Ok. Enough pictures... for now. Let's get to the nitty gritty. I'm sure you're asking yourself, "Yeah yeah, but why the F would I want to go to Iceland?"
Let me count the ways.
1) Pay for water? BAH! - Coming from India, where the tap water will make you spew fluids from all orifices, the tap water here literally comes from a glacier. It's what people all over the world pay an absurd amount of money annually on but here, it flows freely and is ice cold coming from the tap. As soon as I tasted it, it brought me back to Scandinavia, 2009. If that's not pure enough for you, you can also drive an hour to the glacier itself and fill up from any of the running streams. 100% pure, unpolluted water. I drank about 5 water bottles worth off the glacier and have had nary a side effect, other than happiness.
2) Northern Hospitality - The people here are quite frankly the most friendly people I've EVER met. Not just traveling, EVER. They are all incredibly friendly, courteous, and welcoming. They all speak better English than most Americans and are quick to offer a suggestion or to help.
3) No Reservations - I've been here for a week now and I haven't had a single bad meal. The food in Scandinavia is largely unimpressive but Iceland has been the opposite. They serve a lot of lamb and fish on the menu but the lamb is the BEST I've ever had. They know how to cook lamb, lemme tell you. Cooked perfectly medium rare. They also have some of the best and freshest ingredients. The fish is extraordinary. I still need to try sushi which I've heard is excellent. Even the "Noodle House" in Reykjavic had some of the tastiest noodle soup I've ever had. Meals are not cheap. Expect to pay over $50 per person average for restaurant style meals. The noodle house was $10 for a big bowl but if you come to Iceland, do yourself a favor and enjoy the cuisine. I promise you it will be some of the best food you've ever eaten.
4) Be a rubbernecker - The landscape and scenery here is beyond belief. You need to keep your head on a swivel at all times or else you risk missing something beautiful. Waterfalls, icebergs, glaciers, canyons, sunrises, sunsets, northern lights, lava fields, deserts, wildlife, this small island has it all.
5) Get out of the city - Renting a car is a MUST. Renting a 4WD should be law. Driving is amazingly easy. There is no traffic. Not when the entire population of the country is 320,000 people. There are half a million fricking horses but only 320,000 people. Incredible. I've gone stretches of 20-30 minutes without seeing another car. Then you'll see 1 and once again, you're all by yourself. My little Kia Sorento is a great little car. AWD, Bluetooth sync with my iPhone so I can play music. I could not be happier. The only thing to keep an eye on is your fuel gauge because fuel stops might be 200-300 km apart. Err on the side of caution and fill up with a quarter of a tank left just in case.
This is the first country I've visited that I've truly said to myself, I want to move here. If that's not possible, I'm for sure returning in the summertime.
Let me count the ways.
1) Pay for water? BAH! - Coming from India, where the tap water will make you spew fluids from all orifices, the tap water here literally comes from a glacier. It's what people all over the world pay an absurd amount of money annually on but here, it flows freely and is ice cold coming from the tap. As soon as I tasted it, it brought me back to Scandinavia, 2009. If that's not pure enough for you, you can also drive an hour to the glacier itself and fill up from any of the running streams. 100% pure, unpolluted water. I drank about 5 water bottles worth off the glacier and have had nary a side effect, other than happiness.
2) Northern Hospitality - The people here are quite frankly the most friendly people I've EVER met. Not just traveling, EVER. They are all incredibly friendly, courteous, and welcoming. They all speak better English than most Americans and are quick to offer a suggestion or to help.
3) No Reservations - I've been here for a week now and I haven't had a single bad meal. The food in Scandinavia is largely unimpressive but Iceland has been the opposite. They serve a lot of lamb and fish on the menu but the lamb is the BEST I've ever had. They know how to cook lamb, lemme tell you. Cooked perfectly medium rare. They also have some of the best and freshest ingredients. The fish is extraordinary. I still need to try sushi which I've heard is excellent. Even the "Noodle House" in Reykjavic had some of the tastiest noodle soup I've ever had. Meals are not cheap. Expect to pay over $50 per person average for restaurant style meals. The noodle house was $10 for a big bowl but if you come to Iceland, do yourself a favor and enjoy the cuisine. I promise you it will be some of the best food you've ever eaten.
4) Be a rubbernecker - The landscape and scenery here is beyond belief. You need to keep your head on a swivel at all times or else you risk missing something beautiful. Waterfalls, icebergs, glaciers, canyons, sunrises, sunsets, northern lights, lava fields, deserts, wildlife, this small island has it all.
5) Get out of the city - Renting a car is a MUST. Renting a 4WD should be law. Driving is amazingly easy. There is no traffic. Not when the entire population of the country is 320,000 people. There are half a million fricking horses but only 320,000 people. Incredible. I've gone stretches of 20-30 minutes without seeing another car. Then you'll see 1 and once again, you're all by yourself. My little Kia Sorento is a great little car. AWD, Bluetooth sync with my iPhone so I can play music. I could not be happier. The only thing to keep an eye on is your fuel gauge because fuel stops might be 200-300 km apart. Err on the side of caution and fill up with a quarter of a tank left just in case.
This is the first country I've visited that I've truly said to myself, I want to move here. If that's not possible, I'm for sure returning in the summertime.
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