My dinner consisted of a family-size bag of “Cool American” flavored Doritos, gas station fish and chips, and a ginger ale. I sat in my rental car alone with my not-so-fantastic feast, killed the engine and turned the lights off. No plasticware, no napkins.

My car faced west and sat at the northern most point of the small fishing village in Iceland, wedged somewhere between the sky and the frigid dark ocean. The sky had not yet revealed its intentions—complete cloud coverage or to surrender to the stars. I kept my fingers crossed for the latter. I had hoped to see the Northern Lights.

The moment was both pathetic and peaceful.

With not much to think about and no one to talk to, my mind wandered to the odd predicament I found myself in just prior to parking my car.

I had arrived in the village a couple of hours earlier. My car crept through the desolate streets as I looked for a place to sleep and to grab a bite to eat.

The wind whipped around every corner and the boats rocked in the harbor while I searched for signs of life. Colorful box houses sat modestly hiding the town’s inhabitants. Where is everyone?

A couple children rode by on bikes and stared at me as if I’d just slaughtered their beloved house pet.

Hostels were closed, bed and breakfasts were closed; even the large hotel on the hill had a note taped to the door, “ For accommodation, please call…” (Number provided with no area code). I sat in the empty parking lot contemplating plan D.

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Iceland is approximately the size of West Virginia. For the non-Americans, West Virginia is that eastern state you hear all the nasty rumors about; yes, worse than Texas. My point, which I’ve already distracted myself from, is that it’s very small.

Route 1, or Ring Road, is the main road in Iceland that circles the island. When I decided I was going to rent a car for the ultimate Icelandic road trip alone, I naturally thought, “I’ll just drive around the whole country and see everything in one week!”

This is a bad idea. You probably didn’t need some woman at the tourist office to tell you that. But for me, it took a sideways glance that said something like, “You’re an idiot” before I decided I should consider my other options.

The Snæfellsnes Peninsula was one of my other options. It has earned its reputation as “Iceland in Miniature” by providing a glimpse of all the country has to offer in one 90 km (55 mile) Peninsula.  It can also be done without a 4×4. I did it in my rental car, a 1995 Toyota Yaris in October. I also took a day to drive The Golden Circle in Iceland’s interior and also drove Hvalfjörð, which is a small detour that can be done on the way to or from the Snæfellsnes Peninsula.

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If you are driving this route, raise your right hand and say, “I swear on my love for nutella, that I will not speed. I do not care how many cars pass me, how quickly I’m losing daylight, or how much I need to go to the bathroom. I understand that one speeding ticket in Iceland could cover the flights and accommodation for a deserving family of four to Disneyworld for a week.” It’s true, Google it.

Ok, great! Now that the severity of speeding has been addressed, let’s explore the Golden Circle.

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The mystical beauty, rich Nordic folklore, and maritime past of Scandinavia fascinates me, so much in fact, that I was willing to forego backpacking through much warmer climates in favor of exploring the land of the Vikings at the onset of winter.  Armed with one really warm coat and a new camera lens, I’m currently experiencing the culture, cuisine, land, and people of Northern Europe.

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Not renting a car in Iceland is like buying a ticket to a movie and leaving after the trailers. You’re missing something. The best parts of the country lie outside the city limits. Unless you always want to cram into a tour bus for the “one-size-fits-all” tour, get some wheels and take to the road yourself.  For the record, I have no issue with bus tours, but certain destinations call for a little more freedom.

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