About
One woman’s quest to travel the world without quitting her day job
Hi there! My name is Brenna, and I live in a world of wanderlust.
A lover of nature and animals, adventure and silence, cobble-stone streets and fresh food markets, differing cultures and drinking wine (or beer, I’m not picky) on a patio on a warm, sunny day, I could do nothing but dream while growing up in small-town Kansas. I put my aspirations for travel on hold and went to college where I met my best friend who took me on my first trip out of the country- Costa Rica. We married when I was 22. My economics degree turned into a full-time Business Analyst job right out of college, and his study of computer science has led to a job as a Software Developer. Throughout this time, we shared dreams of quitting everything eventually to spend months abroad.
I know that is how a lot of people travel. Just up and go. It’s an idea that appeals to me and an idea I may still take, but as a married woman with a good job, dogs, and a house, I understand how that may not always be the best option for some travel lovers. So for now, I am working on conquering the world slowly, one country at a time.
My way of travelling is one of planning and preparation, luxury but on a budget. Travels don’t have to be either hostels and backpacking or all-inclusive resorts. I aim for the middle ground. I like to experience the culture and people of the countries I go to, but go home in the evening to a comfortable bed and a bottle of wine… or, of course, beer.
Hi, my husband and I are going to Iceland July 2015 and wondering if you hAve any tips on where to stay (budget, but not hostels) car rental companies, etc. your blog was great; thanks! Did you only stay for 5 days?
Hi Natalie, thanks for the comment! We were there for 6 nights, basically 6 and a half days.
As for lodging, it depends on what you consider “budget”- budget in Iceland is quite a bit more than what I would usually consider budget. I would check out airbnb.com and vrbo.com which both have a wide range of prices for accommodations. For the first 4 nights, we stayed at a house we found on VRBO between the airport and Reykjavik, a short drive from the Blue Lagoon for $165 a night (http://www.vrbo.com/336030ha) and then we stayed at a small bed and breakfast (two rooms) on a farm in Vik for approximately $145 a night for two (https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/1607102?checkin=03%2F13%2F2015&checkout=03%2F14%2F2015&guests=2). I would recommend both of these places, though they were pricier than what we wanted to spend.
For car rental, we used Blue Car Rental and have zero complaints. They were cheaper than everyone else we looked at, and we did not see any bad reviews for them. Everything went smoothly, and they were very helpful.
Other tips- bring layers because weather changes drastically. Buy groceries at Bonus stores because they are a whole lot cheaper. If you drink, bring alcohol with you (check how much is allowed) and/or buy it duty-free at the airport. Tours are the most expensive part of Iceland, but both the ones we went on were amazing and we were happy we did them. Make sure you make time for your own adventures though and get off the tourist trail here and there because there are beautiful surprises everywhere in the country. Have fun!
Thanks for your help/advice!