I just returned from a 5 day trip to Iceland, and it was probably one of the best trips that I’ve been on. Let me first say that Iceland is not someplace that was on my bucket list. Far from it. I prefer warm climates, preferably beaches or pools with swim-up bars. Iceland is a frozen tundra of sub-freezing temperatures and fast winds that come whipping off the North Atlantic. The cold weather limits the number of trees on the island; the only native tree is some type of birch that grows to about knee-high. They’ve manually planted some pines, but they’re nowhere near the coast, so the wind comes in off of the water and smacks you in the face at full speed. Why anyone lives on this ridiculous spine-numbing island is beyond me. I know the Vikings that decided to settle in Iceland were tough, but apparently they were stupid, too. All that being said, I’m glad that someone settled here and built an airport and a nice hotel for people like me, because this was one heck of a fun trip.
Iceland is home to less than 350,000 people, over 2/3 of whom live within the Reykjavik (why am I not surprised that my spell check doesn’t like that name?) metro area. While I was there, I saw a decent number of cars driving around, but not too many pedestrians. It was 20 degrees outside, so they had the good sense to stay indoors. I, however, did not. Remember my stupidity; it will be a recurring theme. While the names of the streets are next to impossible to pronounce (like Eyjafjallajökull, the volcano that erupted in 2010), fortunately the locals all speak passable to excellent English. Their accents vary, but you can understand them and they can understand you without difficulty.
With IcelandAir and WOW airlines offering great deals to Iceland, including complimentary multi-night layovers when you’re on your way to someplace sane, there’s no good reason not to check it out. Once you get there, it’s not exactly cheap. It’s a small island, so they have to import everything, and alcohol carries an additional 50% tax. But the drinks flow and the food is surprisingly good. I had one of the best steaks there and one of the best burgers I’ve had as well. I also got to try some exotic food options, but more on that in another post. One great thing about Iceland is that there are no mosquitoes! I’m hoping those little bastards froze to death. (No, I’m not bitter. Why do you ask?)
One trick to get around the booze tax is to hit the duty free. Here’s the fun part: You don’t need to buy your booze in the US and pack it in your checked bag, and you don’t need to hit the duty free before you take off and deal with it on the flight. After you land in Reykjavik, you clear passport control. Surprisingly, there is no customs process. I guess they’re so glad that you’re visiting that they don’t care what you bring. Anyway, as you’re leaving the airport, right by the baggage claim, there’s a duty free shop where you can buy booze. Anyone coming in can get a bottle of liquor and a bottle of wine or three bottles of wine, all free of the local tax. I got a bottle of Balvenie 16 year Triple Cask scotch, which was delicious, but you can get whatever your heart desires. And, if you play it right, you could probably get your booze, check out, put it in your bag, go back into the store, get more booze, check out with another cashier, put it in your bag, and repeat until you run out of space or you get caught. But having cheap booze by the bottle in your bag is great when the local draft beer costs $8 at the bar. It’s not a bad beer, but it’s definitely not worth $8.
This time of year, sunrise is after 9:00A. Most days, it was cloudy enough that it was still dark after 10:00A. That’s a little annoying if you’re solar-powered like I am, but if it’s a clear day, the views from around the island can be breathtaking. On another note, apparently hot springs in Iceland are like sinkholes in Florida. They pop up out of nowhere and wreak all kinds of havok. Our driver told us about one guy who was walking home from the bar and fell into a hot spring and broke his leg. The doctor asked him why he didn’t walk around it, and the guy replied, “It wasn’t there when I went to the bar!” I’m sure there’s a little hyperbole in there, but it’s still funny.
All in all, if Iceland isn’t on your list of places to go, I completely get it. But if you’re on the fence, grab a few friends and make the trip. It’s well worth it. Just make sure you pack long underwear.
