The Icelandic travel report for 2021 and welcoming 2022

The year is almost over. A new year awaits. Imagine it; we are just about to start 2022. That will be an important year for Stuck in Iceland Travel Magazine as it will have its tenth anniversary in September. I have not decided on what I will do for this anniversary. If you have ideas shoot over a message on Facebook. I will post a list of 2021 Stuck in Iceland interviews and a list of the most popular content published in 2021 soon. But what does the Icelandic travel report for 2021 look like?

Marred by Covid

2021 was marred by the Covid 19 pandemic. The Icelandic government did its best to contain the virus. Icelanders have welcomed vaccinations which have been helpful to minimize the damage from the pandemic.

I have lost count of how many time restrictions have eased or increased during the pandemic. My travel magazine has, of course, been badly affected, but I don’t mind. My magazine is, after all, just something I run on the side, and the travel restrictions are there for a good reason. I feel for the many people in the travel industry who have lost their jobs due to the pandemic. Many performing artists have also been severely affected. Let’s hope that things get better soon.

The Icelandic travel report for 2021

Covid did not stop me from traveling in 2021 The strangest and most intense trip I took was to the eruption at Fagradalsfjall in Reykjanes peninsula.

I hiked up there two times, the first time it was like joining an end of times folk festival. The second time was a completely different experience. It was just my daughter and me, very few people around, and we spent a lot of time just sitting there watching and listening to the eruption. Hallveig and I toured the wonderful Westfjords. Ísafjörður town was great as always, and we were lucky to spend time at the remote Snæfjallaströnd.

We spent an unforgettable day at the lovely Grímsey island.

We also had the chance to go to the northern highlands.

It was joyful to finally explore Kverkfjöll, Drekagil canyon, Askja, and Herðubreiðalindir.

Thanks to my brother-in-law, Þorbjörn, and his wife Helga for inviting us on their highland trip.

And last but least, I was fortunate to hike up to the stunningly beautiful Grænihryggur in the southern highlands.

Thanks to my partners who help you save on great Icelandic tours and experiences

I am grateful for the partners that have supported the magazine with their discount promo codes for Iceland tours and products. It is gratifying to promote these outstanding companies and help my readers save at the same time. These are the partners that have helped to make the magazine successful in 2021:

Arctic Adventures

Arctic Adventures takes you Into the Glacier, where you venture inside an actual glacier. They will also happily take you to the Silfra fissure so you can snorkel in crystal clear water between tectonic plates. How cool is that!

Elding

Elding offers their customers top-rated whale watching, northern lights cruises, and puffin tours.

Europcar

Europcar enables you to can rent a quality vehicle from a quality company. Talk about a stress-free experience for your Icelandic road trip.

Geo Silica

Order super-healthy supplements straight from Icelandic nature.

I don’t speak Icelandic

Order Icelandic-themed gifts online.

Icelandic Lava Show

Icelandic Lava Show offers you the chance to see lava flow indoors. It is the hottest show in town.

Reykavik Sightseeing

Reykjavik Sightseeing offers high-value combination tours. You can see the Golden Circle and experience the Sky Lagoon in one tour, or ride a snowmobile on a glacier and see spectacular waterfalls in Iceland.

Vök Baths

Vök baths where you can soak and relax after your trip in the East of Iceland.

I am now a snob living in gentrified Reykjavik

2021 was a good year for my family. We moved house and now live in a lovely apartment near the Hlemmur food hall, the beautiful Klambratún park, and the Kjarvalsstaðir art gallery, just west of downtown Reykjavik. When my wife and I signed the deed to sell our old apartment, we celebrated with a glass (or two) of Champagne at Hlemmur. I burst out laughing when I realized that I was drinking pricey champagne at this old and once derelict bus station. Hlemmur was best known for sheltering people down on their luck, either drunk on cheap moonshine or high on glue. Catch a glimpse of Hlemmur in the early eighties in the classic Rokk í Reykjavik movie. But I am just a silk gown away from turning into Frasier.

No luck for Krummi the cat in 2021

The year was not great for my cat Krummi; he broke his leg, and after a few months of treatment, the vet decided that the leg had to be removed. Krummi now hops around the neighborhood on his three legs. We occasionally post updates from him on Instagram. His buddy and brother from another mother, Keli the cat, has had a great year. Keli is adapting to his new neighborhood. When he moved with us, a friend and neighbor published a goodbye letter to him in Iceland’s largest newspaper.

Even more cool stuff is promised for Reykjavik

It is one of many areas here in Reykjavik in which the city has regenerated successfully. Even more, development is planned for my neighborhood. A nearby bookshop/café/bar is opening soon. The fancy bakery Brauð & Co. opened up in the gas station where the legendary Nightshift TV show was filmed. Two prominent public squares are on the drawing board.

Send car traffic underground

The most significant change promised for the neighborhood is the city constructing a new high-quality public transport system with its fulcrum at the nearby Hlemmur. The busy Miklabraut will be moved underground, promising a much gentler and integrated environment where people on the other side of my neighborhood will have much easier access to the Klambratún park. This is just one way the city of Reykjavik is doing its best to turn away from the outdated and harmful car city. The city will be even more fun to live in and visit as a result.

Working for a worthy cause

This year I left a job that was not taking me places. I joined a dynamic software company that creates software that enables banks to surface behavior and transactions linked to money laundering. We at Lucinity want to make Money Good. Using AI-driven software with an effective user interface empowers AML teams to make money laundering complicated and expensive for criminals. I am proud to work for Lucinity and contribute in a small way to the company’s mission.

Icelandic travel wish list for 2022

In 2022 my wish list for travel is not too long. I want to hike with my daughter, just spend a few days strolling on an easy route such as Leggjabrjót. It was just so terrific to hike with her on the Fimmvörðuháls hiking route two years ago. Knowing her, however, I probably will be made to hike up to Hvannadalshnjúkur! I also want to explore the Lakagígar volcanic area and Stórurð in the east. I am also definitely heading back to the Sky-Lagoon. If I am in the east, I will visit Vök Baths.

In any case, I wish you, dear reader and your family, joy and good fortune in 2022. Thank you for reading my magazine, and I hope you will discover the joy of visiting Iceland soon.