Other-worldly Iceland

It might be renowned as an expensive place to visit but Iceland is also full of other-worldly beauty. As Tom Pamon reveals in this edition of You’ve Been Where? the scenery in Iceland is breath-taking with astonishing natural land formations.

You’ll want to go too after reading this.

We love hearing about the travel experiences of our friends, family and readers of AllAbroad. We pick up so many tips and find new places to travel. We thought you might like to hear about their adventures too. So in this section we turn the website over to you, our travel family.

Read on for travel tips from the people who help inspire our adventures.

Who are you and what do you do for a living?

Hi, I am Tom Pamon and I’m currently studying for my master’s degree reading Social and Organisational Psychology at the University of Exeter. Alongside my degree, I am a part-time waiter (to pay for my travels). 

Where is home?

Currently I am living in Exeter, Devon, however I grew up in Derby, the middle of England. 

Where have you been? When did you go?

During exam season, at the beginning of January 17, I visited Iceland for five days to get away from the stress.

Who did you travel with?

On this particular trip, I travelled by myself. 

What were the highlights?

For me the highlights of this trip was exploring the south coast especially around Vik and Reynisfjara Beach. The natural formation of this island is astonishing and is highly recommended to explore. 

What did you least like about your trip?

For me (as a back-packer) unfortunately the rumours are true. This place is very expensive. Be aware Iceland is not known for its food and you can pay a pretty price for mediocre food and service. This applies for shopping in the supermarkets as well. But this was not enough to put me off wanting to go back.  

Do you have any funny stories from your travels?

I have from other travels, but from this particular trip I would have to recommend the Game of Thrones tour run by ‘GrayLine’. Our tour guide was an extra from the HBO TV series and made the day out most memorable and humorous. This trip is a must do if you enjoy the series and I hope he gets recognition for his efforts in providing an amazing experience to all his guests. (p.s. he runs the tour as if was still on set, so if you don’t like “banterous” swearing and anger, this may not be for you)

What were the locals like? 

The locals were very friendly, something Iceland is known for. Interesting fact, the number of tourists exceeds the number of Icelandic folk at any given point. To put things in perspective there are not many Icelandic people around. 

What was the food like?

Food comes at a price and it’s not the greatest memory of Iceland. I took snacks over knowing the prices of food and also budgeted by using the supermarket and preparing my food in the hostel. I did eat out one night and for one person with a drink and a burger (if I remember correctly) the price was around £28. 

Did you learn anything about yourself or the world on this trip?

I have travelled to a fair number of places in the world and Iceland truly is one of the most unique and accessible places by far. They now operate a budget airline WOWair along with Icelandic Air who have frequent flights from England and good connections to America. The scenery here is breath-taking (so wrap up warm). 

Would you recommend others travel here? Why/why not?

I would highly recommend visiting Iceland! Five days was not long enough to explore all the places I wanted to. I feel this is a trip for families with older children who would appreciate the views and also for couples and solo travellers. For younger kids there was not really much to do with them and remember (in January) they only have 4-5 hours of sunlight which can get confusing so use your time wisely. 

Do you have any tips for people thinking of travelling here?

It can be done on a budget if you are a super-saver, if not save a fair amount of money and then save some more. When you arrive, you realise there is so much more to do and see that is completely different from the landscape most tourists visit. Get off the beaten tracks (but stay on the roads in the car as its illegal to go off-roading) the natural beauty of this place is all around, although I went on my tours using travel companies, the roads were quiet and well sign-posted and if you are comfortable driving in snow (sometimes) I would recommend car hire as many people can stop on the side of the road to take in the views. 

Been somewhere interesting lately? Drop us a line, we’d love to share your tips.

Join @AllabroadAU on Instagram, FaceBook,  X and YouTube for more travel inspiration.