Post by standing stone on Nov 16, 2016 12:04:14 GMT
Iceland - highlights and top tips:
Tips
Take lots and lots of money; when you think you're taking enough, take more; beer 1100 IKR, icelandic cod and chips 2900 IKR, soup in a bread bowl 1690 IKR - all lovely, but expensive by our standards. Supermarket prices are expensive too - equivalent of £7 for a sandwich, though the sandwich will be good; £2 for a 178/180g pot of Skyr. It is worthwhile booking accommodation which has breakfast included to set you up for the day. Take snacks with you from UK; the money you'd use to be eating out for every meal is better spent on the tours/experiences available.... they also cost a lot, but you always feel they've been very well worth it by the end of your trip.
Take warm waterproof clothes; I would also suggest two pairs of walking boots, if poss; just incase you end up with wet feet; this will make sure you can continue the next day without skinning your feet in wet boots. This didn't happen, but easily could have done.
Make lots of plan "B"'s. If your tour isn't running for whatever reason, have something else you're looking forward to ready to put in its place; there are lots of (free) things to see and do.
Make the effort to get up early; in time for the first breakfast and then head straight out into the darkness for a walk along the harbour or around the lake.
The best early morning half light is when there is snow and ice on the ground.
Highlights:
72 Whooper swans on Lake Thjornin, 4 drinking from a pond in a field, 8 flying over lava fields
raven, 4 starlings, sheep and horses and more birds to identify by photos back home
Laundromat Cafe
Wearing Icelandic jumper (years old; you're looking at around £175 upwards to buy new in Iceland) and finding it great at keeping me warm and dry despite sleet, snow and hail stone onslaught; just shakes off, though it was strange to smell like a wet animal drying infront of a fire as I warmed up back on the bus.....
The weather and the light and the colours and the shapes of the landscape............ the sting of white hail on black lava sands; the crash of "sneaky" waves;the rock formations; the waterfalls (one you can walk behind; which is a bit special when the light has left....)
Being rewarded for early harbour walk in the dark; seals, greylag geese flying in; being perfectly safe and enjoying the sense of belonging..
Listening to the tour guides and everyone you meet and chat to.....each have their story and there are more and more people who are working and living in Iceland who have come from elsewhere in the world; our guide, Eric, was from Barcelona and it was interesting to hear how he had brought his own perspective on life and things Icelandic since moving there 8 years ago.
Happy people...... the "style" of people everywhere is very open and friendly; naturally warm and engaging.
Finding that I enjoy fruit Skyr - veggie snacks and sandwiches are scarce. I should have brought the cheese and crackers from UK for a packed lunch, but was pleased to find Skyr at the lunch stop - easy to take away and ggo and eat on the beach; good thing to do as I'm not much in to the shops which have been sited next to the lunch tops. Having said that....
Icelandic knitwear....... because I love knitting,crochet, etc; love the wools, the colours, designs and everything - knitwear makes me very happy anywhere in the world!
The turf houses at Vik - the original ones the first settlers built; buildings and rooms had the exact proportions which make me feel a good fit. There was one bed room for all the family; four or five double beds and a crib... and it felt really good; you could imagine everyone snuggled in and telling stories - there was something rather special about the place....... we used to live like that too...
Not being disappointed because the Whale Watching Tours and Northern Lights watching tours were called off because of the weather and finding the Aurora over the other side of Smoky Bay (Reykjavik) - when you least expected, but, most needed it, in a way. Hearing a local man saying that it usually appears five minutes after a clear glimpse of the moon....
Seeing the sunset and Mars and I swear, the aurora; green and purple, and a quick peek at the supermoon on the flight on the way home; we were on the wrong side for the supermoon all the way back.
Getting home knackered, but going out in the garden at 2.30 am to take photos of the supermoon.....
Tips
Take lots and lots of money; when you think you're taking enough, take more; beer 1100 IKR, icelandic cod and chips 2900 IKR, soup in a bread bowl 1690 IKR - all lovely, but expensive by our standards. Supermarket prices are expensive too - equivalent of £7 for a sandwich, though the sandwich will be good; £2 for a 178/180g pot of Skyr. It is worthwhile booking accommodation which has breakfast included to set you up for the day. Take snacks with you from UK; the money you'd use to be eating out for every meal is better spent on the tours/experiences available.... they also cost a lot, but you always feel they've been very well worth it by the end of your trip.
Take warm waterproof clothes; I would also suggest two pairs of walking boots, if poss; just incase you end up with wet feet; this will make sure you can continue the next day without skinning your feet in wet boots. This didn't happen, but easily could have done.
Make lots of plan "B"'s. If your tour isn't running for whatever reason, have something else you're looking forward to ready to put in its place; there are lots of (free) things to see and do.
Make the effort to get up early; in time for the first breakfast and then head straight out into the darkness for a walk along the harbour or around the lake.
The best early morning half light is when there is snow and ice on the ground.
Highlights:
72 Whooper swans on Lake Thjornin, 4 drinking from a pond in a field, 8 flying over lava fields
raven, 4 starlings, sheep and horses and more birds to identify by photos back home
Laundromat Cafe
Wearing Icelandic jumper (years old; you're looking at around £175 upwards to buy new in Iceland) and finding it great at keeping me warm and dry despite sleet, snow and hail stone onslaught; just shakes off, though it was strange to smell like a wet animal drying infront of a fire as I warmed up back on the bus.....
The weather and the light and the colours and the shapes of the landscape............ the sting of white hail on black lava sands; the crash of "sneaky" waves;the rock formations; the waterfalls (one you can walk behind; which is a bit special when the light has left....)
Being rewarded for early harbour walk in the dark; seals, greylag geese flying in; being perfectly safe and enjoying the sense of belonging..
Listening to the tour guides and everyone you meet and chat to.....each have their story and there are more and more people who are working and living in Iceland who have come from elsewhere in the world; our guide, Eric, was from Barcelona and it was interesting to hear how he had brought his own perspective on life and things Icelandic since moving there 8 years ago.
Happy people...... the "style" of people everywhere is very open and friendly; naturally warm and engaging.
Finding that I enjoy fruit Skyr - veggie snacks and sandwiches are scarce. I should have brought the cheese and crackers from UK for a packed lunch, but was pleased to find Skyr at the lunch stop - easy to take away and ggo and eat on the beach; good thing to do as I'm not much in to the shops which have been sited next to the lunch tops. Having said that....
Icelandic knitwear....... because I love knitting,crochet, etc; love the wools, the colours, designs and everything - knitwear makes me very happy anywhere in the world!
The turf houses at Vik - the original ones the first settlers built; buildings and rooms had the exact proportions which make me feel a good fit. There was one bed room for all the family; four or five double beds and a crib... and it felt really good; you could imagine everyone snuggled in and telling stories - there was something rather special about the place....... we used to live like that too...
Not being disappointed because the Whale Watching Tours and Northern Lights watching tours were called off because of the weather and finding the Aurora over the other side of Smoky Bay (Reykjavik) - when you least expected, but, most needed it, in a way. Hearing a local man saying that it usually appears five minutes after a clear glimpse of the moon....
Seeing the sunset and Mars and I swear, the aurora; green and purple, and a quick peek at the supermoon on the flight on the way home; we were on the wrong side for the supermoon all the way back.
Getting home knackered, but going out in the garden at 2.30 am to take photos of the supermoon.....
