Being a Better Tourist

To start things off here's an Icelandic joke our tour guide told us today:

What do you do if you get lost in an Icelandic forest?

Stand up.

Apart from Icelandic humor, I am getting very good at being very bad at being a tourist. So here are some quick and dirty tips on how to be a better Iceland tourist than me:

1. Purchase lots of souvenirs! Because you left plenty of space in your bags, right? And when you do buy souvenirs, make sure it's not something practical like a waterproof phone case. Because, you know, it rains quite a lot in Iceland and you like living life on the edge. And you wouldn't want to be able to take selfies in the hot springs, now, would you? 


2. If you go to a museum, don't waste two hours learning really interesting things about the country you're visiting; just purchase your ticket and pick up a brochure so you can say you've been there. Nobody will be any the wiser.


3. Eat at ALL the most touristy, expensive restaurants and cafes. Don't bother with the cozy bakeries or hole-in-the-wall six-seat ramen bars or take-out Indian places that give you enough delicious food for three meals.


1. There are several different companies in Reykjavik that give tours. A couple of the major ones are Reykjavik Excursions and Iceland Excursions. They are not the same! Know which one you've signed up to tour with.


2. Check to see if your company of choice has a pick-up service from your hotel or hostel. You can usually set that up when you purchase your tour ticket but it doesn't hurt to check with them. Also, double check what time they say they'll be there to pick you up. They're usually VERY punctual.


3. If your ticket says Iceland Excursions - Gray Line Iceland, do NOT get on a Reykjavik Excursions shuttle (See tip 4a above).


4. Should you somehow find yourself on a Reykjavik Excursions shuttle, told by the driver to take a seat, and knowing the moment you sat that this is the wrong bus, it might not hurt to stop the bus driver and calmly (or not so calmly) exclaim that you believe you're on the wrong bus. I promise, your pride will recover.


5. If you've decided to just go with the flow and stay on the Reykjavik Excursions bus, don't panic. All the tour buses depart from the same bus terminal, right?


6. Wrong! Reykjavik Excursions and Iceland Excursions - Gray Line operate out of two different terminals, 7km apart. So is all hope lost?


7. Nope! When the shuttle drops you off at the Reykjavik Excursions terminal, just keep your cool and go speak with one of the nice people at the service desk. They can help arrange a way for you to get to the correct bus.


8. You made it to the right tour bus! Phew! Now just sit back, relax, enjoy the scenery, and constantly take pictures so the only way you experience Iceland's beautiful landscape is through your phone or camera lens.


5. At the Gullfoss Cantina, I only had two bowls of Kjötsúpa (Icelandic Meat Soup). But to be a good tourist you should really have about four (free refills)! Seriously, it's that good. Like, if I could only eat one food for the rest of my life, it would probably be Kjötsúpa.


6. After a long couple days of touring, you'd really like to go up to bed or, if it's still pretty early, take a three hour nap. But if you want to be a good tourist, try going down to the hotel/hostel lobby/bar. Socialize! Meet interesting people from around the world! Don't be a wimp! Expand your horizons!


7. Stay up late, drinking at the hotel or hostel bar with you new buddies. But remember that you have another tour to go on tomorrow morning at 08:30. Yay! Being a tourist!

Gullfoss. It was raining, and windy, and I was freezing.
But, wow, did that meat soup taste good after this.

All of the tips above are based on a true story. Though some have had some satire thrown in. I won't tell you which is which. But I will say this: as you may be able to tell from Tip #4 above, I once again (hypothetically) experienced a few travel hiccups. But (had it actually happened) it is much better that it happened today than, say, when I need to catch a bus to the airport. So with today's (mis)adventures, I really am starting to believe in that wonderful Icelandic phrase I mentioned in my last post: Það reddast.

I'm not sure if I'll be able to squeeze in another blog post before I get to the UK, so until next time...

Stay informed. -NLD