Reykjavik ('Smoke Harbour') - Solfari monument (the shell of a Viking ship in stainless steel).
No smoke, but plenty of dramatic cloud cover above the volcanic landscape

Our 'Far Side' Comment:
Despite many years of careful planning and construction,
the Eriksson family never made it to Vinland in their stainless steel longboat

ICELAND - OUR TOP TIPS:

10 Pluses:

1. Fantastic scenery, almost everywhere.
2. Can get almost everywhere with a normal hire car (unless you really want to seriously off road or visit the centre of the country). Driving on mostly empty roads is a rediscovered pleasure.
3. Several of the hotels had free Internet terminal for guests, which was a definite plus for the boys in the first half of the tour (Stykkisholmur, Akureyri & Myvatn).
4. Entrance to all natural wonders & national parks is free.
5. Very safe, with a low crime rate.
6. Don't need any fancy dress: pack for comfort taking just your walking shoes & old clothes.
7. You get plenty of exercise through walking. Consider prolonging your stay in the Myvatn area as we did.
8. Maximise your time utilising 24-hours of daylight in summer months.
9. Camera with 28-90mm lens range covers all requirements (no need for extra lenses). Take plenty of film or an additional memory stick (we took over 450 full resolution digital photos, using up a 1 GB & 128 MB flash-ROM card, averaging 30 shots/day). Video camera too.
10. Our top three areas for extended stays: West Coast & Snaefellsness, Myvatn area & the North, the South Coast/SW (Geysir to Skaftafell/Vatnajokull).

10 Minuses:

1. Expensive: To get there, food and hotel accommodation (unless you want to camp). For two additional meals per day beyond B&B budget for US$100/person.
2. Expensive options, such as whale watching, skidoo trips (US$150/person), etc., (but you can pay by plastic everywhere for even small amounts - no need for much cash, just a good credit limit!).
3. No laundry facilities, even in most hotels, so DIY washing in hotel room or take plenty of clothes.
4. Hotel breakfasts are the same cold buffet everywhere, so can get very boring.
5. While they don't encourage you to make up a packed lunch from the morning buffet, there are few options to find lunch in most parts of Iceland (away from the major towns) unless prepared. You need to have stocks of food and drink in your car. When we found some restaurants near tourist spots, there were usually reserved for or full with coach tourists and unable/unwilling to fit us in even when empty. Tourist culture definitely favours the organised bus tourist over the independent traveller.
6. For kids with fussy appetites, family restaurants with wide choices can be difficult to find. They're a real bonus when you do find them. Reykjavik's restaurant's were too fancy for family meals. Guide books are unhelpful as they focus on the more exotic cuisine such as dolphin with raspberry sauce, puffin burgers & guillemot.
7. Need to be prepared for all weather conditions - All four seasons in one day, even in summer.
8. Roads can be uneven and rough in parts which can require a driver's full attention.
9. Guidebooks and maps may not be easy to follow for directions to the more obscure sites. Some instinctive navigational skills are required as signs are few and can be very small right on hidden road junctions. Read up and plan in advance.
10. Video will be dominated by wind noise (almost incessant!) so be prepared to edit in music or commentary after the event. Real-time narration will become mime.