THE WONDERS OF

HELPFUL INFORMATION

ICELAND

Welcome to the island of Iceland known as the land of “ice and fire”. Many have read the wondrous writing of Jules Verne’s book “A Journey to the Center of the Earth” and thought I would like to visit this mysterious land of Aurora Borealis, sun drenched summer days, darkened winter days and exquisite flora and fauna. That day is now and what better way to journey through this land then with Mike Dooley and TUT Adventurers Club.

HISTORY AND POLITICSThe island developed from a large volcanic hot spot located on a mid-oceanic ridge. Iceland is the land size of Virginia with a population of approximately 260,000 people. The country has the highest literacy rate (100%) of any nation in the world. Its history has always been closely related to volcanoes and knowledge of many volcanic eruptions since the middle ages are preserved in accounts.

First settled by Vikings in the 9th century AD, Iceland established its own parliament in 930 and recorded its first historical volcanic eruption only a few years later. After a golden age of literature in the 12th and 13th centuries (when the sagas were written), natural history reporting reached a low around the 15th century. Iceland gained sovereignty from Denmark in 1918 and complete independence in 1944

The country is divided into five electoral districts, 20 administrative districts and 101 municipalities. Two-thirds of the inhabitants live in the capital city area, about 40% of these in the capital city Reykjavík. Most of the larger towns are near the capital city: Kopavogur, Hafnarfjordur, Mosfellsbaer and Gardabaer, but of the other larger towns the largest are Akureyri in North Iceland and Reykjanesbaer in the southwest corner.

Every four years in general elections representatives are elected to Althingi, which has onechamber, and the President is also nationally elected.

Iceland is divided into regions, constituencies, counties, and municipalities. There are eight regions which are primarily used for statistical purposes; the district court jurisdictions also use an older version of this division. Until 2003, the constituencies for the parliamentary elections were the same as the regions, but by an amendment to the constitution, they were changed to the current six constituencies:•Reykjavík North and Reykjavík South (city regions);•Southwest (four non-contiguous suburban areas around Reykjavík);•Northwest and Northeast (northern half of Iceland, split); and,•South (southern half of Iceland, excluding Reykjavík and suburbs).

About 70% of the population work in the service sector, about 25% in industry and only 5% in

agriculture and fisheries, while about 60% of the total export value is from seafood products and

about 36% from the industry.

Iceland has a free-market economy with relatively low corporate taxes compared to other OECD

countries, while maintaining a Nordic Welfare System that provides universal health care and

tertiary education for its citizens. In recent years, Iceland has become one of the wealthiest and

most developed nations in the world. In 2011, it was ranked as the 14th most developed country in

the world by the United Nations' Human Development Index, and the fourth most productive

country per capita. In 2008, the nation's entire banking system systemically failed, resulting in

substantial political unrest. Iceland ranks high in economic and political stability, though it is still

in the process of recovering from the crisis.

Icelandic culture is founded upon the nation's Norse heritage. Most Icelanders are descendants of

Norse and Gaelic settlers. The country's cultural heritage includes traditional Icelandic Cuisine,

poetry, and the medieval Icelanders' sagas. Among NATO members, Iceland has the smallest

population and is the only one with no standing army.

LANGUAGE

Icelandic, a North Germanic language, is descended from Old Norse and is closely related to

Faroese and some West Norwegian dialects.

WEATHER

Iceland's weather is cool, and the Icelandic

climate is temperate. The warm North Atlantic

Current ensures generally higher temperatures

than in most places of similar latitude in the

world. Iceland's winters are mild and windy

while the summers are cool which is typical for

Scandinavia. With Iceland's unique geological

position, keep in mind possible activity of

volcanoes in Iceland.

There are some variations in the climate

between different parts of the island. Oftentimes,

the south coast is warmer, wetter and windier

than the north. Snowfall in winters is more

common in the north of Iceland.

Iceland's weather has a seasonal change in the length of day and night, creating unique weather phenomena. In midwinter, there is a period of no sunlight, and darkness prevails. Those dark days and nights are a Scandinavian phenomenon called The Polar Nights. This is perfect to view another weather occurrence: the Aurora Borealis (Northern Lights).

In midsummer, daylight takes over and there is no night darkness during June and July. Thename for this is the Midnight Sun.

TIME ZONEIceland is GMT (Greenwich Mean Time) or UTC.

CURRENCYThe Icelandic unit of currency is the króna (Ikr). Coins come in denominations of 1, 5, 10, 50 and 100 krónur. Notes come in 500-, 1000-, 2000- and 5000-króna denominations. In July 2009 the Icelandic parliament applied for EU membership and negotiations are currently underway. Iceland is expected to join the EU by 2014, at which time the currency will probably change over to the euro. For exchange rates, see www.xe.com.

ATMsAlmost every town in Iceland has a bank with an ATM, where you can withdraw cash using MasterCard, Visa, Maestro or Cirrus cards. Íslandsbanki ATMs additionally allow withdrawals using a Diners Club card. You’ll also find ATMs at larger gas stations and in shopping centers.

CREDIT CARDSIcelanders use credit and debit cards for nearly all purchases, and major cards such as Visa, MasterCard, Maestro and Cirrus – and to a lesser extent Amex, Diners and JCB – are accepted in most shops, restaurants and hotels.

BANKSTravellers checks and banknotes can be exchanged for Icelandic currency at all major banks. Most banks charge a small commission fee for the transaction, but Landsbanki Íslands offers the service free of charge.

PASSPORT AND VISA REQUIREMENTSA passport is required for entry into Iceland and must be valid for six months beyond the intended stay for U.S. and Canadian Citizens. A visa is not required.

The Schengen Agreement means that those from Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain and Sweden can enter Iceland for up to three months as a tourist with a valid identity card.

Citizens of the European Economic Area (EEA), including Ireland and Great Britain, can visit for up to three months on a passport that is valid for at least four months from their dateof arrival.

Citizens from America, Australia, New Zealand, Japan and Canada can travel in Icelandwithout a visa for up to three months within any six-month period.

Other nationalities need a visa before arriving in Iceland. Please check with your country embassy for additional instructions.

ELECTRIC CURRENT Electricity in Iceland uses the Europlug/Schuko-Plug (CEE types), which has two round prongs 220 volts.

CALLING TO ICELAND011 - US exit code; dial first for international calls made from the USA or Canada354 - Country Code for IcelandPhone number - 7 digits; first digit is 5 for Reykjavik and 4 for all remaining areas

RECOMMENDED PACKING LIST• Jeans, slacks, sweaters, flannel shirts (bring clothes that can be layered as thetemperatures during the day varies)• Walking shoes, sneakers or hiking boots• Rubber flip/flops for swimming area• Jacket or sweater, gloves, scarf and hat• Personal toiletries (if you wear glasses bring an extra pair)• Small backpack to take while exploring• Flashlight• Adapter plugs and converters• Small calculator• Camera• Video Camera• Batteries for your camera and flashlight• Travel Insurance Certificate (if you have purchased travel insurance, highly recommended)• Carry with you at all times your passport and money (do not pack in your checked luggage).• Make a copy of your passport and carry that with you.

BAGGAGE ALLOWANCE ON ICELAND AIRIceland Air has 3 seat classes, with different carry-on rules. Saga Class (Business Class).Economy Comfort and Economy. Economy Class passengers are entitled to a single piece of hand-luggage, weighing no more than 10kg (22lbs).

Economy Comfort and Saga Class (Business Class) can bring two carry-on bags, weighingmaximum 10kg each. All passengers can bring an additional "Personal Item", such as apurse or jacket.

All items must be able to fit below the seat in front of you, or into the overheadcompartments. Economy Class passengers are entitled to 2 bags of 23kg (50 lbs) each, ifflying to/from Canada or the US. Only 1 bag of 23kg is allowed if flying within Europe.

Economy Comfort passengers can bring 2 pieces of luggage of 23kg (50lbs) each, Saga Class passengers can bring 2 pieces of luggage of 32kg (70lbs) each. These apply for all routes.

Please view Iceland Air baggage regulations at http://www.airline-luggage-regulations.com/iceland-air.php#carry-on

HEALTH:Please speak with your physician before traveling to Iceland. Iceland does not have official vaccination requirements. It is considered one of the healthiest countries today. However, the Center for Disease Control encourages all international travelers to be current on their routine vaccinations and Hepatitis A/B shots prior to travel. For vaccinations, visit your doctor at least 4-6 weeks before you travel to Iceland to allow time for your vaccines to take Fffect. Even if you have less than 4 weeks before you leave, you should still see a health-care provider for needed vaccines, medications, and information about how to protect yourself from illness and injury while traveling.

Be sure your routine vaccinations are up-to-date. Routine vaccines, as they are often called, such as for influenza, chickenpox (or varicella), polio, measles/mumps/rubella (MMR), poliovirus vaccine, and diphtheria/pertussis/tetanus (DPT) are given at all stages of life. A traveler who is not vaccinated would be at risk for infection. Please note that the level of risk for vaccine-preventable diseases can change at any time. The recommendations for vaccinations outlined above are intended as guidelines only. Your immunization needs depend on your health status, previous immunizations received, and your travel itinerary. Seek further advice from your doctor or travel health clinic.

Iceland allows travelers to bring personal prescription medicines (up to a 100-day supply) without a customs declaration. A dated doctor's note may be requested by Icelandic customs officials so it may be helpful to bring one. For severe illnesses, wear a medical bracelet. Keep medications in their original prescription bottles and always in your carry- on luggage. Medications are allowed in reasonable quantities exceeding 3.4 ounces and are not required to be in the zip-top bag. Declare these items for inspection at the security checkpoint as officers may need to open these items to conduct additional screening.

BEFORE YOU GO-SHAPING UP:To enjoy your trip to the fullest, you should be in good physical and mental health. Your exploration of Iceland will include some nature walks, geothermal pools, and tours. These tours could last several hours but are given at a decent pace in order to closely examine the flora and fauna of the area and the exploration of this dramatic country.

TRAVEL INSURANCEWe strongly recommend the purchase of travel insurance* before any TUT trip! Travel insurance offers travelers coverage for unforeseen problems, from a cancelled flight to a serious illness—or in rare cases, even an act of terrorism or the financial default of a travel supplier. If you miss a travel connection, even for reasons beyond your control, you are NOT necessarily protected from financial loss unless you have travel insurance. For example, if you encounter mechanical problems, flight delays, or inclement weather that causes you to miss connections, the airline carrier might re-book you, although in many cases (such as bad weather) it is NOT guaranteed (in which case you may either have to purchase an entirely new round-trip ticket or forego the entire prepaid trip withoutany reimbursement). Travel insurance can cover new flights or provide trip cancellation coverage (for a covered loss), as well as emergency medical expenses and medical transportation. Travel insurance also provides 24-hour "911" emergency travel agency-type service, in case a traveler has to change a flight or a hotel room, in addition to assistance with emergency cash transfers, lost baggage, and pre-trip consultation services (travel advisories, passport requirements, inoculation information, etc.).

Learning Through Travel recommends you obtain travel insurance with Travel Guard International. You may call 1800-549-9037 or log onto www.travelguard.com to view the various policies offered. Once you have decided which policy you would like to purchase you can either purchase it yourself by using the travel agent code 00552160 which will identify that you have booked your trip with Learning Through Travel or you can simply advise a representative at LTT which policy you would like to purchase and they can process the travel insurance for you. In this case your policy will be sent to you via your email address and all you will need to do is print out the policy and take it along with you on your tour. *Please note that Travel Guard Insurance is only available to US and Canadian residents at this time. If you live elsewhere, please check for such coverage within your home country from independent providers.

RECOMMENDED READING LIST• A Traveler's Guide to Icelandic Folk Tales by Jón R. Hjálmarsson• Iceland (Paperback) by Lonely Planet Publications • Iceland (Hardcover) by Roger Sandness• New Icelanders: A North American Community (Paperback) by David Arnason• Modern Sagas (Hardcover) by Thorstina Walters (The Growth of the Medieva• Icelandic Sagas (1180-1280) by Theodore Murdock Andersson• Letters from Iceland [Paperback] W.H. Auden

TIPPINGTipping is not customary in Iceland and not expected. However the hosts in Iceland work hard to make sure that you experience a wonderful journey so we suggest that you tip your tour guides, drivers and escorts. As a guideline per person/per day:• Tour Guide $5.00 - $10.00• Driver $3.00 - $5.00• Escort $5.00 - $10.00In restaurants it is not necessary to tip.

FOOD AND WATERDrinking bottled water is recommended at all times. Icelandic food offers an array of traditional dishes influenced from the Danish, French, Italian, and American. The cooks prepare meals using dairy products, fish and lamb. Because of the large supply of fish many meals include seafood.

GETTING TO KNOW ICELANDIceland has a very low crime rate and in general any risks you’ll face while travelling here are related to the unpredictable weather and the geological conditions. Whether travelling in summer or winter, visitors need to be prepared for inclement conditions. The weather can change without warning, and it’s essential for hikers to get a reliable forecast before setting off – call 902 0600, extension 44, or visit www.vedur.is/english for a daily forecast in English. Extreme cold can be dangerous when walking around glaciers and throughout the country in winter, so proper clothing is essential.

When visiting geothermal areas, stick to boardwalks or obviously solid ground, avoiding thin crusts of lighter-coloured soil around steaming fissures and mudpots. You also need to be careful of the water in hot springs and mudpots – it often emerges out of the ground at 100°C. Always get local advice before hiking around live volcanoes. In glacial areas beware of dangerous quicksand at the end of glaciers, and never venture out onto the ice without crampons and ice axes (even then, watch out for crevasses).

REYKJAVÍKReykjavik is the capital of Iceland and the world’s most northerly capital combining colorful buildings, quirky people, a wild nightlife and a capricious soul to devastating effect. In the summer there is 22 hours of daylight. During the winter there are blizzards and never-ending nights. Reykjavik has something for everyone. Stroll the streets where you can see the people going about their daily activities, enjoy meals at world class restaurants, enjoy coffee at a café, and visit fine museums and galleries, or swim in state-of-the-art geothermal pools. Reykjavík has also become infamous for their never ending weekend partying at local clubs and bars.

SKAFTAFELL NATIONAL PARKEurope’s largest national park encompasses a breathtaking collection of peaks and glaciers. It’s the country’s favorite wilderness: 160, 000 visitors per year come to marvel at thundering waterfalls, twisted birch woods, the tangled web of rivers threading across the sandar, and brilliant blue-white Vatnajökull with its lurching tongues of ice. Skaftafell deserves its reputation, and few Icelanders – even those who usually shun the great outdoors – can resist it. On long summer weekends all of Reykjavík may seem to descend.

VESTMANNAEYJARBlack and brooding, Vestmannaeyjar forms 15 eye-catching silhouettes off the southern shore. The islands were formed by submarine volcanoes around 11, 000 years ago, except for sulky-looking Surtsey, the archipelago’s newest addition, which rose from the waves in 1963.

Several islands are scattered with summer huts, used by bird hunters and egg collectors, but Heimaey is the only inhabited one. Its little town and sheltered harbor lie between dramatic klettur (escarpments) and two ominous volcanoes – conical Helgafell and blood-red Eldfell. The latter has only been around for 34 years – it was created during the huge five-month eruption that buried parts of the town under 30 million tons of lava. Heimaey is famous for its puffins – around 10 million birds come here to breed – and for Þjóðhátíð, Iceland’s biggest outdoor festival, held in August.

Maybe it’s the relative isolation or maybe it’s because everyone lives on top of a temperamental volcano – whatever the reason, Heimaey is one of the friendliest places you’ll find. It’s also a self-sufficient working town – the islands supply around 15% of Iceland’s fish catch. The ferry Herjólfur provides daily connections to Þorlákshöfn on the mainland. It carries cars, but Heimaey is small enough to explore on foot. There are also flights here from Reykjavík and Bakki (near Hvolsvöllur). An undersea tunnel was discussed recently, but the 100-billion-krónur price tag looks a little high.

THE BLUE LAGOONThe Blue Lagoon is Iceland's famous geothermal spa where guests relax in seawater heated by Mother Nature. A visit to the Blue Lagoon is an invigorating experience year-round, whether surrounded by snow in the middle of winter, or during the long days of the Icelandic summer.

LEARN THE LANGUAGEYes = Já No = NeiThank you = Takk Thank you very much = Takk fyrirYou're welcome = þú ert velkominn/Gerðu svo vel Please = Vinsamlegast/TakkExcuse me = Fyrirgefðu Hello = Halló/Góðan daginnGoodbye = Bless What is your name? = Hvað heitir þú?Nice to meet you = Gaman að kynnast þér How are you? = Hvernig hefur þú það?Good = Góður/Góð (male/fem.) Bad = Vondur/Vond (male/fem.)Where is ...? = Hvar er ...? Bus = StrætisvagnWhere are you going? = Hvert ertu að fara? Airport = FlugvöllurBus station = Umferðarmiðstöð Departure = BrottförArrival = Koma Car rental agency = BílaleigaHotel = Hótel Room = HerbergiOne ticket to ..., please.=Einn miða til ..., (takk fyrir). Reservation = Bókunzero = núll one = einn two = tveir three = þrírfour = fjórir five = fimm six = sex seven = sjöeight = átta nine = níu ten = tíu

Useful Icelandic PhrasesHow much does this cost? = Hvað kostar þetta (mikið)I would like to buy ... = Ég mundi vilja kaupa ...Do you accept credit cards? = Takið þið við krítarkortum?Open = Opið Closed = Lokað

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