Pam on the Map: Iceland

Pam on the Map

by Pam Stucky

From setting off a hotel fire alarm, to getting a luxurious in-water spa massage, to going on a “traditional Icelandic ice cream car ride,” to interviewing Jón Gnarr, “the most interesting mayor in the world,” Pam experienced it all on a two-week summer journey that took her all around the outer edge of Iceland. Armed with a two-wheel drive car, a persnickety GPS, and a goal to discover the heart and soul of the country, Pam broke out of the boundaries of Iceland’s popular Golden Circle to travel the full Ring Road (the road that circles all the way around the country), and beyond. In Pam on the Iceland, Pam brings readers along on her trip as she discusses all things Iceland, including the restrooms at Keflavík airport, the Ring Road and travel infrastructure, the treacherous gravel roads and Highway 939, the omnipresent waterfalls, hot dogs and fermented shark, and the history and culture of the country and its people. Pam stops to talk with locals about their views and opinions on Iceland, tourism, writing, the economy, soil erosion, and happiness. Filled with wit and wanderlust, Pam on the Iceland offers one woman’s perspective on traveling around this tiny island in the far north Atlantic Ocean. About the Pam on the Map In the Pam on the Map series, fiction and nonfiction author and traveler Pam Stucky offers her own engaging twist on the modern travelogue genre. Pam is curious. She’s curious about the world, and curious about people. Therefore, in her Pam on the Map series, Pam sets out to discover and connect with people and places, and to take readers along on her adventures through her almost real-time reports. Raw and real, Pam’s tales are infused with candid honesty, humorous observations, and perceptive insights. Pam’s descriptive, entertaining, conversational style brings her trips alive, making readers feel as though they’re traveling right along with her. Though they’re not guidebooks, the Pam on the Map books are still informative and illuminating, providing useful tips and plentiful ideas for people who might want to follow along in Pam’s footsteps.

247 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 19, 2013

Reviews

[Judith Works · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've only been to Iceland for two days and it wasn't enough. Now, after reading stories from the author's trip abound the volcanic island being guided by a recalcitrant GPS which doesn't seem to understand Icelandic, I definitely want to return to experience some of the strange and wondrous sights of the country. The author must be a seasoned traveler to have driven alone on dicey back roads for two weeks. Her quirky sense of humor enlivens her adventures in a land where tourists away from the cruise ships that stop in Reykjavik and a couple of other places, need to be hardy - and have strong bladders. Apparently, rest stops in the Icelandic outback, are non-existent,the landscape bereft of bushes and the narrow roads built on grades above the landscape. She writes warmly of the friendly people and the quirky mayor of Reykjavik whom she interviewed along with several authors of Nordic Noir.

The author includes a section on things she would do differently when she returns - All together a useful and enjoyable read for the armchair traveler or those with the map out beginning to plan their next adventure.

[Anne · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this book because I will be traveling to Iceland soon. Pam drove the Ring Road in about two weeks. Had lots of interesting experiences.

[Amanda · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read this to prepare for a trip to Iceland and it contains some helpful tips. It's billed as a memoir/travelogue, but there wasn't much, if any, memoir. I know little about the author and very much about her time in Iceland.