I leave in a week. I’m taking suggestions for what to throw in my suitcase. Suggestions can be witty or actually helpful. I have my passport and hotel reservations and a digital camera that I need to figure out how to work…
Anything else?
How many gigs is the chip in your camera? The higher the resolution of the pictures, the fewer you can take. I’d get a second chip if it’s small.
You should take me 
Did you pack warm enough clothes? That would be my main concern since it sounds very cold over there in the Land of Ice.
Also, while I’ve never actually filled up a chip in a camera, it wouldn’t hurt to take an extra.
Take some worry dolls. I take mine with me when I go on trips, and I always come out OK. 
Take all kinds of clothes as the weather is prone to change at a moment’s notice. Also, rain gear and thick boots will be necessary when hiking. A bathing suit for the hot springs?
And something to stuff in your nose when you are visiting the mud pits
My ex spent a month in Iceland on a language course. I think she would recommend…
- Lots and lots and lots of money, unless you plan on living on spaghetti and coffee like she did. She was able to augment her diet with food lent to her by the student kitchen (until the day she checked the label on a sausage from the fridge and noticed the main ingredient was “cheval,” aka “horse”). Granted, she was living on a student’s budget, but she thought food and drink were extremely pricey…and that for someone who grew up in Paris and lived in Norway for a while.
1a. A working knowledge of names of food in Icelandic. If you don’t know what hakarl, selshreifar, or sursaðir hrutspungar are, now is the time to find out. (In defense of Iceland, my ex loved the dried fish snacks and the kaviar in tubes.)
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Rain gear. It rained a lot in Reykjavik, she said, and she was supposedly there during the good weather.
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A blindfold. No, really. When it’s 3 am and the sun is still out, it comes in handy for sleeping purposes.
That’s all I can remember. I do recall that she said that Iceland was difficult to get around in if one didn’t have a car. She only took one trip outside of Reykjavik, and she ended up walking to most places.
Also: Pictures!
I hadn’t thought about a second chip–something to ponder. I have a sleep mask already. I know about the food (but not the names); I am packing some peanut butter–this is Iceland on a budget.
I was going to pack layers of clothes. I suppose this means I must try on a bathing suit. Gah. :eek:
A bathing suit is a must! You will be enjoying the hot tubs!
Apparently the weather is still nice (even though I’ve left) - sunny and warm all day today (you can check the forecast on www.vedur.is).
And why bring peanut butter??? Iceland has tons of goody breakfast stuff available at a Bonus store (the cheapset grocery stores in Iceland) only 500 m from your hotel. You just walk down Laugarvegur and there it is on the right.
I agree with Duke. Unless price relativities have changed significantly since I was there in 2005…I suggest that you take lots and lots of money. I’ve never been anywhere where everything was so expensive.
It’s changed, believe me, it’s changed.
Lets take the ISK vs the Swedish Krona (SEK) as an example. When I moved to Iceland in -06 I got 7,9 ISK for an SEK, and last week I paid 17,3 ISK for a SEK 
I think the rate of exchange is definitely in my favor. Finally, a break! 
I think it’s kinda freaky that you know to the meter just where my hotel is, Worm. If you weren’t already in Sweden, I might have to actually meet you. 
What is this I hear about my cell phone not working in Iceland? I have an international feature–what gives? I am hoping my laptop works–I can post about my trip (and Worm can advise me as I go about).
I will be bringing my ATM card and a credit card (For emergencies). I think the exchange is something along the lines of 76 krona for $1. This is GOOD.
You need to take me.
Totally! But you did mention your hotel in a previous post and it just so happens that one of my cousins used to work there
All I know about cellphones is that I can use the same one in Sweden and Iceland. Maybe you yanks have a weird system?
The camera’s battery charger? (assuming it uses one!)
And ehm… it’s about 126 krona for $1. At least according to a local bank.
GSM phones in Europe operate on the 900 and 1800 MHz bands while in the US and Canada they use the 850 and 1900 MHz bands. Most modern phones can handle at least 3 of these but you need look up the specifications of your phone to be certain. At any rate one should avoid using cell phones while abroad, the roaming fees are no joke.
You can buy a prepaid card at the airport shop, when you land (it’s called FRELSI). At least that gives you the chance to text and recieve calls without paying a fortune.
This of course asumes that your phone works
I suggest Cuddl Duds to wear under your clothes. (If you haven’t heard of them, they are a lightweight long underwear.) I have worn them under my work clothes for the Chicago winter commute and they work like a charm. The bonus is when you get inside you will stay cool. They are not itchy, you could double them as pajamas, and they pack well. The website has a store locator, but I’ve also found them at Filene’s Basement.
A note: I have tried other types of silk longjohns and they do not work nearly as well as Cuddl Duds.
Don’t forget to take Elf-Away!