Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
guesthouses or hotels and eating in restaurants for
every meal means that you're looking at daily
expenses of upwards of 30,000kr.
None of the above takes into account
additional
costs
for entertainment such as tours, entry fees,
drinking or alternative transport such as flights and
ferries, for which we've given prices in the guide.
Car
rental
will add a minimum 15,000kr a day, plus fuel,
to daily expenses - see p.30 for more about this.
times: they are thin-skinned about depictions of
Iceland as a nation of backwards, axe-wielding
Beserkers in horned helmets.
Discussing the
environment
can lead to
heated arguments; over-grazing of sheep has
caused serious erosion over the centuries,
countered by the importation of arctic lupins to
help stabilize and revitalise the soil - which are
themselves now spreading out of control. The
right to continue whaling is also pursued as a
cultural issue. Pride in Iceland's Nordic heritage
occasionally surfaces as low-level
racism
, though
with noticeable populations of Chinese, Thai and
Filipino migrants settled in Reykjavík, not to
mention tourists of all nationalities passing
through, this is not a major a issue.
The major
social blunders
made by visitors are
usually at swimming pools. Remove your shoes
before entering the changing rooms (there will be a
rack by the door); leave your towel in the shower
area between the changing rooms and the pool,
not in your locker (this is so you can towel off
before returning to the changing rooms, keeping
them dry); and shower fully, with soap and without
swimwear, before getting in the pool. Forget any of
these rules and you can expect to be soundly
rebuked by locals.
Crime and personal safety
Iceland is a peaceful country, and it's unlikely that
you'll encounter much trouble here. Most public
places are well lit and secure, people are helpful, if
somewhat reserved, and street crime and hassles
are rare. Needless to say, hitching alone, or
wandering around central Reykjavík late at night, is
unwise.
Most incidents involve
petty crime
and are
largely confined to Reykjavík. Many criminals are
drug addicts or alcoholics after easy money; keep
tabs on your cash and passport (and don't leave
anything visible in your car when you park it) and
you should have little reason to visit the
police
. If
you do seek them out, you'll find them unarmed,
concerned and usually able to speak English -
remember to get an insurance report from them if
you have anything stolen.
As for
offences
you might commit,
drink-
driving
is taken extremely seriously here, so don't
do it: catch a taxi. Being incoherently
drunk
in
public in Reykjavík might also get you into trouble,
but in a country campsite you probably won't be
the only one, and (within reason) nobody is going
to care.
Drugs
, however, are treated as harshly here
as in much of the rest of Europe.
Sexual harassment
is less of a problem in
Iceland than elsewhere in Europe. Although you
might receive occasional unwelcome attentions in
Reykjavík clubs, there's very rarely any kind of
violent intent. If you do have any problems, the fact
that almost everyone understands English makes it
easy to get across an unambiguous response.
Electricity
Electricity is 240v, 50Hz AC. Plugs are round-pin
with either two or three prongs; appliances fitted
with overseas plugs need an adaptor.
Entry requirements
Citizens from Schengen countries, the European
Economic Area, the US, Canada, Australia, New
Zealand and many other nations require
no visa
to
visit Iceland for up to three months providing that
their passport is valid for at least three months after
the date of arrival. For the full list, and information
on how to apply for a visa if you do require one,
contact the Icelandic Directorate of Immigration
(
W
utl.is).
As regards
customs regulations
, all visitors to
Iceland, irrespective of country of origin, can bring
in the following: up to three kilos of food (but no
uncooked meat of any sort); and either 1 litre of
spirits and 1 litre of wine, or 1 litre of spirits and
6 litres of beer, or 1.5 litres of wine and 6 litres of
beer or 3 litres of wine. In addition to this, 200
cigarettes, or 250g of other tobacco products, are
also permitted.
Culture and etiquette
Iceland is an egalitarian, outgoing country, and
public behaviour is pretty much the same as
wherever you've come in from - though perhaps a
little less inhibited in Reykjavík's nightclubs.
Icelanders are proud of their country's modernity,
its written culture and the fact that many people
can trace their family histories right back to Saga
