10 DAYS IN ICELAND UNDER A G

There was one thing that George W. did right. That wonderful tax rebate. Prior to the latest waitressing job, I had been catching up on back debt. I was almost paying off my credit cards, and was in pretty decent shape.

And then one day I called my checking account to find G.W's $600 gift. It also just so happened to be the same day round-trip tickets to Iceland were on sale. I thought about it for all of 5 seconds. I had always wanted to go to Iceland but I had heard it was rather expensive.

The flight cost came to $522. With taxes, fees everything. I clicked purchase and sat for a moment kicking myself in the ass for what I had just done. Then, I forgave myself rather quickly and did a little "I'm going to Iceland" dance around my bedroom.

Unfortunately, that was the extent of my plan. I had no one to go with, no money, and no itinerary. Lucky for me I have a few friends who are a crazy as I am. One of whom booked a ticket as well.

The more we have been researching, the more we have found out just how expensive Iceland is. How much to rent a car for the week? The price tops out around $2,000. Food cost? Ridiculous. Plus, like most other currency now, the dollar is worth less than Icelandic Krona.

So... my latest idea is a test. Can we do 10 days in Iceland (and one day in the artic circle) for under $1,000? (That's including the flight...)

I am going to try and pull out all the stops. Every poor travelers essentials. From hitchhiking, couch surfing, hostels, camping, and carpooling. Can it be done? I'll keep you posted.