This subreddit has been an invaluable resource of information for our 1st trip to Iceland, and I'm truly grateful for everyone's contributions. Thanks to ALL!
My partner and I made the decision to visit Iceland during the eclipse way back in April 2024 after seeing the last one in the US... and didn't really think through how realistic that'd be until way after we'd booked a campervan and air tickets... but here we are. After a couple of general options considered (Full ring road? Campervan vs. static accommodations? Highlands yes or no?) we've landed on a 4x4 campervan itinerary that only covers the west half of Iceland, with a promise to ourselves that we will return to explore the east half, probably at a different time of year for variety... and puffins? There's no such thing avoiding crowds altogether, but with the exception of Snæfellsnes on Eclipse Day we're trying to seek the slower, slightly more lonely path. More F-roads when time and conditions allow, minimize dependance on the Ring Road, skip most of the Golden Circle, and keep our average daily drive to 3.5 hrs / 150 km max. Have a complete plan but also minimal bookings to stay open and flexible to whatever is thrown at us. Start days early, finish by 5:00 pm, hike often, soak in pools or hot springs daily, pull over and enjoy the views, and just laugh at how often my OCD planning runs full-throttle into my partner's AD/HD impulsiveness while Iceland's weather exploits both disorders with gale-force indifference.
I'm not necessarily looking for feedback but feel free to applaud, question, comment, critique, make jokes at my expense... whatever... I've been the consumer of so much insight and experience here, and I just wanted to contribute back in some way.
