{"id":8355,"date":"2019-06-20T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2019-06-20T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rent.is\/camperstories\/iceland-beckons\/"},"modified":"2026-05-19T12:46:19","modified_gmt":"2026-05-19T12:46:19","slug":"iceland-beckons","status":"publish","type":"camperstories","link":"https:\/\/www.rent.is\/es\/camperstories\/iceland-beckons\/","title":{"rendered":"Iceland beckons"},"content":{"rendered":"

Iceland. Untainted and raw. Coming from the United States and getting the opportunity to engage with a country like this left my jaw dropped on the hardened lava floor at every turn. Giant coastal fjords, volcanic craters, waterfalls ad infinitum<\/em>, massive straight drop cliffs, the majority of which is covered in kaleidoscopic moss. Thermal pools – piping hot and highland lakes \u2013 icy cold, add to the superabundance of sensations to be had on the island. Chrissy and I opted for a camper van<\/a> through Rent.is as our means of transportation and shelter, the old two in one. I wouldn\u2019t have done it any other way. Although it gets tight at times, the great outdoors replace the poolside grass pavilion of your average hotel and the trade-off is well worth any momentary discomfort.<\/p>\n

\"Askja<\/a>\u00a0\"Waterfall<\/a><\/p>\n

This was the first leg of our trip, and like any aspiring American vagabonds, we were gob smacked with the variety of experience to be had.<\/p>\n

\"Summer<\/a>\u00a0\"Fjalls\u00e1rl\u00f3n<\/a><\/p>\n

Our first day we got right off the plane and drove around the peninsula surrounding Keflavik<\/a> then made our way to the tourist rich but still well-worth-it Blue Lagoon. It\u2019s sub-cerulean pools were laced with white silica and the contrast of the geothermal waters against the cool Icelandic air kept us more than awake after a nine hour flight. At the pool, we met a solo traveler by the name of Arijana, of Bosnian descent but calling Seattle her home, she moonlights as a comedian. She invited us to a show the following night that she had booked on the fly. After the lagoon, we headed back into Reykjavik and after much vacillation, found a dimly lit side street where we parked the camper and cooked Ramen that I had purchased in the States.<\/p>\n

\"Siglufj\u00f6r\u00f0ur<\/a><\/p>\n

We went to the comedy show the following night. Insightful to say the least. To say that I understand anything about Icelandic culture, politics, and\/or geology after six days driving the Ring Road<\/a> would be far more than a stretch. But, because I can\u2019t help myself, I\u2019m going to go ahead and put out whatever limited knowledge I picked up along the way, most of it informed by this comedy show.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/a>\u00a0\"The<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Northeast<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Tractors<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Iceland<\/a><\/p>\n

\"The<\/a><\/p>\n

Joe was the name of the guy hosting the show, a semi-jaded, semi-optimistic expat who was happy to relish in the European notion of American insanity. He had plenty of commentary on school shootings and the US political situation, nobody seemed to be clueless as to what he was saying so obviously, they were tuned in as well. He announced several comedians who went up and gave their best shot. Some joked about their sexual liberation, one in particular, a straight guy whose mom thought he might sway the other way, decided to take her notions to heart and give man on man connection the old college try, it didn\u2019t take for him, but needless to say, it made for a shit load of laughs and equivalent levels of shock from Americans in the audience.<\/p>\n

\"Fjalls\u00e1rl\u00f3n<\/a>\u00a0\"Puffin<\/a><\/p>\n

\"East<\/a>\u00a0\"Eastfjords\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Basalt<\/a>\u00a0\"Siglufj\u00f6r\u00f0ur<\/a><\/p>\n

Another comedian, a giant Icelander with hunched shoulders seemed like something of a blend of the Big Friendly Giant and Thor\u2019s weird little brother that nobody really understands. I thought there was an element of genius in his act in that it was not at all malicious but he had figured out how to play the awkward to the fullest extent, he harnessed it and cultivated it, and used it to his benefit. Arijana killed on stage. Her American sense of humor translated perfectly to the audience and Icelanders were raving about her as we walked out.<\/p>\n

\"Icelandic<\/a>\u00a0\"Camping<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Lighthouse<\/a>\u00a0\"The<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Icelandic<\/a><\/p>\n

The next day we woke up and headed out to make our way around the Ring Road. From here, and throughout the rest of the trip, I found myself in a high-speed daze, like one of those sped up time lapse montages in indie flicks. Using that theme. I\u2019ll try to break down what it was like:<\/p>\n