Flashpacking In Iceland – My First Experience as a Flashpacker

Thanks to celebrities such as Justin Bieber and the Kardashians, and let’s not forget the beautifully shot film, ​The Secret Life of  Walter Mitty,  Iceland has become quite the destination for travelers from all walks of life. Whether you are a backpacker traveling on a budget, a flashpacker (like me) ​who is willing to splurge a little, or a celebrity worth millions — Iceland is a ​“MUST-­SEE” location that everyone should explore at least once in their lifetime.    
Flash­packing ­­is something that backpackers do, when they want to upscale their traveling lifestyle. They travel with the newest electronics, their own cameras that impress even the professionals, work on laptops while on the road or keep up with Facebook feeds. Flashpackers tend to have a little more money saved up, allowing them to stay in nicer hotels or Airbnb’s, go on tours, and splurge on delicious food around the world.

Times have changed drastically and I think long gone are the days where “true backpackers” actually exist. Being a flashpacker myself, I made the decision to travel solo around Iceland and I couldn’t recommend this more to all women out there who are wanting to pull the trigger on solo­ travel. It’s a great place to dip your toes into the world of wanderlust and never  return (you’ve been warned!).
I was able to splurge a little and explored Iceland all from a kick­ass campervan provided from the amazing family owned rental company, ​ Happy Campers​. This was by far the best decision I could have made for getting around Iceland. I was able to explore at my own pace, pull over every ten minutes to take photos of anything and everything as much as I  pleased, and eat as many Icelandic hotdogs as I wanted, all while driving miles with nothing but me and the open road. From the time I left the airport I was welcomed by the rolling fields of lush green, moss-­covered lava rocks, and it’s possible to travel just a short distance outside of Reykjavik to start seeing some breath­taking views of waterfalls and secret lagoons. There is something special and mind­-blowing around every corner ­­- truly a photographers dream.

Flashpacking throughout Iceland was a dream. I was able to work on the road with my laptop and pocket mobile Wifi hotspot through​ Trawire​. I cooked my own meals from within my campervan and never once felt nervous about having so much expensive  camera gear with me. Traveling solo through Iceland as a flashpacker felt like an escape from reality. I had the privilege of being connected when I wanted but was also able to be one with nature, disconnected from technology as I pleased.
As if you need any more reasons to make your way to Iceland. Here are 10 reasons why it’s a piece of cake to travel there as a flashpacker and also 11 things you must ­see when you are there!
10 Reasons why it’s a piece of cake to go flashpacking solo:

• Iceland is super safe; I never once felt nervous.
• Almost all places accept credit cards.
• Getting around is pretty easy and people are so friendly you can just stop and ask where things are.
• You don’t have to travel far from Reykjavik to see some of the main sites.
• The people are very friendly.
• If you decide to camp, expenses are pretty cheap!  
• There is no where else on earth like it.
• It’s a great place to disconnect from technology.
• Being a party of one in this country does not suck or feel lonely.
• Have you seen photos of Iceland?! Enough said.

11 Must ­See spots to explore in Iceland:

• The Blue Lagoon
• Gullfoss Waterfall  
• Secret Geothermal Hot Springs (so many of them!)
• The Northern Lights  
• Black Sand Beach in Vik  
• Fjaðrárgljúfur Canyon  
• Buðir black church  
• Svartifoss Waterfall  
• Seljalandsfoss Waterfall  
• Glacier Lagoon  
• The Westfjords