Day 1 (Travel to Iceland)

We began our trip around 4:00 p.m. Ohio time on Sunday, June 15th. Our son Josh drove us to the Detroit airport (Slide 1), where we made it through check-in and security with plenty of time to spare before our 8:30 p.m. departure on Icelandair flight FI872 (Slide 2). The flight left on time and even arrived early at Keflavík International Airport in Iceland (Slides 3–7).

We landed at 5:30 a.m. local time (1:30 a.m. Ohio time) and made our way to the rental car shuttle. It was a short ride to the BlueCar Rental facility, where we were quickly and efficiently assigned a Hyundai i10, which we called MOZ (small 4-door hatchback), to drive around Iceland (Slide 8). BlueCar was very easy to work with—we opted for the full insurance package, knowing that repairs in Iceland can be costly. The rental came to just under $500 for five days. With our bags packed in the back, we set off on the road to begin our adventure.

We had also opted to rent a Wi-Fi hotspot from BlueCar, which cost about $10 per day. It worked well for general internet access, but we quickly discovered a limitation: CarPlay requires Wi-Fi, so we couldn’t use my phone for map navigation while the hotspot was active. Rebecca handled directions on her phone, while I kept the music going on mine. In hindsight, I’d recommend using your overseas phone plan or an eSIM instead—it makes navigation via CarPlay or AirPlay much smoother.

Our first destination was the lighthouse at Garður (Slides 8–11), located about seven miles from the airport. It was still early in the morning when we arrived, so we had the place mostly to ourselves. We walked around the newer lighthouse, snapped a few photos, and took in the fresh sea air. Soon after, hunger set in, so we headed back to Keflavík in search of breakfast.

As we journeyed along, we couldn’t help but notice the island’s most prominent plant—the Alaskan lupine, with its tall stalks and striking blue-purple flowers (Slide 13). These blooms seem to thrive in fertile soil, making them a common sight across the island—especially during the summer months, when they’re in full, vibrant bloom. Introduced to Iceland in 1945 by Hákon Bjarnason of the Icelandic Forest Service, the lupines were initially intended to combat erosion and restore barren landscapes. While some now consider them invasive, they’ve become an integral part of the Icelandic scenery—a defining feature that we also witnessed as we approached the airport, where we saw our first Icelandic horses (Slide 15).

We found a charming bakery in Keflavík and sampled our first taste of Icelandic bread—it was absolutely delicious (Slide 16). According to Reddit, a popular routine for travelers is to visit the Garður lighthouse and then stop at Kökulist bakery in Keflavík—and now we understand why.

One thing that quickly became clear: Iceland is expensive. With most goods imported, even basic items come at a premium. A single loaf of bread at the bakery cost 1,040 ISK—about $7.50 USD. It was worth it, but definitely a reminder that food and essentials in Iceland require some budgeting.

We then plugged in our directions and set off for Reykjavík, about a 45-minute drive to the east, with active volcanoes to our south (Slide 17). Driving in Iceland takes a bit of adjustment—not because they drive on the left (they don’t; it’s the right, like in the U.S.) but because of the frequent roundabouts and modest speed limits. In towns, the speed limit is 30 km/h (19 mph). On the main highways, the speed limit is usually 90 km/h (about 55 mph), and while enforcement isn't heavy, most people stick to it. We also noticed a surprising number of Teslas on the road (Slide 30), which should be no surprise as gas is expensive at 304.94 ISK per liter (approximately USD $9.50/gallon).

We spent the rest of the morning and early afternoon exploring Reykjavík, an intriguing blend of Nordic charm and modern design. We wandered along the harbor (Slide 20), where sailing boats bobbed gently in the water and the ever-present mountains loomed in the background, giving the city a dramatic backdrop. The Harpa Concert Hall caught our eye with its shimmering glass facade (Slides 18–19), and we made our way up the hill to Hallgrímskirkja, a striking Lutheran church completed in 1986, with a statue of Leif Eriksson standing proudly out front (Slides 22–25).

Getting around Reykjavík came with its own challenges—parking was scarce and spots required payment through a phone app, which took some trial and error to figure out. And while we enjoyed our brief time in the city, our visit was cut short by the growing need for a restroom. Public toilets—marked as “WC”—can be hard to come by in Iceland, and when you do find one, there’s often a small fee to use it. So we made a hasty retreat to the car and hit the road to Selfoss, where a friendly gas station finally came to the rescue (Slide 27).

The drive to Selfoss took us through otherworldly landscapes that felt straight out of a science fiction film. We passed vast stretches of lava fields, where moss-covered hillocks rolled across the terrain like frozen waves (Slides 28–38). There were hardly any trees—just open skies, rocky ground, and the occasional plume of steam rising in the distance (Slides 34, 38). As we descended toward the coastal plain, the scenery shifted dramatically. Suddenly, everything turned lush and green, with farmland and winding rivers marking our approach to Selfoss (Slides 39–41).

We stopped for lunch by the river, enjoying the peaceful view and the striking contrast from the stark beauty of the highlands. The quiet of the countryside was a welcome break—especially since, by Ohio time, it was already 11:00 a.m. and we’d been awake for more than 27 hours. Jet lag was definitely setting in. After eating, we wandered through the nearby churchyard and cemetery to stretch our legs and stay awake until check-in time (Slides 42–47). Finding our Airbnb, as usual, was a bit of a puzzle—always remember to use the app and send the directions to your phone ahead of time. It saves a lot of frustration when your brain is running on fumes.

We would definitely recommend using Airbnb for accommodation. The price is very reasonable compared to hotels (almost half the price). You need to book way ahead to get the good ones. (I booked in January for our June trip.) We had booked a charming self-contained cabin on a farm in the countryside south of Selfoss, and this was our base for the first three nights in Iceland (Slides 48–52).

We went to bed around 11:00 p.m., and the sun was just setting! When I say “setting,” I mean it never actually got dark—you just couldn’t see the sun anymore. The sky remained glowingly bright well into the night. They don’t call Iceland “the Land of the Midnight Sun” for nothing!