11 Practical Tips to Keep in Mind When in Iceland

1. Waterproof pants are a must.

Want to walk behind Seljalandsfoss? Go to Gljufrabui? Get up close to any waterfall? Survive with 20 mph winds blowing rain at you? You technically need waterproof everything, but you may not think to get waterproof pants. Wet jeans are a sure way to be miserable. We had raincoats, relatively waterproof hiking boots, waterproof pants, and we were still pretty soaked after a day of waterfalls and rain.

2. Stay healthy when traveling.

We asked a local Icelander what would happen if someone has heart attack outside of the major cities, such as Reykjavik and Akuyreri. His response? *shrugs nonchalantly* “They just die. This is Iceland. But don't worry, you'll be fine.” I'm not sure if this is actually true, but it's a good thing to keep in mind. Along these lines, medical facility hours seem to range from 8 a.m.-4 p.m. In larger cities, emergency rooms are open 24 hours, although you will have to pay a much higher fee.

3. Know your credit card pin numbers.

Some countries, like the U.S., usually don't require a pin number for your credit cards or even require people to set one up. Icelandic gas stations, however, usually require you to enter a pin number when you insert your credit card. But if you don't have a pin number, don't worry! You can usually go inside if the gas station is open and buy a prepaid card. It might also be helpful to keep some money on the prepaid card in handy just in case you need gas after hours.

4. If you're on a budget, cook food when you can.

Iceland is very expensive. When D and I ate out, our average meal costs were anywhere from $20 (usually just two soup bowls) to $40+ — excluding the hot dogs we ate occasionally. It's much cheaper to buy some food from Bonus, one of Iceland's supermarkets, and cook some food here and there or eat hot dogs. Bonus is also a good place to get snacks for the road!

5. Take the time to learn your car's functions before you need them on the road.

Know where your fog lights are (you'll need them! Especially if you're driving in the evening). There were a few moments when D and I couldn't see much farther than 5-10 feet in front of us. Know where your high beams are, but remember to turn them off when you're behind a car or see a car driving towards you. And of course, know the basics, such as your emergency lights and the AC button.

6. Don't stop in the middle of the road when you're on the Ring Road.

The Ring Road is pretty much just one lane on each side. If you stop in the middle of the road, it's not safe, especially since many travelers are driving at a pretty fast pace. There a quite a number of safer places for you to pull over for the photos you want to take of the incredible landscapes.

7. Be willing to be flexible with your travel plans.

D and I had everything planned down to the hour, but there were a few days when we had to readjust our plans because of weather conditions (e.g. 30+ mph winds) or because we spent a lot more time taking photos than we expected to in one place. To that end, it might be helpful to know beforehand which places are a must-see and which places you are willing to skip if you really, really have to.

8. Bring a granola bar or some other small snacks when you're going on a hike.

We had read on a blog that one of the hikes would be pretty short. It wasn't. Halfway through, we got super, super hungry and sorely regretted leaving the food in the car. D even considered eating a rock out of desperation. When we got back, he ate all the chocolate chip cookies we had in 3 minutes. (By the way, Nature Valley Oat & Honey bars are available in Iceland.)

9. Bring paper towels and Kleenexes with you.

These will come in handy if you have any spills, wet items, or wet camera gear from the rain or waterfalls (hopefully not).

10. It's okay if you don't have cash in Iceland as long as you have a functioning credit card.

D and I had exchanged about £50. Other than using it for the taxi when I first arrived (which also took card), we used our credit cards everywhere along the Ring Road.

11. Have a travel playlist.

The Ring Road is over 800 miles long, which if you're driving responsibly, translates into a lot of road trip music. Download as much of it as you can as it may be expensive or not feasible to stream music the entire way. Epic landscapes are waiting for your epic music.

Bonus tip: Although not necessary, if you can get a car with seat warmers, do in the colder months! It's amazing.