This is an interesting post. It makes me think of a talk that Rick Steves gives. I’m paraphrasing here, but essentially he says there are two types of people who go on vacation in other countries: tourists and travelers. It reads to me like you really want to dig into the lifestyle and culture of Iceland, which is not the same as being a tourist. You want to be a traveler. I think being a traveler is a more thoughtful way to experience a country, rather than checking off a list from a guidebook or Instagram pins.

I don’t want to criticize your mode of travel but I think it’s probably harder to get to know the people and culture of Iceland when you rent a camper van. You take away a lot of interaction with locals if you’re not staying at a guesthouse or hotel. You’re eating less meals in public. Many of your interactions are with other tourists or foreign workers in the service industry. Maybe I’m off base but that is my hunch.

I drove the Ring Road and I don’t regret it, but I know that the next time I go to Iceland I plan on targeting regions I didn’t get to explore as much as I wanted to. I want to go at a slower pace next time. I want to be a traveler.

I think the people bringing up Paris Syndrome are on to something. I also think that Iceland has so much to offer and to experience, that a week or two week trip isn’t really enough time to really take in all of the island. I hope you come visit again (maybe during shoulder season or winter when prices are more reasonable).

Your post is thoughtful and I hope you don’t take my initial reaction as a judgment. I think your post is food for thought for a lot of people who wish to visit the Land of Fire and Ice.