First, you should know that we all enjoyed our trip. And I, personally, LOVED it and can't wait to go back. That said, I can easily imagine visiting Iceland and having an awful time. If you're mainly a city person, you'll enjoy Reykjavik--but it's pretty small as cities go, so once you've seen and done everything on your list, you could go stir-crazy. If you're not an outdoors-y person, you'll miss out on all the good stuff. And if you are subject to SAD, you'll be, well, pretty darn sad.
It's easy to underestimate the dangers you could face (hypothermia, auto accidents/car trouble, and the other many mishaps that could have you needing the services of Iceland's intrepid all-volunteer Search and Rescue squad). You should also bring with you the right attitude, summed up here:
So, what's fun about Iceland? For starters:
I'm glad we ordered the soup. Lamb soup. Mushroom soup. Tomato soup. If you're a soup person, you'll find plenty to love about Iceland. When in doubt, get the soup.
I'm glad we got out. Out of the city. Out of the car. Out of the house. It can seem tempting to curl up with a good book (or a good website) and enjoy the rain from the great indoors. Do. Not. Indulge. This. Whim. You will miss out on all the good stuff, plus you will find yourself on the wrong of the Energy Drain Paradox,* which is especially strong in Iceland.
Next time, we'll:
- Pack better:
In our defense, we couldn't really have packed much more warm clothes than we did. Our 10 days in Iceland represent a small fraction of our trip, and the climate is more extreme than anything else we're likely to encounter on the rest of the places we visit. I knew we'd end up wearing the same layers day in and day out, which we did. So the part of me that hates to re-wear clothes without washing them suffered greatly.
But, while we were slightly cold, damp and stinky much of the time, nobody lost any digits to frostbite. The things I wish we'd had brought with us include windproof/waterproof gloves (we bought some passable ones at the Netto, but they were crazy expensive for convenience store items) and more wool socks. Especially those super-cute knee-high Nordic-looking ones.
Also, Scotchguard everything before you go: shoes, hats, windbreakers etc. It's often not really cold, but drizzly and rainy, so the drier you can stay, the happier you'll be.
If you've got the room (and you really should make the room), do yourself a favor and bring waterproof shell pants, preferably the kind that zip at the ankles so you can put them on and take them off without removing your shoes.
- Give ourselves more time to really dig in:
I'd spend a week with Avra learning to ride at Ellen's farm. I'd spend a week at Elisabeth's knee, learning everything she cared to teach me. And I'd spend a few more days in Reykjavik, soaking up the atmosphere, visiting the things we missed this time around, and eating more soup.
- Read more, both before and during our trip:
Books:
Iceland has the highest percentage of authors per capita of any country on earth.** What else you gonna do during the long, dark winter?
This book was my Kindle companion as I worked my way through the inevitable jet lag. It's a quick read, funny, and chock full of little tidbits that came in handy during our visit. Highly recommended.
On my list for next time: some Sagas like this collection, and something by Iceland's Nobel Laureate Halldor Laxness.
Websites:
I Heart Reykjavik, a fun blog as well as a touring company run by a woman with a good head on her shoulders and a sense of both fun and humor. Next visit, I will definitely look her up.
*The Energy Drain Paradox: the more you rest, the tired-er you become. This is hellish on vacation, when time is fleeting.
**I read this online, so it must be true.
