Misc Iceland for a holiday?

[old.user4556]

I turn to the travelled Freddies for some advice.

All the volcano chat in the news had me looking into Iceland, and I've decided that I would like to visit it for a holiday to do some walking and photography. The landscapes look absolutely stunning to say the least and the photo opportunities also look tremendous:

Kirkjufellsfoss | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

YouTube - ‪Eyjafjallajökull Volcano Time Lapse‬‏

What's it like to visit? Where's the best to stay? Reykjavik? Do they speak English in the more populated areas?

I'd like to balance out the geek work with bars and clubs. I'd expect that booze is mega pricey which I don't mind as long as it's an upmarket place; any recommendations?

 

[Wazzerphuk]

Yes, they speak English generally quite well.

A lot of stuff is pricey, as so much needs to be imported.

Really want to go their myself, drive about and take photos too. Sweep me up in your arms and take me with you!

 

[cHodAX]

Kerry Katona went to Iceland...

YouTube - ‪kerry katona iceland out takes‬‏

 

[cHodAX]

Yes, they speak English generally quite well.

A lot of stuff is pricey, as so much needs to be imported.

Really want to go their myself, drive about and take photos too. Sweep me up in your arms and take me with you!

Definately, expensive but everyone I know who has been just raves about the place, sounds like it is worth every penny.

 

[Aoami]

Went there for new years and loved it. It's not that expensive tbh, you pay a couple of quid more in resturants and about a quid more for a beer. Landscape is stunning, Gullfoss in particular. The locals all speak english, all the menus and stuff are in english. There is a sports bar on the main street run by a nice welsh bloke which is good, they have a happy hour and show loads of stuff on about 20 tv's.

£200 was enough spending money for 5 days stay, that includes eating out at least once a day and drinking most days including new years eve which was a big one.

 

[Deebs]

I turn to the travelled Freddies for some advice.

All the volcano chat in the news had me looking into Iceland, and I've decided that I would like to visit it for a holiday to do some walking and photography. The landscapes look absolutely stunning to say the least and the photo opportunities also look tremendous:

Kirkjufellsfoss | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

YouTube - ‪Eyjafjallajökull Volcano Time Lapse‬‏

What's it like to visit? Where's the best to stay? Reykjavik? Do they speak English in the more populated areas?

I'd like to balance out the geek work with bars and clubs. I'd expect that booze is mega pricey which I don't mind as long as it's an upmarket place; any recommendations?

When are you thinking of going?? Might tag along if you don't mind..

 

[TdC]

tbh Iceland is awesome. going there for the second time in October.

got some old pics here: Iceland 2008

imo for seeing and doing, spring or early summer will be the best. in late season (like when I am going) the weather starts to go a bit naff, and many of the hostels and stuff close except for Reykjavik.

 

[DaGaffer]

Its one of those places still on my list to go. Annoyingly, to get there from Ireland I have to fly to the UK first, so its pretty expensive before I even start.

 

[Nate]

Isn't that where tohts from? Why would you want to get closer to him?!

 

[Tom]

I want to buy a recumbant and circumnavigate Iceland.

 

[Wazzerphuk]

Toht's from Suomi.

 

[old.Tohtori]

Toht's from Suomi.

Thank ye

Yeah, while similar things occur in the land of ice and land of finn, quite different places.

Iceland in itself is a marvelous place to visit, good drinks&eats, plenty of photography opportunities and it's not too expensive(not a cheapo land though).

 

[TdC]

I want to buy a recumbant and circumnavigate Iceland.

you and me both Tom. though having been there, a regular mbt will do. bring plenty of inner tubes

 

[old.user4556]

When are you thinking of going?? Might tag along if you don't mind..

I'm not sure yet, just throwing the idea out there!

Its one of those places still on my list to go. Annoyingly, to get there from Ireland I have to fly to the UK first, so its pretty expensive before I even start.

Whaaaat! Of all people Gaff, I'd have thought you'd have been! I know what you mean though, I need to fly from Edinburgh to London, then London to Iceland. I had a quick look at flights and they were about £700 return which was more expensive than my flights to NYC.

 

[Aoami]

Costs about £300 return with IcelandAir from Heathrow.

 

[Kryten]

Went camping in Iceland once. Set up between the fishfingers and the minced beef. Had to wrap up warm but it was ok once the tent was up and the warm clothing applied. Was oddly difficult trying to source and hunt any food though, it's rather barren of anything edible.

 

[old.user4556]

Costs about £300 return with IcelandAir from Heathrow.

I need to fly to Heathrow first which is expensive right off the bat.

I don't do low cost airlines.

 

[Aoami]

Honestly, it's not bad. Plenty of room, nice staff, full of icelandic people so very quiet. It's only a 3 hour flight so bite the bullet and go cheap instead of moaning about prices! It's worth it, for 3 hours of non-executive air travel.

 

[old.user4556]

I'm not moaning about prices, I'm just saying it's comparatively expensive as there is no direct flight from Edinburgh. Given that I can fly to NYC direct from Edinburgh for significantly less I may decide to go back to New York instead.

 

[Aoami]

Fair enough. Could you not get the train to heathrow for cheaper? Although considering I can fly to Denmark for less than it costs to get the train which takes 50 minutes from Canterbury to London, probably not.

Iceland Express, the budget airlane, fly from Edinboro to Reykjavik for about £70.

 

[old.user4556]

Ahhh thanks for that! I knew that service was coming at some point, just Googled for it; starts from 14th of June this year, looks like you can get a return flight for about £150 which is absolutely awesomesauce compared with the Edinburgh -> London -> Reykjavik prices.

Gaff, looks like they fly from Belfast via Edinburgh if you can make it to NI more easily.

Iceland Express: Cheap flights to Iceland every day with Iceland's low-fare airline

 

[milou]

Photographic inspiration:

http://www.strand-photo.com/Portfolios/Iceland/Iceland.htm

Josef Hoflehner Photographer | Iceland

Iceland 2010 | Mark Voce Photography

 

[DaGaffer]

Whaaaat! Of all people Gaff, I'd have thought you'd have been! I know what you mean though, I need to fly from Edinburgh to London, then London to Iceland. I had a quick look at flights and they were about £700 return which was more expensive than my flights to NYC.

Actually Scandanavia as a whole is a part of the world I'd like to explore a lot more; I've been to Norway and Sweden but barely got out of the cities, and I've not been to Denmark or Finland at all.

I was pretty keen to go to Iceland to do this; but that was back when I had money to piss away.

 

[TdC]

Dudes, go to the Iceland Airwaves festival in October. It's music, Iceland, and you can hook up with me if you're not scared

 

[Wazzerphuk]

That's rich!

 

[GimmlyThe3rd]

Isn't it .... cold?

 

[Aoami]

It was only really cold when it was windy. When it was calm, the temperature wasn't too different to a cold British winter.

 

[Helme]

Isn't it .... cold?

Haven't you heard the 'myth' of how Iceland got its name? Apparently, the vikings who first discovered the place found it to be really nice but they wanted to keep the place to themselves, so they named it Iceland to discourage other visitors.

 

[Wazzerphuk]

So you're not taking me?

 

[GimmlyThe3rd]

It was only really cold when it was windy. When it was calm, the temperature wasn't too different to a cold British winter.

I can't understand going on HOLIDAY to a country with worse weather than UK in winter.

Tis why I left, and well, and because the country's a pile of immigrant invested shit hole. And I <3 SE asian girls :worthy: