1. We have Norwegian explorers to thank for discovering and inhabiting this beautiful island called Iceland. By 930 AD they even established some form of government starting with an outdoor assembly at Pingvellir (now part of a national park). This assembly evolved as Althing which claims to be one of the oldest parliaments in the world.

2. Iceland tends to rank highly along with its Nordic counterparts in the World Happiness Report. Nationalized high quality healthcare, state funded education and a strong economy are likely major reasons for it. Most notably, Iceland has consistently ranked first in the gender equality index. It is said to have eliminated gender pay gap completely. But the downside is everything is expensive – gas, groceries, alcohol.

3. Iceland is nature at its best. It is so raw and formidable that humanity and its problems start to feel insignificant. It is best seen by road tripping through the ring road which encircles the island. There is an abundance of awe inspiring things along the route from waterfalls to geysers to glaciers to volcanoes. It is hard to take a bad picture with so much going on. Most folks start or end their journey at the capital, which has a great small town feel to it. The viewpoint from the top of Hallgrímskirkja Church provides panoramic views of the city.

4. The waterfalls in Iceland are otherworldly. In summer amidst the lush green setting, they are breathtaking. Skogasfoss is a dreamy waterfall but no mistake it is powerful, the showers can even be felt at a safe distance. It is also adventurous to walk all the way to the top to get a glimpse of the waterfalls from the back. The Seljalandsfoss is taller but can be seen seen right from the highway. The adjoining trails provide access to other smaller waterfalls. Gullfoss is a massive waterfalls that originates from a glacier and falls into a gorge in two tiers. It is jaw dropping.There are many more falls like Godafoss, Svartifoss that are totally worth exploring.

5. The Geysir is easily the funnest natural phenomenon that I have ever seen. You kind of know what to expect but you still cheer every time it blows up. I even did a self guided glacier hike at Solehimajakull since the tours filled up and went to a black sand beach at Reynisfara right after. Such dramatic changes in geography is what makes Iceland truly special. Vik is a great stop to explore Dyrhólaey peninsula and is on way to Jokulsarlon, home to the glacier lagoon.

6. I experienced Midnight Sun for the first time ever. It was cool to see daylight barely dim even around midnight. Most homes in Iceland seem to have blackout curtains to help keep their sleep cycles manageable even during summer. In Winter, I guess the curtains never shut.

7. Icelandic food is fresh and unfussy but also hearty and flavorful. There are few if any avant-garde restaurants and I was told that most icelanders prefer to cook and eat simple meals at home. Perhaps, why bother when the produce especially the seafood is amazing.Eating out is very expensive too. Icelandic butter Smjor much like the Irish version is yellow in color showing its purity. Skyr is Icelandic strained yogurt, it makes for a nutritious breakfast or a snack. Skyr Cheesecake was drop dead delicious. I fell in love with the cinnamon rolls at Brod in Reykjavik, so much so that we went there every morning. This ain’t close to anything that is available in America and they definitely don’t douse it in sweet icing. While Rye bread is a staple across Scandinavia, At Cafe Loki it is a family recipe where the bread is dense but moist and they even make an ice cream with it.