I thought I was in the Twilight Zone. Everytime I told someone I went to Iceland, I got the same exact response. It was past the point of predictable, and into the realm of annoying. "Iceland!? Wow- why Iceland!? Huh. How random!"
Well, in Iceland I was in the Twilight Zone, but literally, and that was perhaps my favorite aspect of the whole trip. The darkest it got was between the hours of 10:30pm and 3am, and it was never darker than a grayish blue blush of dusk...or dawn. I had this routine - wake up, look out the window, color the same. Go to bed, look out the window, color the same. My travel companion at first found it unnerving. I was in Heaven. I was a night owl finally free from stigmatizing my favorite time, night, as creepy-insomnia-time, and I got to embrace night as full of light and life!
Iceland is not random, it is amazing!! There are so many reasons for traveling here: its dazzling spectrum of climates and terrains, its intense volcanic energy, its gorgeous people, its English fluency, its eccentric art, its inspirational quiet. I was struck by the ease of adopting a lifestyle as peaceful or active as one might wish. It doesn't take long to get into the swing of things here. Public transport is straight forward, and while rocket-high, the prices are the same for everyone (haggling is my worst nightmare). The city is safe, the people are friendly. On a warm Sunday, head for the park square. Reykjavik was made for people watching!
In terms of seasons, summer is probably the easiest time to travel. Flights are more frequent, and the whole tourist industry operates for the summer visitor. Some museums and other sites of interest are closed during the winter, or at least have their hours significantly cut back. It is only possible to fly across the country during the winter, all the interior roads are closed for driving. On the same note, the bus routes are much more frequent, and to a number of destinations, come summer. However, if you are an extreme/adventure athlete, or don't mind only 5 or 6 hours of daylight in the winter months, then, sure, explore the island with no tourist mobs nor traffic! And, prices are definitely cheaper!
I went during the first week of June, and was astounded at the weather's perfection. It rained twice, both times for under 10 minutes. We waited those spurts out under store awnings. The rest of the week was bright and sunny, temperatures in the low 70's. It was not very crowded at all. We had most museums to ourselves. I suspect that in July and August it gets a lot busier. I think Mid-May to Mid-June is an ideal window to travel here. May is great because prices are still lower and June is good because all the summer hours, schedules and conveniences are in full swing.
Though I will grumble or satirize quite a bit about the prices, it is possible to do Iceland affordably, if you are penny wise and organized. The best way to see the country is to rent a car. Find a package deal that includes hostel prices along the way, through Hostelling International or other Iceland tourist websites. Cooking your own food saves a lot of money, as does camping. Bring home rocks instead of sweaters...you get the drift. It's doable, and it's worth it.
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