Lögberg-Heimskringla - 26.03.1999, Blaðsíða 15

Lögberg-Heimskringla • Föstudagur 26. mars 1999 • 15
Travelling in lceland—some basic facts
ICELAND IS THE SECOND-LARGEST
island in Europe, measuring
103,000 square kilometers (or
40,000 square miles) in area and is
crossed by the Arctic Circle at its north-
emmost point, the island of Grimsey.
The landscape is mountainous in char-
acter, typified by mgged and uninhabit-
ed interior highlands with sharp and
deep fjords on the north and east coasts,
and plains and black sands on its south
shore.
Landscape
Eleven percent of Iceland’s surface
is covered by glaciers, dominated by
Vatnajökull, which is the largest glacial
cap in Europe. Average height above
sea level is around 500 metres and the
highest peak, Hvannadalshnjúkur,
reaches 2,119 meters. Born from the sea
by volcanic forces 18 to 20 million
years ago, Iceland is the youngest coun-
try in the world. Volcanic forces are still
very active, with an eruption in
progress somewhere in the country one
out of every five years.
The People
Icelanders are of Scandinavian ori-
gin, with some early blending of Celtic
blood. The population is about 265,000.
More than half live in the capital city,
Reykjavík, and the surrounding towns
of Hafnarfjörður, Kópavogur,
Garðabær, and Mosfellsbær. Towns and
villages only began to develop in
Iceland at the tum of the century, when
the traditional agricultural society gave
way to urban-based commerical fishing.
Fisheries now account for eighty per-
cent of Iceland’s export earnings.
Icelandic fish is considered the finest in
the world (especially by Icelanders).
You will find Icelanders very proud of
their country and more than willing to
share their enthusiasm with foreigners.
Heathing
The electirc current in Iceland is
220 volts, 50 HZ AC. Please note that
the prongs on electrical equipment you
bring with you may be diíferent from
Icelandic standards. It is advisable to
check before using such equipment.
Time
Iceland is on Greenwich Mean
Time (GMT) throughout the year. Thus
when it is noon in Reykjavík during the
summer, the time is 08:00 in New York,
13:00 in London, 14:00 in Paris, Oslo,
Luxembourg, and Rome, and 21:00 in
Tokyo.
How to get there
Keflavík Intemational Airport, 50
km from the capital, is the centre for
flights to a number of major gateways
on both sides of the Atlantic. You can
travel from the capital by air to most
larger towns in Iceland as well to the
neighbouring Faroe Islands and
Greenland. A ferry links SeyðisQörður
in the east with ports in Norway,
Denmark, Scotland, and the Faroes dur-
ing the summer. And Eimskip mns
freight/passenger ships from Ainerica
and Europe. A national coach network
operates all year round. Visitors should
note that winter weather can block
roads and cause dismptions to domestic
air services.
Passports/Visa
A valid passport is necessary for
visitors to Iceland, except for citizens of
the Nordic countries: Denmark,
Sweden, Finland, and Norway.
A visa is not required for visits to
Iceland of less than three months for
Canadian and American citizens.
Currency Regulations
There is no limit on the amount of
foreign currency in letters of credit,
travellers’s cheques or banknotes which
can be brought into Iceland.
Cost of living
On average, one litre of milk costs
$1 (CAD). A bottle of beer costs $2. A
lunch in restaurant costs $13 and dinner
from $18. A sleeping bag accommoda-
tion costs $15 and bed and breakfast at
a guesthouse costs from $21 per person
in family rooms in the wintertime to
$39 in the summer season. Car rental is
from $50 per day including 100 km and
more—mostly more. One litre of gaso-
line costs one dollar. Iceland is also
beautiful in the wintertime so if you
want to save some money, come during
the winter.
Tipping
Service and VAT are invariably
included in prices in Iceland.
Clothing
When travelling in Iceland you
should bring along lightweight
woolens, a sweater or cardigan, a rain
proof (weatherproof) coat and sturdy
walking shoes. Also bring your swim-
suit. Campers, hikers, and travellers
into the interior will need warm under-
wear and socks, rubber boots, and warm
sleeping bags. It’s also good to buy
flares to use in emergency.
Business
Business hours are normally from
9:00 am to 5:00 pm, Monday through
Friday. Offices are closed on Saturday
and Sundays, as are most shops. Some
supermarkets in the Reykjavík area and
larger towns are open until 10:00 pm.
There are also the so-called “Sjoppur,”
these are small shops tha sell mostly
cold drinks, sweets, and tobacco. They
are open until 11:30 pm.
The Interior
In the interior you will find
unspoiled natural wonderland. There
are very few places as unspoiled as this
one left in the world. In the highlands
you can get the feeling that no one has
been there before you. Most mountaian
roads are closed until the beginning of
July, or even longer because of wet and
muddy conditions which make them
impassable. When these roads are
opened for traffic many of them can
only be traversed in four-wheel-drive
vehicles. It is strongly advised that two
or more cars travel together. Also,
before embarking on any joumey into
the interior collect as much information
as possible regarding road conditons. It
is also good idea to let someone know
where you aiæ going and at what time
you can be reached. The Boy Scouts
will keep track of you if you give them
your travel plan (which is better than
sending a helicopter and rescue team to
find you).
Nightlife
There are numerous pubs, bars, and
restaurants in the greater Reykjavík
area and no doubt everyone can find
something to suit his taste. Visitors may
find the food expensive but less expen-
sive places can be found.
Fishing/Game
Iceland has many good salmon and
trout fishing rivers and lakes. You can
also go deep-sea fishing. Icelanders try
to live in harmony with nature and live
off what nature gives them, for example
whale meat, seals, geese, ptarmigan,
and other bird, and fish, cod and had-
dock, etc. Iceland has one of the most
advanced protection systems in the
world to protect the life in the seas
around it, as fisheries account for eighty
percent of Iceland’s export eamings.
Museums
There are many interesting muse-
ums in Iceland. To name some there are
the Icelandic Maritime Museum, the
Post and Telecommunication Museum
and the Institute of Culture and Fine Art
Continued on the next page.