Miracles Do Happen

Sometimes bucket lists overlap - like when I saw my friend Marcie had Iceland on her bucket list.

I reached out, "If you need a travel buddy, I also want to go to Iceland!"

Her response, "Well, I am going on Aug 31st if you want to come!"

Not what I had expected, but I thought about it for about 30 seconds, then said, "Yes, yes I do want to come."

Financially, my life is still in a bit of a rocky place. But I did have money set aside for travel (Japan trip, scheduled in 2020, didn't happen. Sigh) and decided I would use it for this adventure!

So, we started planning.

One of my disappointments from living in Alaska was not seeing the Northern Lights (okay, maybe once, very faintly but I wasn't sure and no one else out that night saw it when I pointed it out, so I maintain I didn't see them). And I know that Iceland is a good place to see them with relatively high odds, so it seemed like a possibility.

September is the start of the most likely time to see the Northern Lights, and we would {barely} be there in September, so I allowed a low level of hope to be held in my heart, and tried to keep it out of my mind as a defense mechanism.

Marcie was a fantastic travel companion. Our time in Iceland was packed - which is what I typically do while traveling, especially when the time in the new place is limited. Our aims and energy levels were well matched, which is always nice! 

The first night we got in we kept an eye on the sky as we walked from the bus terminal to our lodging, from our lodging to the grocery store, and back - large statues, an awesome treehouse, and a promise for cool kids - but no dancing lights.

Statues outside the airport

Cookies For Cool Kids - like us!?

We had an early start and the instant hot cereal we bought was just what we needed to warm and nourish us while we waited for the bus for our long drive along the southern coast of Iceland.

As I watched the incredible scenery pass by my soul became more whole again. The magnificent waterfalls and otherworldly vegetation was magnificent. When we stopped at Diamond Beach and took a ride through Glacier Lagoon I was grounded and felt that even without the Northern Lights this trip was worth it.

Taking in my new perspective

On the drive back, our guide told us that the clouds were making it not super likely to see the Northern Lights but he told us we could check with the tour company and that we could download an app. We downloaded the app, but the weather did not cooperate.

The next day we had another awesome tour planned - starting with thinking we missed our bus, which made everything else that day seems so much better and gave us so much to laugh about - we went to a greenhouse that grows mostly tomatoes and sold tomato...everything - drinks, ice cream, cheesecake, soup. Marice was the person to be with for that adventure!

Next up was a Geyser - it was worth the wait to capture a slow-mo video on our second spout.

I bought my souvenir here - licorice salt harvested in Iceland. Yum!

My love of waterfalls was fed again on our next stop on the Golden Circle:

On our drive back we were told that there were decent odds of seeing the Northern Lights. Marcie and I considered doing a tour, but given our early departure the next morning and weighing the cost + the late return from that tour, we decided to pass.

After wandering all over downtown Reykjavik we meandered back to pack.

As I was writing in my journal, Marcie asked if I wanted to go fill up my water bottle with her. Since I didn't have shoes on and was in the middle of something I told her to go ahead without me so I wouldn't slow her down.

Not 5 min later as I was checking the Aurora app Marcie burst back into our room: "Get your shoes and camera! Someone saw the Northern Lights just now, we have to go!"

While filling her water bottle, she saw a woman who looked really happy. Mostly joking, Marcie asked "Did you just see the Northern Lights?" - she said "I did! They are amazing!"

Marcie and I ran down the street toward the harbor hoping we were not too late. We saw faint green light in the sky and stopped where we were to try to capture that glimmer.

"It's too bright here, we have to get closer!" I snatched up my tripod and started jogging [in my flip flops...]

While I don't regret running down, it turns out we did not miss them. For over an hour we sat and watched these every changing dancing lights, taking photos and laughing and chatting with some of the other people out.

We even saw them from our bedroom window!

For me, this whole experience was a reminder that God is aware of me. He created this incredible earth and the magnificent beauty all around me. He knew my hearts desire to see the Northern Lights, and that I thought it was unlikely or even impossible. He wanted me to know, He can do impossible things, and He wants us to be happy and know we are loved and known.

I am grateful for the miracle of seeing the Northern Lights. And for the chance Marcie gave me to join her on this incredible adventure!