Sep 19

Sep 19 ICELAND – Living in a Car!

June 9 - 16, 2018

As people who are road tripping around the south coast of Iceland on a budget, my friend and I decided to live in a car for a week. Little did we know that it would not only save us a ton of money, but allow us to see the most of Iceland! Now, we truly believe that this is the best way to go, especially in the summer when it’s not as cold and when the sun never goes down.

BENEFITS OF LIVING IN A CAR:
• Catch the sunrise and sunset whenever you want
• Go to sights late at night and have it all to yourself
• Sleep by a waterfall and wake up by a waterfall
• Have a bigger chance of finding hidden gems
• And so much more!

THINGS WE DID TO PREPARE:
• Researched camp sights that allowed overnight car camping where we can sleep
• Packed sleeping bags for cold nights
• Anticipated to pay $70.00+ for every gas fill-up
• Packed baby wipes for when we don’t have access to showers
• Packed a portable stove before arriving
• Bought a propane tank for the portable stove after arriving (airlines do not allow this on the plane)
• Bought groceries at Bonus (the cheapest discount store in Iceland)

THINGS WE DID TO SAVE MORE MONEY:
• Planned to pick up hitch-hikers who can help pay for gas (totally safe– Iceland has a big hitch-hiking community)
• Drank from the tap water or clear water from lakes, rivers, and streams (totally safe– the temperature in Icelandic water does not allow for germs and parasites to thrive in them)
• Cooked all our food with the portable stove we bought
• Lived off of only Icelandic hot dogs (delicious!)

Note: most Icelandic sights are free, but have a small parking or overnight camping fee. So, we spent most of our money on gas and food.

Now, here are some of the most beautiful sights we encountered!

1. Surprises by the Highway

We never got tired of pulling over on the side of the Ring Road to bask in the beauty of nature. It isn’t hard to find a spot to pull over on, but make sure that your car is not in the way on the highway, as Icelanders will honk at you.

2. More Surprises by the Highway

Icelandic horses can often be found on the side of the road as well, but don’t worry! They are behind a gate.

What’s special about them is how majestic, friendly, and small they are so it’s not scary to approach them at all. All you have to do is bend down on your knees and hold your hand out, kinda like how you would with dogs. The horses will come to you and let you pet them in no time.

Just look at their smiles! After many moments spent with these horses, we got attached to the horse in the last two pictures. He gave signs encouraging us to pet him and followed us in the direction that we’d walk. We named him Buttercup and we were so sad to leave him…

You can find other animals on the side of the road behind a gate, such as sheep, goats, cows, etc. However, they aren’t as friendly and you probably shouldn’t try petting them.

3. The Blue Lagoon

The Blue Lagoon is a geothermal spa with natural hot springs. Many people ask, “Is it worth it?” I know it’s a bit pricey (around $80.00), but my short answer is: YES! It’s one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever seen.

The admission ticket includes a free rejuvenating face mask and a free alcoholic or non-alcoholic drink. I highly recommend going to the Blue Lagoon as soon as it opens (7:00am) because it’s less crowded. We went at around 8:00am and witnessed it get crowded so quickly around noon.

4. Seljalandsfoss Waterfall

This is the only known waterfall in Iceland that you can walk behind. Don’t let the picture fool you– it is massive! YOU ARE GOING TO GET WET so bring a little raincoat or face the waterfall’s doom.

There is also another “secret” waterfall a walk away from this one. It’s called the Gljúfrabúi Waterfall. It is situated inside a cave between two cliffs. We tried to find it, but failed. If you know how to find it, please enlighten me!

5. Seljavallalaug Pool

This is the oldest swimming pool in Iceland. The easy hike to the pool is just as beautiful as the sight of the pool itself. When you park your car, you will come across fields of lavender flowers. When you hike, you will be in awe of how close you are to the green mountains and white clouds.

When you arrive at the pool, you will feel as though it is dirty. However, it isn’t! Yes, the dressing room is extremely dirty, but the pool itself isn’t. So I don’t discourage you from jumping in.

Directions: on the Ring Road, turn into Route 242, drive all the way to the end, park the car, and hike.

6. Skogafoss Waterfall

I know what you’re thinking. “Another waterfall…” Well, you’re supposed to taste as many waterfalls as possible when you’re in Iceland, haha!

In 500 steps, you can hike to the top of this waterfall. You’ll see even more than what you expected– fields of moss, houses situated on cliffs, and more. All you have to do is open the gate that says “keep gate closed” and keep walking. Then, close the gate behind you, obviously!

Most people wouldn’t think to go through the gate because it looks unwelcoming, but it is totally allowed. I highly recommend it!

7. Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon

This was my first time seeing glaciers and I had absolutely no words for this astonishing place. Just look at the pictures!

8. Fjaðrárgljúfur Canyon

Don’t even ask me how to pronounce this.

This was my absolute favorite sight in Iceland– a canyon that formed naturally after the Ice Age. I had absolutely no words for this astonishing place either except thoughts about how God is the most amazing artist, as usual.

9. Sólheimasandur Plane Crash

In 1973, the United States Navy ran out of fuel on their plane and crashed it on this very beach. The plane has been there ever since. It may look scary to climb (and I’m not going to say that it’s totally safe), but I will say that many people have done it and came back down in one piece, including me!

The hike to the plane is a flat, long hike that took us about 2 hours. I’d say it’s worth it to go especially if you’re a photographer.

And there you have it, folks! This is how we lived in a car for a week in Iceland and some of our favorite sights. I’d totally do this all over again in the winter this time.