After our winter trip to Iceland, we put together this practical guide to driving in Iceland in winter. Iceland is a wonderful country for a road trip, but winter road conditions and closures can make it a stressful experience if you are not prepared. We cover everything you need to know before you go, how to prepare for driving in Iceland in winter, and what to do in the event of an emergency. We have driven in Iceland in both winter and summer across multiple trips, and we have spent weeks exploring the country by car. We’ll share what road conditions are like in winter, what kind of car to rent, rental car insurance options, the best areas of Iceland to visit (and avoid) in the winter, how to prepare for a winter Iceland road trip, and how to stay safe. We also cover the new 2026 kilometer-based road tax… Read the rest
Archives for January 2018
A Guide to Visiting the UNESCO World Heritage Sites in London
Did you know that you can find four UNESCO World Heritage sites in London? Although London is one of the world’s great modern capitals, it has a history stretching back to Roman times. London’s four UNESCO World Heritage sites are: Palace of Westminster, Westminster Abbey & St. Margaret’s Church, the Tower of London, Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, and Maritime Greenwich. Each of these sites has been determined by UNESCO to represent an “outstanding universal value”, and are all top visitor attractions in London. We’ve visited all these sites, and we’ll tell you about each of these London World Heritage sites and give tips on visiting each of them during your trip. UNESCO World Heritage Sites in London If you are wondering what exactly a World Heritage site is, it is a landmark or area that the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has deemed to have cultural, historical,… Read the rest
A Guide to Celebrating Hogmanay in Edinburgh Scotland
Edinburgh’s Hogmanay is one of the biggest and best-known New Year celebrations in the world, and having lived in the city for around four years, we’ve had plenty of chances to celebrate it. We think it’s well worth the trip if you know what you’re getting into. The 2026/2027 festival runs from December 29, 2026 to January 1, 2027, with the street party, concert, and midnight fireworks all falling on Hogmanay itself, December 31. Most of the big events are ticketed and they do sell out, so book as far ahead as you can once the schedule is announced. Street Party tickets start from around £39, the Concert in the Gardens costs more, and many of the New Year’s Day events are free. Expect big crowds, cold weather, and a real party atmosphere, and go in with a backup plan, because the outdoor events can be called off at short… Read the rest
Churchill in London: A Guide to Winston Churchill Sites in London
Winston Churchill is one of the most well-known British figures of the 20th century, and today it is easy to find traces of Winston Churchill in London. Although Churchill traveled extensively, there is no city more central to his life than London. It was here that he went to school, sat at Parliament, married, lived with his family, served as Prime Minister, coordinated much of the war effort during World War 2, and died. Although Churchill is best known for his role as Britain’s fearless wartime leader during WWII, he was a well-rounded man who also served in the military, bred race horses, produced over 500 paintings, became an amateur bricklayer, won the Nobel Prize for Literature, and wrote love letters regularly to his wife. Today Winston Churchill remains as intriguing and divisive as he was in life, and London is the best place to learn more about this complex former… Read the rest