![\"image\"](\"https:\/\/farm6.staticflickr.com\/5335\/14106630916_53c2213d54_z.jpg\")
<\/a>Reykjavik at 10 PM in early May<\/p><\/div>\n
getting around<\/h3>\n\n- from the airport: <\/strong>if your accommodations in Reykjavik are close<\/a> to Harpa<\/a> (the big glass concert venue on the shore), take the KexPress<\/a> bus service instead of the Flybus<\/a> (like i did, ugh) from the airport. fares on the former are the equivalent of ~$22 round trip, compared to about $40 round trip on the latter (when prepurchased online). you will have to do some walking from the airport terminal<\/a> and from\/to Harpa but it might be worth it for you. note that the Flybus+ service has destination-specific dropoffs and pickups, so you may want to choose that if you have a lot of luggage since it serves most hotels, although you may have to switch to a smaller bus once you get into town at the BSI bus station.<\/li>\n
- around Reykjavik: <\/strong>the downtown area is compact enough to walk. if you have a car in the city, note that some streets can get crowded during heavy traffic periods, leading to frustrating delays. street parking, though, is readily available (at least now — again, early May) and parking meters are easily used and reasonable. for parking in front of our Airbnb it was 100kr (slightly less than a dollar) per hour, and is only metered from 10 AM until
5<\/del> 6 PM.<\/li>\n- around Iceland<\/strong>: having a rental car is the best, so you’re not reliant on (tour) buses and their schedules. roads are in good condition and for the most part i found the locals to be good drivers. just remember that gas is not cheap around these parts. the biggest thing that i saw was several people opening their (parked) car doors without checking for traffic behind them first. beware!<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
the environment<\/h3>\n
while spectacular, there are some things to keep in mind:<\/p>\n
\n- because Iceland is so far north, beware super short days in winter and midnight sun in summer. the latter might sound great, but it can really cause trouble if you’re a light sleeper and you don’t have blackout curtains at your accommodation. even now, in early May, it doesn’t get dark until well past 10 PM and sunrise is around 4:30 AM. bring an eyemask if you anticipate problems.<\/li>\n
- the water, unless you’re in a fancy place that filters it, smells like eggs\/sulfur — especially hot water. this is especially noticeable when you are taking a bath or shower. it’s HELLA FUNKAY. people say you get used to it, and you do to some extent, but i’m almost at day 4 here and it’s still bothering me! luckily it doesn’t linger so you don’t smell like you just passed gas all day long.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
shopping<\/h3>\n\n- expect to pay Scandinavian prices — i.e., a lot<\/em>. casual dinners in not-fancy cafes or restaurants can easily top $20 for an entree, although the food is quite good and i suppose, once you get past the sticker shock, it’s not necessarily a bad value if you pick your places right. however, fast food is not cheap. i had shawarma takeaway last night and it was about $12.50; a large Pizza Hut pizza with 2 toppings and soda for 2 is over $40. my splurge dinner was a multicourse Icelandic-themed tapas for about $60 (not including drinks except the shot of brenniv\u00edn<\/a>). ps: i quite enjoyed the puffin!
\nUPDATE: also, please note that one of the items on the menu is minke whale<\/a>, which i didn’t realize was not a traditional dish until after i got back and researched and is basically a tourist thing to eat. read this<\/a> for more information on whaling in Iceland. hat tip to @midath72<\/a>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\nOk I'm trying this crazy menu (place super close to apt). Waiter: "are you ready?!?! *fist bump*. just had the shot\u2026 pic.twitter.com\/zseScoltNh<\/a><\/p>\n— Jonathan Khoo (@jonk) May 3, 2014<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n
the environment<\/h3>\n
while spectacular, there are some things to keep in mind:<\/p>\n
- \n
- because Iceland is so far north, beware super short days in winter and midnight sun in summer. the latter might sound great, but it can really cause trouble if you’re a light sleeper and you don’t have blackout curtains at your accommodation. even now, in early May, it doesn’t get dark until well past 10 PM and sunrise is around 4:30 AM. bring an eyemask if you anticipate problems.<\/li>\n
- the water, unless you’re in a fancy place that filters it, smells like eggs\/sulfur — especially hot water. this is especially noticeable when you are taking a bath or shower. it’s HELLA FUNKAY. people say you get used to it, and you do to some extent, but i’m almost at day 4 here and it’s still bothering me! luckily it doesn’t linger so you don’t smell like you just passed gas all day long.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
shopping<\/h3>\n
- \n
- expect to pay Scandinavian prices — i.e., a lot<\/em>. casual dinners in not-fancy cafes or restaurants can easily top $20 for an entree, although the food is quite good and i suppose, once you get past the sticker shock, it’s not necessarily a bad value if you pick your places right. however, fast food is not cheap. i had shawarma takeaway last night and it was about $12.50; a large Pizza Hut pizza with 2 toppings and soda for 2 is over $40. my splurge dinner was a multicourse Icelandic-themed tapas for about $60 (not including drinks except the shot of brenniv\u00edn<\/a>). ps: i quite enjoyed the puffin!
\nUPDATE: also, please note that one of the items on the menu is minke whale<\/a>, which i didn’t realize was not a traditional dish until after i got back and researched and is basically a tourist thing to eat. read this<\/a> for more information on whaling in Iceland. hat tip to @midath72<\/a>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n
Ok I'm trying this crazy menu (place super close to apt). Waiter: "are you ready?!?! *fist bump*. just had the shot\u2026 pic.twitter.com\/zseScoltNh<\/a><\/p>\n
— Jonathan Khoo (@jonk) May 3, 2014<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n
- expect to pay Scandinavian prices — i.e., a lot<\/em>. casual dinners in not-fancy cafes or restaurants can easily top $20 for an entree, although the food is quite good and i suppose, once you get past the sticker shock, it’s not necessarily a bad value if you pick your places right. however, fast food is not cheap. i had shawarma takeaway last night and it was about $12.50; a large Pizza Hut pizza with 2 toppings and soda for 2 is over $40. my splurge dinner was a multicourse Icelandic-themed tapas for about $60 (not including drinks except the shot of brenniv\u00edn<\/a>). ps: i quite enjoyed the puffin!