Episode 29: Adventures in Iceland

Mary Herendeen:

Whether you're hiking on a glacier, relaxing in a hot spring, or enjoying the music and nightlife in the big city, you can easily access all this and more on a trip to Iceland.

Welcome to Traveling With AAA, I'm your host, Mary Herendeen. Today, I'm joined by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, Jessica Fender. Along with Kerry Maloney, she co-founded the website, TravelerBroads.com; and is an author of the “Ask the Traveler” column that appears in Westways and AAA Explorer magazine and online. Jessica also wrote the Red-hot Iceland article that appeared in Westways in 2021.

Jessica, welcome. How are you?

Jessica Fender:

Hi, I'm doing great. It's great to be back and talking about one of my favorite destinations, so even better.

Mary:

Well, I'm really excited to hear more about it. I've never been to Iceland, and I hear that it's super accessible even though it seems like such an exotic destination. Tell us a little bit about it, and what makes it so accessible to visitors.

Jessica:

It's really hard to even know where to start on that because once you have the flight behind you, it's really easy to get around. The roads are set up in such a way that you can self-drive and get out and explore a little bit on your own. If you're landing in Reykjavik, there are attractions right there in the city.

There are things just half an hour outside of the city or you can take a couple of days and just travel the entire south road like I did, and stumble across these amazing natural wonders just outside the car window.

Mary:

Oh, that's pretty cool. Now, I know you also hiked on a glacier. Although I'd like to be more fit or feel like I'm up for a glacier hike, I could see myself falling. What was it like for you and was it challenging?

Jessica:

You know, that's really funny. I feel like we have a lot in common. I also like to think of myself as fit, but I'm not the most athletic or the most coordinated and when I was visiting Iceland, we were coming out of being locked down in our homes for over a year, so I really, really was out of shape. I have to say pulling up to the foot of the glacier was fairly intimidating. It looks so much taller when you're standing there looking up at it than it does once you actually get on. But it was a pretty simple process, and we had a fantastic guide. I would highly recommend hiring a guide to take you on a glacier hike. There are some places where you can walk on a glacier on your own, but if you want to get any height or spend any large amount of time exploring, you really want somebody who knows what they're doing to help you out. We had crampons that we had to figure out how to strap on, our little hiking sticks, and helmets.

Once you get up there, you don't even realize how high you're going, and you just turn around and look out and you see this dazzling white ice followed by this impossibly green field. Then just beyond that, the gorgeous steely sea that surrounds Iceland and it was breathtaking. It’s worth the little physical exertion.

Mary:

Yeah. So, not too difficult then?

Jessica:

No. I feel like that's something that I had really psyched myself out on. It was the part of the trip that I was the most worried about because I really didn't know whether I could trust my physical abilities or how challenging it would be. But, I'm average fitness, average mobility and for me, I wanted to keep going. There was no point where I was like, “Oh, I need to take a break.”

That was also one of the benefits of having a guide with me at that point. He knew when it was a good time to let everyone fill our water bottles in this glacial stream, and maybe we'll go sit and have a little snack time over here. So, we just kind of went at our own pace and it was a lot easier than I thought it would be.

Mary:

That's pretty amazing. Now, I know there are a lot of beautiful things to see there, and I hear of the gorgeous waterfalls. Will you tell us what your experience was like with the waterfalls?

Jessica:

Sure, yeah. If you go to Iceland and you don't see a waterfall, you've probably just been driving around with your eyes closed. They're everywhere. Basically, when you're driving down the southern road, you've got the ocean out to one side of you and cliffs on the other side in the distance and all glacier-formed formations. Depending on what time of year you're there, different waterfalls are flowing. The first time I went in 2016, they were such a popular destination for travelers that some of the more popular spots could get fairly crowded. When I went back in 2021, there were far fewer crowds if you get a little bit off the beaten track.

We were at a waterfall that is probably among the top destinations on that little stretch of a road, and we took our photos, we got to walk behind the curtain of water. It was really amazing. Then just up the walking path, a little bit out of the way, we stumbled onto the slot canyon which was a little bit tougher to get to. We had to get our boots wet and we emerged into this amazing skylight cavern where a waterfall was just crashing onto the rocks. We had this little hidden place all to ourselves for a couple of minutes and it was just magical.

Mary:

It sounds like it. I hear that there is a lot of magic in Iceland for such a technologically advanced, modern country. I hear that mythology and magic still plays a part. Will you tell us about that?

Jessica:

Sure, yeah. I assume that you're referring to the elves.

Mary:

Yeah, I am.

Jessica:

Right, so that is a very interesting and whimsical part of the culture there. You'll be out in these far-flung destinations, like maybe there's a farmhouse and someone has built an Elvin house—a little miniature version of that house for the elves. You leave them flowers, food, or maybe a little liquor to keep them happy. It's a funny thing. I don't know how widespread it is, like if it's everyone there, but when you stumble across one of those, it's this nice little magical reminder that there's so much in common between Americans and the Icelandic people. It's a funny, interesting little quirk of their culture to come across.

Mary:

Yeah. It sounds fun to see. Now, other cute things I've seen are photos of the Icelandic horses. What are your thoughts about the horses there? What have you heard?

Jessica:

I knew you were going to ask about this because I know how big of an animal lover you are.

Mary:

I am.

Jessica:

Same. So, they're just roaming everywhere on the side of the road. It's amazing. They're a smaller breed and they've got these very dramatic shock of bangs—kind of like Justin Bieber bangs—that hang over in front of their eyes. It's really gusty and windy, so it's a very model moment standing in the fan sometimes when you see these beautiful creatures. Basically, I spent at least a full day and maybe a little longer trying to figure out how to get close enough to pet one. I finally did, and it was everything and more.

Mary:

This sounds like a good place to take a break. When we come back, we'll hear more.

Mary:

Welcome back to Traveling With AAA. I'm your host, Mary Herendeen, and we're here with Jessica Fender talking about her experience in Iceland.

I heard that a lot of the Icelandic people speak English, and it makes it really easy. Will you talk about your experience with that? Was it pretty simple?

Jessica:

Oh, yeah. The Icelandic language is intimidating on paper because there's a lot of interesting punctuation, consonants, and things like that, but we never once ran into an issue where we couldn't be understood or understand the people who were talking to us. I think because they have so many visitors and people coming over from Europe to work in the tourist-facing industry, English is very widely spoken. I will say that I do love the sound of the Icelandic language being spoken. It just sounds like this beautiful, musical purring kind of sound. I don't know that I could actually accurately describe it. I certainly can't pronounce it. If you do get a chance to hear a little bit of the language, I would recommend it, but you have to work pretty hard to do that because most people are speaking English.

Mary:

That sounds pretty simple, pretty easy for somebody like me.

Now, you're talking about planning a trip and the self-driving. Since you're on an island, is there a challenge with getting a rental car? What would be your advice for visitors planning a trip?

Jessica:

I would say that if you're going during peak season—July, August—I would reserve a rental car early. I will say that we had zero problems getting an automatic rental car versus in a lot of European countries, a manual transmission is the default. That was helpful, but yeah, I would recommend booking in advance because it can get busy, or you could always visit during the shoulder seasons when the traffic is a little lighter and there’s less the demand.

They also have some really amazing things to do in the shoulder season. I know that the tourism board in Iceland has been working hard to promote some of their shoulder season activities that a lot of people end up missing out on.

Mary:

Yeah. What would somebody expect during the shoulder season?

Jessica:

So, I actually went in late September on my first trip and it was fantastic. The one thing you're dealing with is because they're so far north, the days get a little short, but that also means the nights get a little longer, and it is a beautiful area for viewing the northern lights. That starts happening in late September, early October through November, and then for real in the winter season. So, if you've ever dreamed of that bubble hotel or walking out at midnight and seeing that gorgeous sky show overhead, you have to give up a little daylight to do that.

Mary:

Yeah.

Jessica:

Also, I know certain wildlife is more active and returning from other destinations in the fall. I think fall, as well as the spring, is a good time to see puffins.

Mary:

Yeah, I hadn't thought of that. I heard Iceland can be a little costly. What could somebody expect? Are we paying a ton of money for just a plane ticket?

Jessica:

How far does the dollar go? That's a great question. So, I'll tell you it's a world of difference. The first time I went, we were basically living off of bakery goods because you could spend $25, and get a cafeteria-quality hamburger. But 2016-2017 was an “aha moment” in Iceland where they're like, “Wow, we're getting a lot of visitors and we really need to invest in some of our offerings.” So these days, you can have fine dining in Reykjavik, you can have fine dining on the far east coast. The quality of restaurants has improved so much. You get so much more for your dollar now.

There are also very classic cheap eats kind of things that you can do there. They've got these amazing hot dogs, which normally isn't something that I would recommend, but it is the iconic must-eat—especially in Reykjavik, but you can get them all over the island.

Mary:

OK, so I've got to hear about this hotdog. Why is it so iconic? What's different than the American hot dog?

Jessica:

I think maybe it's just a quality thing. I know that they use a lot of lamb in their food, so I don't know. I'm not sure what exactly it is that makes it so special. It just the quality of the meats, the experience of standing out on the street eating. It's just a fun experience to have when you're on the island.

Mary:

It's so interesting. The hot dog is not something that I would think is a thing, but with lamb, it sounds really good. I like lamb.

Jessica:

I do, too.

Mary:

That sounds pretty good.

I heard black licorice is also a thing. Black licorice is one of those things that you either love it or you hate it. So, which camp are you from?

Jessica:

Oh, gosh. I guess you would say I am working on being a convert, but they really go overboard with the black licorice there. I got these candies for my boyfriend, they were black licorice covered in chocolate and then salted. It's this bizarre combo, but I have to say, it worked. Of all the black licorice I had while I was there, I think those were my favorites. So, maybe try something new every once in a while.

Mary:

Yeah, I'm not a big black licorice fan, but I think those that like it, really, really love it. It must be something special if you're going to go so far as to coat it in chocolate, salt it, and make variations. So, it's got to be a thing over there.

Now, the hot springs are another thing I heard is popular there.

Jessica:

Oh my gosh, yes.

Mary:

Let's hear about it.

Jessica:

OK, everybody has at least seen photos of the Blue Lagoon, and that's a little bit outside of Reykjavik. It's gorgeous, sprawling, and it's all volcanic-heated water. Because it's an area with so much volcanic activity, they have a lot of geothermal springs in general. So, you can pamper yourself with the Blue Lagoon experience, but in the cities and towns, they have neighborhood hot springs that you can go visit.

I did not get the opportunity to do that, but the impression that I get is that it's like going to the park, like you would go and see neighbors or people out on the street here in New Orleans or there in California. Because it's so cold and dark there, they go and have community time in the hot springs, which I think is a really unique aspect of their culture.

Mary:

Wow. That's pretty interesting. I guess if you want to get away from the crowds and hang out with locals, going to one of those hot springs in the town is probably the best way to do it.

Jessica:

Yeah, exactly. If you've got a penchant for local culture, there's great nightlife there, too. You can hit the bars, there's a great art scene, but if you have it in you to go hit up hot springs and really do a deep dive, I feel like that's the place to do it.

Mary:

Yeah, that's pretty cool.

I hear Reykjavik nightlife is pretty good. I know they've got a great music and art scene. What was your experience like?

Jessica:

So we went, and it was just coming back. They had just upped the hours—I think the curfews are now over—but they had just upped the curfew to 11, so everyone was very excited to be out and about on a weekend. We went to a place called the Big Lebowski Bar, which was just delightful. I don't know if you saw the movie.

Mary:

Yes!

Jessica:

OK, so you can get your little White Russian, and that was the “it” spot. I will say that the folks who lived there seem as active on a weekend as the visitors. It was definitely a spot where I felt like we were kind of mixing in with some of the locals.

They've got a beautiful concert center. Oh, geez, I'm trying to remember the name of it. But at any rate, they've got some excellent musicians. We all know Björk and Sigur Rós. If you want to invest some time and go see a show, then that's a great place to do it.

Mary:

That sounds really cool. I know Sigur Rós is going to be here in Southern California playing at the Greek Theatre. I've already got tickets to that. I'm excited, wishing I had tickets to Iceland.

I know Icelandair has an extend your trip program for those who are interested in stopping through. Are you familiar with that at all?

Jessica:

Yeah, that's actually how I visited for the first time. Basically, if you fly Icelandair from the United States to any of their other destinations, you can have a stopover in Keflavík airport—their main airport—and just extend that for up to a week I think, but I'm not sure exactly the time period.

So, say you're on your way to Ireland, which is where we were going. We just stayed for 6 days in Iceland and took some time to explore the country. Because it was so easy to get around there, we really got to see a lot on a stay that wasn't even a week long.

Mary:

That is so interesting. What a great way to visit if you already have plans to go somewhere else, to just stop over for a few days, visit for the first time, and get your feet wet, so to speak, in either one of the waterfalls or the hot springs. Really, really cool.

I always ask our guests on the show what are their tips for visiting, and the single most important thing visitors should remember if they're going on a trip to Iceland?

Jessica:

OK, that's a great question, and I've been on the show before, so you would've thought that I would've expected it. I would say the biggest thing that you can remember or keep in mind when you're visiting Iceland is that this is an island that is far more accessible than you probably think it is.

In the U.S., I think that we've got this idea of these natural spaces being things we really have to work hard to get to, right? Like if you're going to do a hike, it's going to be an overnight hike. If you want to go to Yosemite or any of these natural destinations here. The natural destinations in Iceland—which to me, is their biggest draw—all of that is just off the roadside, and it's not hard to get there at all.

I would just recommend people not limit themselves to city travel when you're there. I love Reykjavik, I love Vik, I loved all the little towns that we stopped in, but don't feel like the natural wonders of Iceland are beyond your reach because it is just such an accessible country.

Mary:

Jessica Fender, thank you so much for that advice, and thank you so much for being with us today. We really appreciate you coming on the show again.

Jessica:

Yeah, thank you so much for having me. This is absolutely one of my favorite destinations, so I will talk Iceland anytime.

Mary:

Well, good. I hope you get to go back there again soon. And I want to thank our listeners for being with us.

If you're planning a trip, be sure to connect with a AAA Travel Advisor, check out AAA.com/travel, or visit your local branch. If you enjoyed this podcast, please subscribe. I'm Mary Herendeen, thank you for traveling with AAA.