The people in Iceland are as beautiful as the vistas.

So that friend of yours in college who always wore the corduroys introduced you to some Sigur Rós and you dig? Of Monsters and Men is music that both you and your seventeen-year-old sister can agree upon and you totally thought they were from England or somewhere but your sister corrected you and told you they are from Iceland? You heard something about dwarves? Iceland, chilly Island that it is has been making some splashes on both sides of the pond. When almost twice as many people visit as live there every year, there must be something to be said for place. There’s certainly some stuff to be seen. So here’s ten reasons to visit the country that are a departure from every other top ten list that apparently every other travel site has published, cookie cutter style.

1. We’ve got beauty yes we do, we’ve got beauty how bout you? (Every year all 300,000 Icelanders head to the West Coast to shout this chant towards Greenland [but since Greenlanders speak Kalaallisut they assume Icelanders are shouting helpful hollers about looking out for Polar bears{seriously Greenlanders, be careful, you remember what happened to grandpa Angerlartunnguaq that time he went pickin’ wild berries. . .}]) 

Seriously Iceland, just stop it. Quit, because you are already ahead. We’re never going to get anywhere if we keep pulling the car over to take more photos.

Great, now our memory cards are full. You’re on warning Iceland. One more waterfall and we will drown you in it.

2. Keep on Smoking

Hey guy from Colorado, you like smoke? Not the roof, but the whole place in on fire. The country is one big geothermal rave and there is a never ending purvey of steam, and ash, and mud, and geysers pouring out of the ground.

3. Food tastes better when it costs as much as gold

Yes, this particular evening we were eating Ramen (that cost $1 a pack) and dubious burgers  (that cost more than my first Spice Girl album) in our Kuku Camper. And this particular dinner cost more than I paid for a goat in Kenya (and what a feast that was). But it does taste better when you are hungry from starving yourself. But here’s the deal, Ramen, we must admit, is pretty tasty, and it’s worth the extra $0.80 a package when you walk outside look up and see this:

And then the next morning you walk outside your camper and see this waterfall whispering sweet somethings in its seductively gurgley voice.

Seriously Iceland, we’ve had enough of your beauty, why don’t you surprise us and show us something ugly?

4. Ravens in Iceland all must wear ties. It’s a law. 

That’s so raven (had to).

5. Aliens come from outer space and take you to their leaders and their leaders give you free candy which you really appreciate because you’re so hungry from all the ramen and dubious burgers.

Okay, it’s actually the Imagine Peace Tower, which is Yoko Ono’s tribute to her late husband John Lennon, and it is still pretty awesome. It is lit annually from October 9th – December 8th, respectively the anniversary of John Lennon’s death. The tower consists of a base upon which is written “Imagine Peace” in 24 language which houses powerful lights that projects into the sky.

. . .And catch it on the night when the Northern lights make an appearance, and you’ll be Instagramming the shit out of the night:

6. Iceland has unlimited free hugs that this guy keeps track in his giant book and gives away. 

But seriously, this is just one giant aluminum guy in a country of 300,000 of the most friendly people I’ve ever met on the planet. The people in Iceland are as beautiful as the vistas.

7. Come for the colors 

Every wonder what the gods do with all of their extra sunset horizon paint? They spread it all over Iceland. This photo was taken with my camera’s unfiltered point and shoot option. The skies at random times during the day will sometimes light up with crazy ass awesome colors. Do it for the moles, who never get to experience the beauty of a sunset.

8. Everything in Iceland look iconic. Here was a sheep, just standing around, being a sheep. Doing his thing. Eating his grass. Taking shits when he had to. But in Iceland he looked like Prince Sheepé of the Lambo Dynasty.



9. This Sheep did it and you can too. There is something about standing atop the world, staring at this view. . .

. . .it makes you want to put your hands in the air and make bold proclamations about the rules of your kingdom. It’s cathartic, shouting to the world below things like, “My first order of business as King Loki of Iceland will be to turn up all of the hot springs by 12 degrees!!! wahahaha!!!”

10. Shit Like This

Seriously Iceland, stop being so messy and putting your ice everywhere.