Team-BHP > Travelogues


Reply
  Search this Thread
46,053 views
Old 6th April 2017, 21:03   #46
NPV
Distinguished - BHPian
 
NPV's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Namma Bengaluru
Posts: 7,207
Thanked: 10,234 Times
Re: Iceland: Not just a destination, but a therapy!

Wow, what an awesome trip with beautiful captures and wonderful narration - thanks for sharing

Rated your travelogue 5 stars, much lesser than it's real worth
NPV is offline   (1) Thanks
Old 6th April 2017, 21:35   #47
Distinguished - BHPian
 
Thad E Ginathom's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Chennai
Posts: 10,957
Thanked: 26,123 Times
Re: Iceland: Not just a destination, but a therapy!

There were one or two giggles in the place names. I'm sure you guys must have had some private laughs. Seriously, though, I suspect that some of their language and pronunciation, which would be strange to me as an Englishman, would not be nearly so odd to my neighbours across the border in Scotland.
Thad E Ginathom is offline   (1) Thanks
Old 7th April 2017, 09:14   #48
Distinguished - BHPian
 
hemanth.anand's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Bengaluru
Posts: 3,272
Thanked: 14,692 Times
Re: Iceland: Not just a destination, but a therapy!

Iceland...Beautiful as always.
A Dream of mine which I don't know will come true. You have lived many people's dreams in those 2 weeks //M.
Fauna: Whales, Seals, Foxes, Birds,
Nature: Volcanoes, Sulphur Springs, Northern lights, Snow, Waterfall,
Cartoons: Mickey, Minnie, Wall-E, Alladin
Architecture: Eiffel tower, Sacré-Cœur, Champs-Élysées,
Vehicles: Jeep, Super cars, Planes, Boats, Amphibious vehicles, metro train

That's some myriad of things you've covered!

Congratulations and thanks for sharing it with us.
hemanth.anand is offline   (1) Thanks
Old 7th April 2017, 09:49   #49
//M
Distinguished - BHPian
 
//M's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: New Delhi
Posts: 6,174
Thanked: 22,802 Times
Re: Iceland: Not just a destination, but a therapy!

Quote:
Originally Posted by 9thsphinx View Post
Absolutely stunning vistas... Your beautiful narration of it makes the place come alive to the reader!

I'd like to draw a faint comparison between Iceland and Nova Scotia (a place I've lived a few years), they're almost alike in the way the landscape dictates the beauty of the place - quaint, simple yet stunning and majestic in its own way!

Iceland has now been added to my must-visit list. Thank you for this wonderful travelog.

Thread rated 5 stars.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Orange GTX View Post
Absolutely stunning.
Adjectives will fall short to describe the beauty of Iceland.
And the beauty is enhanced with the apt narration.
Iceland is already in my bucket list now.
I am really impressed by your meticulous planning and think it is worth every penny spent.
Quote:
Originally Posted by NPV View Post
Wow, what an awesome trip with beautiful captures and wonderful narration - thanks for sharing

Rated your travelogue 5 stars, much lesser than it's real worth
Quote:
Originally Posted by hemanth.anand View Post
Iceland...Beautiful as always.
A Dream of mine which I don't know will come true. You have lived many people's dreams in those 2 weeks //M.
Fauna: Whales, Seals, Foxes, Birds,
Nature: Volcanoes, Sulphur Springs, Northern lights, Snow, Waterfall,
Cartoons: Mickey, Minnie, Wall-E, Alladin
Architecture: Eiffel tower, Sacré-Cœur, Champs-Élysées,
Vehicles: Jeep, Super cars, Planes, Boats, Amphibious vehicles, metro train

That's some myriad of things you've covered!

Congratulations and thanks for sharing it with us.
Thank you so much. I would be glad if this log helps you in planning your trip to Iceland.


Quote:
Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom View Post
There were one or two giggles in the place names. I'm sure you guys must have had some private laughs. Seriously, though, I suspect that some of their language and pronunciation, which would be strange to me as an Englishman, would not be nearly so odd to my neighbours across the border in Scotland.
Possibly true.

I met an elderly Englishman in Silfra on the first day of our roadtrip. During a casual conversation, he mentioned that even though the Icelandic people speak good English but their pronunciation is so different that it takes a while before one understands what exactly is being spoken.


Quote:
Originally Posted by shipnil View Post
Excellent, well written travelogue with beautiful pictures //M. The best part I liked about this log is it is a complete log written from start to end in one single shot. With many travelogues it so happens that the writer loses motivation in between or gets busy with life and couldn't devote any time to it and it remains incomplete leaving many readers high and dry.
Thanks a lot shipnil. I have been into that phase during one of my previous travelogues (Winter Ladakh), where I lost motivation to complete it. Thereafter, all travelogues that I have posted in Team-BHP have been complete, start to end in one single shot.
//M is offline   (1) Thanks
Old 7th April 2017, 10:29   #50
Distinguished - BHPian
 
swiftnfurious's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Chennai
Posts: 7,198
Thanked: 9,645 Times
Re: Iceland: Not just a destination, but a therapy!

Quote:
Originally Posted by //M View Post
....Ever since we returned back to our daily monotonous lives, we realized that its easy to take our thoughts out of Iceland but it is very difficult to take Iceland out of our thoughts !...
Whattay beautiful t-log !! Spell bound! Seeing the pics, I have had thoughts of even settling down there and I can imagine how you feel, being there for some days.

It's such a beautiful place and the way the place is maintained deserve serious appluase. I loved the Egg bridge and such a normal element brings so much beauty by virtue of design.

Breath taking photographs too.
swiftnfurious is offline   (1) Thanks
Old 7th April 2017, 14:47   #51
BHPian
 
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: KL-7/ KL-8
Posts: 362
Thanked: 712 Times
Re: Iceland: Not just a destination, but a therapy!

Quote:
Originally Posted by //M View Post

We tried all kinds of travel hacks - went incognito, deleted cookies, used different IPs and tracked multiple websites.

For flight tickets, we used to track multiple websites and different routes. We had evaluated Mumbai - Keflavik - Mumbai, Mumbai - Paris - Keflavik - Paris - Mumbai, Mumbai - Frankfurt - Keflavik - Frankfurt - Mumbai, Mumbai - Amsterdam - Keflavik - Amsterdam - Mumbai, Mumbai - Brussels - Keflavik - Brussels - Mumbai, and I am sure you get the drift.

The booking of stay options, however, took us 4-5 months. We read reviews of homestays/hotels on various travel websites and finalised our route plan. Based on the route plan, we shortlisted 5-6 properties for each night's stay. Then we used the travel hacks to track prices. Based on the best deals available, we used to confirm our bookings.

Plus, Airbnb was offering INR 1500 cashback if one refers a friend and he/she does a booking. So the six of us (A, B, C, D, E, F) made a strategy. A referred B, B referred C, C referred D, D referred E and E referred F. Then F made the first booking and E received an INR 1500 cashback. Then E made the second booking and D received an INR 1500 cashback and this continued. So we saved INR 7500 through this hack.
Thank you for clarifying.
That is some amazing planning there. No wonder you managed to get good deals. All the hard work paid off I guess.
I am particularly impressed with how you managed to apply the AirBnB cash back deal to all 6 of your bookings. Well done!.
I am inspired to do such meticulous planning, but knowing me I will probably just do things on a whim and fancy.
alphadog is offline   (3) Thanks
Old 7th April 2017, 17:51   #52
BHPian
 
snaseer's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2017
Location: Mangalore
Posts: 95
Thanked: 194 Times
Re: Iceland: Not just a destination, but a therapy!

WOW. Amazing pictures . Loved them & rated 5 stars.

What would be the best time to visit this place.
snaseer is offline   (1) Thanks
Old 8th April 2017, 09:47   #53
BHPian
 
nkishore_007's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Stockholm
Posts: 85
Thanked: 39 Times
Re: Iceland: Not just a destination, but a therapy!

Indeed a beautiful country. Thanks for sharing the pictures. It has been in my "to visit" list for quite some time. Btw, which month were you guys there? Sorry if I missed that detail in your write up.
nkishore_007 is offline   (1) Thanks
Old 8th April 2017, 09:53   #54
//M
Distinguished - BHPian
 
//M's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: New Delhi
Posts: 6,174
Thanked: 22,802 Times
Re: Iceland: Not just a destination, but a therapy!

Quote:
Originally Posted by swiftnfurious View Post
Whattay beautiful t-log !! Spell bound! Seeing the pics, I have had thoughts of even settling down there and I can imagine how you feel, being there for some days.

It's such a beautiful place and the way the place is maintained deserve serious appluase. I loved the Egg bridge and such a normal element brings so much beauty by virtue of design.

Breath taking photographs too.
Even I have had thoughts of settling down there. There is more to Iceland than the few waterfalls and scintillating landscapes, Icelandic women are gorgeous. Who in their right mind wouldn't want to settle there !


Quote:
Originally Posted by alphadog View Post
Thank you for clarifying.
That is some amazing planning there. No wonder you managed to get good deals. All the hard work paid off I guess.
I am particularly impressed with how you managed to apply the AirBnB cash back deal to all 6 of your bookings. Well done!.
I am inspired to do such meticulous planning, but knowing me I will probably just do things on a whim and fancy.
Hahaa thanks. Frankly, I enjoy doing the planning part. The very idea of 'planning for a trip' excites me. But even after so much planning, most of my trips are unplanned. You may see my previous travelogues to get the idea.

Basically, I love to feel that I am going on some kind of a trip.


Quote:
Originally Posted by snaseer View Post
WOW. Amazing pictures . Loved them & rated 5 stars.

What would be the best time to visit this place.
Thanks a lot sir.

Iceland can be visited all around the year. During the summer months (mid May - mid September), the daylight is almost upto 20-22 hours on some days. This is because of the Midnight Sun. More daylight means one can cover a lot of places. But it is also the peak tourist season in Iceland and there are absolutely zero chances of seeing the Northern Lights during these months.

The winters (mid October - mid March) are very very cold. You get to see a lot of ice and the nights are long, expect almost upto 20-22 hours of darkness. Chances of seeing the Northern Lights are almost certain if the sky is clear.

The shoulder season (mid March to mid May and mid September to mid October) sees less number of tourists. Daylight is around 10-12 hours a day much like we have it here in India. There are minimal chances of seeing the Northern Lights though. Expect rains and windy conditions.

End-October/Early-November is a sweet spot when the Winter arrives. It is the end of the shoulder season so hotel rates are still low, expect snowfall and slightly windy conditions. But chances of seeing the Northern Lights is also possible.

Many people plan two trips to Iceland. One during summers to witness the Midnight Sun. The other during peak winters to see the Northern Lights.

During the summers, you may rent a camper van to go around Iceland if you don't mind to be a backpacker kind of traveller. Camping grounds are open so you need not splurge on accommodation.

During the shoulder-seasons and winters, it is advisable to have a 4x4 car as the weather gets unpredictable. Most camper vans are not 4x4s plus camping grounds are closed so you will have to book stay options in advance.

Hope this helps !


Quote:
Originally Posted by nkishore_007 View Post
Indeed a beautiful country. Thanks for sharing the pictures. It has been in my "to visit" list for quite some time. Btw, which month were you guys there? Sorry if I missed that detail in your write up.
We were there from 16th October to 27th October 2016, at the onset of the winter season.

Last edited by //M : 8th April 2017 at 09:57.
//M is offline   (4) Thanks
Old 8th April 2017, 13:07   #55
Newbie
 
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Delhi
Posts: 14
Thanked: 11 Times
Re: Iceland: Not just a destination, but a therapy!

Stunning pictures and a dream vacation, retold superbly, I almost felt I was there...The homestays were especially splendid pictures !
So how did you manage the cold throughout ? Will North India winter clothing do ? To get a rough idea , a 10 day trip to Iceland would be in the same budget as a 10 day euro tour ?
shivaru is offline   (1) Thanks
Old 8th April 2017, 16:11   #56
Distinguished - BHPian
 
Thad E Ginathom's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Chennai
Posts: 10,957
Thanked: 26,123 Times
Re: Iceland: Not just a destination, but a therapy!

Quote:
Originally Posted by //M View Post
... ... ... Icelandic women are gorgeous. Who in their right mind wouldn't want to settle there !
If that's the criterion, nobody in their right mind would ever leave India!

Thad E Ginathom is offline   (4) Thanks
Old 8th April 2017, 17:12   #57
//M
Distinguished - BHPian
 
//M's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: New Delhi
Posts: 6,174
Thanked: 22,802 Times
Re: Iceland: Not just a destination, but a therapy!

Quote:
Originally Posted by shivaru View Post
Stunning pictures and a dream vacation, retold superbly, I almost felt I was there...The homestays were especially splendid pictures !
So how did you manage the cold throughout ? Will North India winter clothing do ? To get a rough idea , a 10 day trip to Iceland would be in the same budget as a 10 day euro tour ?
Thanks a lot !

The cold was not an issue, we as a group had done couple of winter treks in the Himalayas in the past, braving the cold from -20°C during the day to -37°C at nights. Spending 10-days at a stretch in temperatures hovering around -30°C and spending the cold nights sleeping in tents have turned us into chionophiles so the cold was not a major issue. The bigger issue were the strong winds. The North India winter clothing is perfect if one is visiting Iceland anytime except peak winters. During the extreme winter months (Dec-Feb), its better to wear clothes in layers - probably a combination of fleece, warmers and windproof jackets.

Iceland is considerably more expensive than other parts of Europe. Norway, Finland, Sweden and Iceland are probably on top of the list of most expensive tourist destinations in Europe. Its difficult to give a ballpark figure, but in terms of number of days in a given budget for Iceland vs Mainland Europe, I feel the ratio could be 3:5 approximately.


Quote:
Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom View Post
If that's the criterion, nobody in their right mind would ever leave India!

Yes absolutely. I am caught in the wrong foot.
//M is offline  
Old 8th April 2017, 17:27   #58
Distinguished - BHPian
 
Thad E Ginathom's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Chennai
Posts: 10,957
Thanked: 26,123 Times
Re: Iceland: Not just a destination, but a therapy!

Quote:
Originally Posted by //M View Post
The cold was not an issue, we as a group had done couple of winter treks in the Himalayas in the past, braving the cold from -20°C during the day to -37°C at nights. Spending 10-days at a stretch in temperatures hovering around -30°C and spending the cold nights sleeping in tents have turned us into chionophiles so the cold was not a major issue. The bigger issue were the strong winds. The North India winter clothing is perfect if one is visiting Iceland anytime except peak winters. During the extreme winter months (Dec-Feb), its better to wear clothes in layers - probably a combination of fleece, warmers and windproof jackets.
Good grief! The last time I visited UK in November (nothing sub-zero) I was wearing up to seven levels of clothing.

I guess I'm never going to see Icelandic beauty. Natural or, err... natural.
Thad E Ginathom is offline   (1) Thanks
Old 10th April 2017, 19:39   #59
BHPian
 
behaln's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2013
Location: DELHI
Posts: 234
Thanked: 230 Times
Re: Iceland: Not just a destination, but a therapy!

Unbelievably well written travelogue. Enjoyed every bit of your writing. Pictures do the justice to the amazing narration.
Rated well deserved 5 stars.
behaln is offline   (1) Thanks
Old 11th April 2017, 00:21   #60
BHPian
 
ptushar's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Pune
Posts: 348
Thanked: 267 Times
Re: Iceland: Not just a destination, but a therapy!

Quote:
Originally Posted by //M View Post
Visas done and all stay options booked.

We were all game for Iceland.
Awesome. Super pictures and excellent narration. Some of your snaps are screen saver material.

A few quick questions:
1. Did you use any agent for Visas or did you get them yourselves?
2. Where did you rent your cars from? Did this include all insurances?
3. Last but not the least. What equipment did you use for the photographs
ptushar is offline   (1) Thanks
Reply

Most Viewed
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search

Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Team-BHP.com
Proudly powered by E2E Networks