating at Subway in Iceland.  You can get a reasonably healthy meal for not too much money.  A 12″ sub is about 700 Icelandic Krona, that’s about $10.  Of course this will vary with the exchange rate.

Dining out
If you want to eat at a low-cost restaurant, I would recommend seeking out Thai food.  There are many Thai expats in Iceland who have opened some good, authentic Thai restaurants.  There are some other choices but not many.  There is a restaurant in Reykjavik called cafe Copenhagen which serves reasonably priced lunches and dinners.  It is the kind of place families would go for lunch on Sunday afternoon.  Another affordable choice in Reykjavik is a restaurant called Nings.  They serve Chinese food that is made fresh and is decent but not great. 

Now that I have saved you money on food, I highly recommend that you spend that money doing things that you can’t do almost anywhere else.  Go out and explore Iceland’s beautiful nature.  Book an Iceland tour, take a hiking tour, experience a 4×4 jeep tour adventure, walk on a glacier, drink directly from a stream.   Soak it up because while Iceland may not be the best culinary destination, it does boast some of the world’s most beautiful and exotic  vistas, landscapes and unspoiled nature.  Do some sightseeing in Iceland - just bring a sandwich…

Iceland is a little known adventure destination; it’s a little known destination period, let’s face it.  But, if you are like me and really enjoy the outdoors, Iceland is a great place to visit.  It has so many offerings, coupled with a near pristine environment.

Here is a list of some of the adventure possibilities Iceland offers: hiking, trekking, snowmobiling, glacier hiking, mountain climbing, ice and rock climbing, downhill skiing, telemark skiing, ocean and freshwater fishing, white water rafting, adventure jeep tours, extreme off-roading, scuba diving (both fresh water and ocean) camping and cycling tours. Additionally, you can explore hot springs, ice and lava caves, lava fields, geothermal fields, bird watching – the list goes on.

I will not go into detail on all these activities, just the ones I have done myself.  First up is hiking and trekking.  In Iceland you can opt for easy, short hikes, half day hikes and overnight hikes.  I have even see, though not done myself, a trek across the entire country that takes almost a month – what an experience that would be!  I lived in Reykjavik for two years and participated in numerous hikes.  Just outside of the capital is Mt. Esjan.  This is a fairly easy 3-4 hour hike up the face of Mt. Esjan with a rewarding, uncluttered view back to Reykjavik. 

The jeep tours are outstanding and I have been on several.  Most will take you in to the backcountry, crossing streams (really rivers) along the way, driving on glaciers, black sand beaches, up tight mountain passes into some of the most beautiful areas I have ever seen.  One memorable jeep tour I took was to visit several natural hot springs.  The whole point of the tour was to bathe in as many hot springs as possible.

I have also gone on one of those glacier tours where we had to where crampons and follow a guide to make sure you don’t fall into a crevasse.  This is one of the most memorable and powerful outdoors activities I did while in Iceland.  The colors and surreal beauty was outstanding. 

I never personally got the opportunity to do many of the other items I listed but, I have spoken with people who have done them all.  Of particular consequence is the salmon fishing.  Iceland is a world-class destination for fly fishing and you don’t even have to leave the city of Reykjavik.  My apartment was about one half mile from one of the best fishing rivers in the country.  During the season I would see the salmon grouping up together, resting before their next push forward.  I would watch the fly fishermen hauling them in.   

Iceland, as an adventure destination, does have some detractions.  For one, it is fairly remote, located just below the arctic circle way out in the north Atlantic.  Though, it is not as far away as you might think.  Flight times from the east coast of the US range from 5 to 6 hours.  Secondly, Iceland can have very bad and capricious weather.  I would advise traveling there in the high season from May to late August.  You can expect temperatures in the mid to high fifties and on a really nice day the temperature can reach 70 degrees.  Another big hurdle is Iceland’s high prices.  I read recently that Iceland was one of the most expensive countries in the world.  This is especially true for food, fuel and lodgings. 

High prices, potentially bad weather and its remote location aside, Iceland is worth it.  If you want an adventure, almost no matter what kind of adventure, Iceland will deliver.  Just pick your thrill, book your flight and enjoy.

For me, terms like ‘white sand beaches and clear blue water’ sounds a little like the beginning of a worn out slogan, the tropical vacation version of ‘order now, operators are standing by’.  It may be that I’m jaded by the over-the-top advertising or maybe I just imagine a white sand beach with 5000 overweight pasty Americans overrunning it.  Whatever the case, I don’t want the same old thing.

My paradise is different.  Since it’s a Honeymoon paradise, the most important element of course, is my significant other.  For me, that’s all the people I really need.  I want to spend time with my new bride, and share some experiences that are really different.  We have beaches and fruity drinks in California, and picking from the top 10 vacations menu seemed like a sure-fire route to sameness.  I recoil at sameness and thought I could do better for our honeymoon.

I thought about it.  I looked on the web.  I talked to people.  I had always liked the green feeling of the Pacific Northwest, but the idea of a Honeymoon to Seattle didn’t really captivate me.  I had loved learning to ski in Utah when I was young, and have always gravitated towards mountains, but my new bride loves the water (though not necessarily the beaches in the worn out brochure).  The elements I wanted to include in our vacation seemed to be accumulating and I didn’t have a plan yet. 

When I added something seemingly obscure to my wish list, the solution actually became easier.  We had been to Alaska in 2001 on a bicycle ride to raise money for AIDS research and had experienced, albeit at a distance, the Matanuska glacier.  We were intrigued by the idea of a glacier in person – climbing it, touching it, experiencing a frozen goliath that seemed ancient.  We had an agenda though, and we moved on.  The great Matanuska and the idea of a glacier experience was mostly forgotten.  Until now.

Glaciers actually brought it together.  The mountains, the water, fewer people, open, unspoiled nature and someplace we’d never been were the core pieces.  When I added glaciers, something new popped up – Iceland.  We wanted something different and exciting and we were going to get it.  Yes, it is more than slightly north of the equator, with not so much of the fruity drinks. 

There was to be one other benefit for me, too.  Among the elements of an Icelandic adventure, I could squeeze in the guilty pleasure of a super jeep tour, or in American terms, a monster truck.  If I offered my new bride a long weekend trip or short vacation stateside that centered around giant SUVs and off-road touring, there would have to be some reciprocal girly trip in recent context to pull that off, or maybe some jewelry.  In Iceland, I figured we could do several things and when I brought up the Super Jeeps, she’d probably dig it.  …I still stacked the deck by setting up a Icelandic horseback riding day in advance.

How did it go?

The trip was a hit!  From the moment that the crisp, clean air greeted us in Keflavik, we were in another world.  We had trailside meals on a quiet mountainside, bathed in hot springs and heated lagoons (we had warmth and a beach, just not in the common way!) and rode Icelandic horses.  We spent a little time in Reykjavik too, enjoying the nightlife a bit, but the time we spent outside was the best part of the experience.  The trip was otherworldly and left us wanting to return.  Fortunately, anniversaries provide a great reason to go back!

Approaching the Vatnajokull Glacier in S-Iceland, near Skaftafell

Iceland is beautiful, accessible, pristine, and …less expensive than it used to be with the current exchange rates.  Vacations in Iceland are a great way to get away for an active, outdoors vacation.

Iceland-it’s not actually covered in Ice, that’s Greenland.  Iceland, in fact, is mostly green. 

Thoughts of Iceland, Ice-land to most Americans, conjures up images of frozen land, frozen people and glaciers.  To be sure, it can be cold in Iceland and there are glaciers-some of the most incredible and accessible glaciers in the world, in fact-but glaciers cover only about 11% of the country. 

Iceland is mostly unspoiled and natural, and you can get to the most incredible places quite easily, unlike many of the national parks and beautiful places in the U.S.  Here, too often, ‘nature’ is available for your viewing pleasure from sunup to sundown, after you find a parking space, gain the blessing of a gate attendant, and wander down a trail with fences on two sides like pedestrian slot cars.  A highly orchestrated nature experience isn’t a nature experience.

Things are different in Iceland.  You can really get out there if you like.  Whether you’re the find-it-yourself type and like to spend your vacation out of a rental car (or Holiday out of a car for hire if you’re from the UK), or if you prefer to connect with a local tour company to take you directly to the best spots – either way, you’ll see incredible landscapes.  Keep in mind, ‘best spots’ is another concept where you’ll need to shift your thinking away from the familiar roadside turnout photo opp that first involves parking logistics and some form of waiting, to places where roads often have no barrier and you realize you don’t need a map to find a beautiful spot. 

I’m a find-it-yourself type by nature, but over the years I’ve grown to enjoy the personal service of private or small group guided tours.  I don’t need to worry about whether I’ve picked the best spot based on an outsiders quick education via brochures, web sites and airport conversations, nor do I want to share my experience with a busload of people in a large group tour. 

I also like to experience a new place up-close and personally.  Sure, you can visit a new place, and while you’re there, read about the history, the people, and the land, but you can do that from home in front of a computer!  When I go someplace new, I want to do things that are not possible to do anywhere else, to go outside and touch things, hike the land, smell the air, …drink from a glacier! 

Hiking, to me is nearly a religious experience.  It’s the only thing I can do where I am equally comfortable in conversation, sharing the experience live and out loud with my wife or a friend, or silent, soaking it in at the highest bandwidth possible.

Check out a hiking experience with the local pros – they know the best places to take you and it’s not in a queue of 65 day-trippers going to the same spot-there are lots of great places to go and the guides adapt around your needs and desires.

Iceland hiking is like a distilled version of hiking elsewhere.  The clean air, clean land, living landscape of tundra, volcanoes, glaciers, fjords and hot springs afford an unparalleled experience of nature.  With direct flights from major US Metro airports and easy access to lodging and touring companies, an Iceland getaway is closer than you think.

Beautiful but caustic

I was originally going to title this article, “Why I like Iceland.”  But the truth is that title doesn’t express my true feelings about this country.  The truth is far more complex.

There’s a great line in one of my favorite movies, “Lawrence of Arabia,” where Lawrence is speaking to Auda, the leader of the Howeitat, who is very effectively convincing him to join him in his battle against the Turks – something he didn’t know he wanted to do but ends up agreeing to anyways.  In the end, Auda says, realizing that his mind has been changed for him says to Lawrence, “You trouble me like women.”  That line expresses how I feel about Iceland.

To me, Iceland is like a difficult but beautiful woman, a woman that is mysterious and alluring, deep and brilliant, strong and proud, and yet sometimes shockingly callous, aloof, shallow and ignorant.  Yet, I keep coming back.  I keep trying to understand the mystery and get my mind around her many complexities. 

I lived in Iceland for two years, from 2004-2006.  And to paraphrase a famous quote from Charles Dickens, it was the best and worst of times.  During that time, I don’t think I ever got comfortable with the people, the language, the culture and certainly not the weather.  And to add to Iceland’s mystery and challenges, it is just a tiny island way out in the North Atlantic not far below the Arctic Circle.  It’s cold and blustery and almost never warm – much like the people.  But every once and a while, the sun shines and the temperatures rise and the warmth and beauty is breathtaking, making all of the misery and hardship seem worth it.

For this reason and many others, living in Iceland is not for the faint of heart.  I believe it requires a high degree of emotional intelligence, either that or none at all.  If you are somewhere in the middle, like I was, this chilly mistress will get in your head and make you doubt yourself in ways that can be cruel.  In that sense I failed, at least initially.  What I learned about myself while living in Iceland took me years to process and integrate.  In short, I had to grow up and stop worrying about what people thought of me.  I also had to learn patience.  So, in a strange way, Iceland was a very real and direct part of my becoming an adult.  But like a tough teacher or lover that forced you to be better, you resent the method but later, appreciate and respect the lesson.

There is much to respect and love about Iceland.  It is a country with an incredibly rich and long-standing history.  Take for example the Icelandic sagas which are an amazing series of stories about life in Iceland.  Some of which were written almost a thousand years ago in a language that is still used in Iceland today.  These sagas tell the tale of hardship, death, love, families and power.  They also tell a tale of a people that managed to eek out a living on an isolated, inhospitable island.  The country had a parliamentary democracy in 938 A.D., called the Althing.  And, Icelander’s were very early explorers, braving the cold, open ocean in small crafts.  They scraped out a living on this tiny island for over a thousand years by what seems like pure gumption.  This deep history is embedded in every Icelander, who by nature is reserved, proud and aloof.  They know they are special even if the world does not.  Maybe that’s what draws me to them, there deep abiding knowledge that they are unique and strong.  There is a self-assurance in Iceland’s people born of the certainty of their lineage and the knowledge that they have endured much hardship and lived to tell the tale.  And, the memory of this has forged its genetic imprint in every last damn one of them.

Iceland horses and nature on the Westmann Islands

Iceland is a real gem of a country in more ways then I can say.  But, the country is kind of an anomaly.  It is small, very small and there are only about three hundred thousand Icelanders.  That many people would make you would wonder how their economy survives.  But it does and, in fact, they enjoy a very high standard of living.  Iceland is also very beautiful, clean and exotic.  The air is clean, the water is pure and the nature unspoiled.  When the weather is good, enjoying the Icelandic outback is a world-class experience.  Iceland is also a very modern place so you can enjoy all the amenities you are accustomed to.  That said, if you are interested in visiting this beautiful land, there are a few negatives you may want to be aware of. 

First off, I must mention the weather.  Iceland’s weather is notoriously capricious.  You can literally have four seasons in one day.  That’s not just hyperbole; I have experienced it for myself.  Also, it is almost never really warm.  The average summer temperature is somewhere in the mid-to-high 50s.  That isn’t to say that on occasion it can’t get warmer, that’s just the average.  It can also rain in Iceland – a lot.  You could go there and have rain for the whole vacation.  So, come prepared for wind and rain and wear layers so you can modulate your temperature as  circumstances dictate.

The second big issue is that Iceland is galactically expensive.  This has been mitigated by the recent depreciation in the Icelandic currency.  Even still, (written from an American point of view) like most of the Scandinavian countries, taxes are high and the cost of everyday goods and services is high.  Food is three to four times the cost compared to America.  This can come as a real shock for US visitors who are used to cheap food.  This is less true for European tourists who are used to higher costs.  Also, alcohol is very expensive.  I believe that Iceland ranks right up there with the most expensive alcohol prices.  If you drink, I would recommend buying your booze in the duty free store before you enter the country.  You will be limited to certain quantities.  Once you are in the country you will need to find a “Vin Bud,” pronounced, “veen booth” which literally means “wine store.”  The Icelandic government has a monopoly on all alcohol, so these are state run stores.  There are many scattered around Reykjavik as well as here and there around the country.  They are not always open, like 7-11’s in the states so, keep this in mind.  If you buy drinks at a restaurant be prepared to be shocked.  A beer is at least $10 and a glass of wine is anywhere between $10 and up.  Eating out is tremendously expensive.  I would recommend shopping for most of your meals if you can.

Next is the cost of rental cars and hotels.  If you plan on traveling outside of Reykjavik, you will need a car unless you want to take a bus tour or jeep tour.  If you are just going to stay in the capital you can get around just fine with the bus system, or on foot.  If you do rent a car you should know that gas in Iceland is, currently, about $8.00 per gallon.  So, make sure your budget can handle it.  Hotel rooms are outrageous, so if you are willing to lower your room expectations, I would recommend staying at a guesthouse.  Most of the guesthouses have common showers and a common kitchen so you can cook.  There are many in Reykjavik and many more scattered around out in the country.   

I know that I am not painting a very pretty picture here.  But, in truth, if you have traveled to Europe you already know about high prices.  It’s just that Iceland seems to take it a step further.  But, you can get by with a little less and the pay off is that you will get to experience a truly wonderfully unique country – really.  Some of the experiences I have had in Iceland – camping, golfing, hiking, etc, are unforgettable.  What I am saying is that, despite the costs, it is worth going.  Just be prepared.

There are many things to do in Iceland.  You can take bus tours, jeep tours, hiking tours, and just about every other outdoor pleasure you can imagine.  You can enjoy the wonderful spas and pools all over Reykjavik, visit museums, art galleries and more.  The downtown area of Reykjavik is very charming and old world.  Other areas are very modern and cutting edge.  The Reykjavik nightlife is pretty much world famous, so if you like to party then this is a good destination for you.

But going swimming here, especially for the first time, is an unusual experience for Americans. The swimming part is easy enough, it’s the shower room scene that is a little confusing and uncomfortable.  This is tourist season in Iceland and they come to the pools in droves.  They stand out, if not by their dress or language, then by the expressions of confusion and uncertainty on their faces.  Everyone one else moves with purpose while they are trying to figure out which way to go, what to do with their stuff, and most importantly what the routine is.  And, there is a routine to follow and it can be quite confusing the first time you go swimming in Iceland.  Then there’s the issue of showering and getting completely naked in front of strangers.  I know the routine well now and I have gotten more or less used to getting naked in front of strangers but it wasn’t always so. 

I was reminded of my first experiences the other day while I watched an obviously American man go through “the  routine.”   You pay your money at the counter and you get a coin to put in one of the lockers, take your shoes off prior to entering the locker room and then locate an open locker.  All pretty simple so far?  Not necessarily.  Almost nothing in Iceland is in English with the exception of a sign in the changing room stating that showering naked is mandatory.  Getting your key out of the locker is not simple but maybe that’s just me.  Anyways, I watched while this American walked around, confused, looking for someone to answer his questions (Yes, I could have helped him but I had my hands full with my one year old son).  Eventually, he found one of the shower attendants and sorted out the locker stuff. 

Then there’s the showering part.  You can tell the first-timers because they try and cover themselves up as if people are looking.  Well, actually they are – you can’t help but look when you see a male naked.  But, you soon realize that it doesn’t matter.  Icelandic men stand around and chat, naked, as if they had just met on the street and were catching up on the latest news and gossip.  The younger Icelanders grew up with this routine and act accordingly; playing and wrestling, talking and laughing.  Other European visitors don’t seem to have any problem with nudity either, just the Americans, and maybe the British.  

But, there is something amusing and strange to suddenly get completely naked in front of strangers.  Let’s face it, we hide our nakedness in every other social setting, even the bathroom.  But then, there you are standing with only what God gave you.  Additionally, I find it interesting the well known but unwritten and unspoken rules of nude etiquette: glance but don’t stare, don’t bend over dramatically to retrieve the soap or pick something up (No, this is not for the reasons encountered in prison), don’t dwell too long in certain areas with the soap and so on and so forth.  It should be noted that I really do appreciate that everyone is required to get fully clean before entering the pool and I think that pools in America should also require this.  It just makes sense.  But, it is also so darn amusing and odd to be in a room of 20 or 30 men and boys walking around like you were suddenly in a nudist colony.  Honestly, I still get a little uncomfortable but I also now get a chuckle out of it.