Trip Prep

Iceland Info

Wedding Info

Activities

Resources

Trip Prep

Do

Here are some things you can do right now to prep for the trip:

 

  • Put a hold on your mail
  • Free up space on your phone for pictures and videos
  • Set up an international plan for your cell phone
  • Make reservations at a restaurant in Reykjavik (if you'd like)

 

Pack

And here are some suggestions on things to Pack:

 

  • Passport!
    • Maybe just put it in your bag right now.

 

  • Outerwear
    • Rain jacket
      • A thin shell is best so that you can use it alone, or with an insulating later underneath.
    • Insulating layer
      • A fleece jacket or hoodie will work fine.
    • Fall jacket
      • The 15-day forecast is almost exclusively partly cloudy with highs in the mid-50s and lows in the mid-40s right now. It'll be colder near the water.
    • Hat
      • I'll be bringing a baseball cap, for sure. And a thin stocking cap, just in case.
    • Thin gloves
      • You probably won't need them, but we have experienced 30-degree weather in Iceland in July. (That was in the morning and with a significant wind-chill, but still...)

 

  • Footwear
    • Walking shoes
      • They don't have to be pretty, but they should be comfortable. You'll likely put a few miles on them throughout the trip.
    • Hiking boots
      • These won't be required for any of the scheduled events, but there's some great hiking in Iceland and you may want to bring a pair. Waterproof is a plus. (There are plenty of trails you will be able to handle in sneakers, if you'd rather not bring boots.
    • Wedding day shoes
      • (See the Wedding Info tab for more on wedding day footwear.)

 

  • Clothes
    • (See the Wedding Info tab for more on wedding day attire.)
    • Jeans
      • I'll be bringing a pair or two and I plan to wear them extensively.
    • Hiking pants
      • I like something with stretch and pockets, but any active-wear pants will do for hiking.
    • Long-sleeved shirts
    • Swimsuit
      • You haven't been to Iceland if you haven't been to an Icelandic pool! They're pretty particular about pool etiquette there, so proper swimwear is encouraged (no cut-offs, Joseph).
    • Wool socks
      • These are nice to have for hiking and extended walking, as they're warmer (especially when wet), more comfortable, and less quick to stink than cotton.

 

  • Miscellaneous
    • Electrical adapter
      • Most devices simply need a plug adapter, but anything that gets hot (hair driers, irons, etc) need a VOLTAGE adapter. DO NOT try to run an American hair drier or iron directly from the wall outlet. It will end badly!
      • You can get a simple electrical adapter for ~$10. Let me know right away if you need help finding one.
    • Power strip and/or extension cord
      • This way you can get away with only one electrical adapter.
    • Phone
      • Even if you don't have an internation plan set up, you'll be able to use WiFi a lot of places.
    • Eye mask
    • Ear buds or headphones
    • Day pack
      • A small pack or bag to stuff your jacket, water bottle, etc, in.
    • Pack towel
      • Not required, but a thin, quick-drying camp towel is great for the pools and packs really small.
    • Neck pillow
    • Airplane snacks

Iceland Info

What to Expect

  • Weather
    • The weather can be quite unpredictable in Iceland, but it should be similar to September or October weather in Minnesota or Wisconsin. The forecast right now is for highs in the mid-50s and lows in the mid-40s, and it will probably rain at least a few times while we're there. From our experience, the rain tends to be light and sporadic, and rarely prevents you from doing anything.

 

  • Language
    • Icelanders speak Icelandic to one another, but almost everyone knows at least some English. Especially in Reykjavik and anywhere tourists go.

 

  • Currency and Prices
    • Iceland uses the Icelandic kronur (ISK) and the US dollar is doing pretty well against it right now. In all of our previous trips there, we've never had a better exchange rate than this. That being said--it's European, Scandinavian and an island that imports almost everything, so things are more expensive there.
    • We have never brought any ISK into the country (it wasn't even possible for a while), and always take some cash out at the ATM in the airport when we arrive. But with the exception of some food stands and some mom-and-pop stores, almost everywhere accepts credit cards. I recommend bringing a couple credit or debit cards in case for some reason you have an issue using one of them.
    • Most credit card companies want you to let them know before you travel! They usually have a form on their website when you log into your account. You can also call the number on the back of your card.

 

  • Driving
    • You drive on the same side of the road in Iceland as you do in the US. So please don't try driving on the other side.
    • Rental cars can be pretty expensive, and gas may be as much as four times what it is in the US. But the scenery is four times better, so it all evens out.
    • Speeding tickets are expensive! And these use cameras, not parked cop cars. I've never had a speeding ticket in the US, and I've gotten TWO in Iceland...

 

  • Cell Service
    • You will likely be able to get by without cell service (I'm told there was a time when NO ONE had cell service anywhere ever!), but it sure makes life easier, and can be valuable in an emergency. Talk to your phone company to see if they have some sort of international plan. Most do. AT&T will give you 120MB of data for $60, last time I checked (voice calls are still pretty expensive, though). That will be plenty if you only use data when you need to, and use Wi-Fi networks when you can.

Wedding Info

Gifts

  • No gifts allowed! Your presence is our present (aww!). Any gifts received will promptly be thrown into the nearest volcano. (Exceptions will be made for especially meaningful or homemade gifts.)

 

Wedding Day Events

  • The ceremony will start in Reykjavik at 10:15 on Monday morning. (We'll share the address before then.) There will be indoor space available in case the weather doesn't cooperate.
  • After the ceremony, we will embark on a 360 km road trip to Vik in southern Iceland. We will be stopping at several natural attractions along the way. None of them require more than a quarter-mile of walking, but all of them offer you the opportunity to explore further. In other words--you'll be able to walk as much or as little as you want.
  • We plan to return to Reykjavik around 7:00PM, at which time you'll be able to return to your home-away-from-home, change out of your wedding clothes and get cleaned up a bit.
  • In lieu of a formal reception, Kelly has opted for a Pizza-and-Pajama Party at our apartment after the road-trip. We will email the address to everyone.

 

Attire

  • Wedding Day
    • "Road-Trip Formal": You'll all be in lots of pictures, so please dress nicely--but not so nicely that you'll be miserable on the 5-hour driving tour of southern Iceland. There will be plenty of space in the rental cars to bring along a second set of shoes, should you want to swap shoes after the pictures have been taken.
    • If you need some fashion direction, we've been suggesting dark colors like black, charcoal, dark blue, and grey. If you need more examples of dark colors, shame on your parents and shame on your kindergarten teacher.
  • Rehearsal Dinner
    • Whatever you would typically wear to a classy restaurant.

Activities

Do

Here are some suggestions on things to do outside of our planned activities. I have done most of these things and highly recommend them. (I put an asterisk next to the ones I have NOT done.)

 

 

Eat

  • Many, many hot dogs at Baejarins Beztu Pylsur hot dog stand.
  • Lobster soup at Seabaron near the harbor.
  • Any pastry you can get your hands on from any of the Bjorn's Bakaris (but the one by Harpa is our hands-down favorite).
  • Treats and coffee at Cafe Babalu.
  • Cookies from C Is For Cookie.
  • Turkish coffee from Cafe Haiti.
  • A burger at Burger Joint near the harbor.
  • Espresso and coffee at Mokka Kaffi.

Resources

General Info

 

Icelandair Website

If you're flying Icelandair, there's lots of good travel info:

  • Baggage allowances
  • Alcohol and food allowances (for customs)
  • Flight info

 

Icelandic Weather Website

Much better and more in-depth than the usual weather websites.

 

How the Earth Was Made: Iceland

Great video on the geological history of Iceland.

 

Saga Thing Podcast

Excellent audio telling of the history of Iceland in the first three episodes.