Iceland

Interview with Jure Kravanja conducted by Claire Carter

I was very lucky to meet Jure during my time in Slovenia. He told me about his forthcoming trip to Iceland and he kindly agreed to share his experience with us on his return.

More of his work can be seen here and as you can see he is a very talented photographer.

Claire : When did you visit Iceland?

Jure : We visited Iceland in June 2008. As it turned out we chose wisely, since June brings the best out of Iceland.

Claire : Were you travelling with an organised tour or did you plan this trip yourself?

Jure: A travel agency took care of lodgings and car rental. We did everything else on our own.

Claire: Where were you based?

Jure : During the weeklong trip we changed location every day, with exception of the city of Akureyri (located in the north of the island), where we spent two nights.

Claire: What was your itinerary?

Jure : We started our journey in the capital of Reykjavik. We made a circle around the island, passing mostly through small fishing villages (Vik being the most southern point of our trip and Husavik the most northern).

The following image was taken in Southern Iceland

Claire: How did you travel about when you were there?

Jure: We used a rented car. On the fourth day of the trip our car experienced a minor malfunction and our car provider offered an immediate change of vehicle - that was indeed very nice.

Claire: What were your expectations before you went?

Jure: The expectations were high. Before the trip we went through a lot of travel guides and photos, so we were expecting a magnificent arctic desert ...

Claire : What was the reality?

Jure : In reality, it was even better than that. We didn't dare to dream of such incomparable beauty!

Here is an other image taken in Southern Iceland

Claire : What was the weather like when you were there and what time of the year would you recommend visiting?

Jure : The weather in Iceland is as diverse as it's landscape. In a single day we would encounter sunshine, rain and even a snowstorm. As said before, we arrived in June, in the summit of Iceland's beauty.

Claire : What accommodation did you use or could you recommend?

Jure : A friend of ours, who happens to own a travel agency, took care of the accommodation. We stayed in various places: countryside hotels, student dorms, and even in a nice wooden cottage.

Claire : What were the highlights of your trip?

Jure : Everything was great, but if I had to single out three landmarks, I'd say extinct volcanoes, sulphur pools, and fields of hardened magma.

Claire: Any lowlights?

Jure : Not a single one!

Claire : Is this a trip you would recommend to readers?

Jure : I'd recommend this trip to everyone; Iceland is definitely one of the sleeping beauties of the Earth. Furthermore, it is the safest and the cleanest of the European countries, with warm and peaceful people. Because of its colourful landscape it is a must-see for everyone interested in our planet and nature, for everyone passionate about those slow, grand and picturesque landscapes, typical of Iceland.

Claire: Do you have any photography tips?

Jure : I would recommend using wide-angle lenses in order to capture those vast landscapes and also a telephoto.

Claire: PTR thanks Jure for sharing his experience and wonderful images with us. This is a destination that has been on my "must do" list for a long time and he has certainly sold it to me.

Some facts and figures

Link provided by Jure

http://en.vedur.is/ - Since weather in Iceland can be quite moody, this site really helps planning your trip.