From: olaf@kean.ucs.mun.ca
Subject: Re: Info on Reykjavik?
Organization: Memorial University. St.John's Nfld, Canada
Date: Wed, 6 Jan 1993 20:51:33 GMT

In article <1993Jan4.235338.21273@hkkk.fi>, becker@hkkk.fi (Kai Becker) writes:
> I'm fortunate to have to possibility to visit Iceland and its' capital
> Reykjavik on 20th-25th January and I was wondering whether you
> fellow-netters could pass me some tips what I definitely shouldn't
> miss during my visit?
> Places to visit, things to do anything etc.
> 
> Any comments very welcome, thanks!
>   
> -- 
>   /  Kai Becker - Helsinki School of Economics and Business Adminst. \
>  |	   becker@hkkk.fi	          -Yes, there IS              |
>  |	        k21483@kyyppari.hkkk.fi       	  a free lunch...     |
>   \__________________________________________________________________/

Dear Kai:

I hope to go to Iceland myself for a couple of weeks in 1994; I
intend to take my wife and two children, and so I posted a query
a few months ago, asking for four kinds of information: roads and
vehicle rentals; accommodations; money and exchange (use of
credit cards and Automatic Teller Machines); and what to see.
Here are the responses that I got. If, during your visit, you
pick up any information that you think might be useful to me, I
would be grateful if you would send it back to me on your return
to Finland. Thanks.

Olaf Janzen
Corner Brook, Newfoundland
Canada
A2H 6P9(Here are the responses I received. OJ):

From: klose@maine.bitnet (Robert Klose; University of Maine)
Date: Tue, 20 Oct 1992 14:23:11 -0400

I've been to Iceland six times since 1983, most recently this
summer, where I undertook some biology research for 6 weeks. I
speak the language and consider myself well versed in the
culture.

The roads
Since the early 1970s there has been a circum-Icelandic road
ringing the country. It is paved only near population centers of
any note--otherwise the road is hard-packed dirt, very hard on
vehicles, which, by the way, are prohibitively expensive to rent
in Iceland.

Accommodations
I prefer to semi-rough it myself when traveling in Iceland,
staying in hostels (which are clean and friendly), camping, or,
in the summer, staying in the so-called Edda hotels, which are
boarding schools converted to tourist use in the warmer months.
The other hotels are first class, and rooms generally can't be
had for less than $200/night.

Currency & Credit Cards
Mastercard is the card of choice in Iceland, and cash advances
are no problem. The banks are a little chaotic, since everyone in
ICeland is related and the clientele behaves like an ongoing
family reunion; but the tellers are friendly, helpful, and almost
always speak English.

Worth seeing
Reykjavik; the Blue Lagoon near Keflavik, a geothermal pool open
to tourists and which has therapeutic properties; Geysir;
Gullfoss (a lovely waterfall not far from Geysir, which, in turn,
is not far from Reykjavik; the National Museum in Reykjavik;
Thingvellir, the old Icelandic parliament place outside of
Reykjavik; Myvatn, a lake district in the north...

General suggestions
Write to the Icelandic Tourist Board in New York (they're on
Fifth Avenue; check the phone book): they have copious
information on the country. Also write to the Icelandic consulate
in New York: they'll send you information that the Icelandic
Tourist Board may not have.

Iceland is very expensive. In 1987 it was rated the most
expensive country in the world. This may mean nothing to you, and
certainly most Americans I see there are amply supplied with
credit cards and travelers checks for the quality woolen goods
they want to bring back home.

If you can learn a bit of Icelandic it might help you to come in
contact with the Icelanders themselves. Generally a reserved
people of few words, some pleasantries in their language might
help to break the ice and make conversations possible.From: slf@netcom.com (Sharon Fisher)
Subject: Re: Q: Info. on Iceland travel?

Date: Mon, 19 Oct 1992 23:06:49 GMT

Roads and driving
How about, "Don't"? Gas is expensive. Cars are expensive.
Roads--even the main Ring Road, which goes around the
country--can be unpaved and only about a lane and a half wide.
I'd hate to drive them in other than the summer. There are fairly
standard highways near the major cities (including Akureyi), but
that's about it.

They do have a pretty good bus system around the country, though
those buses, too, don't run as often during the off season.
During the summer, they run to the extent that you can get around
the country in three days.

Strongly suggest you get a four-wheel drive with a radio or
cellular phone; that's what most people had there when I visited.

Accommodations
I assume money is no object? Hotels are pretty expensive. I
stayed in hostels for most of my trip and they were fine.


What to see
If you're there at the right time--they only run them for about
six weeks in the summer--take the bus trip across the central
desert. They have one to Myvatn and one to Akureyri. It's
*really* desolate and most people don't get to see it.

Of course, see the volcanoes and such around Myvatn. Try volcano
bread. I spent something like three full days in Myvatn and could
have spent more time there.

There's a gigantic, cool church in Akureyri with a great view.
Unfortunately, I was there on a Sunday so most of the stores and
such were closed. There's several nice restaurants.

In and around Reykjavik, visit the Blue Lagoon, the island of
Heimay (a day trip to an island that was almost destroyed by a
volcano), the Einar Jonsson museum. There's a village thing just
out of town that shows how people in Iceland used to live. The
bus station/Reykjavik airport has a big tourist place upstairs
where you can get information
and buy tickets to things, including the buses. 

Something I wanted to do is take a boat around Isafjodr, but I
got there past September 1 and it had ended. If you don't mind
dropping a hundred bucks, you can take a plane from Myvatn or
Akureyi up north over the Arctic Circle and get a Blue Nose
certificate.

Keep in mind that you get *real* late sunsets in the summer,
because it's so far north.

You might want to take a trip to Greenland. I didn't have a
chance to do that.

The whole country is full of streams and volcanoes and mountains
and waterfalls and sheep.

The best books I found were Iceland, Greenland & the Faroe
IslandsFrom: walvdrk_r@research.ptt.nl (Kees van der Wal)
Subject: Re: Q: Info. on Iceland travel?

WHAT TO SEE

The Myvatn area (not so far from Akureyri): nice lakes, strange
rocks (Dimmuborgir)

Krapla: volcanic activity (is the power station still there?) 

Somewhere southwest of Husavik is another area with strangely
shaped rocks; I forgot the name but the caves were called
Trollahellir and a rock called Hljodaklettar (sp?) or similar.

Askja: mountain

Dettifoss: waterfall

Skaftafell (south of the country): walk around or up to
Kristinatindar Area

around Hekla: sand, rocks, volcanic ash

Landmannalaugar: hot springs, coloured rocks. From there you
could make a hike to Thorsmork: trees, just a nice place

Or another more day south over a mountain ridge to Skogar at the
ring road. 

Hveravellir: hot springs, Langjokull (glacier)

And of course Thingvellir + lake, Strokkur (the small Geysir,
does it work?) and Gullfoss.


From: mark@hafro.is (Mark Townley)
Subject: Iceland
Date: Tue, 20 Oct 92 9:49:20 GMT

MONEY AND EXCHANGE:
Almost all (at least 99.5%) of shops in Reykjavik take mastercard
or visa. This is likely also for larger towns elsewhere (esp.
Akureyri). Unfortunately, ATMs do NOT take mastercard, but they
do take VISA (this may of course change before 1994)

There are not too many ATMs around though.

      In Akureyri there are 3.
      In Keflavik there is 1
      In Akranes there is 1
      In Selfoss there is 1
      In the Vestmannaeyjum there is 1
      and in the Greater Reykjavik area there are 19.

You can or course get cash from banks and 'building societies'
during banking hours.

Mark Townley
Icelandic Fisheries Laboratories
Internet: mark@hafro.is
Skulagata 4, Reykjavik, Iceland
Tel: +354 1 620240 Fax: +354 1 620270