Iceland pt. 3/Driving the South Coast

As I may have mentioned a few million times before, J and I took a much needed vacation to Iceland a couple months ago. We broke the week-long trip into three different parts (read about touring the Golden Circle and hanging out in Reykjavik) and dedicated the penultimate day to driving the South Coast. I think we did a pretty good job of curating a very full yet completely doable one-day drive that included oh so many beautiful sights - find our itinerary below, and feel free to replicate it (or alter to your own needs and schedule) if you find yourself in Iceland any time soon!

Reykjavik to South Coast and Back (plus four waterfalls!) - A One Day Itinerary

*Total time: 10 hours
*Cost level: Budget - the car rental and gas are your biggest expenses. There are no road tolls or waterfall/park entrance fees, and all waterfalls have free parking lots. Pack snacks or a lunch ahead of time.
*What to bring: maps and GPS; water, snacks, sandwiches; hiking boots (or shoes you won't mind getting wet and muddy), water-proof jacket/rain coat; rain gear for your camera and other electronics

9am - Fuel up with a cozy breakfast at the Kex Hostel. $15 gets you a bottomless cup of coffee and as much bread, jam, meat, and cheese as you can eat.

10am - Hit the road in your rental car. We had rented the car the day before and kept it for the remainder of the week, so we were ready to head out once we'd paid for breakfast. If you haven't already, make a quick stop at a grocery store for some road trip provisions - things like bread, cheese, granola bars, and water bottles will be your best bet because convenience stores and restaurants are few and far between once you get out of Reykjavik. The is also the time to make sure you have a full tank of gas.  Head south on Route 1 and watch as the landscape transforms itself before your eyes.

1130am - Follow the signs for Seljalandsfoss. By this point you've been in the car for well over an hour, so it's time to stretch your legs - park the car and head towards the roaring water of the Seljalandsfoss waterfall. While at first it may seem just like every other waterfall you've seen in Iceland, the cool thing about Seljalandsfoss is that there's a path that allows you to walk behind the waterfall (do it). But be warned - you will get pretty wet. We took the path and loved the view, but for the umpteenth time that week, I was glad J had insisted I bring a water-repellant North Face jacket. My jeans were soaked but the top half of my body was warm and dry.

1145am - Walk beyond Seljalandsfoss (away from the road) and discover two secret waterfalls about 500-1000 yards away! Ok, they may not actually be secret, but they are kind of hidden and unmarked, and you will certainly feel like you're an ancient Viking explorer discovering the natural beauties on your very own.

1230pm - Get back in the car and continue south on Route 1. Feeling a little peckish? Grab a granola bar or slice yourself some bread and cheese because you've still got a ways to go.

1pm - Park the car at Skogafoss waterfall and make sure you're wearing your hiking boots. Start this excursion by wandering around the base of the waterfall and making fun of every frat-boy-thrill-seeker with a GoPro who attempt to get as close as possible without getting completely drenched.

115pm - See that reaaallyy tall staircase that looks as if it's coming out of the side of a mountain? Start climbing. Pace yourself though, because there are nearly 400 stairs - but the view from the top is incredible and oh so worth it. Catch your breath at the top and take it the splendor of Skogafoss crashing to the earth below you.

130pm - At the other end of the waterfall viewing deck is a muddy patch beneath a rickety fence and and even ricketier ladder - climb up that ladder and over that fence and find yourself in the lush land that houses the roaring waterfall beneath you. Now start walking up - there's a hint of a path that you can follow. Stop and listen to the rush of water. Delight in finding many more mini waterfalls. Make friends with a passing sheep. Watch the mist and clouds roll over the mountain tops. Find a good rock and have a seat. Contemplate all that is before you. Take some pictures, then put your camera away and see the world through your own eyes, not your camera's lens. Breath in some of the cleanest air you will probably ever breathe (no seriously - the air in Iceland consistently ranks as being some of the cleanest in the world)

230pm - Begin to make your way back down the mountain. Go back over that rickety ladder and down the 400 stairs, take one last look at the waterfall (especially now that you've seen it from the top), and get back into your car.

3pm - Continue driving south on Route 1.

330pm - Take a brief stop at the town of Vik. It's the southernmost city in Iceland and with a population of around 300 people, it's a charming little seaside village - and it has a gas station, so make sure to fill up the car for your trip back to Reykjavik.

345pm - If the weather is good, continue south on Route 1 for 15-20 minutes or so. You'll get some beautiful views of the black sand beaches and some really cool Icelandic terrain.

430pm - Turn around and head back to Reykjavik. It's about a 2 1/2 hour drive back to your hotel or flat, so grab another granola bar, turn on the radio, and enjoy the scenery.

7pm - Celebrate your day on Iceland's South Coast with dinner and a drink - we went for the full Icelandic experience and got whale steaks at Islenski Barrin, and loved every minute (and bite!)

Iceland pt. 2/What to do in Reykjavik

We spent our first full day in Iceland simply wandering around Reykjavik. We had arrived late the previous evening (after midnight, actually), and decided that the perfect way to acclimate ourselves to this most northern of cities was to soak it all in on the fly - no agenda, no plans, just wherever the wind would take us. So we walked and ate and walked some more and ate some more and had a perfectly delightful little day that set the pace for the rest of our week. We had five full days in Iceland - two of those days we rented a car and headed out to parts unknown, but for the other three, we kept it more local (if you consider things like a horseback ride excursion and a trip to the Blue Lagoon as local, which in comparison to the rest of Iceland, I do.)

*Downtown Reykjavik
It's no secret - you go to Iceland for the scenic countryside and otherworldly landscapes, and the bulk of Things To Do exist outside of the cites. But downtown Reykjavik is downright adorable, and if you have the time in your schedule, it is absolutely worth it to devote an entire day to staying in the city. A mishmash of old-world European cobblestone streets, Nordic rooftops, and blocky Communist facades, simply walking around with my camera in hand was a true delight. Other highlights included touring the starkly beautiful Hallgrimskirche Church, wandering the dozens of stores and restaurants Laugavegur Street, and though I hate to admit it, grabbing a White Russian at the bizarrely placed LebowskiBar (make sure you hit up their happy hour!). Because when in Rome...

*Reykjavik Art Museum
I love me an art museum, and visiting at least one of the three branches of the Reykjavik Art Museum was high on the to-do list. Since we were near Hafnarhus, we stopped there first - and were told that even though only about half the exhibits were open, each $10 ticket also gains entrance to the other two branches that were a mere bus ride away. So we bit the bullet and bought two tickets. It turned out that "half the exhibits" amounted to three - but I'll admit that they were pretty fantastic. We spent about 20 minutes in one of the rooms in which a microphone was set up in front of a 270 degree screen; any sounds projected into the microphone caused images to pop up on and bounce all over the screens. Immediately after getting our fill of beatboxing into the mic, we headed out to find one of the other museum branches. We'd been assured that it was located off one of the local Reykjavik bus stops, so we bought two bus rides and waited for the appropriate bus. It came within a few minutes, but once we sat down we realized we had no idea where we should get off. I asked the bus driver to point out our stop, but either he didn't understand or didn't care to honor my inquiry. Even though I was following our journey on a map, we never got quite close enough to the museum to warrant hopping off a bus and walking along unfamiliar roads - so we stayed on the bus for the entire route. The whole thing took almost two hours and was ultimately a huge waste of time. To add insult to injury, the weather that afternoon was glorious - sunny and fairly warm, a rarity in rainy September. So we spent the entire golden hour on a bus in a random Reykjavik suburb - not exactly a high point in my traveling history. But that was the worst thing that happened to us the entire week, so I can't complain too much. Lesson learned, though: finding your own way to the outer art museums is complicated - don't waste your time!!

*Drink all the coffee
It was cold and rainy every day after that first full day. We didn't let the weather spoil our plans, but after whatever touristy activity we did during the morning and early afternoon we were ready for a nice hot beverage. Luckily, one can find a cozy cafe approximately every seven feet in Reykjavik. By the end of our week, we had a few favorites - Laundromat Cafe for it's laid back hipster vibes, Bókakaffi because it's attached to a bookstore, and Stofan Kaffihús, which was so comfortable and relaxing that we had to drag ourselves out of there after like four straight hours of reading and drinking cappuccinos.

*Eat all the food
I'm not gonna lie - I really wasn't sure what to expect. The only thing I could glean from other friends and bloggers who had already been to Iceland was that we had to try the hotdogs. Ok, fine. So I'm going to go all the way to Iceland and eat a hotdog. Great. But what about the other 20 meals of the week? Well it turns out that we had nothing to fear, because the food in Iceland is wonderful. (It's also expensive and fried and covered in sinfully buttery sauces, but vacation, right?) Smoked cod at Laundromat Cafe. The breakfast buffet at Kex Hostel. Whale steaks and mushroom burgers at Islenski Barrin (we ate there two nights in a row). Fish and chips at, well, Icelandic Fish & Chips. Everything was delicious and filling and new and familiar all at the same time and I gained a gajillion pounds and didn't even care

*Horseback Riding 
If there was one thing we wanted to do in Iceland, it was to go horseback riding. Specifically, I wanted to experience the tölt, which is a 5th gait indigenous only to Icelandic horses due to centuries of strict breeding laws. I'm not normally a fan of group tours, but I also understood that the only way we were going to go horseback riding was to book a day trip - so I did some research and sent some emails and before long, we found ourselves on the back of a horse in the middle of the Icelandic countryside, surrounded by babbling brooks, rising mountains, and steam billowing from the ground. If you had told me I was no longer on Planet Earth, I'd have believed you in a heartbeat. The ride lasted about 5 hours and included transportation to/from downtown Reykjavik and a coffee break in the middle of the ride, and I don't know if this was just a happy accident, but there was only one other person on our ride, which gave a wonderfully personalized and intimate feel to the entire trip. Our guide was delightful and knowledgeable, the scenery was incredible, and I got to try the tölt.

*Blue Lagoon
Touristy? Yes. Overpriced? Slightly. Worth it? I definitely think so. Are you really going to go all the way to Iceland and then NOT go to the Blue Lagoon just because everybody else does? I didn't think so. A few tips if you go:
   - We bought our tickets ahead of time. We had an 11:00am entrance and sailed right past what looked to be a pretty hefty line at the front desk. Because of our schedule, the only day we could go was Saturday - and while we were worried that a weekend day might be crazily crowded, we instead found the spa occupied but by no means overrun with people.
   - There are a few levels of admission, and we sprung for the Comfort Package, which gave us a drink and a cold stone mud mask in addition to the regular (standard) admission. We both chose nonalcoholic for the drink, which seems like a shame, but the water was so hot that the thought of beer made me want to puke. Luckily, I chose the non-dairy green smoothie, and it was fantastic. The mud mask was great too, and I felt much more comfortable applying that to my face than I did the white masks available to everyone via strange troughs placed throughout the lagoon.
   - We rented a car for the second half of the trip, and intentionally planned to visit the lagoon on a day when we still had the car. This was immensely helpful since the only other options to get there from Reykjavik were either a group tour (no thanks) or to stop at the lagoon on our way to/from the airport on the FlyBus. Neither flight time allowed for this, so using the rented car became our only, and best, option.

*Airbnb
Iceland is expensive, and when we realized that the only hotel with which we had redeemable points was booked, we almost had to find another destination. But then we decided to stay in an Airbnb rental - and boy am I glad we did. Our rented flat was nearly perfect - a great location, clean, well lit, fast internet, a cute balcony with a beautiful view, even a giant espresso maker with complementary coffee. Granted, the layout of the apartment was a little wonky with strangely slanted ceilings everywhere, but we're fairly short people, so it didn't even matter all that much. And we saved hundreds of dollars by staying in a flat instead of a hotel, so any and all oddities were immediately forgiven. I will definitely be using Airbnb again in the future - and if you check it out for yourself, use this link and save $25 on your rental!

Iceland pt. 1/The Golden Circle

Even though TLC specifically told us not to, J and I spent a large portion of our Iceland vacation driving around in search of waterfalls. And I'm sorry, T-Boz, but we had a TON of fun doing so. We had a total of five full days in the country (arriving very late on a Monday and leaving early the following Sunday), and opted to rent a car for the last three days. We originally went back and forth about renting a car (would it be worth it, a good use of our time and money, etc.), but in the end decided to go for it. Renting a car was a fantastic decision. It gave us the freedom to go where we wanted when we wanted without the stress of having to keep up with a tour group, it allowed us to see all the top sights of western and southern Iceland on our own time and schedule, and it was really just a ton of fun to drive around a foreign country. Overnight parking was not a problem (there were metered spots right in front of our flat, and because we were gone for most of the daytimes we ended up spending about $2 USD - total - in parking), and navigating our way through the country was a cinch (note: we did opt for the GPS, which might have not been an absolute necessity as the signs on Icelandic roads are large and clear, but it did give us a sense of security that was most welcome). While there are a handful of different car rental companies in Iceland, we went with Route 1 Car Rental - and I cannot recommend them enough. The car was clean and well-kept, they drove the car directly to our door and spent about a half an hour instructing us on road rules and laws (be sure to factor that into your itinerary if you do chose to rent a car), and when we decided that we wanted to switch vehicles after the first day (we started with a Jeep that was really fun to drive but had an uncomfortably shaky steering wheel) they arrived at our door with a new car the next morning, for no extra charge.

Stop #1 - Geysir
The three stops on what is commonly called the Golden Circle are admittedly touristy - but since we had come to Iceland to see the sights, there was no chance we were going to miss anything on this popular route. We had herd that most tour companies start out by driving north on the circle (to Thingvellir first), so in an attempt to miss the crowds, we headed south on Route 1, straight for Geysir. About an hour and a half from downtown Reykjavik and well-marked with signage almost the entire way, the area of Geysir is exactly what it's name promises - a good, old-fashioned, sulfur-smelling, hot-water-spouting, hole in the ground geyser. Honestly, it was ultimately a bit underwhelming. Maybe the geyser was having an off-day, but when it did blow it's top about 10 minutes after we'd arrived, it was a little anti-climactic. But it was cool to wander around the grounds while steam billowed out from random points, and hey, all the attractions on the Golden Circle are free. Parking is free. Admittance is free. There are no road tolls. There are no "maintenance" fees. So stopping at Geysir was kind of a no-brainer.

Stop #2 - Gullfoss Waterfall
Just down the road from Geysir is the Gullfoss Waterfall. You guys - this one's awesome. Granted, I don't have a lot of waterfall experience to compare it to - I've never seen another major waterfall other than Niagara Falls, so maybe a more seasoned "falls" viewer wouldn't be so in awe, but I practically had to be dragged away from this site. Photographers, take note: it is misty out there. I luckily had the foresight to put my DSLR in a plastic baggie (with a hole cut out for the lens), but what I should have done was get a hood in addition to the baggie. I had to trash a lot of photos due to water droplets on the lens, and then eventually just started leaving the big camera in the car and using my iPhone to take waterfall pictures. You can get a cheap hood for under $10, and I'm kicking myself that I didn't get one for the trip. It was a rookie mistake - don't make the same one!

It was in the early afternoon when we arrived at Gullfoss, and by this point in our journey the bread, cheese, and granola bars we'd packed in the car just weren't cutting it anymore, so we stopped for a quick bite at the cafeteria attached to the Gullfoss Visitor's Center. Cold and wet from wandering around the waterfall, we each ordered a bowl of the lamb soup. It. Was. Wonderful. And there were free refills. I repeat: free refills on the warm and nourishing lamb soup at the Gullfoss Visitor's Center cafeteria. Get thee there.

Stop #3 - Thingvellir National Park
After the wow-factor of Gullfoss, the quiet beauty of Thinvellir was the perfect final stop of our Golden Circle tour. A UNESCO World Heritage Site and an area of historical Icelandic significance, this park has beautiful sweeping vistas that for the first time, gave me a true sense of the diverse (and frankly, almost bi-polar) landscape that Iceland has to offer. I have this personal joke that no matter where I go, the landscape remind me of Wisconsin. But the midwest was the farthest thing from my mind on this trip - the geography of Iceland was unlike any other place I've ever visited, and I had to pull myself away from every lookout and hilltop we set foot on.

If you go:
The Golden Circle is an easy one day's drive to/from downtown Reykjavik. We got on the road around 10:30am and headed south on Route 1, first hitting Geysir, then Gullfoss, and finally Thingvellir National Park before arriving back in Reykjavik around 6:00pm. There aren't many rest stops on the road other than the gift shops and cafeterias at each of the tourist destinations, so we made sure to pack the car with some snacks and plenty of water purchased at a Reykjavik grocery store the day before. Since gas stations are equally as sparse we made extra sure to leave Reykjavik with a full tank of gas; the whole trip used up less than the full tank.

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