June 2, 2025
Traveling to Iceland? Here is my advice...
Icelandic Weather
Be prepared for any and all weather conditions. Check the weather outlook prior to your departure and make sure you have the proper clothing. Rain pants are a must and water resistant shoes were especially beneficially to our crew.
Iceland employs a color code system to describe weather conditions across the island. Yellow, orange, and red indicators describe the safety of travel in different regions: yellow suggests taking caution, orange advises against travel, and red indicates that travel is not recommended under any circumstances. Detailed reports from various weather stations on the island can be accessed at https://en.vedur.is/
As we prepared for our second full day in Iceland, which included what we anticipated to be our longest drive, it became evident that the weather was rapidly deteriorating. An orange alert was issued for most of our route from Hammsvik to Mývatn, and the rental car company sent an email advising against travel. Given our family's experience with driving in snow, we decided to proceed as planned. In summary, we encountered strong winds, heavy rain, and snow when traversing high-altitude mountain passes. The LandCruiser performed exceptionally well under these adverse conditions, allowing us to continue our journey without interruptions by driving slowly and exercising caution. Many travelers to Iceland rent very small cars, which I would not have considered safe in the conditions we experienced. A few small cars lost control and ended up off the road, suggesting they should not have attempted the journey.
Making Purchases in Iceland
Iceland is a cashless society, so you won’t need any physical cash during your visit. ApplePay is widely accepted as a payment method, and I personally used either ApplePay or a standard Visa card with a chip. Before traveling, I requested a PIN for my Visa card, but I didn’t need it during our stay.
In the USA, I primarily use an Amex card, but I didn’t notice any vendors in Iceland that accepted Amex. It’s crucial to ensure that your Visa card is linked to your ApplePay account before making purchases in Iceland.
Parking
I noticed very little staffing at the known tourist stops. Most parking lots require payment for parking. Prior to your Iceland visit, download the Parka parking app and get it set up with your credit card. Once you obtain your rental car, you can complete the set up process by entering your license plate number. Having the Parka app on your phone is really convenient as you can pay for parking from right in your car rather than having to visit the booth with a terminal to pay. In a couple of lots, I noticed that the parking payment stations were out of order, so having the app on your phone will save you from tracking down an operating payment station.
Purchasing Fuel
Purchasing fuel in Iceland is a bit different than in the USA but is super easy. First, it is important to note that most gas stations we encountered were unattended; what I mean to say is there is no employee associated with the fueling station. The gas pumps may be in front of a grocery store, but the gas pumps are independent of the store and are unstaffed. You will quickly notice that there are only 2 or 3 gas station brands in Iceland. We purchased most gas at N1 stations, although our rental car company provided us with a key fob that was intended to give us a discount at another brand.
The first thing to do when filling your tank is to make sure the pump is giving you information in English. On the N1 pumps, you can easily change the language by pressing on an icon in the top right corner of the screen that will then give you a choice of languages. You will have the choice of gas, diesel, or an off-road diesel (light blue color); do not use this light blue diesel. The main difference between pumps in Iceland and in the USA is that in Iceland, after entering your credit card info, the pump will ask you to choose the maximum number of liters of fuel you want to buy. I just estimated on the high side and never ran into any issues with not putting enough fuel in the car.
I do recommend that you top off your tank when you see a gas station, particularly in remote areas. We ran into one situation where the N1 station in Myvattin was out of order, and we could not fill up prior to our drive that day. There was no one on site in charge of the pump. Luckily, we had enough fuel to make it to the next gas station, but the situation did lead to a bit of concern on the way.
Driving in Iceland
Driving in Iceland is no challenge, but there are a few things you should know. Taking a right on red is not allowed, and do not speed. Iceland employs roundabouts (or rotaries, depending on where you are from), and the rules for rotaries in Iceland are different than in the States. I am not going to go into the details on the roundabouts as they are easily found online. I must emphasize though that you should not speed, and I will go into detail why this should be avoided, even if others are zipping around you. Iceland utilizes speed cameras, and although I did my best to keep it around the speed limit, I hope I don’t receive any surprises from the rental car company. Next, it must be understood that in Iceland, you are on your own; there is no safety patrol. We encountered zero cops and never saw an ambulance. We did see several wrecked cars on roadsides marked clear with yellow tape. While you are driving the ring road (Route 1 or Hringvegur) outside of cities and towns, and particularly up north, it is desolate, and you clearly get the feeling that if there is an accident, it could be hours before help arrives.
Most roads in Iceland are raised roadbeds above the lava plain. If you are forced off the road, there is no place to go but down. In the more tourist-oriented areas, there are pullouts to view sights such as scenic vistas or roadside waterfalls. In the rural areas, you can be driving past vistas so beautiful they will bring tears to your eye, but there is no place to safely stop to take in the sights.
Our family had one experience that drove home the point about not speeding. While driving a lonely stretch of road from Mývatn down to Seydisfjordur, we passed through a picturesque valley with epic waterfalls on the hillside to our left. A driver in the opposing lane unexpectedly stopped in his lane to take in the sight. This forced the driver in the car behind it to slam on its brakes and swerve sideways into our opposing lane. We were forced to slam on our brakes in order to avoid hitting the opposing car or driving off the road. As we were not driving at an excessive speed, we were able to avoid a collision. As the instigating car continued its journey, the driver of the car that swerved into our lane rolled down his window and yelled at us in a thick accent about how he was going to chase down the other driver and beat him up. The experience was quite jarring for me and my wife, but the response from the other driver was a laughable experience for the kids.
Rental Cars
The process of picking up our rental car was smooth; however, I have some advice for travelers. We rented from a reputable local rental car company and opted for the comprehensive insurance package with our rental. The vehicle chosen was a Toyota Land Cruiser 250, which is a common choice in Iceland and the largest SUV available. In addition to the rental, I requested a 4G internet hub for the car and a roof box for additional luggage storage.
Upon checking in for the car, the first vehicle provided lacked a roof box. Subsequently, they assigned another Land Cruiser with a roof box and handed me the 4G hub. The second vehicle was a diesel, which was manageable during the trip, although it would have been prudent to inquire about the emissions system due to my unfamiliarity with modern diesel engines. As we loaded the vehicle with our bags, it started raining—an ice-cold rain that caused numbness in my fingers as I struggled to close the roof box properly. After approximately ten minutes and considerable difficulty, I managed to secure the box satisfactorily. However, knowing what I know now, I should have rejected the vehicle due to the complications with the roof box.
For those traveling the Ring Road, the functionality of your vehicle is crucial. It serves as your base and safety net for the duration of the journey. On our second full day in Iceland, our main activity was visiting the top half of the Golden Circle, specifically Þingvellir, Gullfoss, and Geysir. The wind was extreme throughout the morning and continued to intensify by noon, with gusts estimated to exceed fifty or sixty miles per hour. After leaving Geysir, tired and heading towards our lodgings, the headwinds caused the empty roof box to explode, scattering plastic debris across the road. Fortunately, no other vehicles were nearby at the time. We managed to pull over and use a strap to hold the remaining portion of the box together as we slowly proceeded to the next town, where we hoped to find a place to responsibly dispose of the now shattered box.
In Laugarvatn, a young lady working in the grocery store directed us to the town recycling center, where we could dispose of the unusable box. The incident with the roof box was alarming at the time and an inconvenience at the end of an otherwise great day. I contacted the rental car company via email, who were extremely apologetic and waived any financial penalties. The lesson to be conveyed is the importance of ensuring your rental car meets your expectations upon pickup, as it is the most critical piece of equipment for guaranteeing a successful journey.
February 18, 2024
Balancing Photography with Family
If you're reading this post on my website, you're likely passionate about landscape and wildlife photography, just like me. I've been capturing nature and my surroundings for years, but it's only been in the last eight years that I've honed my skills to a point where I can produce images that show some competency. For me, it's an addiction, akin to the passion others feel for golf, fishing, or other hobbies.
The growth of my skills coincided with the birth of our three children. While I found myself with some time on my hands to read books and watch YouTube videos, I truly envied the adventures of my favorite YouTubers, who seemed to have limitless freedom to pick up and go. Once you have kids though, it's crucial to be present and raise them to the best of your ability.
So, how do you balance being present for your family with a passion for outdoor photography?
Finding Time
First and foremost, I'm fortunate to have a supportive spouse who recognizes the benefits of letting me unwind at my favorite photography locations. Honestly, if I couldn't get out for even an hour each weekend to pursue my hobby, I think I'd go stir-crazy. Here are three things I recommend to any parent to minimize the impact of their outdoor pursuits on family life:
Early mornings: This means carving out time from your schedule that doesn't interfere with peak family time. For me, this translates to getting up early before the kids and the workday begin. As a photographer, this works well because I want to be out before sunrise to capture the morning light or early wildlife activity. The only challenge with this strategy is during winter months with limited daylight hours. To maintain your sleep schedule, simply go to bed a little earlier. This strategy also works well on family vacations.
Late afternoons: If you have young children, late afternoons can be another strategic time. Basically, whenever the kids are sleeping or resting is your "go time" to avoid disrupting your ability to be present.
Family activities: I highly recommend blending your hobby into family outings. For example, on family hikes, I might pack a few lenses and a camera body alongside water bottles and snacks. Living in southwest Ohio, this might involve exploring our county parks or the beloved Cincinnati Nature Center. You can pack a macro lens and encourage your kids to help you find insects or amphibians to photograph. Alternatively, use a long lens and ask them to help you spot birds or mammals. Once, during a walk through the woods, one of our kids pointed out a barred owl perched on a branch, and I managed to capture some fantastic photos. Finding ways to get your kids interested in nature and photography can be a great family activity and a valuable tool for finding photographic subjects.
Let Them Shoot
Finally, I highly recommend letting your kids explore photography on their own. This doesn't mean handing them your expensive wildlife gear, but rather providing them with an easy-to-use tool to capture their own images. I have a few older digital point-and-shoot cameras gathering dust on my shelf that we occasionally charge up and let the kids loose with. Letting them use a camera that is inexpensive, durable, and easy to operate is a blast for them. For example, I have an Olympus TG-5 camera that I still use for underwater shots, which is practically indestructible. Our eldest son enjoys taking this camera out and capturing random shots of what he finds in the backyard or along the trail. Encouraging your kids to take their own photos with a user-friendly camera can transform your photography hobby into a shared family experience.
Intentional Planning is Key
Making a conscious effort to find time for your hobbies without negatively impacting family life actually makes it easier to pursue your interests in the long run. Much of what I've mentioned above can also be applied to other pursuits like golf, fishing, or gym time – all hobbies I also enjoy. The most important takeaway is that intentional planning can make pursuing a hobby as a parent smoother and more seamless. Good luck putting your plan together, and I hope to see you outdoors soon!