A Family Bond Forged in Northern Lights: Shruti’s Iceland Trip with Thrillophilia
Iceland had forever been a name on a list of places to visit SOMEDAY.
Shruti’s family had always dreamed of adventure, and their kitchen conversations over tea often wandered to far-off destinations - Alaska, Patagonia, and yes, even Iceland. But like many dreams, it remained a thought and wrapped in what ifs and one day, until her husband, in a rare moment of spontaneity, asked, “Why not Iceland? Why not now?”
Months later, standing under a midnight sky painted in Northern Lights, Shruti and her family found themselves living out that very dream. And just like that, Iceland was no longer an idea. It was absolutely real, that too, right in front of their eyes.
An Invitation to Wonder
Their Icelandic adventure began in Reykjavik, a city of charming and brightly coloured houses and cobbled streets where strangers greeted one another with friendly nods. As they checked into their hotel, her younger son looked around in complete surprise. “Iceland feels… different.”
“Wait until you see the Golden Circle,” her husband replied with a smile. He was as thrilled as the boys. Shruti saw an energy in her family that she had not seen in years.
Later, as they wandered around the city, Shruti felt a buzz of excitement. It was as though Reykjavik was the first chapter that set the stage for everything to come.
Chasing Iceland’s Golden Light
The following day, they set off for the Golden Circle. Þingvellir National Park stretched before them in vast valleys and dramatic cliffs. Shruti’s husband pointed out in a feeling of excitement, where the tectonic plates pulled apart to form this unique landscape.
Her boys were wide-eyed, not just from the spectacle but from the sheer realisation of standing between two continents.
Next, they went to see the geysers, where plumes of water exploded into the sky. Her sons counted down with each eruption while cheering and snapping photos.
But it was Gullfoss, the “Golden Falls,” that made Shruti stop in her tracks. The ultimate power of the waterfall, with its spray almost reaching for the sky, made her feel small in the best way. Her husband wrapped an arm around her and murmured, “This place is like magic, isn’t it?”
And she had to agree - because Iceland’s magic was not just in the landscapes, but in how it made them feel.
Serenity of the Blue Lagoon
After days of exploring, the family went for some relaxation in the famed Blue Lagoon. They floated in milky-blue mineral-rich waters as steam curled up around them like mist on a lake. For the boys, it was all about testing the white silica mud masks and laughing as they painted their faces with thick layers.
“This is like a spa for giants!” her younger son joked, stretching out in the warm waters.
Her husband chuckled, closing his eyes with a sigh. “This is life,” he murmured, looking over at Shruti. She could feel the peace settling over them as though all their stresses were dissolving into the water.
The sun began to set and cast a soft light across the water, and Shruti looked around, grateful for this moment of peace.
A Night of Connection with the Lights in the Sky
The family’s greatest wish was to see the Northern Lights and one evening, they drove to an isolated spot in hopes of catching a glimpse. They stood in the silent and snowy landscape, each one of them bundled up and watching eagerly at the sky.
The moment of truth:
The lights appeared slowly in a faint green at first, before intensifying and streaking across the sky in ribbons of pink and purple.
Her boys gasped, completely silent for once and mesmerised by the display above them.
“Mom,” her older son finally said, his voice hushed, “this is beautiful.”
It was one of those moments that are rare and moving, where everything was just as it should be. Iceland, with its untamed beauty, had given them this gift, a moment they would never forget.
Hidden Caves and Quiet Mornings
Their days were filled with hidden wonders, like the walk behind Seljalandsfoss waterfall, where they had emerged, drenched and laughing. They explored the black sand beaches at Reynisfjara, with their basalt columns, where Shruti’s younger son proclaimed, “This place looks like the end of the world.”
On their last morning, the family rose early to watch the sun rise over the mountains. They sat together, wrapped in blankets, and sipping hot chocolate as the sky glowed pink and orange. In that quiet moment, Shruti felt an overwhelming gratitude for this adventure and for her family.
Returning Home, Forever Changed
As they boarded the plane back to Delhi, Shruti looked out at Iceland’s endless expanse, and she was already feeling nostalgic. Iceland had shown them not only breathtaking beauty but had rekindled their sense of wonder, of being fully alive.
Months later, on an ordinary evening over tea, her younger son asked, “When can we go back to Iceland?” And Shruti felt that same thrill she had felt in Reykjavik, that same pull towards adventure, towards the shared experience of discovering something new together.
For Iceland was no longer a faraway place - it had woven itself into their lives to remind them to seek beauty, to live every moment to the fullest, and to keep dreaming, no matter where they were.
Read more: Thrillophilia Iceland Reviews