Is Iceland really expensive? Is it worth visiting?

This is the question most frequently asked by my friends after seeing my Moments. Iceland - 7 years ago, I planned to go but never took action. This year, I finally made up my mind and set off! While planning the trip, I read many travel guides. I longed for the natural scenery of Iceland, but I was more fearful; fearful of the changing weather; fearful of accidentally harming wildlife while driving; fearful of the high cost of living... Therefore, I bought no less than 5 books, covering geography to daily life, to prepare myself more thoroughly. Even just before departure, I still felt uncertain, after all, this land is too special. When I flew from Norway to Iceland and got into the four-wheel SUV (I still recommend renting a four-wheel SUV because Iceland has many long gravel roads, strong winds, and heavy snow), I started the engine and the car slowly moved along Iceland's Route 1, I was still cautious and fearful... After returning from a counter-clockwise tour around Iceland, although strong winds affected the short section from Hofn to Myvatn, I was willing to travel an extra 800 kilometers, taking a detour to reach the Godafoss Waterfall. Although it was very tough that day, requiring 8-9 hours of driving per day, I still felt no regrets. In June, I saw heavy snow in Akureyri and the iconic heart-shaped traffic light🚥. If you ask me whether to travel clockwise or counter-clockwise around the island, I still recommend the counter-clockwise direction, saving the area around the Straw Hat Mountain for last, which makes the changing scenery more anticipated and enjoyable. Is Iceland really expensive? Is it worth visiting? This is the question most frequently asked by my friends after seeing my Moments. From the perspective of accommodation, it is indeed expensive, with hostels costing 500 yuan per person, but if you consider the scenery of the accommodations, compared to domestic prices, it's really not expensive; sometimes booking on the same day can be cheaper. From the perspective of food, the unit price is indeed expensive, but considering the quality of the ingredients, compared to the same ingredients and dishes domestically, it's sincerely not expensive. I loved eating lobster, cod, and tuna in Hofn, with 5 main dishes costing only 1600 yuan; From the perspective of clothing, it is necessary to wear waterproof jackets, pants, and shoes, and dressing in layers like an onion to cope with the changing weather is a wise choice. From the perspective of car rental, it is indeed expensive, especially the price of gasoline, but there are no highway fees, only one tunnel on the island charges a fee, the rest are free, so the average price per kilometer feels acceptable; From the perspective of landforms and natural landscapes, it is indeed unique, from volcanoes to oceans, from barren plains to lush green lands, from hot springs to glaciers, from icebergs to blue caves, from black sand beaches to red sand beaches, there is nothing you can't see... The charm of nature has always tugged at my emotions and thoughts, with large patches of lupines swaying gracefully in the breeze; tender grass just sprouting from the soil and rock crevices, being blown into a ballet dance by the strong wind; on sunny days, icebergs freely floating and combining, emitting crisp sounds of ice cracking; little seals🦭 eagerly jumping into the sea, playfully playing with the water; Icelandic horses and sheep scattered neatly across the grasslands; moss quietly blooming on rocks over thousands of years of growth; volcanic magma cooling down to form black coal balls, scattered around; as tourists, we greedily capture all this with our cameras, fearing missing any scenery and regretting... Iceland, a place with a small population, has become a high-welfare country through fish exports and geothermal energy, and its football achievements in a certain World Cup made the whole world recognize Iceland. Is Iceland expensive? Maybe, but from another perspective, is it worth it? Perhaps it is... Returning from Iceland, I still miss it and will go again, delve into the central part, challenge myself in different ways, and discover its alternative beauty; I am still on the road, not stopping...