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Iceland


tonyh29

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Plan to go there with Mrsh29 and the kiddies some time this year

Lot of debate about the best time of year to go

Was either looking at August so it's not too cold and also a lot of the activities still run ( lot of the stuff on the web pages seem to end on 1st sept )

Or

To go in October half term and try and see the northern lights ... Which could be pot luck of course

Anyone been at either time of year ?

( or any other time for that matter)

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It's a great place. October is cold, but not totally covered in snow and ice. Seeing the stuff that's not in Reykjavik means travelling, obviously, and if it were to be adverse weather you'd be struggling. Whenever you plan to go, I think you'll enjoy it.

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I've been there once in September. It was just before the financial crisis so everything was bloody expensive. Should be much better now. Their economy has improved too, so the country should be relatively upbeat, which is always nice.

I wasn't with kids but on business, so cannot really comment on the activities. It was already cold in September, protect yourself from the wind whenever you go, there's nothing to stop it.

Northern lights and very cold, or other activities and bearable weather. I'd pick the latter.

I'm going again September actually. Not by choice though.

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Got good friends who live in the land of the ice and snow.

Liked it when I went, did the thermal spring thing, was ace.

Downtown Reykjavik is a quality little spot and they have a good pub that will show the footy, bloody expensive and I'd take sunglasses if your going with the missus as the Icelandic birds are quality!!

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Going in July on a stag do. But would definitely like to visit at a time when I'd get a chance to see the Northern Lights - my mate thought this would be a possibility in July...

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  • 1 year later...

Going late February, am I going to completely freeze my tits off? Heard it's the best time to see the northern lights. Also going whale watching although feb may not be the best time for that.

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Going late February, am I going to completely freeze my tits off? Heard it's the best time to see the northern lights. Also going whale watching although feb may not be the best time for that.

 

I spent a week with friends basically doing a loop around the place in May.  Yes, there was lots of snow and yes, we froze our nackers off.  I can't wait to go back :)

I've got something like 1800 photos on facebook.  Bump me a PM and I'll respond with a link to my profile :)

 

Few points to add:

The tourism season only started when we visited in late May.  The trips around the glacier lagoons etc won't be on when you go.  We ventured out to the East and almost got completely snowed in (I laughed hysterically pointing at the snow higher than the car on both sides whilst my mate turned white himself).  The price of drinks isn't too bad nowadays (I say "isn't too bad", it was still £5-£6 a pint).  Reykjavik is an awesome city - go and explore it all if you can.  Whilst not offering that much (compared to Reykjavik), Akrueyri is a nice little gem of a place on the north (it's the 2nd largest behind Reykjavik) but I'd suggest do it as a day trip rather than plan for a few days.  Get a hire car if you can - we drove on roads that looked like they were on the surface of the moon and then 5 minutes later were covered in snow.  On the south coast there's puffins, lovely black beaches (which look great with the white waves).  On the East there are hidden little spots that have some of the friendliest people I've ever had the pleasure to meet. A place called Geysur is unsurprisingly full of geysers (big buggers too) and there are some really nice waterfalls nearby.  No off-licenses, so if you plan on getting tanked up at the hotel then you need to find an official liquor store (there is one in Reykjavik) - travelling around we found it amusing that we could only find 2.25% beer in shops, etc.  We even went into a big Netto thinking "they must serve the real stuff".  Alas, no.  

Edited by trekka
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Thought that I would throw in a few photos (hopefully you can see them):

 

All hire cars are white!

 

11181886_802496613204792_824522605418395

 

You will probably see a few of these (there are apparently vending machines looking like this but we didn't spot any):

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You'll see things like this:

 

11206657_802499856537801_184842044799704

 

...things like this (Thingvellir National Park, not too far from Reyk actually and nice paths from the main car park):

 

11206517_802501089871011_203751222794614

 

(obligatory car shot):

11187446_802501986537588_573081392933224

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10329881_802516966536090_717242615219182

 

11169652_802517446536042_899668545246792

 

Wildlife, everywhere:

 

11206801_802518116535975_621437259153659

 

I love the place:

11194575_802518316535955_158274686984392

 

We headed further east and things started to get snowy:

10866158_802519463202507_593377772254790

More of these:

 

11212684_802521589868961_898095484052330

 

...and things like this:

 

10865918_802521739868946_101481129074296

 

(obligatory car shot):

 

 

11084139_802522056535581_299821095312473

 

11013104_802524296535357_351872629216015

 

1597022_802524586535328_4474073771814149

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