#1 on the bucket list achieved!

We are now in the Akureyri – the largest town in the north (population 20,000). The skies were crystal clear after a very sunny day and the next day was promised to be the same.

We had received a good prediction for Northern Lights on Wednesday night. Unfortunately the clouds rolled in and there was overnight rain, so no luck.

Thursday, Rick found the app that our guide had been using to predict the timing and intensity of Northern Lights all over the world (we can even see Ukee on it).

The app spread like a happy virus through the entire group, and we spent our dinner tracking a high probability and high intensity light show – headed our way.

As soon as the sun went down, we took turns popping up to the lobby to see if anything was happening. We had also given our names to the front desk for a Northern Lights wake-up call., should we be so lucky.

At 9:45 the phone rang. You have never seen 2 people scramble out of a room so fast. Shoes, an extra layer of clothing (it was -2 by that time) and gloves. Boom! Out the door. We charged down the stairs and into the parking lot.

It was crazy. Beautiful and fun and… well ennchanting. We were all smiles – calling to each other – look over there – no look over there! The lights pulsed and moved and changed – always rising from behind the mountain to the north, then gliding over the hotel where they slowly diluted to wisps and slipped away into the very, very starry night sky.

I have no words to describe how lovely it was. After the first show had passed, we sat in the lobby warming up and sharing photos back and forth. A second show, though a bit less spectacular appeared about 25 minutes later and the hardiest of us ran out again.

I expect many of you have seen this phenomenon. I imagine it to be just as magical as it is different each and every time. I had so wanted this to happen while we were here, in this land of nature and mystery and sorcery and myths. And it did.

The app says the lights may be back tonight…. Even if there are no more, I cannot stop smiling.