Europe with the Jim’s: Stop 1- Iceland
Back In September my wonderful lady and I took a two-week adventure to 4 different countries in Europe. Each country was so unique, and it amazed me how different each place was even though each country was so close to the next. I am looking forward to sharing the next four-part blog with you of each country we visited. It wasn’t until we started to drive to our first destination after we landed, until I truly felt like I was in Iceland, a country that I have dreamt about visiting for a long time. I know Iceland is becoming more and more of a tourist destination, but I hope it continues to keep that non-touristy vibe, and everyone that visits respects the people of Iceland and its beautiful land and water.
Day 1:
When we arrived we got our bags, changed into some warmer clothes, and picked up our rental car. We arrived at about 6:10am and drove into Reykjavik for some breakfast. Shortly after, we headed out into the country to tour the golden circle. As soon as we got out of the city I was amazed, the mountains, the ocean, and the most amazing lava rock formations, was unlike anything I ever witnessed. We ended our night in Hafnarfjordur had an Icelandic hotdog and watched the sunset, which turned out to be incredible.
Day 2:
The second day we went north and toured Snaefellsnes National Park. Home to some of the most amazing landscapes and beautiful water falls. Kirkjufell was one of the top places I wanted to see and capture. To drive from Reykjavik around Snaefellsnes and back took the whole day, we got in to Reykjavik around 10:00pm that night, ordered Domino’s and headed to Hveragerdi for a nights rest.
Day 3:
On our last full day in Iceland we traveled towards Vik, taking the ring road south. On our way, we visited Skogafoss, Seljalandsfoss, and other random landscapes. We made it to Vik and the black sand beaches. The beauty of black sand beach along the ocean is hard to describe. We were warned about the “sneaky waves” along the beach, as that area has a large riptide and has been known to take a few lives, so we stayed away.
Some tips:
- If you are going to Iceland, and want to do the entire ring road, I feel that it is doable in 10 days, if you rent a camper van, you will not feel rushed trying to fit everything in.
- If you do have a short time in Iceland, or want to maximize your time you have there, I would suggest renting a camper van, rather than staying in in Hotels. I believe 98% of Icelands population lives in Reykjavik, so if you are looking for a hotel or airbnb outside of the city, selections are sparse and pricey. A camper van allows you to park on the side of the road or campgrounds on your way around ring road. My recommendation for kukucampers.is
- If you want to see Northern Lights your best chance is mid-September to mid-April. If you want to have light 24 hours, go in the middle of July and you will notice the days never seem to end.
- Go shopping and pack some food if you plan to travel all day. There is not many places to eat, and if you do find some restaurants, they will be very pricey.