“Traveling is a luxury for the rich,” some said, “In the summer you should relax somewhere by the sea,” others echoed… The lack of company and funds, doubts from colleagues, and the sideways glances of friends did not stop me from fulfilling the biggest dream in my life – Traveling to Iceland!
Hitchhiking around Iceland is possible, easy and recommended if you are on a budget but full of enthusiasm and desire to plunge into the world of adventure. In addition, hitchhiking in the land of ice is absolutely safe, as assured by Internet resources and the Icelanders themselves. Since ancient times, it has become a tradition and habit of locals to help travelers on the side of the road, because the harsh climate could always catch you by surprise and not leave the unfortunate a chance.
Things aren’t so bad for tourists now. We have everything we need for survival and even comfort: windproof and waterproof clothing, gloves, a hat, and, of course, a positive attitude, even if you’re standing in the middle of nowhere for two hours.
Why is hitchhiking in Iceland so profitable?
Iceland is a very expensive country. I did have to take the bus once during the entire trip. It took me forty minutes and cost me 90 euros. Ninety, Karl! By the way, tourists from China, of course, also take bus tours here, I dread to think how much it costs them.
Renting a car is more or less profitable if you come with a group. As you probably already understood, this is not my case, and I paid nothing for hitchhiking.
Why is hitchhiking in Iceland so much fun?
Have you ever taken a ride in a farm truck with a Lutheran pastor, listening to tales of evil trolls living in the mountains? In Iceland, you have every chance to do just that!
You can learn everything about the pedantic and law-abiding Germans from hearsay when they only allow two passengers into a huge minibus, where ten people with large backpacks can lie down to their full height, because “there are only two seat belts in the cabin.” At the same time, you drive along an endless empty road at a speed of 40 kilometers per hour, if the road sign so requires.
Two Australian women can pick you up, feed you candy, and pester you with questions about Murmansk and how best to dress for a trip there in December.
A Spanish couple in a small car crammed with suitcases will let you and your hitchhiking friends climb in and drive around the campsite in a “herring in a barrel” style, hiding from the police.
You can learn firsthand about the lives of nurses from Norway, a transgender girl from Malaysia, chat with a group of elderly Swiss people while drinking French wine and not speaking French, make contacts with an Israeli couple from New Jersey, and famously take a ride in a local Mercedes party maker.
Why shouldn’t you be afraid?
I didn’t have a sign with the destination in my hands, but the drivers always understood where I was going. The fact is that in Iceland the main road is a ring road around the island and covers almost all the main attractions of the country. From Reykjavik you can go either south or north on Highway No. 1 – it’s very simple and convenient! The main thing is to go outside the city limits, they will pick you up very quickly! Several times it happened that I didn’t even have time to stand for two minutes after getting off, when a car picked me up right away. Don’t forget to have a map at hand so that you have something to point your finger at 🙂