Að eiga góðar stundir - eine schöne Zeit

The day started at 3:00 am. Fortunately, the brightness made it easier to get up in the middle of the night. At 4:00 am, we set off on our last journey with all our belongings. On the way to the airport, we had one more highlight planned: the bridge between two continents (Miðlína). Half past four is a highly recommended time, as you have the place all to yourself. Unfortunately, it was freezing cold and we were a bit pressed for time, so we couldn't enjoy the solitude for long.

Upon arriving at the airport, we returned our rental car (which surprisingly went smoothly) and started the journey back home.

In summary:

Marshmallows in the meadow

The colorful haystacks caught our attention right from the start. According to our research, the colors have the following meanings:

The pink-wrapped haystacks, for example, symbolize the fight against breast cancer. One euro or 425 ISK is donated from each roll of plastic wrap to the cancer research society to help finance new medical equipment.

"Child labor"

One thing that stood out from the beginning is that young people work especially in supermarkets. Due to the small population, it is common for simpler tasks to be carried out by young people.

Sweaters

Actually, the famous Icelandic sweaters are regularly worn by the locals in everyday life.

Police

We only saw one police car throughout our trip. The country has no military, yet it is one of the safest in the world.

Sheep

It feels like there are more sheep than people on the whole island, at least in the north. We rarely encountered whole herds, mostly it was a trio (mother and two children).

Traffic

Iceland hardly has any traffic lights, most of the traffic is regulated by roundabouts. The speed limit is 90 km/h. On some routes, this limit was not necessary, while on others, the specified maximum speed could never be reached. There are usually no guardrails, especially not on winding passes.

Motorcycles, scooters, and bicycles were exceptions as means of transportation.

Country and people

The people of Iceland are a very warm-hearted people and very proud of their nation. Here, pedestrians always have the right of way. In terms of various amenities (mobile data network, medical care), Iceland is on par with mainland Europe. Cashless shopping is not a problem here - even the fees for public toilets can be paid with a credit card :D. At many gas stations, cash payment is not possible.

In conclusion, Iceland is a highly recommended travel destination, especially the north, which is often overlooked by many travelers. We will definitely come back.

Iceland, it was nice being with you!