Ah, Iceland in November.

November 10, 2008 7:53 PM

A friend and I are preparing to head to fabulous Iceland for a week, next week. So, MeFi, I ask you -- what should two twentysomething guys do for fun in the Iceland off-season? (Or: what can't we miss?) Are there any specific things we should be aware of because of the banking crisis (in both the logistical and not-being-jerks senses)?

The tentative plan is to base out of hotels in Reykjavik for the bulk, if not necessarily all of the time. We're in relatively good shape, and up for daytrips/hikes/whatever adventures may be had, though we're not bringing in camping gear. However, I know a number of excursions only run during peak season, and even the southern part of the country will probably only get ~9 hours of daylight when we're there. What's still on the table? Is it worth taking a couple days and heading up north (to Akureyri, perhaps? Where else?)

What do we absolutely, positively need to pack? (I hear raingear and conditioner are both good ideas, for, uh, different reasons.)

Any and all suggestions--on any and all of the questions--are welcomed. Thanks, folks!

posted by theoddball to travel & transportation (7 comments total)

Here's an article about the Icelandic economy. It's not as bad as you've heard, but it ain't good, either.
posted by Class Goat at 8:08 PM on November 10, 2008

Based on that article, I would say you should be cautious about changing dollars (or euros?) into krona. Inflation is very high, so you shouldn't change much at a time because your kronas will continuously devalue as long as they're in your pocket. And when it's time to leave you won't be able to change any krona you have left back to dollars, and they'll be wastepaper once you return home.
posted by Class Goat at 8:17 PM on November 10, 2008

For an inside view of what has been happening in Iceland for the last month or so, check this blog out.
posted by Ctrl_Alt_ep at 8:49 PM on November 10, 2008

This might help.
posted by adamvasco at 10:04 PM on November 10, 2008

Oh come on, they're going for a week. Unless the inflation rate there is insane, getting the money out in one go will save money, since you're generally charged a fee each time money is exchanged.

I've never been, but a friend I knew went and had a wonderful time. One thing you should keep in mind is that Iceland was very, very expensive. I'm not sure if the recent crisis would make things more or less expensive, but keep in mind that Iceland imports nearly everything they use, which makes prices really high. Eating out at a restaurant is a really expensive affair, but worth doing once if you can get fish.

Don't know if you're already reserved your hotels, but hostels are probably as nice and will save a lot of money.

I'm going to say if there are any excursions going further up into Iceland they're worth it so long as they're within your budget and you're warmly dressed. Odds are good that in the off-season and in this economy you might be able to get a better deal on a trip, and this will be the part of Iceland that really is unique. I've only seen pictures of the wilderness but they are jaw-droppingly stunning.

I would suggest getting a fast-drying travel towel and carry it with you at all times. You never know when you might get wet somehow, and getting wet in someplace cold sucks. A normal towel is not going to cut it, they take forever to dry and take up too much space. If you can't get a real travel towel I've heard that one of those shammy-style towels works in a pinch.

I'm guessing you know all the standard advice about wearing lots of layers.
posted by Deathalicious at 9:27 AM on November 11, 2008

Iceland pre-econo-crash was redonkulously expensive. A cheeseburger & fries cost $17US. No lie. (This was in June '07, I have no idea what fluctuations have gone on in currency since then, but the dollar/krona ration hasn't been favorable for the dollar in ages. Maybe now things have changed? Dunno.)

Anyhow, just keep in mind that they have to import EVERYTHING, so don't count on finding things like fresh fruit. :)

I mostly came to comment on the conditioner: it's for the sulfur in the water. The hot water smells like eggs. VERY STRONGLY. Also, if you have dry skin, bring buckets of lotion. But remember the egg smell. Don't bring anything strongly scented. At all. Perfume/cologne is fine, but soaps/deodorants/conditioners should be as scent-free as possible.

I learned this the hard way. I bought some really lovely rose&jasmine scented body wash to bring with me on my first trip to visit my Icelandic sweetheart. I smelled like a rose&jasmine omelette.

Speaking of the hot water: Don't pass up a chance to go swimming. Outdoors! In a snowstorm! Or just soaking in the hot tubs. It's pretty amazing. Icelanders consider outdoor heated swimming pools - year round - to be a birthright. And who knows, you might run into Björk... (I did!)
posted by grapefruitmoon at 4:38 PM on November 11, 2008

Don't pack umbrellas. For the space they take they'll probably be useless, rain tends to come at you sideways in Iceland. Pack a warm, waterproof coat, waterproof pants if you don't like your pants getting wet and good boots.

Also, as a general cost-saving measure remember to not tip. Waitstaff in Iceland are paid a living wage.

Traveling, anywhere in Iceland, is worth it. The landscape will be nothing like you've ever seen, wherever you go. Try to see if you can swing a trip to the Highlands or onto a glacier. Go to geyser/hot spring areas, go to Þingvellir where you can see the American/European continental shelves drift apart. Hell, make sure you don't miss the Golden Circle tour, that tour (sometimes called the Golden Triangle, though no opiates are grown in this one) is pretty key. I'm an Icelander and I never get tired of that particular excursion. There are information centers downtown that you can go to and the staff will probably tell you what trips are available. Renting cars isn't prohibitively expensive. Drive around... take a bag of carrots with you to give to any herds of Icelandic horses you run into (calling them ponies might get you into trouble).

Things are still expensive in general, but New York City expensive instead of selling-relatives-into-slavery expensive. Eat as much fish as you can get, it's going to be the best thing there (but not tuna... that's just imported in cans).

High-end luxury items of all kinds are might be less expensive than it would be in most other places. If you and your friend are oenophiles pay attention to the wine-lists at restaurants and you could score some real bargains.
posted by Kattullus at 10:30 PM on November 11, 2008