Filthy, filthy lucre

Five thousand krónur, about $40

Should you get some Icelandic cash before you go?

Nah. I never do. Here's why:

• Everybody accepts credit cards for everything. You can buy single cups of coffee with a credit card, or an individual hotdog from a kiosk, and nobody bats an eyelash.
• Anyway, you’d have to wait weeks to order the cash in, it’d be in inconveniently large denominations, and you’d get a terrible exchange rate.
• If you really really want cash, just get it from any ATM on Laugavegur. That yields the best rate, too.

The one thing you’ll want to do before you go is call the risk-management office for your card and tell them when and where you’ll be travelling. Otherwise you might arrive, attempt to use your card, and get blocked for ‘irregular activity.’ Then you’ll just need to talk to the risk-management people anyway.

If you have an RBC Visa, the number is 1-800-361-0152 from Canada. Or call collect +1-514-392-9167 from everywhere else.