Explore + Restore: Wellness Travel
In September of 2022, we hosted our very first international yoga retreat in Iceland. But the story really began way before that retreat ever happened.
Let’s start by looking back to the year 2020; People around the world found themselves spending more time apart than together craving human connection. The small things that happen when we sit across from one another like sharing stories, laughing until our bellies hurt, and simply being in the same space was gone and we felt the loss of it! Since I was 18, I have always lived far away from my family and friends. I joined the Navy shortly after graduating high school and that choice took me away from the folks I grew up with and forced me to find new friends and family at every new duty station first as a service member and then as a military spouse for more than twenty years. But this was different, being physically far away was so small compared to being isolated and this time it was a global struggle not an individual one.
During those months, we made big plans for what we wanted to do once we stepped out of our own homes again. My sister Christine and I grew up travelling. We travelled as a family throughout New England and along the east coast. We travelled as students to Spain, Scotland, and around our own country. We travelled as adults, me in the Navy, Christine in the Peace Corps. So we planned to travel again! When the time was right, we wanted to create an experience that brought people together, made space for connection, curiosity, adventure, and presence. As we dreamed about where that journey would take place, one destination kept rising to the top of the list: Iceland. The land of fire and ice, dramatic landscapes, endless waterfalls, volcanic terrain, geothermal baths, and some of the kindest people we've ever met.
And so, after years of dreaming and planning, our first international retreat became a reality. But as any traveller knows, sometimes in-spite of the best planning, things go the way they are meant to which is NOT always the same as the way you want them to. Iceland made that abundantly clear. We were immediately humbled by Mother Nature and reminded that SHE was the one in charge. In a country as wild and breathtaking as Iceland, the locals know your plans are at the mercy of the weather, and we got to know this from the moment we arrived in Reykjavik. As we landed in the capital a short bus ride and small plane ride were the last steps of a long journey. The group we had with us was not all booked on the same flight to Akureyri and so as we sat waiting in a local airport the size of a small train station we started hearing announcements of delays and the second half of our group was told their flight was cancelled entirely due to weather. Christine and half our group boarded the first plane out, I stayed back with half the group and we rented a van. The weather was too dangerous for flights and they would not be able to get us to our final destination for another day or two - we were NOT planning to miss our retreat, so I was going to drive halfway around Iceland in a huge diesel van with a group of very sleepy and stressed yogis. That van ride, as nervewracking as it was, (I was not familiar with driving customs in Iceland, the weather was ominous to say the least, and more than one member of our group had their reservations) was amazing! We saw parts of Iceland we would not have otherwise seen. We stopped for food and restroom breaks in small towns and got to meet wonderful people who were helpful and kind. We arrived in Akureyri late at night, we met our host Andreas, and dropped each passenger off safely to their apartment before I returned the van to the rental company, found my own apartment and had a shot of Valhalla (a Nordic herbal liqueur) to calm my over tired mind and sore body before falling into bed.
The next day our day one plans were put on hold to be rescheduled due to the bad weather that had chased us all the way from Reykjavik. Some of our group ventured out to explore the city on their own. We hosted an impromptu meet and greet session in our apartment and got to know everyone we would be spending the week with. In the end, those mishaps became some of our favorite memories. They taught us flexibility ;). There were moments when all we could do was laugh, adjust, and trust the process.
Iceland: The Land of Fire and Ice
It's difficult to fully describe the beauty of Iceland. It was wild and untamed but calm and peaceful at the same time. We stood at the edge of Godafoss Falls, explored the wonder of Lake Myvatn and enjoyed geothermal baths all over the place. We wandered the charming streets of Akureyri, experienced the magic of Hrisey Island and soaked in the beauty of Husavik. We stood with one foot on the continent of North America and the other on the Eurasian plate to straddle the Mid-Atlantic Ridge and we watched geysers erupting. Every day felt like stepping into a postcard. We were fortunate to partner with Inspiration Iceland, led by Andreas, who believes in elves, faeries, and magic and during the week everyone of us felt these things too!
As extraordinary as that all was, the most meaningful part of the retreat wasn't the waterfalls, the geysers, or the mountains. It was the people. The moments when strangers became friends. Conversations were real, stories were shared, laughter was authentic, and people felt understood and accepted rather than judged. People felt seen. People felt heard. In a world that feels busy, loud, and rushed, we created a space to slow down and truly connect. Connect with ourselves and each other. Those connections remain one of the greatest gifts of the retreat.
Our Iceland retreat wasn't just a trip. It was the beginning of something much larger. It was proof that when people come together with open hearts, incredible things happen; friendships form, perspectives expand, stories are shared, and we remember how valuable human connection is.
Stick with us for stories from other retreats to places far and near over the years.
If you feel a retreat calling to you, we would love to have you join us. We have plans to travel around the world as well as explore our own backyards! Visit our Explore + Restore page.
