I just wanted to close out this trip with a few final thought, tips really, for anyone considering a trip to Iceland (which I highly recommend.) So here's my tips for the Icelandic adventure:
1) Your hot water is probably going to smell like sulphur. That's because it gets pumped out of the ground, and there's nothing to be done about it, so save yourself the trouble of complaining to the front desk.
2) The wind in Iceland can be savage. This is largely attributed to the lack of trees. Whatever the cause, make sure you have a good jacket that is breathable but blocks out the wind.
3) Regarding the aforementioned wind: when it's that windy the weather can change in a hurry. If you are going out make sure you dress for changes in the weather.
4) Layer up so that you've got something to take off; the weather can turn nice just as quickly as it can turn foul.
5) Due to the high winds the rain can travel in an alarmingly horizontal fashion. While umbrellas are commonly used, and widely available, in the long run you may be better served by a rain suit, especially if you are out on adventurous activities.
6) Don't burden yourself with trying to find Kronur in your home country, or ever travelling with huge amounts of cash unless you are going to be away from a major centre for awhile. Bank machines are everywhere in the capital and plastic is very widely accepted. Just make sure that you have a 4-digit PIN.
7) If you are even considering a trip in August make sure that you look up when the Reykjavik Marathon is held. It's always a Saturday in August. This is important because whatever day the marathon is, that evening will be Culture Night, and you don't want to miss that.
8) Over-the-counter pharmaceuticals are not as readily available as they are in Canada. Even mild painkillers for a headache appear to only be available in pharmacies, and even then they are kept behind the counter. With the pharmacy hours not being particularly long it's advised that if you are even slightly prone to headache, allergy, etc. that you bring some meds with you.
9) The day-night cycle shifts around quite quickly. Make sure that you are aware of when the sun rises and sets for the time that you are there and if the sun will be up during hours that you are likely to be sleeping bring a sleep mask. Heavy blinds and curtains aren't necessarily something you can count on.
That's really about all I can offer in terms of advice for the perspective Iceland tourist. I can only now reiterate that I highly recommend this as a vacation spot. It's got all the excitement and adventure that you could ask for, but is quite easy to travel to since they've got a very well established tourist trade and English is spoke almost universally.
To close, I had a staggeringly good time and I really do hope that I get the opportunity to visit again. Hopefully sometime soon. I'll be back home in Petrolia for this weekend, visiting friends and family. Next weekend will find Graydyn, Susan, Jay, and myself in Montreal, so look for some posts then. Thanks for reading, and an extra special thanks for those who commented while I was away, it was great to have that feedback and to know that everyone was keeping tabs on me.
For now, this is Colin, signing off.
2 comments:
Thanks for the tips buddy.
What type of back up do you have for your pictures? Didn't they swap out your hard drive last time? I am no computer repair expert but if your motherboard and HDD keep frying sounds like a power supply problem.
Your comments on taking your own medication also apply to the UK and probably Europe. Like Iceland, meds are found in the pharmacies and they certainly don't have the varieties that North America has.
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