What does a trip have to do with my typical focus here?
This is a different kind of blog from my typical content here, but I will relate it to why you read these blogs in the first place! However, I also realize that getting to know something about me may be of interest, and it’s fun to learn about a place you may want to visit. First, I will connect some observations to learning and development. Then, I will share some tips if you’re going to visit Iceland.
I did take notes! It may seem weird, but having a travel journal, even if only writing down where we went (specifically), what we saw, and how I felt, helps when looking back at the trip! I have a log of video footage to finish editing, and you can follow those videos on a new channel: youtube.com/@IntentionallyPatricia . My notes help me frame the videos in the correct order and help tell the story.
Review this blog, plus check out the videos (more to come) and a fun AI-generated podcast (the next blog and tutorial will share how I created this).
What I learned in Iceland – related to what we do for work
It’s great to explore a new country and get out of our typical bubble of experiences! As a facilitator, speaker, instructional designer, plus learning and development specialist, I do notice things related to my work context, too. Here are a few observations:
Positive messaging
- Positive messaging impacts behaviour change through learning. One example was the green happy face that would appear if you were going the speed limit. Where I live, they have speed cameras to catch you or a sign that shows you how fast you are going. In Iceland, they used a sign that gave you a green happy face, a yellow happy face, or a red sad face (if you were speeding). We wanted to see the green happy face. There were speed cameras too! But the positive affirmation, like a gold star, motivated us! Another example of positive messaging were the garbage cans decorated with a knitted troll, the mouth is where you would throw your garbage – what a clever and fun idea! This can be a lesson for using positive messaging while influencing behaviour change through learning tools.
Inclusive spaces
- I loved how inclusive Iceland felt! Beyond rainbow roads, which were everywhere, it felt safe for everyone. This is important in our learning experiences, too! Inclusive language and facilitating a genuinely safe space impact the learning experience. Inclusive (including representing diversity) and accessible learning spaces are values I take seriously when developing content and experiences.
Expensive But…
- It was expensive, partly because everyone received a living wage. People are paid well and then don’t mind paying a fair price that allows for this context. What we purchased was also of excellent quality, most of the time! I say most of the time because not every cup of coffee was fantastic; they didn’t seem to have a coffee culture like we are used to. However, I don’t drink coffee, but every hot chocolate I had was a treat! This could relate to the programs and services we provide. If they are of great quality, people don’t mind spending the time or investing financially.
Epic but scary
- The driving was epic, beautiful and fun! Sometimes, the roads going up a mountain or back down the other side were a bit scary! There were often no guard rails, even with narrow, bumpy roads. However, the driving experience was thrilling! Stretching comfort zones in life and learning can create the most memorable experiences! Those can be excellent development contexts if we make fun and engaging learning experiences, even if people feel stretched in their comfort zones. Perhaps because some aspects of the learning, such as with roll-plays, some people may find a bit scary, with laughter and support, the whole group of learners can go away with impactful knowledge transfer.
Don’t be dumb, and be responsible.
- No railings on the edge of beautiful cliffs and natural landscapes were also different from our experience of a super-safety culture. The signs basically said, ‘Don’t be stupid, or you could die’, but in different words. Giving individuals responsibility for how they experienced nature was a beautiful way to see, experience, and capture epic landscapes. We had to be smart not to get too close to the edge, but that was our responsibility. This can also be a lesson in how we craft experiences for our learners. In our culture, we still need guard rails for risk and liability – But learning happens when the learners take responsibility for what they give and get out of the experience.
- Another example and a very fun and memorable experience was when I essentially rock climbed down lava stacks to get the epic picture by the turquoise water. There were no people-created steps, no railings at all, just nature’s path down to the water. My whole body felt that climb down and up, for days afterwards – but that is the kind of exercise I prefer! The back of my pants, my hands and my jacket all had mud streaks because I had to climb down and up boulders. The only sad thing was that there were many other people in this space, and I felt I had to rush the picture. I reflected later on that I should have been more present and stayed in the moment, not just capture it and get out of the way. There is a balance between being curious and being present. What do you think this could be a related lesson for what we do in work? This was a life lesson for me, personally and professionally.
Tips for travelling to Iceland
I would highly recommend travelling to Iceland! It was expensive and could be one of those ‘bucket list’ trips, but I would return to Iceland in a heartbeat! We loved it, and it was worth every cent we spent! We travelled the whole country island in a camper 4×4 van, and this was the perfect way we could get off the beaten path and away from the large crowds. Here are some tips to start your planning or dreaming:
- Plan well in advance, book, and pay off some more significant expenses before you go. (Camper Van, Flights, and Travel Gear)
- You may need to love nature, hiking, trip planning and driving. There are different ways to experience Iceland, and tours may be a better fit if you don’t like driving.
- I watched many YouTube videos and took notes on the most important locations we wanted to try to see. There is much more to see than a two-week trip would allow. I also wanted to pace the journey so that it didn’t feel rushed and that we saw a lot. I circled places on maps of Iceland that I brought with us and had an idea of how many days we should spend in West, North, East and South Iceland.
Rapid fire tips
Packing & gear
- Pack less! Leave room for souvenirs. It felt like we brought too much.
- A refillable water bottle was a must-have.
- A flashlight or headlamp with batteries is helpful for those nighttime bathroom walks – which are worth it to see the Northern Lights!
- I brought earplugs for the plane, and an eye mask is recommended, especially if you travel in the summer months.
- I used Tile tracking tags for the first time. This gave me peace of mind for our checked luggage and carry-ons if they had to be checked. I also added them to our critical personal bags, just in case. (Like Air Tags – if you have an iPhone)
- Gear: Warm layers, base merino wool, rain pants, a great rain jacket shell, fleece sweater, and puffy jacket, great socks and fantastic hiking boots, plus a toque (hat) and gloves. I intentionally brought a bathing suit and an easy-to-take-on and off two-piece for the natural hot springs. Sandals or flip-flops could be used in some contexts but are not necessary.
- Large zip-lock baggies are handy, even for leftover food to place in a small cooler/fridge. A bag large enough for laundry is also handy to bring. Backpacks were essential, not regular suitcases, when travelling in a small camper van. Don’t forget a day pack for hikes.
- Compressable packing cubes were very helpful. If you can also label them, that would be even better!
Plan ahead
- You can rent towels from the van rental, but you should also bring thin towels. They were handy to have between showers and hot springs. Next time, I would have grabbed my larger camping towel for the ‘changing in public’ situations at those hot springs in the middle of nature.
- There are laundry facilities at many campsites. I brought eco-friendly laundry strips, which were easy to use, and I didn’t have to buy liquid detergent.
- I brought hydration powder to add to the water (Blume SuperBelly – is what I used). Iceland water is safe to drink almost everywhere, but you may only be drinking water to save costs. Sometimes, if the water tastes different from what you are used to, this is a good idea
- On all hikes, bring Kleenex or toilet paper and a zip lock bag to carry out (for emergencies). 😉
- Pack a USB charger plug for the van cigarette lighter fuse, a longer phone charger cable, and a backup power charger that you can bring with you on a hike, etc. I also brought a phone holder that I could use in the van.
- I used an e-SIM card for the first time, which worked well for data in another country, but I couldn’t call on it. However, you can make some phone calls on WhatsApp.
- I planned to set up access to my credit cards on my phone via apps because the old method of logging in and needing a texted code would not have worked. It’s recommended not to use tap and to have your PIN number memorized.
- Extra batteries and a charger for your camera are beneficial!!
Glad I brought & did
- My ergonomic pillow in a compressible cube was an excellent addition. Good sleep is everything!
- I also brought pillowcases and a sheet, which was a great idea. I prefer Bamboo sheets, and this helped me get extra comfy sleep. It was worth the space in my backpack to me. The van provided blankets, pillows, and sheets, but they ended up forgetting the sheets, which really affirmed my decision. (We didn’t have to drive back hours after getting to camp or finding a store – something to check before you leave the van rental place.)
- Cough candies and masks are not a bad idea for the plane. We sat beside someone who was very sick on the way home (on the plane). They were wearing masks, but I supplied cough candies, which helped them and us!
- Eye drops, Vicks vapor rub (just in case of illness or for smells), Tylonal, hand cream, glasses in cases (for sleeping on the plane too), charger for the country you are travelling to, my own tea bags (less to buy there), some granola bars and oatmeal packages (don’t have to buy a whole box there).
- Some Icelandic cash (Krono), a few campsites only took cash, but most places take card.
- Travel journal note book and pens.
- VPN for safe use of wifi in public places is a must have for me, even when using the e-Sim I purchased online.
- I’m glad I had fun, and we stopped to check out out of the way places! Going the wrong way on a hike or road is never a bad thing. Iceland is a magical place!
“Sometimes going in the wrong direction or taking a wrong turn is exactly the direction you should be going” Patricia Regier
Good to know
- Wash your hands extra well after fueling the van before returning to the rental place. Just an FYI, it could pick it up during the airport scan.
- 4×4 van rental was a great idea because we could go on roads that would have been riskier without it.
- Save your receipts, especially when buying expensive souvenirs at local shops; there is a tax-back option at the airport (before you check your bags).
- A lot of self-serve payments at campsites, etc.
- We went in September, the shoulder season, which had fewer people. This meant we didn’t have to book our campsites ahead of time, allowing us to go at our own pace.
- Download apps ahead of time for booking campsites, maps, safety, road conditions, weather, and more. These are all must-haves on your road trip in Iceland!
- I could share more, but this is a good list for now. 🙂
Adventure Journeys
Ultimately have fun, whether you are facilitating workplace training, or designing a learning experience, or on a road trip! I encourage you to be intentional about playing in whatever space you are in! Adults are never too old to play and have fun, intentionally choosing joy! I’ll be back to regular programming in the next blog, and it’s a fun one too, but related to work and content creation. If you liked this, I will be sharing a lot of videos from our trip on YouTube. If you want to know more about any of these topics, please message me and let me know. Thank you for taking the time to read my blogs, listen to my podcast and watch my videos!
Videos from our trip – more coming soon!
https://www.youtube.com/@IntentionallyPatricia
NEW AI-Generated, Related Podcast
Hot Bonus Tip
- Capturing your travels or experiences can help with stories that relate to training material in the future. It also helps to keep the travel highs going. But at the same time, being present in the moment and not only focusing on capturing the moment is key! It’s all about the memories!
Stay tuned
Future blog posts will include tips on creating Videos for your online course, tips on Using AI to develop training, MS Teams Tips and tricks, Hybrid contexts, eLearning course development, facilitation onsite or online considerations, and more. Email me if you have an idea for a future blog post or video tutorial.
If you missed it: Beta Testers ; Online Course Videos ; New Zoom Workplace; Updated Zoom Settings; Facilitator Carry-on Bag Must Bring List; Are you losing learners? The Neurodiverse Workplace (Book Recap) Working with Clients or Vendors/Consultants
‘Virtual Facilitator Course’
Turn your audience into participants!
Plus take our Learning Types Quiz
Author
Patricia Regier, MEd is the Online Expert who’s built a career on the belief that training and online learning doesn’t have to be boring. As Owner of Regier Educational Services and with a Master of Adult Education, Patricia is known for making her audience feel empowered, engaged, courageous and confident. Her debut book and keynote, The Online Shift teaches newcomers to the online space and seasoned professionals alike how to optimize their online presence and maximize engagement. She’s tried, tested and refined using the latest behavioral science, research and psychology to make sure your next online experience is a hit!
To book Patricia as a speaker, please email patricia@regiereducation.com
