Ask me anything about Iceland, its history, culture, and modern politics

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Ask/Tell > Ask me anything about Iceland, its history, culture, and modern politics

Kujaroth: Jul 26, 2006

Interesting thread! I'll be visiting Iceland in a few months so this was cool to read.

I'll fire off a few questions of my own...

How did your country end up being so crazy expensive? I live in Australia, which is hardly a cheap place to live. I am accustomed to high prices, so accustomed in fact that I can visit just about any other country in the world and consider it 'cheap' in comparison. Yet prices in Iceland are insane, particular car rental. I'm having to drop more than $4000 USD just to rent a 4x4 for three weeks. Plus fuel on top of that.

Does the average tourist have a hope in hell of ever pronouncing anything correctly in Icelandic? I am pretty sure I can say Reykjavik and Landmannalaugar correctly but not much beyond that.

What do Icelanders think of Australians? Do you see many Aussies up there? It's pretty much as far away as we can possibly travel, so maybe not.

Also, up for going drinking with any Icelandic goons in this thread in July when I am there although I don't plan on spending more than a day or two in Reykjavik. Your booze prices do not scare me, they are pretty much the same as those at many 'good' Sydney based bars and clubs. Only slightly more expensive at worst.

Kujaroth fucked around with this message at 14:13 on Jan 3, 2014

# ¿ Jan 3, 2014 13:46

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# ¿ Apr 29, 2024 10:58

Kujaroth: Jul 26, 2006

Quarex posted:

I am glad to not be the only person who kept a BÃ³nus bag because oh my god that pig. I love it. Baenus bag. Why does my phone not play nice with the forums

I kept mine, and lost it somewhere on the way home

Unrelated, good to see this thread still going. I spent three weeks in Iceland over July and loved it. I have traveled a lot, and it is by far my favourite place I have ever visited. So much so that I am already planning another trip next year

I'd actually love to live there, but it looks like they make it a gigantic pain in the rear end for non-EU/EEA citizens to migrate there

# ¿ Sep 22, 2014 12:29

Kujaroth: Jul 26, 2006

Deceitful Penguin posted:

Yep, it's either: Job (good luck proving you can do a job no-one else in Europe can do!) student (not that expensive but still not a guarantee for later) and marriage (you never know! magic does happen!)

Otherwise you're pretty much up poo poo creek. We're working on some ways to game the system as we speak but it's too early to share those findings. Maybe later.

What's the deal with work permits for operating your own business? From what I've been able to find on Google, they exist, but not a lot more info beyond that (eligibility criteria, capital/investment requirements if any etc.) Not that I expect you to really know all the answers to that, but in general are these also pretty tough to get?

Deceitful Penguin posted:

I have a lot of family in the east and the north. I try to never, ever visit both at once because I swear to loving got I would rather ride loving mountain goats than drive through those roads. The north has improved a shitload but still is bad, the east and especially the way between them is like returning back to the time when death was a constant companion on Icelandic roads. So uhh, the 1960s basically.

I never had an issue with the roads, really. I was there in Summer so didn't have to contend with snow/ice on the roads admittedly, but did have to contend with summer tourist traffic volumes. Maybe I was just too absorbed in the scenery while driving through the East Fjords to notice the death trap roads? :ohdear:

I did a fair bit of driving in those three weeks, covering 9100km, and aside from the occasional annoyance at getting stuck behind a slow vehicle, I had no issues.

# ¿ Oct 7, 2014 11:45

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Ask/Tell > Ask me anything about Iceland, its history, culture, and modern politics