“I don’t travel a great deal but this was definitely one of my favorite trips.” So began Jennifer Jalbert’s narrative about her and her husband’s 2024 trip to Iceland. Coincidentally, Suzanne Scarcella and her husband had visited Iceland one year earlier in 2023.
The Ring Road
Jalbert and Scarcella, Granby Women’s Breakfast regulars, shared impressions, facts and photos in their joint presentation during the group’s February meeting. Both couples started their self-driving tours in the country’s capital, Reykjavik. They proceeded
clockwise on the Ring Road, an 800-mile loop around the island, staying at pre-booked hotels along the way.
Waterfalls, glaciers, volcanos and puffins
Each day brought views of nature’s wild beauty. There are more than 10,000 waterfalls in Iceland. Jalbert found it difficult to adequately describe these giants. She settled on “Majestic” with a capital “M.” Scarcella and her husband rode a “duck boat” to view areas comprised of multiple glaciers, referred to as ice fields. Jalbert and her husband went snowmobiling on top of a glacier.
There are 100 volcanos on the island, of which 35 are active. Access to active ones is blocked; dormant areas are popular exploration sites. Rocky cliffs provide perfect spots for puffin breeding grounds. These colorful seabirds return to Iceland yearly in the millions, forming the largest puffin colonies in the world.
Ease of language and currency
Iceland’s population is 389,450. The mean age is 38.5 years. While the official language is Icelandic, English is spoken as well and is a required subject in primary school. Although the official currency of Iceland is the króna, credit card payments are the preferred method of payment across the country, offering convenience and security to travelers.
“Would you go back?”
Following the talk, a member of the audience asked if a return trip might be considered. “Absolutely,” Jalbert and Scarcella replied simultaneously.