Travel
Tips for Those Considering a Vacation to Iceland by Dave Sean Brooks
[Mar 03, 2008]
First let me say, before I spew out all the negatives, that Iceland is a real gem of a country in more ways then I can say. But, the country is kind of an anomaly. It is small, very small and there are only about three hundred thousand Icelanders. That many people would make you would wonder how their economy survives. But it does and, in fact, they enjoy a very high standard of living. Iceland is also very beautiful, clean and exotic. The air is clean, the water is pure and the nature unspoiled. When the weather is good, enjoying the Icelandic outback is a world-class experience. Iceland is also a very modern place so you can enjoy all the amenities you are accustomed to. So, as I mentioned, if you are interested in visiting this beautiful land, here are some of the negatives you may want to be aware of.
First off I must mention the weather. Iceland's weather is notoriously capricious. You can literally have four seasons in one day. That's not just hyperbole; I have experienced it for myself. Also, it is almost never really warm. The average summer temperature is somewhere in the mid-to-high 50s. That isn't to say that on occasion it can't get warmer, that's just the average. It can also rain in Iceland - a lot. You could go there and have rain for the whole vacation. So, come prepared for wind and rain and wear layers so you can modulate your temperature as the circumstance dictates.
The second big issue is that Iceland is galactically expensive. Food is three to four times the cost compared to America. This can come as a real shock for US visitors who are used to cheap food. This is less true for European tourists who are used to higher costs.