Richard Sale was born in England¿s West Country - reason enough to feel sympathy with all minorities who speak with strange tongues. Being quite good at sums he took a degree in theoretical physics and a PhD in astrophysics, and then sought a job in glaciology in order to be nearer his first great loves, snow and ice. He is now a travel writer, specialising in wilderness areas, most particularly the Arctic.

He fell in love with Iceland the first time he saw it - barely, through the fine rain that was falling - and has been going there, summer and winter, ever since. He is constantly frustrated by its weather and endlessly fascinated by its mixture of landscapes, its bird life and its people (though not always in that order).

He would like to thank several Icelandic friends for their (sometimes inadvertent) assistance with this book. Sadly, none of them is willing to be identified.

Do as you always did
Being new to the concept of town-dwelling, the Icelanders still find its rules difficult. If you have been used to riding into the nearest village and hitching your horse to a rail outside the shop you want to visit, you expect to do the same with your car.

Bold and beautiful
Not only has an Icelander held the title of World's Strongest Man, but there have been several Icelandic Miss Worlds. There have also been a surprising number of Icelandic chess grandmasters, and Iceland has more writers and artists per capita than any other country on earth. These facts reinforce the Icelanders' belief that they are a nation of strong, beautiful and intelligent people.

The joy of the jibe
The essence of Icelandic conversation is the insult. Icelanders are born with a talent for it and use it with ease from an early age. Because of their farming and fishing ancestry the most telling jibes involve sheep and fish. It is a very serious matter to refer to someone as a sheep or a codhead.

Give credit where credit's due
Next to their cars and electronic gadgetry, their credit rating is the closest thing to the Icelanders' heart. Credit cards are accepted in all hotels and shops, down to the smallest kiosk. Indeed, if you just want a tube of toothpaste and offer a shop assistant cash, it will be assumed that you have no credit rating at all.