Iceland
Ten Days on Iceland's Ring Road
In September, we spent 10 days driving Iceland's ring road (the road that circles the whole island). Everyone on the internet was like “don’t even bother if you have less than 2 weeks” and we’re like “shut up internet, we’ll do what the hell we want.” Turns out they were kind-of right, but who cares, we still had the time of our lives, and I wouldn’t change a thing!
We didn’t keep notes, but here are some of the highlights in the order we saw them!
Blue Lagoon: Once again the internet was all “skip this massive tourist trap” and once again we’re all “suck it internet” because after traveling for 24 hours, this place was heaven!
Seljalandsfoss + Skogafoss: These fosses were pretty tight. It was raining and there were lots of people, but both were right off the main road and were easy to get to!
Dyrholaey: The costal views here were bananas! But so was the mist and fog, and all the photos we took here are pretty haggard.
Vik Church: That church on the hill. It’s worth the stop. We totally skipped the Vik Beach and didn’t realize until we were about an hour up the road. Next time, Iceland, next time!
Fjaðrárgljúfur Canyon: I ugly cried when we stopped here because it’s definitely the most beautiful place I’ve ever seen in my life. We hiked several miles around the canyon, while I pretended that I was in Lord of the Rings. Also we heard Justin Bieber was there at the same time we were. Womp womp.
Fjallsárlón + Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon: I loved the crap out of both of these spots, we saw seals, and I learned that they aren’t just joking when they say you need special shoes to walk on the ice.
Eystrahorn lighthouse: This orange lighthouse was something out of a Wes Anderson Film and I LOVED IT!
Möðrudalur Guesthouse: We stayed in a guesthouse covered in moss, ate our weight in lamb stew, and caught our only Aurora sighting. This was probably my favorite night in Iceland.
Hverarond + The Viti Crater: This sulfur spring area looked like Mars, and smelled like farts. Also all of the nuclear power plants made me feel like I was in the Simpsons.
Dettifoss: This is the largest waterfall in Iceland, and Prometheus was filmed here. Remember that pasty white dude in his underwear?
Snæfellsnes Peninsula: I loved Snæfellsnes, but my favorite was when we turned a corner and saw Kirkjufell covered in fog, with a magical Icelandic horse standing right in front of it.
Búðir Church: Mostly just because here we met and photographed Halldora and Hobie!
Reykjavik: Our last night we spent walking the colorful street of Reykjavik. We visited Hallgrímskirkja and rode the elevator to the top to get that iconic view of the whole city!
Tips + Recommendations: Pet the horses. CAMP, or get a KuKu Camper. Stock up on snacks when you can and cook some of your own meals! Eat the gas station hot dogs, they're amazing! Expect to pee on the side of the road the WHOLE time. Stay at a guesthouse! Always fill up your gas tank. Bring warm clothes and a camera cover. Get wind insurance, or you could literally lose a car door. Don't hit a sheep with your car, or you might have to pay the owner 50 Euros. Stock up on booze at the Duty Free, it's hard to find in most towns. Drive the ring road, but play it by ear, only plan 15% of your trip and leave the rest up to chance! And have an AMAZING TIME!
