Ask Jewells Anything About Iceland – Response Episode 5

This is the fourth episode for my segment “Ask Jewells Anything About Iceland”. Thank you to everyone who sent in questions. If you would like to submit a question, please use this link.

You can check out previous episodes on Ask Jewells Anything About Iceland here.

If you have questions that are specifically for an upcoming trip and getting the answer is time-sensitive, feel free to book a one-hour private video trip planning call with me.

1. Anne C. said:
“Have you been to Faroe Islands? Is it an easy enough day trip or overnight or weekend from Iceland? What are logistics and approx costs/fees associated? Best time of year?”

Flights from Reykjavik, Edinburgh, and Oslo to the Faroe Islands with Atlantic Airways are only one hour long,

The Faroe Islands can also be reached by ferry from Iceland and Denmark. Slow travel at its best! This service is operated by a Faroese company, Smyril Line.

Icelandair flights are currently 5-6 times a week from May to October. The price starts at $206 if departing from Reykjavík

Check out Visit Faroe Islands for more information.

2. Michael F. said:
“We are returning to Iceland for the 2nd time in September. Our flight gets in early and we saw some hotels close to the airport offer a nap-n-go option. We were hoping to catch a nap before driving to Hveragerdi. Is this something you would recommend?”

I think the Nap and Go program is a great option to get some rest before heading out on the road. It seems that you need to contact the hotels for the room rates because they are not on their websites.

3. Scott H. said:
“What is it like taking a car on a ferry? To visit the Westman Islands. We are staying overnight there and I would like to have my luggage and other things with us while we are there.”

Taking the ferry to the Westman Islands has been a very positive experience for me. I think the best route is when you depart from Landeyjahöfn on mainland Iceland and going to Heimaey. You can book you car as part of your ferry ticket, which makes getting around the island even easier.

4. Ana C. said:
“Hi Jewells! How was it for you experiencing winter time in Iceland for the first years? Was it too hard? What was the most difficult part? Do people there change habbits to enjoy the little daylight they can while working for instance (like longer lunch breaks)? What changes in the daily life ? Ended up being a lot of questions 😉 Takk!

I talk a lot about the coping mechanisms I have used to thrive, and not just survive, winter in Iceland in this video.

5. Ana C. said:
“What is the most difficult part for you about learning Icelandic? Vocabulary itself, conjugation, verbs? ”

Icelandic has several things that make it difficult. Pronunciation, declensions, conjugations, and some exceptions to rules can trip anyone up. This includes Icelanders. I think my avoidance of saying something wrong due to the four cases in which words can decline or conjugating verbs was more of an issue than saying words properly.

For many language learners that have an accent when they speak Icelandic, that can be a deterrent in having Icelanders understanding what you are saying because most Icelanders are not accustomed to hearing an accent when they speak Icelandic.

6. Madeline M said:
“This isn’t exactly about Iceland, but…can you give us the backstory of your theme music?”

The selection of my theme song was based on me wanting to play music that gave you the vibe of taking a road trip or feeling nostalgic.

It would have been nice to have a local Icelandic band create the sound but I was DIYing everything so there was not a lot of money to put into this. After many hours of checking out music on a royalty free music site, I knew I had found the right song.

7. Shelley D. said:
Do you have resources for lodging in Iceland?

Yes, I have many lodging recommendations on My Iceland Map.

8. Christine said:
“Thank you for all the great advice and inspiration! What experiences or sites do you suggest for young travelers? (Ours specifically is 5 years old.) ”

My absolute pleasure! Iceland is very child friendly. There are many playgrounds, museums for younger people, local pools, and being out in nature, like doing the Golden Circle or driving around the country. Some museums that families love to take their kids are Perlan, The Lava Show, Whale of Iceland, and the Árbæjarsafn Open Air Museum.

9. Christine said:
“The reverse of my other question: what sites do you definitely suggest parents of kids avoid? Thank you!”

Glacier hikes, zip-lining or very strenuous hikes are the activities I do not recommend for young children.

10. Laura G. said:
“I am going to Iceland in August with my boys 5&8. Can you recommend a public hot spring or pool in Vik and Hofn? ”

The swimming pool in Vík – https://sundlaugar.is/en/sundlaugasafn/vik/

Höfn swimming pool – https://www.south.is/en/service/hofn-swimming-pool

11. Katie S. said:
“Hi Jewells. My husband, teenage son, and I are coming to Iceland at the beginning of July. I hope you get to this before then! I heard on a recent episode that you are 100% plant based. My husband and I are almost 100% vegetarian and are curious about the variety and availability of vegetarian/vegan dishes in Iceland. Our tour company sent us a Restaurant Guide Book, but most things that are highlighted are meat/seafood based. Also, our son is a typical American teen (we’re from upstate New York), who tends to be a bit picky. Are there good options for someone who isn’t as adventurous (pizza, burgers, etc.)?”

Yes, Dominos, Black Box Pizza, tons of burger places like 2 Guys, Tommi’s Burger Joint, Dirty Burgers and Ribs, Íslenska Hamborgarafabrikkan, and Yuzu Burger. There is also always the famous Icelandic hot dog which can be found downtown and at pretty much any gas station in the country.

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Þakka þér kærlega fyrir að hlusta og sjáumst fljótlega.