Gosh, where do I begin?

Okay, I'll start with why.

Ten months ago, I was in solo traveling in Switzerland when I got an anxious text from my brother:

"Rammstein tickets for 2023 stadium tour goes on sale tomorrow!"

Because tickets were going on sale at 10 AM, Central Europe Time, and I happened to be in that time zone, I figured I was the best person to purchase said tickets.

First, I've never visited Berlin before. Never really had a reason to. Except for Rammstein.

I've been a fan of their music for over 20 years. I've never seen them perform live. Until now.

Alright, more on Rammstein later.

I booked my flight through Icelandair and did a 3 night stopover in Iceland on my way from Toronto. More on that stopover later.

The flight from Iceland to Berlin was smooth, but boy, was I in for a heatwave! Especially coming from Iceland (Reykjanes peninsula) where the hottest temp was 20˚C, I was boiling in my long sleeves and long pants.

I'm going to go through my trip by category, rather than a chronological itinerary:

Hotels

I checked into Mondrian Suites near Checkpoint Charlie. Only stayed here for a night because I had mixed up dates and messed up. My stay was only 85 Euros, or $125 CAD. There was NO AIR CONDITIONING. I was boiling and could not get good sleep at night.

For the rest of my stay in Berlin, I stayed at easyHotel in Hackescher Markt. It's a hotel chain by the same low cost airline, easyJet. And you guessed it – they charge for every little thing. But I'm a no-frills kind of gal. I don't need daily room cleaning; I don't even need a hair dryer. And yes, the hotel rooms do not have hair dryers. There are no toiletries except hand soap (and I'm pretty sure the body wash is the same liquid as the hand soap).

They only give you 1 towel and 1 bath mat towel. You can request more and they won't charge you for that. If you need a hair dryer, you rent it for a 10 Euros deposit and you get that money back if you give it back (it's not worth keeping, trust me).

They also charge you 3 Euros to leave your bag locked in a locker if you happen to arrive earlier than your check-in time. Yup. Every little thing. I don't mind though! There's a lot of "extras" that I really don't need. I am particular about my toiletries anyway, so I don't need hotel-offered things.

When I travel solo, all I care about is having a clean, safe, private room with a clean private bathroom that I don't need to share with everyone else. Everything else is a bonus.

Food

• FREA Bakery: one of the best vegan bakeries I've ever visited. All espresso-based drinks come made with oat milk by default – which is a DREAM.
• Sammy's Donuts: right across the street from easyHotel in Hackescher Markt and I went there twice during my trip. It was just an easy option for a decent flat white and sweet treat (plain glazed donuts – I'm boring, whatever)
• Cô Cô bánh mì deli: located on Rosenthaler, near easyHotel, and this was one of the most filling and cheapest food options. Pho, banh mi sandwiches, and tofu salads were so comforting to have when I craved Vietnamese food.

Beer

Authentic run-of-the-mill German beer isn't the greatest. Trust me on this. Here are the spots for quality craft beer:

• Muted Horn: owners are from Canada, so there were a lot of familiar options from Toronto (Bellwoods Brewery, Blood Brothers). They are also an independent craft beer bottle shop. Canadian craft beer is sold at a steep premium (2x) so unless you're an expat missing home, I would suggest you buy it in Toronto. For example, a 500 mL bottle of Grandma's Boy from Bellwoods was selling for 18,50 Euros ($27 CAD), whereas in Toronto it's $14 CAD.
• HOME Bar: great spot for IPAs located on Neue Bahnhofstraße.
• Salami Social Club: great spot for sourdough-based pizza and American-style IPAs
• Bräugier Taproom Ostkreuz: this spot is nice when the weather is good. They open up all the windows and doors and it's such a nice and breezy space.

Things To See / Do

• Dark Matter Art Exhibit: basically a night club for quiet people who like sit/stand/not dance
• Get your photo taken by a local photographer. I hired Duo Chen.
• Get a Berlin WelcomeCard to gain access to various museums and attraction at a discount or for "free" (it's up to you to exercise your right when you purchase the pass).
• If you're a public transit nerd like me, ride all the trains and trams!
• DDR Museum: an interactive, immersive experience of everyday life in the former East Germany
• Berlin TV Tower: (warning – this is not an accessible attraction. Not friendly to people who use wheelchairs!)

Tours

I did a couple day tours. A craft beer one and a bicycle tour. Both were fine, but they were hosted by expats. Nothing wrong with that, but I was not super keen on their perspective as expats and preferred to learn from someone who had grown up in Berlin and could share their experiences of how Berlin evolved since their childhood.

• Berlin Craft Beer Experience: I liked that this one had small group sizes. I was in a group of 6. Felt like a group of friends by the end of the night. Other tour groups have bigger groups and it can feel like you're part of a lumbering group of annoying tourists, so I recommend smaller group sizes if you can inquire in advance.
• Berlin on Bike tours: I liked the different neighbourhoods we visited, but they also take you to very crowded touristy spots. It's great if you're short on time and want to see all the highlights.

Videos

Castles! History! Outlander! All valid reasons to visit Scotland.

I visited with my partner, mother-in-law, and brother-in-law in spring 2023 so I'll have tips here on traveling with an adult family.

I knew nothing about Scotland or its history before my trip, and as someone who soaks in history differently, I watched all 6 seasons of Outlander and it was a good introduction (even if the show is fiction, based on a series of novels written by an American woman who had never been to Scotland – still, she was granted an honourary doctorate from a Scottish university for her contributions).

Of course, always refer to more official and non-fiction sources of history to augment your learning.

I chose to visit in the spring time when it was considered the most "dry season" – end of April to early May. This also happens to be cherry blossom season in Edinburgh, so while the suckers shell out $$ to see them in Japan, you can enjoy them with a side of haggis and a dram.

Glasgow

We spent 2 nights here. While we could've spent more time here, Glasgow is a city, and cities can be expensive. Some top sights:

Tenement House Museum

I loved this museum so so so much. It's basically a house that belonged to a single old woman who never threw anything away. But golly, thank goodness she did not, because everything is treasure. For more details on admission and hours, check out the National Trust for Scotland website.

Outlander-themed day tour by Highlander Tours

Andy the Highlander was our gracious driver and guide for this 1-day Outlander tour which started from Glasgow.

We visited the following sites:

• Midhope Castle - Lallybroch
• Abercorn Kirk - Frank's Grave
• Blackness Castle - Black Jack's Garrison
• Doune Castle Exterior - Castle Leoch
• Culross - Crainsmuir

I honestly have no idea how this man has the energy to do this every day, and he does it so well!

For details on availability and booking, visit Highlander Tours.

Isle of Skye

We spent 5 nights / 6 days here, and it felt like it was not enough! We missed out on a few sights because of construction/site closures. We did not get to visit Neist Point Lighthouse or Kilt Rock and Mealt Falls.

We rented a cottage through VRBO (Vacation Rental By Owner), about a 10 minute drive from Portree. It was a convenient location from town to get groceries at the local Co-Op (there are 2 – there's a bigger one and a much smaller convenience-store-sized one).

We hired / rented a car through Fort William Car Hire. A word about driving in Scotland: it is much easier to drive in the rural areas if it's your first time driving on the other (left) side of the road. If you rent a car from a city, you need to deal with driving with others in the city which can be daunting. Rural areas are a bit quieter and with less traffic to contend with.

Sites we visited in Isle of Skye:

• Dunvegan Castle and Gardens
• Fairy Pools (different from Fairy Glen)
• Glenfinnan Viaduct (not on the Isle of Skye but close to it)
• Old Man of Storr (hike)
• Uig (Flora MacDonald's grave)
• Staffin

Edinburgh

We spent 2 nights here. We wished we could have stayed longer, but alas, hotel night stays are not cheap in UK cities.

We visited the outside of Edinburgh Castle but did not go inside. We also went on a ScotBeer Tour and our guide, Iain, did a wonderful job at weaving together beer and history. A video for Edinburgh is coming!

Next time

I would spend a week on the Isle of Skye and try to visit Neist Point Lighthouse, the Quirang, Kilt Rock and Mealt Falls, and all the Small Isles and Outer Hebrides.

I would also fly directly to Edinburgh and spend a few more days there.

Also, things are expensive in the United Kingdom! Meals cost a minimum of $30 CAD and beers are about $12 CAD each. The upside is that you don't need to tip, but gosh, come with more money than you think.

Aside from the obvious passport and the shoes on your feet, there are 5 things I never travel or fly on a plane without. Some of these might surprise you!

1. Noise Cancelling Headphones
   Your headphones have to say "noise cancelling" or else you'll hear the person next to you snoring or the baby nearby crying. Some headphone brands are becoming sneaky and using different terms to trick you into think they're noise cancelling, but end up not being soundproof enough! I use Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones that go over the ear for a secure fit.
2. AirFly Pro
   If I want to watch the in-flight entertainment, they most likely only have a headphone jack and not compatible with Bluetooth. This device pairs your Bluetooth device and plugs into the in-flight entertainment system. Just be sure to charge it before you go. It takes USB-C which hopefully most of your electronics already have.
3. Plastic bags
   On the plane, I never put things in the seat pocket in front of me because those things never get cleaned. If I need it to hold my things, I put it inside a clean plastic bag as a barrier between my things and the dirty seat pocket.
4. Power bank / external battery pack
   Even if your new phone boasts an all-day battery life, you are going to be using it more often to be taking videos/photos and it will drain it faster. You are also likely going to be turning on the GPS/Location services or using your phone to look up Maps, all which also drain battery. Though some encourage an "always be charging" philosophy, you might not always find a secure spot to charge your phone. And you should never plug in your phone into some random USB port which might download all your phone's information and leave you open to security vulnerablities.
5. Hydration tablets
   Plane travel means dry cabin air, and travel in general means you will break a sweat if you're not used to walking 20,000 steps a day. Drinking water is more effective when you have electrolytes included. Hydration tablets that you drop into your water have really helped me especially during hot summer days or hiking treks. I have used Nuun and Hydralyte and found both to be effective. I know I'm dehydrated when I get headaches or my throat feels parched.

People will always have an opinion when it comes to talking about money. How to make it, how to spend it, and whether something is "worth it".

I got into a debate in an Instagram reel (lol) about how much it costs to travel (from North America to Europe). The original poster said it cost her about $3500 for 2 weeks with a friend. I chimed in to say "that's accurate, and it cost me closer to $5000 as a solo traveller who stayed alone in hotels in Switzerland". I thought it was helpful to share a different side! And for some reason, the internet did not like that 😂

I had one random person with a protected account tell me that I was promoting "luxury travel" and that she's solo travelling Germany and her Airbnb only cost $500 for 2 weeks. Great! I'm happy for you. But don't label my experience as luxury 💀

Maybe I needed to preface every money-related thing with this:

• I am a person who has worked in the tech industry
• I am privileged (I have been able to save up)
• I prefer to stay in hotels with a private bathroom
• I prefer to eat out instead of cooking while I'm on holiday
• I prefer direct flights with reserved seats as opposed to flights with connections/layovers/low-cost airlines
• I prefer visiting European countries with higher standards of living where a beer costs $20

Also, note, I am flying to Europe from North America. Across an ocean. Of course it's going to cost more. If you're already living in Europe and you're taking a train to another European country, you can't tell me "oH bUt I oNlY speNd 10 Euros a dAy oN MY TRIP".

I live in the middle of nowhere where I cook all meals. I rarely eat out. So why would I do something I already do the rest of the 50 weeks a year? I need to give myself a break!

Missing connections and sitting in the middle seat of a 3-seater is not fun. I know my limits of wakefulness. I know lack of my ability to sleep on planes. I will pay money to avoid or mitigate the shittiness of that.

Budgets hit nerves because it is a comparison rabbit hole. People apply their biases, privileges, and circumstances to the conversation. People sometimes fish for compliments over how they've been able to "price hack" and be a "smart spender". But is spending $30 more a night for a hotel room going to harm your long-term financial position? Sure, it adds up. But at the end of the day, it's about what you value (to spend more) and what you're willing to put up with (to save).

I always cost out my travels. I spreadsheet everything down to the coffee I'll buy every day. And I add 25% for incidentals or things I didn't expect to come up. I spend more, and I do it responsibly. I set a limit and play within it.

Travel is a choice and privilege. It can be a luxury, depending on who you ask. And if you want my opinion and match my style of travel, it's going to cost the above. If you think I overspend, great! That's not going to change my choices. You can do it your way. No one dies in the end!

I just returned from an 8 day trip to Switzerland in early September 2022. Here's an overview of everything I did!

Lauterbrunnen

I stayed in Lauterbrunnen for the first 2 nights in Switzerland. Lauterbrunnen is about a 30 minute train ride from Interlaken Ost, which is a major "artery" train station in the Jungfrau region. You can reach Interlaken Ost by train from Zürich, and it takes about 2-3 hours depending on the train routes you take.

The first night focused on decompression, and overcoming a very long (8 hour) train ride from Dusseldorf, Germany. I stayed in a private room at Valley Hostel. It cost CHF 86.80 ($115 CAD) per night, not including breakfast. I opted out of the breakfast option because I was going to do an early hike before the serving time.

In all honesty, I didn't like staying in a hostel even thought I had a private room. I'm just not one for shared washrooms, people bending the no-shoes rule by wearing their outside sandals indoors, and the noise – oh god the noise. My room was above the reception area so the door kept slamming and shaking the building and I couldn't get any sleep. If I paid $5-10 more per night, I could've had a private bathroom and some peace and quiet.

Kandersteg

The day after, I headed straight to Kandersteg, where I took the gondola up to Oeschinensee and hiked to the lake. It is a small lake but very picturesque. The trip from Lauterbrunnen is between 1.5-2 hours each way. I budgeted the entire day for this day trip so that I wouldn't feel rushed or overtire myself.

From where I was staying in Lauterbrunnen, I took a train back to Interlaken Ost, then to Kandersteg. From the station I walked 10 minutes to the gondola lift station and reached the top of the mountain a few minutes. From there, it's another 15-20 minute walk to reach Oeschinensee.

There are a couple restaurants at Oeschinensee with great lake views.

Mürren

Murren is a small, car-free village that is a short cable car and train ride away from Lauterbrunnen. I stayed here for a night at the Hotel Alpina. I had a single room with a private bathroom and a balcony that had the most imposing mountain view. The room was CHF 95, or $125 CAD.

From Mürren I walked about 15 minutes to the cable car station that went up the Schilthorn–2,970-m. peak in the Bernese Alps. The Schilthorn had a revolving restaurant called the Piz Gloria.

I also took the Allmendhubel funicular which is much smaller and shorter, but is popular amongst children due to its playgrounds. There are some smaller hiking trails from here too. I visited here very briefly because it started to rain.

Grindelwald

I made my way from Mürren to Grindelwald which took about 1.5 hour. I dropped my bag off at the Central Hotel Wolter which had a balcony view of the Eiger mountain. I stayed here for 2 nights and opted-in for the breakfast option. The single room cost CHF 106 ($140 CAD) per night.

As soon as I dropped off my bag, I walked 10 minutes to First (pronounced "fierce-t") and rode the cable car up to the top of the mountain. I rented a bicycle for CHF 45 ($60 CAD) and rode down to enjoy the scenery. It seemed cloudy and forecasted some rain, but it only drizzled. The ride down took about an hour because I stopped every so often to take pictures. I dropped off my bicycle at the rental branch at the bottom of the mountain.

The next day I went up to First again and this time I hiked to Bachalpsee Lake. This hike took 1 hour (can be shorter if you don't stop to take pictures every so often like I did), and I spent about 30 minutes admiring the destination. Then I hiked back and saw the Cliff Walk was very busy so I opted to take the cable car back down.

The next morning before checking out of the hotel, I took an early cable car back up to First again to do the Cliff Walk. It was almost empty. There is a hotel at the top of First which I almost booked but it would mean I'd be limited to the cable car schedule if I wanted to return late or leave early. Of course, you can hike down but that would take at least an hour or two.

Note about Grindelwald: it is a very built-up town with the conveniences of a large Coop grocery store, pharmacy, restaurants, and souvenir shops. I do not recommend staying here if you want peace and quiet, unless you secure a hotel further out from the main station. My hotel was a 3 minute walk from the main Grindelwald station which was convenient, but didn't realize there was an outdoor music festival happening right outside. There was loud country music until 11:00 pm and I wanted to sleep earlier.

Overall, I think Grindelwald is a great place to spend 2-3 nights!

Wengen

I journeyed an hour from Grindelwald to Wengen, where I spent my last 3 nights. I stayed at the Hotel Alpenruhe, which is a "vintage design hotel". It cost CHF 131  ($173 CAD) per night.

This was my favourite hotel of the entire trip. The decor reminds me of a Wes Anderson movie, full of midcentury modern furniture, minimalism, and subtle details that don't upstage the gorgeous balcony views of the Jungfrau.

The bathrooms have original tilework which are very retro and reminiscent of your grandma's bathroom from the 1970's. The place was clean and impecable. I opted in for the breakfast option and it had so many cheese options I wish I could eat them all.

From Wengen, I ventured up Mannlichen, Kleine Scheidegg, Harder Kulm, Lake Brienz, and Schynige Platte. Wengen is a very good place to situate yourself for day hikes and scenic train rides.

The train ride from Wilderswil to Schynige Platte is a scenic train ride on a very old train. It moves very slowly (10 km/h) so it takes about an hour each way. Budget a morning or afternoon for this, including hikes once you get to Schynige Platte.

On my last night in Wengen, I hiked up to Leiterhorn which was about 30 minutes from my hotel (or 45 minute hike from the main Wengen train station if you're staying at another hotel). Leiterhorn has incredible, sweeping views of the Lauterbrunnen valley and Jungfrau. Just look at this:

Zürich

On the morning of check out, I took my time waking up and had a leisure, slow breakfast.

From Wengen I journeyed to Zürich which took about 3 hours. I checked into the Radisson Blu Hotel at the airport because I had an early morning flight the next day. The room cost CHF 188 ($250 CAD). I could've stayed in the city because it was only a 10 minute train ride to the airport, but prices for hotels were the same and I wanted to minimize any chance of potentially missing my flight home.

After dropping off my bag, I decided to do a self-tour of all the best craft beer bars in Zurich. I went to Bierwerks Zuri which is a short walk from the main Zurich train station. Then I made my way to BierLab where they had a LoverBeer tap takeover (they are an exclusive brewery from Italy) and enjoyed a flight of their beers.

I ended the night with a few more drinks at Norden, a new bar that specialized in beers brewed by Nordic countries (Norway, Finland, Sweden, Greenland, Iceland, Faroe Islands). I had a great time chatting with Salma, a bartender who had been with Norden since the beginning of its opening in 2020.

Conclusion

So that was my trip! I wouldn't change anything about my trip but if I were to return, I would stay in Mürren and Wengen longer.

For the entire time I was in Switzerland, I got the Berner Oberland Regional Rail Pass which offered unlimited rides on almost all cable cars, trains, and funiculars within the area of validity. The only time I had to pay was to go up the Schilthorn but it was discounted 50% off (regularly CHF 88, but with the rail pass it was CHF 44).

I went the first week of September and the temperatures hovered around the 10-20˚C range, with some periods of drizzling rain. I did not have to pack any puffer jackets and did quite fine with my fleece zip-up jacket under a rain/windbreaker.

Doing carry-on only helped lower any anxieties around lost luggage and only packed a few articles of clothing that I washed every night and hung to dry in the hotel bathrooms. Quick-dry clothing is key to pull this off successfully.

Switzerland is not cheap, but reasonable for what you get to see and explore. I budgeted $5000 CAD for my entire trip (including flights, meals, rail pass, accommodations, and random sundries/souvenirs) and I came under budget by about $80.

It might sound over indulgent for a solo traveler, but I hold a certain standard of comfort (no 8-bed hostels, no cooking – I am on vacation!!, and no 2 hour hikes in the sun if I can get up by a cable car in 20 minutes). Sometimes fun costs money.

If you're into being amongst mountains, hiking, and scenic train rides, and you are okay with spending $40 for plate of cheese, then Switzerland is for you!

Start saving!

I visited Norway in 10 days which sounds like a lot of days, depending on who you tell, but I have to say it was NOT ENOUGH.

But! It was my first time in Norway so I didn't want to take the gamble of spending more than 10 days in a place that might (or will) empty my wallet dry.

Here is a high level view of my 10 day itinerary:

• Oslo (day 1)
• Bergen (day 2-4)
• Oslo (day 5-6)
• Andalsnes (day 7-8)
• Oslo (day 9-10)

I'll do more detailed posts of each day, but here's a little more detail of each day:

Day 1: Oslo

• Landed, went to my hotel, ate, slept, showered
• Walked around Oslo to get my bearing, pick up toothpaste
• Slept early because of my train trip the next day

Day 2: Oslo to Bergen

• 6 hour train trip from Oslo to Bergen
• Arrive in Bergen and check-in, get dinner
• Explore Bergen on foot, then go to sleep

Day 3: Day tour from Bergen

• Booked a day tour by Fjordrive (Nærøyfjorden tour)
• Returned to same pick-up spot in Bergen
• Ate dinner, went to sleep

Day 4: Bergen

• Morning walk around Bergen
• Ate lunch at Pingvinen
• Afternoon went to Mount Fløyen (spent 3 hours up there)
• Explored Bryggen, the old wharf of Bergen

Day 5: Train back to Oslo

• 6 hour train back to Oslo
• Evening: went to Blå concert venue for a show
• Picked up late night food at Dronningens Kebab

Day 6: Oslo

• Bicycle tour around Oslo with Viking Biking
• Ate very expensive sushi
• Went to a friend's house for Eurovision viewing party lol

Day 7: Åndalsnes

• 4 hour train to Dombås, transfer at platform, 1.5 train to Åndalsnes
• Lunch at Sødahlhuset
• Go up the Romsdalen Gondola
• Have a drink at the mountain top bar and soak in the views

Day 8: Åndalsnes

• Hike up to Mount Nesaksla or take the gondola up again
• Enjoy lunch at Eggen Restaurant (make reservations)
• Hike down to Rampestreken
• Did laundry, cooked dinner, and passed out (hiking is tiring for unseasoned hikers)

Day 9: Åndalsnes to Oslo

• Same 1.5 hour train to Dombås, transfer at platform, 4 hours to Oslo
• Celebrated May 17 at the Crow Bar with some friends

Day 10: Oslo

• Explored same stops as the Viking Biking tour, but on foot
• Jumped in the fjord after hanging out in the sauna

Day 11: Return to Toronto

• Flew out of Oslo, layover in Frankfurt
• Returned, sadhappy :')

Check out my Norway vlogs on YouTube:

Åndalsnes:

Bergen:

Summaries of my Norway trip:

Stay tuned for more detailed posts on each day!

This trip took place in December 2021. This day was December 30, 2021.

Spending 6 days with the same group of people can be tiring. I was looking forward to breaking away to badly charge my introvert batteries and be on my own again. But alas, one who does not drive cannot be a chooser when attempting to explore Iceland's Ring Road.

The morning of December 30, 2021, I woke up in Bifrost. Just outside of Hotel Bifrost is a volcano crater called Grábrók.

This was the last day and we visited an Icelandic horse farm! We drove to a town called Reykholt and visited Sturlureykir Visiting Horse Farm.

The woman who confidently hosted us was well-spoken and probably had a lot of practice. I learned that she was only 14 years old 🤯

Then we stopped at Barnafossar for lunch and sightseeing which is a storied waterfall that resembles a series of rapids through a narrow passage of volcanic rock.

Then we returned to Reykjavik and the tour bus dropped everyone off at their individual hotels. I stopped by Sandholt for a snack:

Finally, I checked into Hotel Odinsve for the remaining 2 days in Iceland for New Year's Eve.

The next day was Day 10, and the last day of my Iceland series. We celebrated outside Hallgrímskirkja church. Stay tuned.

This trip took place in December 2021. This day was December 29, 2021.

I didn't want to leave Icelandair Hotel Akureyri. It was probably the best sleep I ever had on that trip because of that hotel.

Unfortunately, due to weather conditions, we were unable to see Godafoss, which was one of the stops that the Arctic Adventures Ring Road itinerary had planned. They do not guarantee all stops if it is dangerous to drive there.

We drove to Hauganes for Whale Watching, which I was surprised we could even do in December. I was not expecting it at all.

A whale breached a couple times but I was not on the right side of the ship to see it. A few people on the tour threw up. Everyone bunched up on one side of the ship causing it to tilt a bit on that side since everyone's weight was on that side.

Unfortunately because this is whale watching and not SeaWorld/MarineLand, I did not get any photos of whales coming up.

This day was a bit uneventful aside from the whale watching tour. Our hotel for the night was Hotel Bifröst ("beef rust"), which used to be university dorms.

The next day was Day 9, and the last day of the Ring Road tour of my Iceland series. We saw some Icelandic horses! Stay tuned.

Note: This trip took place in December 2021. This day was December 28, 2021.

There was a huuuuuuge snow storm this day. We were traveling from Egilsstaðir to Mývatn (for the Nature Baths), then finally to Akureyri.

I did not document a whole lot on this day because it was snowing so much, it was basically just white outside.

We left Egilsstaðir around 8:00 AM and it was still very dark. The drive from Egilsstaðir to Mývatn was scary and trecherous. I could feel the nervousness from our tour guide/driver. I was glad I was not driving.

We arrived at some place for a "hike" which was basically trudging through 3 feet of snow without snowshoes.

I didn't take any pictures at Myvatn Nature Baths, but it was pretty hilarious. There was a snow storm and nature baths are OUTDOORS. We still went and it was a weird combination of being really hot from the neck down and very cold from the neck up, My eyelashes were forming icicles! I managed to locate the steam rooms and they were so so so hot that the soles of my feet were burning.

I loved this hotel so much! Icelandair Hotels tend to be nicer and modern and spacious.

After checking into our hotel, we decided to check out the Einstok Brewer's Lounge which was a 12 minute walk from the hotel.

The Brewer's Lounge is just a bar, not where they brew the Einstok beer. But it was cool! There was this huge mural of musicians through the ages with some quirky Icelandic phrases that my brother was able to read.

Check out Day 8: Bifröst and Whale Watching in Hauganes of my Iceland series.

Note: this trip took place in December 2021. This day was December 27, 2021.

The first 2 days of the Arctic Adventures 6-day Ring Road tour were jam-packed with the most exciting things that Iceland has to offer. The third day of the tour was a bit slower, less glamourous, and more focused on unapologetic nature.

After checking out of Hotel Höfn, we drove about 45 minutes to a place that doesn't have a formal name. It's just called "parking lot" on Google Maps, and it's literally a shoulder next to a cliff. But it has the most gorgeous views:

There was a lot of driving on this day. Majority of this day was spent in the tour bus and seeing some pretty epic sunrises peaking through the heavy clouds.

We reached Egilsstaðir around 1:00 pm for a stop at the Netto grocery store for lunch. Egilsstaðir is a pretty small town with a population of around 2,500 people. It's one of a few places to stop at on route to Akureyri (northern Iceland).

Then we drove to Hengifoss, the third highest waterfall in Iceland at 128 meters. It's about an hour hike from the parking lot to see the falls, but HO MY GOD it was so windy and cold! Just 15 minutes in, I could feel my face freeze painfully.

I did not go all the way to see Hengifoss and just stopped half way to admire this frozen waterfall which I believe was called Litlanesfoss.

I would recommend returning to this place when it's summertime. Hiking this place in December is only if you've got adequate face protection because the wind is NO JOKE in Iceland!

We returned to Egilsstaðir where we were dropped off at Hotel Valaskjalf. After getting settled, I ventured out even though the sun had already set. It was dark, and snowy, but there was adequate street lighting to guide me to a kitschy American diner called Skálinn Diner.

I had extremely low expectations of this place because: 1) it's an American-themed diner run by Icelanders with a population of 2,500. 2) it took almost 30 minutes to receive my order. I ordered take out because I just prefer to eat in my hotel room while watching local television.

I ordered a spicy chicken wrap to go and it was SO good. I won't show you pictures of the food because it's not particularly appetizing to look at. But HO MY GOD I would suggest getting take out from this place if you're staying at the same hotel and you need something to eat that's within walking distance!

While I waited, I asked if they had any beer for purchase. Their drink fridge was mostly soft drinks and non-/low-alcoholic beers, like this Víking Jólabjór Léttur by Viking Brewery:

Then I ventured to the local Vínbúðin, which is the state-owned liquor store in Iceland. Some people might find this strange, but where I'm from, there is also government-owned liquor stores called "LCBO" (Liquor Control Board of Ontario). The hours when you can purchase liquor is quite strict (typically closed or closes early on Sundays).

I bought 2 beers, hoping they were local or craft beers, only to be disappointed that one of them was from USA (Founders Brewing). In any case, it tasted good. Einstök is Iceland's "craft brewery" and they have an Arctic Lager that I've tried in Reykjavik which tastes more like a Session Ale than a lager (love!).

The hotel receptionist graciously got me an ice bucket to chill them. They were unexpectedly excited for me to try the beers, lol.

My impression of Egilsstaðir is that it's a quiet town that I wouldn't spend more than a night at. It's quite appropriate that the tour designated Egilsstaðir as a halfway point between Höfn and Akureyri because I don't think there's any other town that'd have amenities for tourists to get food/drink, etc. Driving through looked like there were a lot of rural areas.

I don't want to say this was a boring day, but, it was a boring day. Sure, the vistas were beautiful, but I think I was spoiled in the first 2 days with southern Iceland. I really want to return to southern Iceland sometime and take it all in over a few more days.

Check out Day 7: Northern Iceland, Mývatn and Akureyri of my Iceland series.

Day 5 was December 26, 2021. Instead of shopping for Boxing Day deals, I was continuing my exploration of southern Iceland.

My stay at Adventure Hotel Geirland included breakfast which was sufficient but I was happy to check out because it was a barebones kind of place. Walls were thin and my room was close to an entrance where people often came and went to attempt to see the Northern Lights. If I wasn't so devastated by my camera accident, I would've spoken up for a room further away but whatever. I suppose my threshold for nuisances was pretty high.

After driving for an hour, we reached Skeiðarársandur, which is an Icelandic glacial outwash plain.

We stopped here for just a few minutes and then back on the tour bus we rode for 45 minutes toward Vatnajökull National Park. We were dropped off at the parking lot which had restrooms and some food trucks. It was snowing heavily but the only indoor café had sold out of food by 11:00 am (lol) and there were a few sad muffins left in the display case. Thankfully this food truck still had hot dogs – Heimahumar Local Langoustine.

We explored the nearby lagoon and saw some icebergs casually float by.

This was also where the "Diamond Beach" was but didn't make it down because I was more enthralled by the icebergs and just wanted to take it all in.

The tour group was instructed to meet back at the tour bus where we were whisked away by another tour guide to go on the Crystal Ice Cave Tour.

Visiting the ice caves can be physically intensive for some people. From the main parking lot area, tour guides take you on a very rocky Jeep ride to another parking lot which takes 30 minutes. After getting crampons on, you walk another 30 minutes to the ice cave. Once there, it takes about an hour to do the ice cave tour, itself. Then another hour to hike back to the parking lot and get on another rocky Jeep ride. Tip: Don't drink too many liquids before this tour because there are no restrooms at the ice cave!

The cave is naturally occurring and never the same each year. You can only visit these caves between November and February.

I shot all of these with my Google Pixel 3a. If I had my mirrorless camera on me (it was in my luggage resting from a bad fall the night before), I would've used my 16mm lens to capture these. It was pretty tight in some spots, so I don't think a 24-70mm lens would've been wide enough. I really do recommend something like 20mm or wider when you visit these caves.

Be aware that your tour group is just one of many groups that visit these caves. So many of my photos looked like the above – full of people around and behind me. It's expected so don't be too disappointed when you visit.

People in pictures aren't all bad. They give perspective and relativity to the size of the ice cave. And if it really bothers you so much, I suggest using content-aware AI-driven software to erase them away. I used Luminar by Skylum to do this with some of my shots and it worked really well.

The Crystal Ice Cave tour was my favourite part of the tour (besides seeing Skogafoss) and I would absolutely do it again (and bring my mirrorless camera!).

After returning to the parking lot, we drove an hour to Hótel Höfn for the night.

Hótel Höfn had a restaurant (Osinn) where you could order your food and bring it to your room. It was a really welcome option as I needed to recharge my introverted batteries.

The restaurant manager was very kind and when I asked about suggestions for local or craft beer, she introduced me to this Vatnajökull beer that is brewed in the local area and not even exported to other regions of Iceland! While the beer was average, it was nice to try it.

After that delicious meal and beer, I had a great sleep. My room was at the end of the hallway which was miles better than the noisy entry-situated room the night before.

Check out Day 6: East Fjords, Litlanesfoss, and Egilsstaðir of my Iceland series.

Ahhhh Christmas Day. What better way to celebrate Christmas than to start a Ring Road tour? I signed up for the 6 Day Ring Road tour of Iceland with Arctic Adventures and they picked me up near my hotel in Reykjavik. The tour guide is also the driver (important aspect of this tour – more on this later).

Arctic Adventures tour bus

The seating configuration of the tour bus was 2 - 1, meaning on one side there were side-by-side seats for couples/pairs and on the other side there were solo seats. There were a total of 15 tour members so some solo people were able to sit in 2-seaters because there were more solo travellers than couples/pairs.

Luggage is stored in the back trailer so if you want anything from it before hotel check-in (before 15:00 / 3:00 pm), you cannot access it easily. However, the bus overhead compartment storage is way smaller than a plane. It's about a phone height of space so you can't put anything up there except maybe a book. If you ride one of these busses, I advise you bring a small day pack with whatever you need (water, medication, snacks) that you don't mind keeping on your lap throughout 2-3 hour driving stretches.

At 8:00 am, the moon was still out and sun only rises around 11:00 am during winter months. In my case, I travelled to Iceland in late December with the shortest daylight hours (sun sets at 15:00 / 3:00 pm).

Golden Circle tour

The Golden Circle consists of three locations in Southwest Iceland:

• Þingvellir (Thingvellir) National Park
• The Geysir Geothermal Area
• Gullfoss Waterfall

Our first stop from Reykjavik was Þingvellir (Thingvellir) National Park and it was hard to see anything. It was almost pitch black still around 9:30 am:

We were there for about 20 minutes, so a little bit of daylight seeping out into "blue hour".

The Geysir Geothermal Area was my least favourite part of the Golden Circle tour. I guess I'm not easily enthused by boiling, bubbling puddles of hot water from the ground. I mean, I think it's wild that deep inside our earth is basically fire and the surface of the earth reveals this in the form of squirts and steam, but I don't know.

It also smelled like sulfur which resembles rotten eggs and farts.

Gullfoss Waterfall had the coldest wind ever. You absolutely need to cover your ears, hands, and face.

Skógafoss

Skógafoss is a waterfall on the Skógá River in the south of Iceland at the cliff marking the former coastline. This was my favourite waterfall of all and I am definitely returning to this spot when I revisit.

Seljalandsfoss

Seljalandsfoss is a waterfall, situated on the South Coast of Iceland close to the Ring Road, with a drop of 60 metres (200 feet).

Reynisflara

Reynisfjara is a black-sand beach found on the South Coast of Iceland, just beside the small fishing village of Vík í Mýrdal.

We packed in a lot that day! Our hotel for the night was Adventure Hotel Geirland which was really low budget but did not mind because I was so tired!

Check out Day 5 / 2nd day of the Ring Road tour!

Day 3 was December 24, which is the day that most Icelanders celebrate Christmas. Most stores and restaurants are closed on this day.

I took this day slowly, did more walking around the streets and photographed as much as I could. I started my day with breakfast at Sandholt:

Wandered around Skólavörðustígur.

Checked out the church with almost no pedestrians or people walking around:

Went to see where my next hotel was going to be (I stayed here for New Year's Eve):

Then checked out a very desserted craft beer bar called Session Craft:

Was a low-key day, took it easy, and geared up for Day 4, which was the start of my Ring Road journey.

Check out Day 4: Golden Circle, Skogafoss, Seljalandsfoss, Vík of my Iceland series.

I visited Iceland for 2 weeks in December 2021. Check out my other Iceland posts here.

I planned 3 nights in Reykjavik at the start of my trip so that I had ample buffer time before my small-group tour around the Ring Road. Before the start of any tour, it's always recommended to book at least a night stay. Why? Your flight could be delayed. Or, there could no available transportation to your tour meeting spot due to weather. Or, your luggage could take forever to come off the carousel. A whole host of things could make you miss your tour start. It's so important to book a place to shower, unwind, and get adjusted before you start exploring.

Day 2 was my favourite! It was December 23, and for Icelanders it is the most lively day of the holidays. Stores are open late for last-minute gift shoppers, restaurants cook up and serve fermented skate (stinky fish the size of a steak), food stalls serve up warm mulled wine, people singing carols–it's a delightful time.

I woke up around 6:00 am and few places were open, with the exception of a few cafés.

Coffee at Kaktus Espresso

I originally wanted to visit a café called Emilie and the Cool Kids, but they were closed for the holidays until the new year 😔 so I walked over to Kaktus Espresso which was just around the corner from Alda Hotel. It was so quiet that you wouldn't want to make a sound in there.

I ordered a flat white and found a spot to sit, and they brought it to my table. Coffee was excellent, vibe was lovely, and people respected the soft volume.

Lopapeysa sweater shopping

I knew I wanted to bring home a traditional Iceland sweater (lopapeysa) and did my research where to find genuine ones.

I paid a visit to the Handknitting Association of Iceland to shop for one. I found one with puffins on them, even though I have yet to see them in real life. A few other people picked it up and looked at it, and there was only one of that design left, so I scooped it up before anyone had second thoughts. I like that the design is different from the typical designs. I was tempted to get this one and another one with a traditional design but these sweaters can be pretty bulky so I just settled for one this time. Maybe on my next visit I'll get another :o)

Lots of stores sell Lopapeysa sweaters, but unless you're an expert at detecting how they're made, genuine ones are found at Handknitting Association of Iceland in Reykjavik.

Genuine Lopapeysa sweaters not cheap. They are hand knit by an Icelander with the best wool yarn, and they can take hours or days depending on the design. Mine was 30000 ISK, or $300 CAD, and I was able to get tax refunded (about 4000 ISK, or $40 CAD) when I filled out the tax refund form and submitted it at the airport. So in total, it was about $260. I know it sounds astronomical for a piece of clothing, but these are so warm that you could wear it with a turtleneck underneath and go for a walk without a parka in -10˚C weather.

Lunch at Fishmrkt

Fishmrkt was the only high-end restaurant reservation I had during my whole trip and it did not disappoint. I opted for a lunch experience as the prices of the same meals are often $10-20 lower than if you go at dinner time.

I ordered the sushi platter. I should have ordered the traditional Icelandic dish (served only on December 23rd) which was the fermented skate, but my brother ordered it and I was able to have a taste. The sushi was delightful and so fresh. With Iceland being a country known for its seafood, it was the perfect blend of home comforts and tasting what they're good at.

Although you're going to have to spend a lot of money for food in Iceland in general, my tip is to enjoy higher end meals at lunch, and have a casual supper/dinner like a hot dog or pizza. Don't skimp on good experiences! Just enjoy them at a time when the prices are adjusted.

Also, make reservations! Most restaurants have limited seating and due to Covid protection measures, the number of seating may be even more limited.

Photo shooting and shopping

In the afternoon, I walked with my dad and brother to an outdoor art installation called Þúfa (th-oo-fha), meaning the Tussock. It is a 8m-tall grassy mound constructed out of 4500 tons of gravel. At the top, there is a type of hut that's used to make harðfiskur (dried fish). It stank, and you can only imagine what it smells like in the summer.

There were no railings and I was feeling cautious so I opted to just stay on the ground and watch dad and brother make it to the top.

It was a 45 minute walk from the city center to get to that art installation, and we weren't in the mood to walk 45 minutes back, so we decided to try out Reykjavik's public transit system, Strætó. We caught the #14 bus (Verslo) back into town. It cost 500 ISK or $5 CAD for a bus ticket that offers you unlimited rides for 1.5 hours.

I like taking public transit in every city I visit, to compare and contrast them to Toronto's TTC system. They're all more or less the same, but I like that this one had a screen that told you which stops were coming up ahead.

Once back in the city center, I was determined to check out as many Icelandic craft beer bars as possible. I found one called Einstök ("Ein" is pronounced like "ain't no mountain high enough", and "stök" is pronounced like "stock market").

I wanted to try out all their beers that I couldn't get at home, so I did a flight. For 4 samples (about 4 oz each), I paid 3000 ISK or $30 CAD (yikes!). For comparison, 16 oz is a pint, so I basically paid $30 for a pint of beer. There is no Happy Hour pricing for flights. I probably should've just ordered full pints of each but I do not have the capacity for that :~)

After that I went to Skuli Craft Bar which is another highly rated bar across the city, so I went for a leisurely walk there from Einstok. The bar had a cool vibe and definitely a nice place for a date or a couple soft-spoken friends.

Then I had dinner at one of the two ramen restaurants in Reykjavik: Hi Noodle.

The broth was not too rich and not too thin, which I really enjoyed! This set me back about 1900 ISK or $19 CAD.

One thing to note is that in Iceland, you don't tip. And tax is included in the price. In North America, the price you see is always before taxes and tip which is so sneaky and I don't like that. So if you buy a bowl of ramen in Toronto and it's priced $14, it's really going to end up being $20. So when people say Iceland is expensive, it's not really that much different from Toronto after you factor in taxes and tip.

After my meal, I walked around a little more in Laugavegur and captured some lovely moments:

Quiet night in

Returned to the hotel and decided to check out the outdoor hot tub. I was the only one there because I think most people were out and about and still shopping. It was so nice to have it all to myself!

And that's it! Onto Day 3: Quiet day in Reykjavik on Christmas Eve before the Ring Road tour of my Iceland series.

I booked this trip 3 months in advance when the world seemed to be opening up and travel was a thing again. But so much changed in that time. Heck, things were changing by the day before I departed.

I followed the news carefully and weighed the risks. I decided to go ahead with the trip and self-isolate in my home for 2 weeks before going and 2 weeks after returning.

The downside of travelling during these times is that your destination's attractions and/or restaurants and bars could be closed (temporarily due to a potential outbreak, or even permanently). This wasn't the case for my experience in Iceland, but there were a few places that had to enforce the number of people allowed in a space at one time. This made for very empty bars and a ghost-town-like atmosphere. It didn't take away from the experience, just felt different.

I departed from Toronto International Airport on December 21, 2021, and landed in Iceland on December 22, 2021.

I learned so many lessons from this trip, so I've broken up this post into chronological order of events with lessons learned, hope you enjoy!

Lesson 1: The airplane cabin can be HOT

While there is an airport in the country's capital of Reykjavik, you will most likely arrive at Keflavik (KEF), Iceland's international airport.

There is only one flight to Iceland from Toronto via Icelandair every day which departs in the evening (about 19:30/7:30 pm) and arrives around 06:30 am.

I flew Icelandair's Saga Premium Class (Business Class) and was the first person to board. It's such a novel feeling to be the first to settle in. Upon boarding, I was offered a pre-boarding glass of sparkling white wine. Luckily there was no one seated next to me, which, in Covid-times, is a small pleasure.

Once the plane was in flight, I received their dinner and drink menu.

The appetizer was smoked Icelandic salmon and arctic char with dill mayonnaise and fried capers. The entrée I selected was turkey steak with Christmas stuffing and salt baked vegetables. Dessert was pumpkin pie.

All food and drink from the menu was included in the flight. I don't know how many drinks were included but I was not planning to get hammered so all I had was the one gin and tonic.

The plane ride was very hot. It was hot returning to Toronto as well. I wore a thick turtleneck top and heat-retention fleece leggings because I was taking lessons from my 2017 trip to Hawaii when I wore a t-shirt and shorts and the plane was super air conditioned. On this flight, it was the opposite and I felt like I could've worn that same Hawaii outfit.

I recommend being prepared for any temperatures on flights. Wear a t-shirt and shorts, and layer over a looser fit sweatshirt and pants. Peel back when the flight's temperature happens to be set to oven. It was so unbearably hot, I thought I was going to pass out. Perhaps the hot temperatures were intended to make everyone sleep on the flight, because I nodded off to sleep for 10-15 minutes at a time (but not a restful night's sleep).

Although I was on Business Class, there are no lie-flat seats. The seats are wider than economy. You get a plushier pillow and blanket, and there's a footrest under the seat in front of you. But other than that, it is more like premium economy on Air Canada. I say it's worth it if you're someone with wider hips than say, 38 inches around.

Lesson 2: Book a hotel stay for the morning you land

When I landed in Iceland, it was 6:00 am local time, which was 1:00 am Toronto time. Having not slept and still running on Toronto time, I was exhausted.

Given that hotels only start checking in people at 15:00/3:00 pm, I felt many shades of awful. I so badly needed a shower (after sweating bullets on that plane) and a bed to sleep on (the jetlag is real when you can't comfortably sleep on a plane).

Later on, I researched travel forums to see what people did between the awkward 6:00 am landing and the 3:00 pm check-in time. Most people said it's totally worth booking an extra night of hotel stay so that you are guaranteed a room when you get in at 8:00 am. It might seem like you're effectively "losing" 17 hours of hotel stay you paid for the night before, but when you're in the state I was in (dirty, exhausted, jet-lagged), you would gladly pay the $200 for the luxury.

The next time I have an overflight flight anywhere (usually to Europe) and I land more than 6 hours before check-in time, I will absolutely book an extra night hotel for the privilege of having a room ready for me.

Quality of life, people!

Lesson 3: Purchase duty-free alcohol, but budget for restaurant and bar experiences

Getting through customs took minutes. You go through Passport Control, answer a few questions about how long you're staying, show your vaccine documentation and negative covid test result. They stamp your passport, and on you go. Before you head to the luggage carousel, there's the duty-free shop which was well-stocked, spaced out, and well-lit.

For ultra-light packers without luggage to pick up, you may want to skip this part and go straight into catching a shuttle to the city. For people with extra space in their bags, and a penchant for alcohol and saving money at the same time, the Duty Free Shop is the place to be.

The Duty Free shop sells alcohol at prices you'd expect at the LCBO or at liquor stores in Canada. For example, a can of 355 mL of beer is about $3/can or less at the Duty Free shop. At the Vin Budin (the government regulated liquor store), it's about $4 to $5 a can, depending on the brand. At the bar, the same amount of beer is about $18 or $9 during Happy Hour (3-6pm).

I have mixed feelings about going wild over the Duty Free shop:

Pros:

• Cheaper than in the city.
• If you're going on a road trip and you're visiting places that won't have liquor stores conveniently located (they don't sell alcohol in grocery stores), having them with you to take into your Airbnb fridge is convenient.

Cons:

• If you're not renting a car, it's a lot of extra weight to carry from the airport to your accommodation, and more awkward if you can't check in to your hotel early.
• You need to ensure you have a fridge at your accommodation to chill it if it's beer or white wine.
• Stocking up on Duty Free alcohol means you're consuming it in your hotel room and unless you're travelling as a couple or friends, it's kind of sad to be drinking alone. Part of vacationing should be enjoying the local restaurants and bars, so budget for that.

Alcohol in Iceland is so expensive because it is intended to discourage alcohol use. Some Icelanders look forward to traveling abroad just to return and stop at the Duty Free store to pick up more affordable alcohol (although there are limits to how much they can bring in).

I didn't buy a whole lot at the duty free store because alcohol is liquid, and liquid can get heavy. Although I had room in my luggage, I knew I had to get to the hotel and someone's bound to handle my luggage roughly (because they've got places to go and no idea what precious liquids you have in there).

Plus, you're on vacation! Part of travel is visiting bars and treating yourself. Just be prepared to pay around $20 for a pint of [okay] beer.

Lesson 4: Connectivity is pretty important

If you're used to using your phone to navigate anywhere, including your own home city/country, then you're definitely going to need it when you arrive in Iceland.

Picking up a SIM card for data/internet is pretty easy and affordable. However, I didn't want to fuss with SIM cards because they are so tiny and you can easily misplace them and then you're screwed when you return home.

Instead, I got I got a "pocket Wi-Fi" device from Trawire, which was delivered to a gift shop near my hotel. It needs to be charged every night, or turned off when you're not using it so it saves battery. It's basically like a cell phone with a SIM card in it, always on HotSpot mode (except you cannot call or browse the internet with it). It worked out to be about $12 CAD a day, and it would've been cheaper had I reserved it more than 2 days in advance.

After you're done with it, you return it to any post office box (there are 2 at the airport) when you're done. The device comes with a box that has postage-paid.

While hotel WiFi might be enough for some, it really helped me get my bearing and find places I wanted to visit within the city and in the very remote parts of Iceland. I highly recommend pre-booking your device so you can pick it up at the airport and use it right away.

Lesson 5: Take the FlyBus from the airport to the city

I used FlyBus Airport Transfer to catch my shuttle to the city. Their tickets are flexible in terms of when you catch the shuttle (due to arrival flights potentially having delays), but strict in the time they pick you up to go back to the airport.

The lowest rate drops you off at the bus terminal, and from there you can walk to your hotel or Airbnb. This is a good option if your accommodation is less than a 10 minute walk. If you're travelling in the winter, and you arrive in the city around 9:00 am, it's going to still be dark. And if you have no WiFi or offline maps on your phone, it can be a challenge to find your hotel.

I suggest booking a hotel that is a 15 minute walk max from the bus terminal (use Google Maps to estimate walking time). If it takes longer than that, walking around with your luggage can get aggravating (even if your luggage rolls, because some ground is uneven), so opt for the FlyBus Plus option (about $15 extra) where additional shuttles will take you close to your hotel.

The ride was comfortable, and it took only 45 minutes from pick-up to arrival to my hotel.

Lesson 6: Harpa is a great place to kill time if it's too cold to wander around

Because check-in is 15:00/3:00 pm, and I arrived at 8:00 am, I dropped my luggage off at the front desk Alda Hotel on Laugavegur street. I chose this hotel for its central location, modern decor, and access to a hot tub (because my room only had a shower). They were a pleasure to deal with.

Unfortunately, the room I booked was not ready for early check-in, so I was left with wandering the streets of Reykjavik for about 4 hours hours until my food tour at 12:30.

To kill time, I stopped by a café to get a flat white coffee (600 ISK/$6 CAD), walked around Reykjavik, and made my way to Harpa Conference Hall to use the restrooms and take more pictures and videos of it than anyone cares to see.

At this point of my day, I was ready to keel over and sleep for days, but I had to stay up for the food tour.

Lesson 7: Go on a Food Tour

At Harpa, I met Ben, my tour guide for the Reykjavik Food Tour.

I booked this tour for the start of my trip to help me kill time, get a good footing of the city, and it is conveniently scheduled at 12:30 / lunch time. You get to taste 10 restaurants' food (appetizer sized) and it is a great introduction to all of Reykjavik's popular restaurants (especially ones that are hard to book around the holidays).

I was very jet lagged but fed and happy. The tour was awesome. Ben was an excellent tour guide and kept everyone engaged with facts and history about Iceland while we ate. My favourite restaurant was Messinn where I tried mashed fish which is like mashed potatoes but made of fish. It was sooo good. The famous Icelandic hot dogs were delicious too, served with deep fried onion bits.

I wouldn't recommend doing it the day you land in Iceland if you have an overnight flight. If I could do it all over again, I would do this the day after I land.

Lesson 8: It's okay to end a tour early

I skipped the 5th and last stop of the food tour because I was absolutely dead tired. I thanked Ben for his time and he proceeded to take the rest of the group to Café Loki which I visited on my own later on. I walked back to my hotel to collect my luggage and check in!

Here is my room:

I booked the Economy Double Room placed on the 2nd floor facing Laugavegur street, which was noisy up until 10pm after which it was pretty quiet until 8:00 am.

It is suitable for a couple (there were 2 robes, 2 twin mattresses put together and 2 duvets) but even for a solo traveller like me, it was still tight. When I sat on the toilet, my knees grazed the shower stall door. There is a desk, a big red sitting chair (not pictured), and a TV.

There is a sauna and hot tub and it was really nice. It is free to use as often as you like if you are staying at the hotel.

I took a shower, unpacked, and by then it was 16:00/4:00 pm. I took a nap and woke up around 17:00/5:00 pm. By this time, sun had set but the night is young in Reykjavik! I grabbed my camera and headed out to take some night street photos.

I brought only 2 lenses with me. I know in an earlier post I led you all to think I only brought 1 lens, which was the 20mm f/2.8, but, surprise! I ended up bringing the 16mm f/2.8 and the nifty 50mm f/1.8. I also packed a 70-300mm but reserved that for landscape shots on the Ring Road which I'll share later on. These 2 lenses + my camera body fit nicely into a small purse.

Because I was stuffed from the food tour, and my body clock was just so messed up, I just ate instant oatmeal and some fruit from the grocery store.

I tucked myself into bed and that was my first of night in Reykjavik!

Onto Day 2: Lopapeysas, Braud, Fishmrkt, Þúfa.