Traveling in Iceland is quite unique.
Firstly, weather in this country is ridiculously super minded. Check the forecast and u can see all kinds of description. In my short stay here I've encountered so many different type of weather conditions.
Fog
Snowstorm
Rainstorm
Bright sun
Gentle snow
Sand storm
Prolonged rain
Strong winds
Because of this unique weather behavior, gave rise to this interesting quotation on many souvenirs here.
"If you don't like the weather here, just wait 5mins"
The ficklemindedness of the weather also means that any trip here should be planned with more spare days to cater for sub-optimal weather conditions. Especially if your itinerary includes northern light hunting or ice caving. These are 2 activities that require a specific SET of weather conditions to carry out.
Secondly is the Icelandic currency, kronas. Iceland is a place where you can survive without a single cent.
We spend almost 2 weeks here and have not a single cent of local currency. Everything can be paid for using the credit card.
From paying for hotels, tours, car rentals to small purchases like a coke or a snickers bar, credit card is excepted. For certain unique items like taking the bus or paying for petrol, you can buy and top up a stored value card with credit card. Voila!! No cash required at all!!!
Downside of using the card for everything is that u really need to make a mental note of your expenditure. Otherwise, you can easily go broke. By the time u get the monthly bill, it's too late.
Third, food in Iceland is simple. Fish n lamb are the main staple. White fish like cod, halibut are common. Exotic choices like whale (minke), fermented shark, dried haddock are also available. But it seems these exotic choices are now more for tourists than locals.
Local lobsters are actually langoustines which are pretty much larger prawns with lobster-like shells. Quite tasty of done well. Lobster soup is also popular. I've had several versions of this dish. All yummy!!
Lamb had always been my personal favourite. Aside for the usual grilled option, locals also like to use it in soup, commonly just called meat soup. Typical meat soup is like an oily version of minestrone without tomatoes and with chunks of lamb. It's really good for the subzero temperatures.
Water, locals will tell you that Iceland water comes from the glaciers and is the cleanest tap water u can find in the world. For the cold tap water, yes it is. But watch out for the hot water from the taps, it has a strong sulphur taste and smell as it was heated by geothermal steam. For the uninitiated, it's going to be like rotten eggs. Effervescent vitamin C tabs or tea bags would be useful to cover the taste.
Finally, driving in Iceland is a breeze. Traffic is typically light. Considering its enormous land area and ridiculously small population, I've hardly seen a traffic jam, even though most adults here have a car or jeep. Motorcycles are few and far between.
There's only 1 major road that connects the entire country, highway 1. Even though it's a highway and majority of its speed limit is 90km/h, much of it outside the capital is only 2-lane, 2-way. In Singapore these roads will be considered local accesses. It's not easy to get lost, given the lack of official roads, but if you ever go onto the dirt tracks, memorise your way back.
You will not see much traffic along highway 1, but don't be deceived by the route. The weather poses a huge threat. I had drove in thick fog where I could not see anything more than 20m away. Heavy snow and rain. Strong winds cause the biggest worry. There are occasions where I had to steer with a 5-10degree offset just to keep the car straight.
It is also very important to note that the direction which u stop the car becomes important under strong wind conditions. I almost had my car door ripped off by the wind had we not hold on to the door handle. Recommendation is to stop the car facing the wind. It's better to have a tougher time opening the door than to drive without a door.
You have been warned!!
The sparse population also mean that petrol stations do not come as frequently as in Singapore. You have to plan your journey with a petrol station or 2 in mind. I faced the situation where the kiosk just did not work at one station and I had to backtrack to another kiosk to get petrol. I was running on reserves on that journey. Lucky I didn't need a tow in the end.
Paying for petrol is also peculiar. In the daytime it's usually fine if the station is manned. Just go to the counter and pay as per normal with your credit card.
Difficulty comes when at night or at stations which are self-service, of which many are. A pin is required with your credit card. Iceland cards have a 4-digit pin. Singapore cards typically have 5 or 6digit pins. My experience with 2 brands are as follows.
Shell, self service kiosk only allowed me to key in 4 digits of pin. I tried first 4 digits of my UOB card and it was rejected. I tried the same with my Standard Chartered card and it worked.
N1, the biggest network of stations in Iceland. It accepted my UOB card with 6 digit pin and also my Standard Chartered card with a 5 digit pin. There's also the avenue to buy a prepaid card at manned stations for use at N1 self service stations.
I would recommend N1 from my own experience.
There are only 2 types of fuel at most stations, 95 or diesel. Some have biodiesel. So no headaches for choice.
