Husband’s Day in Iceland (Bóndadagur)

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This Friday (today, 19th Jan ‘18) is bóndadagur / Þorraþræll, Husband’s Day here in Iceland, and though I don't tend to buy into all these - for want of a better term - 'hallmark holidays', I thought I'd share what this day is all about to Icelanders and get into the culture a little bit. 

Bóndadagur is a day where wives and girlfriends pamper their men and show their appreciation. Some give flowers, others treat their men to dinner out or prepare a steak served with the specially brewed þorri beer - remember to head to a Vínbúðin as you can’t buy alcohol in Icelandic supermarkets. 

Many families also celebrate by eating the traditional þorri food, and there are festivals and events held where you can try it - also check in local supermarkets. Bóndadagur marks the beginning of the old Icelandic month of þorri. This is when the (not-so-delicious) fermented foods start to appear in the supermarket - watch our Icelandic Food Challenge to see us try some of the local delicious.

So, if you’re Icelandic or your husband/partner is, have a wonderful Bóndadagur and comment below with your plans so I can get a little more into the tradition (and not disappoint Ingimar next year).

Konudagur / Women’s Day is in February

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Sonia Nicolson

Architect & former University Lecturer turned Entrepreneur. I help female Entrepreneurs successfully Design & Build their Creative Businesses in Interior Design, Architecture & Urban Sketching.

The Aurora Bubble Hotel, Iceland (vlog)

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Last week I had the chance to stay overnight in the Aurora Bubble Hotel, known as the 5 Million Star Hotel, so I took my Mum and we headed off to sleep in a bubble under the stars. A beautifully crisp winter’s day, we arrived into a winter wonderland, ready for the Aurora and to sleep under a blanket of stars. 

watch the vlog

The Bubbles act like a hotel and provide you with a room that is fully transparent, providing the perfect Northern Lights Hotel. Each Bubble sleeps two adults in a comfortable double bed, the minimum age is six years old for health and safety reasons. The structure is completely inflatable and made out of a fire-retardant PVC tarpaulin, you literally sleep in a bubble. The structure keeps itself inflated by a slight over-pressure from a noiseless ventilation system. The system is designed to renew the air 2-7 times per hour, this also prevents any humidity. The system has a heating element with a thermostat so the Bubble is cozy and warm all winter.

Bubble Hotel Iceland

Nestled in a small Icelandic wood the Bubbles are the ideal Northern Lights viewing platform, lie back and watch the starry sky. Sleep under the stars, right in the woods, it's a very special night. Some of the Bubbles have a white panel around the bottom of the walls at bed height which gives a little privacy but this doesn't interfere with any Northern Lights viewing. 

Transparent Bubble

The location of the Bubbles is kept secret until you have booked but I can tell you that they are located in the countryside near Fludir and the Golden Circle. It's about an hour’s drive from Reykjavik and two hours from Keflavik Airport. The Bubbles are nestled in a beautiful spot, set back from the road and surrounded by trees. You can also see the volcanos Katla and Eyjafjallajökull in the distance. 

This is an opportunity to truly chill out - lie back and take it all in. Sleeping under the stars and watching the Aurora Borealis dance above you might be a dream come true. It’s the ultimate glamping experience. So, if the sky is clear of clouds then you will hopefully have a good chance of seeing a starry sky with some magical Northern Lights dancing above your head. 

READ: How To See The Northern Lights

Northern Lights Bubble

The Bubbles are part of a tour offered by Northern Lights Iceland. This means that you can't stay without booking the full tour. The tour is fabulous and takes you in a luxury suburban jeep to the Golden Circle stopping at Geysir, Gulfoss, and the Secret Lagoon. The tour group is small, maximum of six people, and there are only nine Bubbles on the site so it feels very private. 

Nearby is the town of Fludir where you could take in the waters of the Secret Lagoon. This is a unique natural hot spring, the oldest swimming pool in Iceland (made in 1891). The water holds at 38-40 Celsius (100-104 Fahrenheit) all year round. Swim and float around, try to find the hottest part of the lagoon. You can also take a short walk around the lagoon to see the beautiful landscape, original changing hut, natural geysers heating the lagoon, and the nearby greenhouse. 

Service House

There is a service house on site which is a short walk from each Bubble. Here you will have access to two shower rooms with a sink and toilet. There is also a small kitchen and dining space where you can store and prepare food and drinks. There is a fridge, kettle, coffee machine, and two-ring electric hob with plenty of dishes and a dishwasher.

If you are looking for food then there is Minilik, an Ethiopian Restaurant nearby and this gets great reviews. We went to Mika, a family-run restaurant specializing in handmade chocolates and langoustine dishes. I highly recommend the langoustine soup and garlic bread. 

As the Bubbles are small, there isn’t room for a suitcase or many belongings so pack light. A small rucksack or hand luggage-sized case is ideal. Pack your pajamas, wash bag, camera (and tripod for Aurora shots), a good book, and your swimming stuff for the Secret Lagoon. Towels are provided at the Bubble but bring your own for the Secret Lagoon.

Wear good walking boots, wind and waterproof coats, and layer up. You won’t need a towel or bedding, and the Bubbles have extra blankets, electric blankets, and a spare air heater to keep you cozy and warm. 

Aurora Bubble

If you have hired a car and are driving on from the Bubbles then you can self-drive as there is a small parking bay on site but keep in mind that you still pay the full cost of the tour even if you are driving yourself. 

tour includes a nights stay in a Bubble

My Iceland Bucket List

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For all my friends, or friends of friends or people that contact asking for my recommendations of things to do in Iceland  - I've put together an Iceland Bucket List to share with you. These are places, sites, restaurants, and hotels that I recommend or, yup, still want to try. Click the names for links. I recommend self-driving so you have the freedom to come and go as you please but there are lots of wonderful tours on offer too. 

Near Keflavik (Iceland International) Airport

access is limited due to volcanic activity - check with local authorities

  • Blue Lagoon - book tickets in advance, go for the option with marks and drink at the swim-up bar

  • Gunnehver Geysir - near Blue Lagoon, amazing but smelly landscape

Reykjavik, Iceland

  • Harpa - concert venues, worth looking at inside and out, a tour of the building on offer

  • Hallgrimskirja - view from the top, service in English last Sunday of every month

  • Perlan - ice cave exhibition, view from the top - still to do (newly opened)

  • Seabarren / Sægreifinn - lobster soup

  • Íslenski barinn - Meat soup, shark, beer

  • Cafe Loki - rye bread ice cream

  • Laundromat - a great breakfast, I love the pancakes

  • Fish Market - for a special meal, try the epic taster menu

  • National Museum - still to do

  • Icelandic Phallological Museum - still to do

  • Reykjavík Art Museum, Hafnarhús - still to do

  • Settlement Exhibition - still to do

  • Reykjavík Art Museum - a great big space with some mad exhibitions

  • National Gallery of Iceland - still to do

  • Nauthólsvík Beach - hot pool, nice walks, cafe

  • Grotta Lighthouse - great for Northern Lights spotting, small hot pot, beach walks

the Golden Circle

  • Pingviller National Park - tectonic plates, amazing landscape

  • Geysir - erupting every few minutes, the cafe is good here (free soup refills)

  • Efstidalur - farm serving homemade ice cream, eat a steak in the restaurant overlooking the barn

  • Gulfoss Waterfall - powerful waterfall, wrap up as can get wet

  • Fontana - geothermal spa - outdoor spa on the side of a lake, go from steam and hot pool to lake!!

  • Secret Lagoon / Gamla Laugin - fab hot pool, walk around the site after

  • Mika Restaurant - a lovely family-run place with lobster and handmade chocolates

  • Fridheimar Greenhouse - eat tomato soup amongst the plants in this greenhouse - still to do

  • Bruarfoss Waterfall - still to do

  • Kerid - Walk around the edge of a crater

Hveragerdi, Iceland

  • Reykjadalur hot river - roughly a 1hr hike but well worth it to bathe in the hot river at the top

the South Coast trail

  • Seljalandsfoss Waterfall - walk behind the waterfall

  • Gljúfrabúi - 2mins walk after Seljalandsfoss

  • Seljavallalaug Natural Pool - amazing pool, can be cold if it's been raining/snowing

  • Skogafoss Waterfall - huge waterfall, not worth the stairs to the top

  • Skogafoss Bistro - soup and a view

  • Sólheimajökull - Glacier, you can walk up to it but you'd need to join a tour to go on it, amazing experience

  • Plane wreck - a long walk, only do if you really want to

  • Reynisfara / Black Sand Beach - be careful of the waves

  • Dyrhólaey - dramatic coastal landscape

  • Vik - Service Station burgers to tide you over

  • Skaftafell - Glacier + Ice Cave tour

  • Jokulsarlon / Glacier Lagoon - stunning, enough said

  • Diamond Beach - just over the road from Jokulsarlon, epic for photography

Snaefellsnes Peninsula, Iceland

  • Snæfellsjökull National Park - self-drive and see some amazing landscape

  • Djúpalón Beach - the beach where fishermen lifted stone weights to show their strength

  • Snæfellsjökull - glacier

  • Kirkjufell - the most photographed mountain in Iceland but stunning

  • Norska Húsið - traditional houses, architecture

  • Súgandisey - orange lighthouse, a lookout point

  • Helgafell - mountain

  • Malarrif - coastline and lighthouse

  • Saxhöll Crater - drive into a crater

  • Stykkishólmskirkja - futuristic church here

Accommodation in Iceland

…and on my bucket list:

  • The West Fjords

  • Landmannalaugar

  • Fjaðrárgljúfur

  • Vestmannaeyjar (Westman Islands)

  • Akyreri

  • Myvatn Nature Baths

  • An Ice Cave

  • The Ring Road

what's on your iceland bucket list?

Secret Geothermal Pools in Iceland

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SECRET POOLS IN ICELAND

A trip to Iceland, the land of fire and ice, wouldn't be complete without a few hot pool visits and Iceland has some of the most incredible, natural geothermal pools. Trust me, there’s a lot more to it than the Blue Lagoon so today I'm sharing 4 of my favorite pools, and 6 that are still on my wish list. 

Hot springs are scattered around Iceland, some not accessible and others on private farmland but some are welcome to the public and you really should make a visit. I love relaxing in a hot pool, taking in the geothermal waters of a local spa, or rewarding myself with a soak in a hot river after a hike, and Iceland sure offers you these treats. My favorite pool is still Seljavallaug because the water here is algae and so so good for your skin. The dreamy and very romantic Blue Lagoon, a world know spa, will always have a place in my heart as it's where my Viking took me on our first date but I do find the water very drying on my skin. The Secret Lagoon is a great find if a little touristy but the water is always hot and fabulous. And finally, the hot river at Reykjadalur is a pretty damn unique experience and one everyone should do if they can. 

1. BLUE LAGOON

It’s the most obvious one so let’s start here. The Blue Lagoon is everything you have imagined it will be. It’s a truly relaxing experience and can be a very romantic one too. Located near Keflavik International Airport, it’s an ideal stop on your way to or from the airport. Recently extended in size with a new swim-up bar and in-water massage area, the Blue Lagoon is a great welcome to Iceland. The distinctive blue hue of the water comes from that sulphur, so it’s a good idea to remove copper or silver jewellery before bathing as it can cause discolouring. Swim around in the calming blue silica waters, try out the waterfall, steams rooms, cave, and algae or silica masks. Enjoy a refreshing drink at the swim-up bar whilst your mask works its magic. With a rather large price tag and appearing on almost everyone’s bucket list, keep in mind that there are other options. 

2. REYKJADALUR

Located an hour’s hike from the town of Hveragerði (45min drive from Reykjavik) is a hot river that welcomes you after a pretty stunning hike. The landscape is beautiful and changes from bubbling brown mud to green moss, steam billowing from the ground and rising from the algae-filled waterfalls. Reykjadalur, meaning steaming valley, is the first of our completely natural (and free) recommendations. Once you arrive at the section popular for bathing, you’ll notice there no changing huts. Strip down to your swimming costume and brave the few steps into the water. Access has been made easy by a manmade boardwalk with steps into the river. There are some screens to shelter behind and change but this is a pretty wild experience, especially if the weather is wild too, though it's an unforgettable one. Walk or paddle upstream for hotter water, lie by the small damns and take in the views. 

3. GAMLA LAUGIN / SECRET LAGOON

This pool is a great introductory pool with easy access, changing facilities, and a shower. The Secret Lagoon is a unique natural hot spring, the oldest swimming pool in Iceland, built-in 1891. It’s a large pool that was once used by local women to wash clothes in and was the local swimming pool where children learnt to swim until 1947. The water holds at 38-40 Celsius (100-104 Fahrenheit) all year round. Here you can swim and float around using the noodles provided to find the hottest part of the lagoon. Once you are warm enough, take a short walk around the lagoon to see the beautiful landscape, original changing hut, natural geysers heating the lagoon and the nearby greenhouse. There is a cafe here for a hot chocolate or snack afterward too.

4. SELJAVALLAUG

Seljavallalaug is an algae pool located in a very dramatic setting at the base of the famous Eyjafjallajökull volcano. It’s relatively easy to find but is quickly changing from a local, secret pool to one being visited by tourists. On the south coast and just a short drive from Seljalansfoss waterfall is Seljavallalaug. Park at the car park by the guesthouses and make your way up through the valley following the river path. It’s a short 15-20min walk on rocky terrain, crossing one waterfall, but is relatively easy and kids will manage. The pool is manmade and built into the rock face. There is a small but basic changing hut where you can change and leave your belongings. The pool is naturally heated but can be a little cooler if it has recently rained or snowed. The tap feeding the pool is located at the top of the pool, where everyone gathers but hot water also trickles down the rock face. This is an algae pool so can feel a little odd but is amazing for the skin. Lie back and enjoy the landscape, imagine the activity of the mighty Eyjafjallajökull and the history of this pool. 

This pool is cleaned by volunteers annually and you can make a donation by the entrance to the changing hut. Please enjoy but respectful of the pool and its landscape, leave no trace. 

still on my bucket list:

MÝVATN

The Blue Lagoon of the North, though a lot smaller, Myvatn was developed in 2004. Located on the sloped of Dalfjall, the baths have a beautiful backdrop of ochre-coloured hills. Dalfjall is home to Iceland’s first geothermal power station. The milky blue colour of the water comes from 25 metres below you. The perfect place to enjoy a long hot soak in the 38-40 ̊C water or a seat in a sauna after hiking and travelling. There’s a cafe here too.

Landmannalaugar

Set in some of the most stunning and dramatic scenery Iceland has to offer, this geothermal bath is located in Landmannalaugar, the highlands of Iceland. The landscape changes with the movement of the sun, a truly unique place surrounded by over 500-year-old lava fields and mountains of yellow, blue, white and more. Enjoy the pool, the water here is 36-40°C all year round. Stay in one of the local cabins or camp and hike the many treks. You will need to join and tour or self drive a 4WD here, though access in the winter can be very challenging. 

Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis) Guide

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The first time I went on a Northern Lights, aka Aurora Borealis, hunt we found nothing, in fact, it took me three visits to Iceland before we spotted them. One night, at home in the apartment, Ingimar had popped into the bedroom and was pulling down the blind. He hadn't turned on the light so spotted the Aurora and called me from the bedroom. He covered my eyes and took me out onto the balcony. Stretching across the entire sky was a bright green line in the sky, between the stars and shining so magically. It's hard to describe what they're like to see. They don't seem real, almost like something from a Disney movie but when you see them really dancing and changing colour then that's when the real magic comes!!

watch the vlog

If you've never seen them before, try to imagine the sky with a huge green rainbow stretching from horizon to horizon. It's like something out of the Polar Express movie, but real. I am lucky enough to have seen them quite a few times now. Last November the forecast was to be very high and so the city organized to turn off all the lights and asked homes to join in. This reduced light pollution in the city so the Aurora could be seen much more clearly. Often the Aurora can look like an odd cloud, a long greenish cloud but if you drive outside the city, away from artificial lights, then you really see it glow. 

You have to be careful though as the Northern Lights can be a little distracting. We hear of tourists driving the south coast and driving off-road accidentally as they looked up to see the Aurora Borealis. I can totally understand how this happens as I often saw them whilst driving to or from roller derby practice but please, pull aside and safely watch them. They are amazing but not worth risking your life for!!

So, armed with loads of pictures and video clips to remember them by, I am going to share some tips and tricks on how to see the Northern Lights in Iceland. 

Northern Lights

What Are The Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis)?

The Northern Lights in Iceland, sometimes referred to as Aurora Borealis, is a magical display of light in the sky that can only be seen in wintertime (September - April, when it's dark). It's scientific and a little technical but basically they are caused by the sun. The sun is a huge ball of hydrogen and other gases which fuse away in space. The sun has storms called solar storms. 

Imagine the sun like a huge ball of plasma. All the plasma swirling around within the sun makes a huge magnetic field that's under a lot of pressure. Sometimes the lines of force within these magnetic fields meet and leave the sun’s surface as hot gases and charged particles, and enter the earth’s atmosphere (solar flare). Once these flares reach Earth (solar winds) they can be extremely dangerous but our planet produces a magnetic field to help protect us (earth magnetosphere).

Earth’s magnetic field has two weak spots, the North and South Poles, which means a small amount of the sun’s charged particles can reach Earth’s atmosphere. These solar winds collide with the oxygen and nitrogen atoms of Earth's atmosphere, this enhances their energy. The atoms release this newfound energy in the form of particles of light (photons) and this light is known as the Aurora or Northern Lights. 

The colours of light you see depend on the different types of gas particles being released and colliding with the charged particles entering the earth’s hemisphere, i.e. Oxygen = green, Nitrogen = blue, red. Here in Iceland we mostly see a green light but it's possible to see blue or purple at the edge of the green. Last September was an amazing display where we saw a hint of pink, purple and red - it was as magical as it sounds.

Aurora Borealis

  • The Japanese believe that a child conceived under the dancing rays would be fortunate in life

  • Vikings believed that the Aurora was a bridge of fire to the sky, forged by the Gods

  • Scandinavian folklore describes them as the spirits of unmarried women

  • The Inuit thought they were the souls of the dead

When Is Best To See The Northern Lights?

The Northern Lights season here in Iceland typically runs from the 1st of September, through winter, until around the 15th of April. This is when the local Northern Lights tours run. 

The sky has to be dark to see them so coming to Iceland in the summer months will make viewing the Northern Lights impossible. However the winter months bring a lot of wintery weather and with snow and rain, there are clouds. We have a saying here in Iceland “if you don’t like the weather, wait 5 minutes” because if it’s snowing in the morning then it might be clear and frosty at night, so no clouds. The weather is a little unpredictable - recently we have had a warm snap with above freezing temperatures when we usually get -5’c. With this warmer weather, sometimes there is a lot of cloud coverage at night but the day is clear. 

It's best to wait until around 10 pm and, if you are able to stay up until the wee small hours, 1-2 am (don't worry, you can request an Aurora Northern Lights wake-up call from your hotel). Personally, I've spotted them the most in November, September, and March but I think that’s mostly because I was out and about. It sounds weird and we kind of take them for granted now but I often don’t even look up at the sky to check if they're there unless someones visiting us. 

Northern Lights Iceland

Are The northern lights guaranteed?

The simple answer is NO. 

To see the Northern Lights you need 3 things:

  1. Darkness - you won’t see them in the long, light summer nights

  2. Clear Skies - if there’s a lot of cloud coverage, you won’t see the lights

  3. Aurora Activity - they simply aren’t always dancing

A good mix of the above three things, plus a little luck, and you will have a very memorable night viewing the Northern Lights. Always check the Official Aurora Forecast before you head out Aurora Forecast to see what the next few days look like. This site rates how likely and how intense the lights will be Europe Aurora Forecast. There’s a fun video on this page SpaceWeather Enthusiast if you scroll near the bottom, it shows the Aurora Forecast and you can see the time the lights will be over Iceland. For a longer forecast, you can check 27 Day Flux Forecast which gives a 27-day outlook. 

Where To Best See Them In Iceland?

The Northern Lights, Aurora Borealis can be seen typically within the Arctic Circle. The South Pole also has a show of lights called the Aurora Australis. But for this post, let's focus on Iceland and Aurora Borealis.

You don’t need to go far out of the city to be in with a chance to see the dancing Aurora. If the sky is clear of clouds then head down to Grotto and wait patiently. If you have a car, drive out of the city and away from the light pollution to areas like Grotta, Mosfellsbaer, Seltjarnarnes, Perlan, where you can easily park. 

Further a field, head to:

  • Thingvellir National Park

  • Seljavallalaug

  • Vík

  • Eldborgahraun

  • Djúpavík

  • Westfjords, Eastfjords

  • Ásbyrgi Canyon

  • Hvammsfjordur

  • Jokulsarlon

  • Hvitserkur

  • Siglufjordur

  • Reynisvatn

  • Öskjuhlid

  • Kopavogur

  • Kirkjufell

What Are The Advantages Of Booking An aurora Tour?

The main advantage is that your tour guide knows the forecast and has access to much more information than we do so if they go out, there's a good chance of spotting the Northern Lights. This means that if the forecast isn't looking good by 6 pm, they send out a message and your tour is cancelled for the night and you'll have another chance the following night (at no extra cost). This will happen every night until you see them. They provide transport and know the roads so can take you to the right spots. Some tours also include entrance to the Aurora Reykjavik Museum in the old harbor. The museum has loads of information about mythology and science, photographs, a time-lapse video shown on widescreen of the Northern Lights from all over Iceland. 

Aurora Iceland

What Should I Wear?

It’s no fun standing around, freezing your butt off. So wrap up warm and wear some good hiking or snow boots. You might be heading out of the city and away from the shelter. It is Iceland and it is cold, the wind here is real!! So wrap up ready for it and be patient. Remember the layer rule: 

Base layer + Top layer + Outer layer = happy camper

And for those photographers out there, consider your poor wee fingers before exposing them to the freezing cold. Keep an eye on the weather in Iceland. It's also a good idea to bring your camera (obviously), a tripod for those long exposure shots, hand warmers, and a flask of yummy hot chocolate!!

How Does The Northern Lights Forecast Work?

Northern Lights Forecast

It's a little misleading as the green as the same colour as the lights in the sky but on this map: 

Green = Cloud

White = Clear sky

Head for the white areas, away from light pollution. The rule is, if you can see the stars then you have a good chance for the Northern Lights. Here's a video I made explaining how it works:

How Do You Photograph The Northern Lights?

Of course, the best souvenirs are your own photographs, and what trip to Iceland to see the Aurora Borealis wouldn’t be complete without a picture to prove it. This is a hard one though, and takes patience but don’t worry, you don’t need to be a photographer to capture the Aurora. Your smartphone might not cut it. But it will be helpful if you download the Aurora Forecast & Alerts app.

DSLR You don’t need expensive equipment to capture your shot of the Northern Lights, if you have a DSLR camera then great. Set the camera to manual and play around with your ISO, aperture, and exposure settings. 

Tripod Though not essential, it is a good idea to use something to keep your camera still as you will be taking long exposure shots to capture the lights. Long exposure: 20 seconds

Aperture In your manual settings, go to aperture and set it as wide as your lens allows, i.e. f2/8, f1/4. This will allow the max amount of light to hit the camera sensor in the fastest time, allowing a lot of light in quickly. This means your ISO can be set lower to avoid a ‘noisy image (less grain).

pixelz_Aperture-Chart_900x550px.jpg

ISO This is the level of sensitivity your camera has to the available light. In your manual settings, go to ISO and set it between 400 and 1000. A high ISO can give a grainy image. Try this out and play around with the settings until you’re happy. Mid-range ISO: 800 (depends on light pollution).

The other amazing thing about photography is that your camera will pick up more than your naked eye can. Try looking at the sky and then look through the camera, you will see the lights stronger and brighter through the camera lens. If you aren’t lucky enough to see the Northern Lights then here is a video I made of the Aurora Borealis dancing last year.

portrait with Northern Lights

How Can I Avoid Disappointment?

I get so many questions from people saying they have dreamt of seeing the Northern Lights their entire life, how can they see them. Well, the truth is that the Aurora Borealis is a natural phenomenon and so you just can’t predict them when planning a trip to Iceland. The best time to plan your trip is obviously in the winter months as the Northern Lights season runs from 1st September, through winter, until 15th April, typically but don't be too disappointed if you don't see them. It took me three visits here before I saw them. The best thing to do is plan your holiday in Iceland, see all the beauty of this country from waterfalls and glaciers to lava and moss. Then, if you get to see the Aurora dancing in the sky it’ll be the icing on the frozen cake. 

this post was originally written in 2020 and has been updated

Our Engagement and Wedding Ring Story

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The Proposal

Ingimar proposed to me on a cold winter night, the eve of Christmas Eve, back in Edinburgh. We had been out at the theatre and were going for drinks at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel with my Mum and her partner. The Waldorf Astoria is where he and his friends were staying that fateful night that we met. He was on a lads football trip and I was on a Hen Night, both celebrating at the Ghillie Dhu, just across the road from their Hotel. 

A few years, a number of flights, Facetimes, and relocations later we were heading for a glass of Christmas bubbly when Ingimar suggested we take a quick walk over to the Ghillie Dhu for old times sake. I said ok, but only if we were quick as Mum was waiting. Walking over, it was fun to reminisce about that night, meeting this strange bearded man from Iceland and wondering what life was like in such a country. We went in the back door and walked through the bar to head upstairs to the main hall, where we first met. Unfortunately, it was too early and the hall wasn't open yet. Not wanting to keep Mum waiting I said "let's go", and started to walk downstairs and out the front door. Knowing Ingimar wasn't behind me, I moaned "hurry up, what are you doing?" only to turn around and find him knelt down, on one knee, holding a small red box. I immediately shut up. 

I can't quite recall what he said but I knew what was happening and, just for a moment, I was speechless. He asked me to marry him and I managed to blurt out an "of course". We hugged and kissed, and cried a little. 

A very public spot, which thankfully was very quiet that night. We managed to have a few moments to ourselves before I remembered my Mum!! We walked over to a very nervously-excited Mother-in-Law to-be and shared the news. I called my brother and sister and staying very close by, my sister came to join us with her boyfriend. So that was us, all dressed in silly Christmas jumpers, surrounded by family, we toasted our engagement and started to dream of the big day. 

Happily engaged, we now wear matching Icelandic rings. It's an Icelandic tradition for you to both wear rings and so once you're married, the ring becomes your wedding band. I like that Icelandic men wear a ring to show they're engaged but I wanted a little of both cultures - and like many girls, I didn't want to miss out on my diamond so we got creative and agreed that my Wedding ring would be a diamond ring and the Icelandic ring would be my engagement ring. 

engaged

The Rock

Last November I found myself back in India, where a big chapter of my life happened. India means a lot to me; my parents happily holidayed there, I escaped a recession only to end up climbing the academic ladder there, I made some awesome friends and memories there, learned to ride a scooter, traveled a lot, attended more Indian weddings than western, fell in love Bollywood movies and well, all things bling. But the career part was a huge chapter of change for me and Mother India nurtured, guided, and gave me the confidence to really push myself. 

Between 2009 and 2012, I lived in Bangalore but India took a grip of my (as she does) and I managed to travel back and forth to Delhi and Mumbai with the British Council from 2012 to 2016 when I moved to Iceland (I know, quite the change). In the time I lived in India I had many visitors, one of which was my sister who came for a month and volunteered with two NGO projects. We managed to do some traveling too and flew up north to Rajasthan. This is where I fell in love with Udaipur, boasting some of the most impressive architectural details (especially windows) you've ever seen. It's a long story with many adventures but this story is about last November’s Diwali. 

Diwali is the festival of light. A beautiful, if a little OTT at times, the festival of candles and fireworks. Having celebrated many Diwali festivals whilst living in India, I was keen to escape the noise and head for somewhere a little quieter. Remembering the calming lakes and beautiful palaces of Udaipur, I booked my flight and flew north the next day. Arriving in the city at night, I was met with all the chaos of an Indian festival. Fireworks, flashes of colour, and loud bangs. There was to be no escape. 

I checked into a budget hostel and headed to my dorm. I always find when you are traveling alone, it's a good idea to book a hostel as you have more chance of meeting fellow travelers here and so company. The party was up on the roof and the Bollywood dancing had commenced. I got chatting with two English backpackers and we started exchanging stories. After a few hours, I headed off to bed. The next morning I went for a wander through the back streets, and not knowing anyone, it was a little odd when I heard my name being called from the doorway of a local jewelry shop. I looked back and saw the couple from the previous night. Now, experienced in Indian shops and the sometimes dodgy deals tourists get involved in, I had always stayed clear of them so I hesitantly approach. The couple was sitting in the shop, sipping on a cold beer and chatting about motorbikes. No one was shopping, no one was bartering, no jewels were even out on show so I joined them for a refreshing beer. A beer down, I jokingly pointed out that no one had bartered over anything yet and so I wanted to see his biggest diamond. We had a look and I asked about the price. They didn't think anything of it, why would they, after all, we were just a couple of hostellers enjoying a beer with them. I agreed to join them on a bike ride to a local lake and we headed off. 

For those alarmed at this random decision, I will try to reassure you that I knew what I was doing, but honestly, how can I do that?! Firstly, I trust my gut in situations like this, a skill that comes in very handy when traveling alone. Heading off on the back of a motorbike, with two other travelers I had only just met, driven by someone I didn't know, to a random secluded lake - I get you, but all was fine. Actually, it was a great day and we had a good laugh at my Hindi, freckles, and other foreign funniness. 

diamond

After the day trip, they dropped us back in the city and we walked to our hostel (as I thought it best they did not know exactly where we were staying). I messaged Ingimar to tell him of my day and mentioned the diamond. A little surprised at my adventures, he then asked about the diamond and it quickly got serious. He was sat in Iceland googling information on the 3Cs (cut, colour, clarity) whilst I sat on my top bunk in India messaging the jewelry shop owner to subtly start up a conversation about the rock. After a while I had developed a plan to meet up with the jeweler at his shop, I had explained my budget and that I had to still get the stone set into a ring from the money I had so I could avoid the bartering and make it a more pleasant experience. We agreed to meet.

Back at the shop, I met with the jeweler and his brother, they had brought food which is very typical of Indian hospitality. Neither of us wanted to rush this and so we chatted a little more. I looked at the diamond, sent a picture to Ingimar (along with a picture of his business card and a link to his Facebook page as some kind of reassurance of who I was with). After an hour or so, a beer and some delicious curry, I had met the brother, mother, sister, uncle, friends...and I had bought the diamond. No bartering, no-nonsense. I trusted my gut and it felt good. 

For the next two nights, I slept with the diamond in my bag, under my pillow, on the top bunk of a budget hostel. Hilarious. 

The Ring

I flew back with the diamond safely tucked into a zipped compartment of my purse, handbag glued to me. I took the stone to a local North Berwick jewelry designer, Patricia Dudgeon. Relief as she confirmed the cut, clarity, and carat. I wanted the ring to be unique, it had a good start already so I wanted to design something simple that would really show off the rock. Pat’s work is stunning and she made the process so easy. Ingimar and I visited her shop together and I explained what I was looking for. After a few sketches we agreed on a design and she modeled it in CAD. I was so excited to see and wear it. A few days later she called me to try it on and I loved it, it was exactly what I wanted; simple and elegant but really showed off the rock. It sits so well on my finger, right after the Icelandic rugged engagement ring. I wear it with pride, love, and loads of happy memories. 

Wedding Rings

what's THE STORY BEHIND YOUR ENGAGEMENT ring?

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Sonia Nicolson

Architect & former University Lecturer turned Entrepreneur. I help female Entrepreneurs successfully Design & Build their Creative Businesses in Interior Design, Architecture & Urban Sketching.