At Exploring Iceland we are proud to give back to society. Part of this is the support for university students from all over the world that base their studies on Iceland´s economy, wildlife and social structures. We are happy to introduce them to you:  

Hello, my name is Giulia König, I am 21 years old and I study at the Eberhardt Karls University in Tübingen, Baden-Württemberg, Germany. I will become a teacher for geography and politics in the future.

 Iceland´s flora is made of only approximately 490 wild vascular plants – a much smaller number than in neighboring Scandinavia or Britain which is surprising because these countries have harsh climates, too. So there must be more reasons for these limited quantity of species. Compared to other more southernly countries there has been a rather short length of time since glacier ice covered most of Iceland.  ​Some scientists say that the whole of Iceland was covered in ice during the last ice age which ended roughly 10 000 years ago, others believe that some plants may have survived on so called “nunataks” standing out of the ice.

​Autumn is the time when nature slows down and prepares for winter. In Iceland autumn often starts early at least in comparison with the mainland of Europe. Depending on where you are in Iceland the first signs of autumn can be noticed as early as Mid August. While people in Germany or France often enjoy a typical hot August day at the beach or at the outdoor café, Icelanders need to put on another layer and rescue the potatoes from their garden patch as first night frosts are not uncommon as soon as September starts looming. You can even get the first beautiful northern light displays during that time. 

​When I was growing up in the seventees my mom was a stay – at – home mom like most moms in Iceland.  The food was prepared from scratch, mostly meals based on fish but lamb on Sundays.  For mid-day coffee she usually baked either „kleinur“, pancakes or simple cakes.  Oohhh those were the days, warm cakes and cold milk after being playing all day outside.

Today´s blog is about the one and only Icelandic „Kleina“. 

Self drive tours in Iceland are the ultimate way to explore the island for those that prefer to travel independently. You will have the total freedom and flexibility to get to places off the beaten track, and then spend as much time as you want while enjoying greater comfort and privacy. Getting around Iceland is easy - roads are well marked and ​especially during summer driving is easy as long as you stick to the main roads. ​

​​As more and more countries are slowly emerging from the battle with the Coronavirus epidemic we are all longing to regain some sort of normality. Leaving the “safe four walls” of our house or apartment for the first time, going back to work or school, the first visit to a restaurant, the hair dresser or the local swimming pool – these are certainly small steps but surprisingly memorable ones in these unprecedented times. For some of us it is simply enough to know that we made it through the last weeks without infection but others are already longing for bigger steps. Sooner or later we will make the highly individual decision that we feel ready to travel again. 

Winter vacation in Iceland 
For many years Iceland has been a typical summer destination. Look at travel magazines, photo books and journals – Iceland is usually presented in its beautiful summer dress. Hiking, horseback riding, travelling through the highland – all are great and classic activities apparently destined for summer-only holidays. Yet for the last few years we have seen an increase in winter or „off season“ travel interest in Iceland. Some of it is most likely attributed to the wish to see the beautiful northern lights but at the same time travellers are pleasantly discovering that „off season“ Iceland has surprisingly much to offer – besides the Aurora Borealis dancing across the arctic sky! 

​Running has become one of the top activities in the Western World in recent years. In the US alone, there is an estimate of 10 million runners that excercise on a regular basis. It is easy, it is fun, it can be done almost everywhere and it is healthy and will keep you living longer and better! Running does not mean being out of breath for twenty minutes or more, it is more an excercise where you adjust your pace to the environment and your daily form and it works at any speed and at any age! 

Nasty Travel companions may spoil all the fun…
We all love to travel but quite a few of us have made the experience that a nasty travel companion can spoil the fun at times! That is the reason why a lot of people have turned away from scheduled group tours and rather do their own thing, for example by renting a car and driving around their destination on their own. It is easy to do - either you sit down and plan & book your own tour or you turn to a company like Exploring Iceland and  ask them to put together your personal self- drive tour. 

As the wind blows heavily in Iceland today we are tied to the office but that does not keep us from thinking about going out & doing stuff tomorrow or the day after.  After all here in Iceland people have had to live and enjoy themselves with or despite of the weather since the time of settlement and we know that the good old Vikings did enjoy a ball game called „knattleikr“ but most of their outdoor games were connected to preparing for battle and fighting such as archery, tug-of – war and wrestling.