Vacation ideas when you hate what most people like

Planes and their accomodations are interesting but as many airlines repeatedly prove, passegers can endure anything if they have to.

The main thing is to make sure your time is well spent in the country. Meet teh locals, go to local, not tourist, oriented places. Eat ordinary people's foods or even the Icelandic holiday specials (but be careful there). I'd avoid the fermented shark but one 85 year old really spry chap swears by it and eats it every day. Reminders: sharks are unable to urinate, so fermented shark skin is .... well, uh.... as I said, I'd avoid it.

Above all, be sure to meet some Icelandic girls and post their photos here.

Land of fire and ice .... you can have steaming water and ice chunks floating in it. In Reyjavik I think you are expected to keep your clothes on in most public places, but in the open country nude hiking is, I believe, quite common. Jeep rentals abound. You can visit seismically active zones and swim in hot or cold pools.

Quote: Fleastiff

Planes and their accomodations are interesting but as many airlines repeatedly prove, passegers can endure anything if they have to.

The main thing is to make sure your time is well spent in the country. Meet teh locals, go to local, not tourist, oriented places. Eat ordinary people's foods or even the Icelandic holiday specials (but be careful there). I'd avoid the fermented shark but one 85 year old really spry chap swears by it and eats it every day. Reminders: sharks are unable to urinate, so fermented shark skin is .... well, uh.... as I said, I'd avoid it.

Above all, be sure to meet some Icelandic girls and post their photos here.

Land of fire and ice .... you can have steaming water and ice chunks floating in it. In Reyjavik I think you are expected to keep your clothes on in most public places, but in the open country nude hiking is, I believe, quite common. Jeep rentals abound. You can visit seismically active zones and swim in hot or cold pools.

It is sounding better. I would assume I could drive there just buy insurance across the rental counter. For sure to some of the hot pools. Other question is what would I want to bring back that I can't get here, considering I am not about to take a pinch at my age for bringing that crazy booze back.

golden circle Self Guided Tour . See tourist maps, dress warmly. Layers.

Jökulsárlón, (one days drive: new global warming created tidal pool of warm water surrounded by ice) Dyrholaey (door hole) ocean archway ice and black sand beach,, Seljalandsfoss (famus 180 foot waterfall),

Petable tiny horses. Great value. One Icelandic display photo shoot resulted in ALL horses simulaneously sinking into icy water until wealthy Viking organized a team based rescue. The horses love being petted and are quite docile and worth abuot a million dollars each or else a million Krone or whatever.

Reykavik: 3 Fraker restaurant when waitress suggests you avoid the puffin and particularly the shark meat... do it.

In the Marina: Sagelanfoss small seafood restaurant with zillions of selections. If northern lights not visible a ferry can take you on a cruise to ATTEMPT to see them. No guaranty. Ferry can be COLD. Recently rekevik turned off its street lights to improve a spectacular outbreak of northern lights.

Reykavik Halgrimskirke Church open to public tour after 10:am service; tour is free but trip to the Tower is ten dollars.

Remember BLUE LAGOON MUST be booked in advance via online websites. Very touristy, No entry w/o reservation. not a chance. Any hotel or hostel can book it, you can book it via laptop via hotel wifi, hostel wifi or rented van hifi,,,, but do it well in ADVANCE. Scenic drive to get there but you will be turned away promptly without any reservation.

Quote: AZDuffman

considering I am not about to take a pinch at my age for bringing that crazy booze back.

Fermented shark is FOOD not BOOZE. Still: AVOID it. Sharks can't urinate, so you know what fermented shark tastes like and why it tastes like it. There is a rumor that you get a Tourist Badge if you eat the shark meat and that teh Icelandic wording at the bottom of it is: Idiot's Badge. I don't know if its true or not, but it really is a national dish, though not a universally loved one.


If you stay at Reykavik's HostelB47 (forty dollars/night w/ linens) they can arrange Camper Van rental (free wifi, pots, pans, heating) car rental (including SadCars for those who want to save money and take bets on whether the car breaks downor not) Get a printed parking and road signs placard. Picnic table or lone tree indicates parking is okay. Figure holding box in front of his head is "photo opportunity" with limited time parking. You can rent drivers as well as vehicles.

Rember: BUY at Duty Free store on your ARRIVAL. Booze in Iceland can he high priced but duty free store is absolutely the lowest place to buy.
One bottle of wine at the duty free store will cost what two glasses of wine cost in a bar and one glass costs in a restaurant. So load upon your way IN as well as OUT.
IF you plan to make use of a Couch Surfer's home or even just their PubCrawl, having extra bottles in your luggage will be a good reward to your host for the use of his home and for meeting his friends.

On LEAVING there can be limitations such as ONE bottle of booze (I'm not sure) but best is to buy on ARRIVAL. Cigarettes are not taxed.

I've been all over the world, and Iceland tops the list. Rented a car (EXPENSIVE!) and drove the entire circumference of the island. More natural beauty in a small area than you can imagine. Food below average and expensive. Blue Lagoon.... went to without reservation.... no line.... got in and it wasn't crowded...... around 10 years ago but maybe things have changed. Had hakarl (putrified shark)---- one little piece was enough, thank you. Went to a hakarl 'farm', fascinating odors.... Snowmobiling on a glacier.... whale watching..... geysir (Their spelling) Blue icebergs (as seen in James Bond movie) Natural hot springs.... Lava beds...
waterfalls up the wazoo....
I think I am convincing myself to go back!

Quote: SOOPOO

I think I am convincing myself to go back!

Want a second bite of that shark stuff, eh?

Quote: SOOPOO

I've been all over the world, and Iceland tops the list. Rented a car (EXPENSIVE!) and drove the entire circumference of the island. More natural beauty in a small area than you can imagine. Food below average and expensive. Blue Lagoon.... went to without reservation.... no line.... got in and it wasn't crowded...... around 10 years ago but maybe things have changed. Had hakarl (putrified shark)---- one little piece was enough, thank you. Went to a hakarl 'farm', fascinating odors.... Snowmobiling on a glacier.... whale watching..... geysir (Their spelling) Blue icebergs (as seen in James Bond movie) Natural hot springs.... Lava beds...
waterfalls up the wazoo....
I think I am convincing myself to go back!

Maybe put it up for a DT convention. Lol

A good BBC Radio documentary about rescue teams in Iceland:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p04dsssk/broadcasts

Probably helps get you a small idea of the local culture.

Okay folks,,,, I don't even remember who it was who posted about his possible trip to Iceland, but did it ever take place or was a different destination selected?

I'd kinda like to see some photographs of pretty Icelandic girls, clean lakes, polar bears and of course I'd like to hear about, but never actually experience, that fermented shark urine stuff. Mostly lets make it pretty Icelandic girls in bars throwing themselves at American tourists.

Quote: Fleastiff

Okay folks,,,, I don't even remember who it was who posted about his possible trip to Iceland, but did it ever take place or was a different destination selected?

I'd kinda like to see some photographs of pretty Icelandic girls, clean lakes, polar bears and of course I'd like to hear about, but never actually experience, that fermented shark urine stuff. Mostly lets make it pretty Icelandic girls in bars throwing themselves at American tourists.

My whole company got sacked three weeks ago so the trip is nogo for this year.