Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

I'm hoping to find some help from the group on this. My son is going to Iceland for a 10-day school trip in early March. It's one of the few countries in Europe I've never been to, so I'm hoping to get some insider advice on what to see/do/avoid.
His group already has an itinerary, of course, but they'll have some free time as well to explore so any words of wisdom would be appreciated. BTW, he's not of drinking age, so please bear that in mind.

Here's(below) the itinerary overview from the school, we're having a parents briefing night for those of us whose kids that are going on Oct. 20, but if I can go into the meeting with some inside information and input, then all the better.


"In NPR correspondent Eric Weiner’s yearlong search for the happiest place in the world, he concluded that none other than Iceland was indeed the happiest. We will put that to the test with our 10-day trek north. We will study the study the natural wonders of the Reykjanes peninsula through the Gunnuhver geothermal area – and then bathe in the Blue Lagoon. We’ll check out a canyon where the earth’s tectonic plates converge – and then visit the world’s oldest parliament building. We’ll then take a look at beautiful Gullfoss, the golden waterfall, where thousands of tons of icy glacial water thunder majestically down into a deep canyon. Only a few minutes’ drive from Gullfoss is the famous Great Geysir, which has given its name to all the hot springs in the world, is our next stop. There we will see one of the most active geysers in the world, Strokkur.
And that’s just the first two days of the trip! We’ll head on glacier walks, visit the infamous Eyjafjallajökull volcano, and the Vatnshellir Lava cave. All along the way we’ll be conducting research that would entice any STEM student: how to harness the enormous energy potential of Iceland. We’ll visit a world-renowned ecological village to witness how a sustainable community functions. We’ll better understand the fragility of the planet through an Earthquake simulator. And all along the way, we’ll volunteer with local Icelanders who know and understand how a tiny nation thrives – and, with hope, we will then bring our inspiration (and happiness) back to the States. Make no mistake: we will be embarking on an unforgettable trip – but, it must be forewarned that we will be embracing the wonderful world of Iceland largely outdoors! Those who prefer staying at resorts and being pampered need not apply!"

Thanks in advance for any help!

I have no advice, but I'm very jelly of your boy. An old family friend did a solo bike trip around Iceland a few years back. He said it was incredibly beautiful but colder than he had anticipated.

Avoid Fermented Shark.

Normally I would be suggesting trying out the local cuisine but that is one part of it which I am 99% sure was just invented so they could laugh at tourists who are silly enough to actually eat it.

Also, wrap up warm, it will be cold.

As for things to do/see, I imagine that most of the big ones will either already be covered by the program (such as hot springs, glaciers etc.) or would require renting a car to get to, so I can't really help too much there. Also be aware that everything will be very expensive compared to back home.

I hope your kid has a great time, Iceland is definitely on my list of places to go.

EDIT: Oh, and make sure you check for if there is any increased solar activity during the trip. Could get a chance to see the Aurora if he happens to be there during a period of increased activity so might wanna look up at the sky at night

I'd advise you to make sure he's got a debit card and cell phone that will work in Iceland and get him an adapter to charge his phone.

Trying to learn a few simple words like hello, please, thanks you, etc. in the language of the country you travel to is usually enough to endear you to the locals.

Prestor Jon wrote:
I'd advise you to make sure he's got a debit card and cell phone that will work in Iceland and get him an adapter to charge his phone.

Trying to learn a few simple words like hello, please, thanks you, etc. in the language of the country you travel to is usually enough to endear you to the locals.

Also a phrase that will be extremely helpful to learn?

"Do you speak English? My <insert language here> is poor."

Helped a friend of mine immensely when he visited Germany.

Prestor Jon wrote:
I'd advise you to make sure he's got a debit card and cell phone that will work in Iceland and get him an adapter to charge his phone.

Trying to learn a few simple words like hello, please, thanks you, etc. in the language of the country you travel to is usually enough to endear you to the locals.

This, though many people in Iceland speak excellent english.

Found this video which has some useful phrases and she has lots more videos, too:

 A Town Called Malus wrote:

Prestor Jon wrote:
I'd advise you to make sure he's got a debit card and cell phone that will work in Iceland and get him an adapter to charge his phone.

Trying to learn a few simple words like hello, please, thanks you, etc. in the language of the country you travel to is usually enough to endear you to the locals.

This, though many people in Iceland speak excellent english.

Found this video which has some useful phrases and she has lots more videos, too:

I'm loving the video, thanks!


Automatically Appended Next Post:

Prestor Jon wrote:
I'd advise you to make sure he's got a debit card and cell phone that will work in Iceland and get him an adapter to charge his phone.

Trying to learn a few simple words like hello, please, thanks you, etc. in the language of the country you travel to is usually enough to endear you to the locals.

Check and check. He's already got a bit of globetrotting experience under his belt and has card and phone in hand.

Absolutely sound advice on the language basics and a philosophy that I completely agree with. A Town Called Malus just posted a fantastic little Icelandic language basics video I'll have him reviewing before the trip.

I lived there for a year and everyone under the age of 60 speaks English. Tell him if he gets lost in an Icelandic forest to just stand up! And watch out for trolls!

One thing to remember is that most of the country is pretty much empty space. You don't leave the road without a guide, ever. Not even if you have a compass and a map and think you know how to use them. There's a volunteer national rescue service with helicopters and everything, but finding a few tourists could still be hard work and they're not happy at having to rescue the same idiots twice.

Fantastic place. Wife and I spent almost two weeks there in 2008 (right before their crash...) and LOVED it.

People are friendly, almost everyone spoke English (which helped).

We were based out of Reykjavik but traveled to other locations.

We did a lot of horseback riding (my wife loves Icelandic horses, we own 5 right now), visited some cool historical sites (awesome if you like Viking sagas/history!), saw some amazing geography to include the waterfall from the beginning of Prometheus, Geyser, went diving along the split in tectonic plates, and really just had a blast.







Make sure he checks out the Blue Lagoon, the original Althing, Gullfoss, maybe catch a whale watching tour. There is just SO much to do, and again, the people are great and it is beautiful there.

Great pics. Going over his itinerary from my OP, it appears he's got the Blue Lagoon, whale watching and Gullfoss on the agenda.

Make sure to visit the EVE Online monument. It's a very important symbol of one of Iceland's most significant contributions to the world.

He's a gamer, he'll love it. Thanks for that!