Two solo travelers…a waterfall…and eventually, adventures forever. Megan was traveling solo in Iceland and had just finished backpacking the Laugavegur Trail. Nick had just flown into Iceland earlier in the morning and was beginning his journey around Iceland, traveling the Ring Road solo in a campervan. A popular stop along the Ring Road in the South Region of Iceland is Seljalandsfoss, but if you walk just another 5 minutes down a path, you happen across a narrow canyon where the hidden Gljufrabui waterfall flows. It’s a narrow opening to get into the canyon and so it’s single file in and out. Megan and Nick both arrived to the entrance to the canyon at the same time, and Nick let Megan go first. Once inside, the canyon walls widen to a dry landing and a large rock that you can climb to view the waterfall and take pictures. Once inside, Megan asked Nick to take her picture standing on the rock in front of the waterfall! She was accustomed to asking strangers to take her photos as a solo traveler. After admiring the beauty of the waterfall, Megan and Nick started to chat. It is easy for solo travelers to connect because they both have the same independent, adventurous spirit. Megan grabbed a coffee and said see you later to Nick. As it turns out, driving along the Ring Road, everyone pretty much stops at the same places. Next was Skogafoss, another large waterfall. It also had a “hidden” waterfall nearby called Kvernufoss. Megan and Nick met again there and talked some more. Finally, Nick and Megan saw each other at a black sand beach near Vik. They took some pictures for each other and talked until the sun came down. They exchanged Instagram information; both were curious to continue following the other’s journey. Nick was planning to carry on driving the entire Ring Road, while Megan planned to drive to Jokulsarlon glacier lagoon before turning back. Megan looked for Nick’s campervan the next day at each stop, but never saw it; Nick started his day hiking to a plane crash site, while Megan hiked in the fog solo at a spot recommended by a local. They missed each other at the National Park and glacier lagoon, as well as the diamond beach.

After Iceland, Megan and Nick stayed in touch through Instagram messaging. Megan had always wanted to visit New Orleans, where Nick lived, and decided to plan a trip and visit Nick there. Megan and Nick had an excellent weekend. Nick also visited Megan in Denver; he was spending Thanksgiving in Colorado with family. The two continued to date long distance and spend fantastic weekends enjoying Mardi Gras in New Orleans and hiking in the Rocky Mountains in Colorado.

Nick decided to go to graduate school at CU Boulder, and so he planned to move to Denver. First, he was going to spend a summer traveling in Europe solo, and then move in with Megan. However, as March 2020 rolled around, we all know that the pandemic hit fast. Nick’s plans were canceled, and he came to live with Megan in Denver as they locked down in the pandemic together. Megan taught Nick about her new passion from moving to Colorado and her Iceland trip; backpacking! It was the perfect pandemic hobby.

After that trip to Iceland in August 2019, it was February 2022 when Nick surprised Megan with a ring from a local, sustainable jeweler on a regular hike. Megan said yes, and Nick and Megan are so excited to go on adventures forever.