Final Update!
June 21, 2026
Day 1: Today we arrived safely in Corfu and had our first afternoon at the beach! This beach had these little paddle boats, with two seats and enough room for the whole group to pile on and swim around, and Campbell rented one for the group! We spent the whole afternoon riding around in the little boat, exploring the bay, stopping in front of caves and swimming inside to explore and hear the echoes of our voices, and relaxing in the sea. All of the kids explored the caves, jumped off the boat, shared in many laughs, and made the most of our most relaxing day yet, bellies and smiles full to contentment until dinner time came around, and it was our first night of cooking! For this meal, our cook crew, run by Kate and Luke, went smoothly and ended with one of the most delicious meal yet. After last year and our time together in Madeira, they were familiar with the intricacies of running a kitchen and cooking for 14 people, and led the selected cook and cleaning crews successfully for a favorite meal of the trip of toasted bread and olive oil, spiced grilled chicken, broccoli, and quinoa! This yummy meal fueled us for the next big day of snorkeling and riding a boat around the island!
Day 2: Today we had our boat day and a special visitor from the office, Banks our marketing director!! Luckily for our group, she picked our trip to come and join, and stayed with us until our last night at banquet! After we met up with Banks, she got a welcome introduction to the group and fell right in with everyone before we headed to the bay to get on the boat and drive to our snorkeling location! The water around the island was a beautiful turquoise blue, the sun was shining, and we could not wait to see what the rest of this island had to offer us after such an amazing first day. We snorkeled around a small bay on the other side of the island, floating on the surface of the crystal clear blue water and admiring the rocks and fish that lived in the bay. After about an hour, we decided to relax and explore the beach that lined the bay, a beach made entirely of multicolored small pebbled that felt like a warm hug when we laid in them. The group had a very chill afternoon with some delicious deli sandwiches served to us on the boat, some fresh melon and watermelon, and a gorgeous sunny day to make it even better. Most of the kids had a great nap on the front of the boat on the way back from snorkeling. The kids were exhausted after a long day of snorkeling, and after we ate our lunch on the front of this gorgeous boat, the majority of us took a soothing sun soaked nap on the bow, asleep until we arrived back at the dock. Once we returned to the shore, we made our way to the beach after another delicious ice cream stop, and the day was far from over as we returned to our favorite beach from yesterday, rented the boats together, and spent the afternoon driving around the beach bay, listening to music, laughing, making lasting memories, and getting to know each other outside of the challenging past weeks we have spent together.
Day 3: Today we had our sea kayaking activity! We woke up, made ourselves a breakfast of yogurt and granola, and eggs, cooked entirely by our breakfast volunteer Frances who made eggs and cleaned dishes for the entire group, setting the tone for the new level of self sufficiency needed to maintain ourselves in an accommodation where meals and cleaning were not provided for us. We took a short bus ride to our kayaking beach, a unique group of buildings and hotels that are entirely bright pink and covered in stunning Greek art and murals, and easily spotted from the beach once we made it out into the water. The pairs were Claire and Trip, Margaret and JT, Campbell and Vivi, Thomas and Julia, Kate and Frances, and Mia and Luke. These teams supported each other during the trying journey we had to another smaller island off the coast, where we explored the rocky cliff shores, took some amazing pictures, and swam the length of the shore just to soak in the beauty of the area. On the way back, Claire, Trip, Vivi, and Campbell started some kayak wars, flipping Margaret and JT over and creating some hilarious chaos on the way back to the beach we began at where our packed lunches awaited us, along with some delicious, crispy Shirley temples the kids carefully instructed the bartender how to make. Once we finished lunch and left the pink palace, we made it to our favorite beach spot and again spent the afternoon on the rented paddle boats, exploring the further reaches of the bay and making ourselves at home in our comfortable little area. For dinner, on this special third night, we went to a delicious Mediterranean restaurant on the coast of the water, where more local cats entertained us during our meal, we played a game of them style wavelength, and enjoyed our last night on the island. After dinner, we made our way to the monastery that sat on the cliffs right above our beach, exploring, taking in the incredible views, and having moonup at our most beautiful location yet, secluded on the top of a hill with a cross lit and towering behind us, overlooking the vast ocean and beautiful hills that we had been staying in. After moonup, we made a huge group snack run where Frances led the charge in gathering the supplies needed to make milkshakes for everyone, and the expectations were high knowing she makes one every night at home. We were not disappointed in the slightest, and it was a great way to end a long and tiring day. The kids ended the day with a late night and intense game of sardines, mukbangs, and deep conversations before getting a good nights rest before our accommodation transfer to old town Corfu the next morning after our rock climbing activity.
Day 3: Today we left our favorite accommodations yet, our pink house nestled in these steep hills, and made ourselves way to our rock climbing location! This cliff we climbed sat high above the shore, on a walkway that gave us our first view of the entire town we had been staying in, and many Ancient Greek sights and ruins to see along the way. Every single kid climbed at least two of the routes, and Campbell especially amazed us with his skill at climbing! We had lunch in the sun, climbed many difficult routes, and tired ourselves out completely before transferring to old town Corfu for our last night on this quaint little island. Their attitude and appetite for adventure has continued to amaze the outfitters we work with, and especially Claude and I every single day and with every challenge they face. On the way to old town, we stopped at a little cliffside coffee shops, where we had some of the “best donuts we’ve ever had”, and refreshing fruit slushies to replenish our energy. Snacks work wonders with this group. We checked into our new accommodations and spent the afternoon exploring town, walking with no destination and a lot of purpose along the shore and seeing old ruins, markets, towering statues, and an island full of culture and beauty. We scouted out the dock where we would later enjoy our last moonup led by the kids, Thomas and Margaret, and then headed to our dinner restaurant on the marina shore for another delicious Mediterranean meal where many new foods were tried and loved under the olive branches. This moonup was an incredible insightful and challenging one, where the kids asked each other to confront hard truths about themselves and reaffirm each other with the versions we have come to know and love in each other. This island had so much to see, and we spent every minute enjoying our time there!
Day 4: flight to Athens! Town day
Today, we woke up early and flew from Corfu to Athens for our last official day on the trip! Once we arrived at our hostel, we had a few hours after dropping our bags until our check in, so we made our way to a local gyro stand nearby and ate the most delicious gyros we have ever tasted, not exaggerating in the slightest. Both of the other groups soon followed, and this stop was a highlight of the day for many. After this, the boys and the girls split, and the boys got to enjoy a beautiful and expansive tour of the city’s historical sights while the girls shopped around the local stores and some familiar favorites from home, different in such a new place. Claude took all of the boys to the temple of Hephaestus where they walked the ancient ruins right below the Acropolis and took in the amazing architecture. He also took them to the National Library which was unfortunately closed, but that didn’t stop them from hanging out around the nearby bazaars and shopping for trinkets sold by the local vendors. After our separate afternoons, we went back to the hostel and changed for our final banquet dinner! On the way, we walked by the Parthenon, amazed by its time spent standing and overlook over the city, and hungry for our next meal. We ate at an amazing Greek meal underneath an olive branch garden, again accompanied by some sweet local cats, and receiving some of the best service we have had all trip, including a complimentary desert given to us by the restaurant for our kindness and love of their amazing food. After banquet, we walked back to our hostel for a final ice cream stop, and basked in the lively night time streets of the old city, taking in our last moments together. For our final moonup, we sat on the little rooftop patio of our hostel, opened the nug mug, and had a long and fulfilling closing to the amazing 17 days we spent together, loving and laughing and taking in 6 total countries together in this stunning corner of the world.
Today, we brought the kids to the airport, and they reluctantly took back their phones before we had some tearful goodbyes and sent them on their way back home! These 17 days in paradise were made all the more meaningful because of this special group. Each and every kid made an impact on all those they encountered, both within and outside of our group, representing in the absolute best way possible. We are so grateful for them, and sad that our time together is done, but happy to send them home with hearts full of the happiest of memories and best of friends.
We love and miss them so much already!
With so much love,
Anna and Claude
Montenegro + Greece A Albania
From Alps to Oceans!
June 16, 2026
Today we completed a very impressive hike! This feat is a challenge that not many 17 – newly 19 year olds can say that they have completed, and a challenge that they faced head on and with incredible grit and positive attitude. Mia and Margaret, even on their own, created a “no complaining” game, and not only succeeded, but were able to motivate the rest of the group during the difficult uphill battle we fought for over half of the day. The pictures have turned out absolutely incredible, with the help of our trip photographers Frances, and her amazing camera, and Trip, with his wonderful natural talent and dedication to taking amazing pictures of not only the scenery, but candid shots of his friends in their happiest moments. This group has consistently amazed our outfitters and guides along the way, but on this day they surpassed even their own expectations of themselves.
Once we reached the top after spending most of the day hiking completely uphill through the stunning, breathtaking, encompassing Albanian alps, we finally arrived at the third highest peak in Albania and placed our hands on the flagpole at the top. The feeling of standing on this narrow strip of mountain top, with where we began to our left lying as a speck in the distance, at the bottom of the lush valley, we looked to our right to find the river so bright from the sunlight that it shone like snow, and another new set of alps to be in awe of. Some of the group, including JT, Claire, Kate, Vivi, Luke, Thomas, Mia, and Julia, hiked an extra 20 minutes to the higher peak to get the best possible view, while Campbell, Trip, Margaret, and Frances, stayed back at the top of the pass, soaking up the sun and making some new friends in the trail dogs that met us at the top. It was here at the top, where upon our return while we soaked up the sun between the mountains. A highlight of not only the day, but the entire trip happened when one of the trail dogs came over while we rested waiting for our guide to find us and take us down the other side and began snuggling up to us, getting some much deserved pets, but found his true love in Campbell. The dog made his way right over to him, and curled up on his side, laying his head on Campbell’s chest and napping with him for over an hour. The pictures brought tears to our eyes, but what really made the day was the moment the group named him Chino, and then Chino’s descent down the entire mountain with us, glued to Campbell’s side aside from his light exploration of the surrounding woods. Chino became a highlight for everyone, motivating us down the incredibly steep mountainside and bringing smiles to everyone’s faces. Once we reached the bottom, we had the option to take a taxi waiting for us, or walk the extra few miles to the hostel. Claude and I were very pleasantly not surprised when this group decided together to walk the last few miles to the hostel, despite how tired they were, and enjoy the unique rocky and wooded landscape that lay between us and one of the nicest places we have stayed yet. These extra hours were filled with exhausted, vulnerable, deep, and fulfilling conversations and complete silliness, and when we arrived at our hostel, we were met by another view we could not believe we were lucky enough to witness. Our LODs Luke and Claire, who had led the charge with their positivity all day, led an incredible moonup which ended with the dancing game before we all tucked in for bed.
The next day, we had a beautiful little hike to an Albanian farm, no surprise, surrounded by the towering alps and waiting for us with a delicious homegrown vegetarian lunch. After lunch, we were lucky enough to enjoy some homemade iced coffee drizzled with chocolate sauce, and take in the views and livestock nearby. Funnily enough, this hike was led and guided by the son of our hostel owner, Fabian, who is only 9 years old, but full of wise cracks, games, ideas, and definitely in charge of everyone. He kept everyone laughing and in check, inspiring us to play a game of mafia after lunch and then later joining us and narrating another after our moonup under the stars, with the looming dark alps behind us, surrounding a fire he made for us. This day was yet another one full of laughter, stunning views, and unique opportunities we were lucky enough to enjoy together with a group willing to take on any challenge that comes their way. Again, on the way back from this hike, we had another ice cream stop. This group seems to have an addiction that Claude and I struggle to say no to with their positive attitude and toughness. Many spent their free time after the hike reading their books, playing games, and soaking in the views.
The next day, we transferred to our next location, and had another afternoon free to explore! We stopped by a mall nearby to our hostel, and spent the afternoon looking around playing some of the games in the arcade. We even had a competition with the punching bag, with JT scoring the highest and all of the girls giving their all. We have never seen a kinder punch than when Julia hit the bag, and the score card agreed. Some of the group during this time even got to participate in a VR roller coaster simulator! After the mall, all of the girls, plus Campbell and JT, had a little stretch and workout to release the excess energy of being in a van for most of the day, and enjoyed a delicious dinner before an early night and another transfer the next day.
The next day, we made it our next destination, a cute coastal town! Our hostel was directly on the beach, and the views from our rooms overlooked the entire bay, full of sailboats, swimmers, and white buildings dotting the coastline and surrounded by rolling green hills. We had another incredible afternoon laying on the beach, swimming, playing spikeball, getting more ice cream, and relaxing after the difficulty of the past few days before dinner at an amazing restaurant right on the water, where we all dressed up and looked our best. The meal was followed by an invigorating and high stakes time at the local fair, right next to the restaurant! All of the kids got to ride in the bumper cars, and Claude and I watched on with so much laughter as all of them went up against each other, and 2 Albanians who did not realize what they had gotten themselves into when they entered the arena with our group. After this, we had an amazing moonup led by JT and Vivian on a dock by the water, and then ended with an intense game of look up look down before heading back to the hostel, making another ice cream stop, and going to bed. We had an early night in order to prepare for the morning ferry to Corfu!
Today, we arrived safely in Greece, and made it to our 6th official country in these short 12 days! The ferry ride was a blast and filled with card games and postcard writing. Once we arrived in Corfu, we had a short van ride to our beautiful hostel, a pink house on the side of a hill overlooking the entire bay, and got changed and ready to head to lunch and the beach! We had an amazing pizza lunch, and then immediately went to the beach to soak up the sun, enjoy the views, listen to music, take out the paddle boats, explore the caves lining the cliffs surrounding the bay, and eat some more delicious ice cream. We spent the afternoon playing in the water and on the little paddle boats, exploring the market town, soaking up the sun, and enjoying ourselves after the rigorous past week and constant travel. Tonight, we cooked our first meal of the trip! Our fearless cook crew led by LOD Kate and consisting of Thomas, Julia, and Margaret, helped to cook (in my opinion) the most delicious dinner yet, of grilled chicken, quinoa, green beans, toasted bread and olive oil, and pesto pasta. We ate serenaded by Luke and his guitar, looking out the window, reminiscing on memories, and looking forward to the next activities we have ahead of us. Clean crew was spearheaded by Frances, who pulled more than her own weight helping out with the dishes, setting the example she usually does with her leadership, willingness to help always, and especially when not asked or expecting anything in return as she so often does, as does everyone else in this group, again setting them apart in their inspiring expedition behavior. This trip has been full of so many great memories, but nothing was like this day and this dinner. The past 12 days have been so active, full of moving, beauty, and moments unlike any we have ever experienced, but today we know we can settle for the next few days, look forward to the stunning shores of this Greek island, and explore every inch of it we can, sustaining ourselves mentally and physically. So many kids today remarked how this was their favorite Moondance trip, or for our first timers, some of the best weeks of their lives, and this is the only thing we can ever hope to hear as leaders. This group has made such an amazing, close, and unique bond, and the inclusivity and genuine love shines through in every moment. We are so grateful for each and every one of them, and hope that the journaling they have all been keeping up with will help them tell their stories better than we can once they return home from this once in a lifetime experience.
Thank you for giving us the pleasure of knowing each of them,
Anna and Claude
Shoutouts to home:
Jt: Thank you guys so much for sending me on the trip, I’ve had the greatest time! Just got to Greece can’t wait to finish out strong!
Thomas:Hey mom and dad the trip is going so good. My group is great and my leaders are awesome. We made it to Greece and it’s a blast. Also sorry for spending a lot on debit card it’s hard to get my usd into euros.
Trip:hey mom and dad!!! Thank you so much for sending me on this trip and I’m loving Greece, love you guys!!!
Julia: Hiii Mom and Dad!!! Thank you so so much for sending me on this trip I appreciate everything y’all do for me!! We made it to Greece and the house we are staying in is pink!!! 😁😁💗💗 Can’t wait to see y’all
Claire: Thank you so much for giving me the opportunity to go on moondance again. I’m having the best time and can’t wait to see y’all in France. I love my group so much and we are having the best time! We just got to Greece and are having a boat tomorrow! Love and miss yall💖💖 (also if possible could you ask Sophia to get my retainer from my room it’s above my toilet drying on the side of a cup)
Kate: Hi Mom and Dad and Liv!! This trip has been beyond amazing and don’t be mad at me but I don’t want to leave! But thank y’all so much for this opportunity – I’m so grateful and I can’t wait to see yall!! Love yall the most, Kate 💗
Mia: Thank y’all so much for letting me do this trip. I am so grateful for my 11 new best friends. I have had so much fun. I am not quite ready to leave yet but I will see y’all soon anyways! Love y’all
Luke: Thank y’all so much for letting me go on this trip. I have had such a good time and can’t wait to see y’all in a few days and also cannot wait for Red Rocks. This trip has been so much fun. It is very beautiful and the ocean is amazing! Love y’all and see y’all soon, Luke
Campbell: hi mom and dad, The trip has been so awesome so far and it’s getting even better. I some how survived the hiking part and now we are in Greece swimming and chilling on the beach. Miss u guys so much and thank u and Mimi for sending me on this adventure. Love you guys
Margaret: Hiiiii thank you so much for sending me on Moondance I am having the best time ever!!! Tomorrow we are having a boat day and I’m so excited. I can’t wait to see yall love yall!!💖💗
Frances: Hi mom and dad thank you so much for giving me the opportunity to go on Moondance! I’m having the best time and it’s all thanks to ya’ll! I can’t wait to see y’all and I love ya’ll with all my heart! Tell Aidan I say Happy Late Birthday!!
Vivi: Hey mom and dad!! Thank you so much for sending me on this trip it’s the most amazing experience ever!! We are currently on an island right now and I’ve made so many new friends. I cannot wait to see you guys in a few days in France, love you💖
Shoutouts!!
June 11, 2026
Margaret- Hiiiii I miss y’all we just went zip lining and it was SOOOO funn!!! Love y’all and hope you’re having fun at the beach!!! I have made the best friends ever. Tell MG and SK I say HIIIII💗🎉
Julia- Hiiii Mom and Dad!!! Love and miss y’all tons and I’m having the best time everrrr!!! Can’t wait to see y’all soon!!💖💖🙌🙌🙌
Trip- Thank you so much for sending me on the trip, I love you guys!!! ❤️😊
Thomas- Hi Mom and Dad. Love you all and I’m having a great time. Albania is so cool y’all have to come some time. Tell Willow I miss her so much! ❤️
Vivian- Hi Mom and Dad! I’m having so so much fun❤️ I miss you guys and Ed so much and I can’t wait to see you guys in france🥳🥳
Claire- Hi Mom and Dad!! I’m having the best time at camp and hope y’all are having fun in Italy. Can’t wait to hear about it and can’t wait to see y’all soon!!🥳🥰
Frances – Hi Mom and Dad!! I’m having so much fun and I have seen so many cool places! Can’t wait to see y’all soon! Love y’all all my heart!💗💗
Mia- Hi!!! I’m having so so much fun! Dad, happy late birthday!! See y’all soon! Love y’all!
JT- Hi guys!! Having the best time ever, miss you all very much and love you all more. I’ll see you guys soon!!
Campbell- Hi Mom and Dad. Having the best time on this trip it’s awesome, we gotta come visit here with the the family and also Dede and Ralph. Can’t wait to see u guys soon, miss u.
Kate- Hi Mom and Dad!!! Livvy I hope you’re having the best time – I miss y’all!! I’m having the best time ever we just went hiking and zip lining and we hike through the Balbona Pass tomorrow (12 miles)! Hi Mex gang – I miss y’all so much! and hi Scotty! (Mom send this to them pls) love y’all so much see you in 10 days!!😊❤️
Luke – Thank you guys for letting me come I love y’all and miss y’all and am having so much fun.
Fun in the Sun!
June 11, 2026
Day 1:
Today we picked up the kids at the airport, and it was such an exciting day! Everyone came right up to us in a big group, the first of many times they came together as one great group. After this, we had a long drive to our first accommodation in Montenegro, and on the way, we had lunch at a restaurant that overlooked a horizon covered with farms and red farmhouses, walled in by massive Montenegrin mountains. Here, we celebrated Kate’s 19th birthday and enjoyed some delicious ice cream cake before getting back on the road! The rest of the day went smoothly, and we closed our first night with the first moonup of many and turned in early before the next big day of rafting.
Day 2:
First day of rafting! We drove to our put-in spot and rafted, ending up back at camp. This was the silliest and most fun day. We ended rafting with a relay race challenge set up by our guides, where we sprinted from our starting point on the beach, ran across a raft, climbed a boulder, and slid headfirst down the raft into the water, and tagged the next person in. It ended in a tie, where the kids had the idea to have Claude, and I do it for a tie breaker, and we had a one-second difference. We had an amazing moonup, Luke and Vivi were incredible LODs, they took everything seriously and were great motivators for the group. They took charge of selecting raft groups and running an incredible first moonup, setting the tone for the rest of the trip.
Day 3:
We had an amazing 10-mile hike through the Tara River Canyon, up into the mountains. This hike was full of silly, insightful, and fun conversations. We trekked through the trees into open clearings full of wildflowers, saw mountain goats scampering across the snow banks high in the mountains, and made it to a crystal clear mountain lake at around 3,000 ft elevation. JT and Campbell were the first ones to jump in, motivating the rest of the group to take part and all take a dunk in the chilly mountain water. We had a delicious packed lunch made by our incredible hostel owners, and then hiked back down. The last 2 miles to reach the lake were completely uphill and full of switchbacks, twists, and turns, almost straight up the rocky slope. Our incredible guide Ellie mentioned to us today how much she and our other guide loved the attitude and vibe of the kids, which was uplifting, supportive, and lasted all day long! It was a topic of discussion on their return. It’s always such a treat to hear from the people who do this kind of thing for a living, say that they come back from their day, their experience of this amazing hike, absolutely buzzing inside and out, having had an incredible day just listening and getting involved with the kids. They had such an incredible day because of the attitude of this group, their entertaining conversations, kindness, and leadership. It makes us feel lucky to be their leaders, and proud to be witnesses to their growth and authenticity. These kids have made friends with all of the world travelers at our little camp in the middle of this deep canyon; each and every one has made an impact or been impacted by those explorative people. Our Scottish friends even pulled aside Claude and me to let us know how surprised and amazed by how polite, curious, and confident each one of these kids is. The impression this group is leaving behind not only on them, but on Claude and me, is one that will last for a very long time.
Day 4:
We had our second day of rafting today! Today, our rafting didn’t begin until 3:00 pm, so after our early breakfast, we had many hours to kill. Claude and I decided to hold the first-ever Albania, Montenegro, and Greece Trip Olympics! We split the group into three teams of their respective countries. Team Albania: Kate, Thomas, Frances, and Julia. Team Montenegro: Vivian, JT, Mia, and Campbell. Team Greece: Luke, Trip, Claire, and Margaret. These intensely competitive games lasted until our lunch at 2, and we were beyond impressed with each team’s commitment, support for their teammates, and love of the sport. The games began with an intense round of hackey sack groups to see which group could get the most hackeys in a row without dropping the sack. Team Montenegro started out strong with the parachute technique of sacking back and forth using their shirts as a spring, no limbs involved, but technically still legal in the strict rules of hackey sack, and a strong strategy the other groups soon followed, but were unable to perfect as team Montenegro did. They won the first challenge with 25 in a row, while the other teams didn’t even come close, not for lack any of effort and commitment, every single person gave their all today. The next bonus round was a game of death sack with all three teams competing at once, and once they achieved three sacks in a row, one player had to catch the sack and throw it at another team, getting them out. Montenegro again won this challenge and began the games with a very strong lead. The next challenge was an intense relay race, in which each team had to run down the large hill to the river, fill a small paper cup with river water, and then make it to the top of the hill again without spilling as much water as possible, fill their Nalgene, and then tag the next team member to run down the hill. Whichever team filled their Nalgene to 600 ml first won, and again, team Montenegro Albania won the Olympics and won the grand prize of ice cream after rafting! In sum, the games were tough, and today this group showed how tough and full of moondance spirit they were, and they consisted of: hackey sack and death sack, Nalgene river relay, moondance/AMG trivia, volleyball, spike ball and the 3 point game changer of a war version of don’t touch my rock, where from two points behind, Albania took the lead and won the whole games. In the end, all of the campers easily filled the chunk of time left empty in our day, and then we began rafting!
This time, we started at our campsite and rafted further down the river, so we got the chance to raft down the next stretch of the cool, translucent water. This day of rafting was again constantly entertaining and full of stories. Our guides led us with heart and education in mind, and we all learned so much about not only what it takes to be a raft guide, but also to be a part of this community in Montenegro. Halfway through our rafting for the day, we got the chance to do a little cliff jumping off a beautiful little riverside cliff under the careful watch of our guides, as well as Claude and me! Of course, JT was first to jump as usual and led the whole group to enthusiastically jump, and Vivi, Frances, and Kate followed and jumped twice! Near the end of our rafting time, in the gentle rapids, Campbell even got the “ride the bull”, perched on the front of the raft as we bobbed up and down. During this day, there was some light sprinkling of rain, but every kid mentioned how it genuinely made the experience even better and more beautiful. The sun peeked through the light grey clouds, the raindrops bounced off the river surface and splashed off our helmets as we were stunned into silence by the fog drifting across the surface of the water. Before we arrived at our put out point, we got to stop on the other side of the river (this river is the border between Bosnia and Montenegro), and plant our feet in our official third country visited so far in these too short 4 days! Just past the Bosnian border lay a stunning waterfall with cascading, flowing pools that fed into the river, and we all dunked ourselves and stood under the absolutely freezing cold waterfall before returning to our rafts and heading home to camp. Our LODs Campbell and Frances led with enthusiasm in both the games and rafting today, and set us up for a great night of sleep before our transfer to Albania the next day.
Day 5:
Today, we arrived safely in Albania in the beautiful mountain town of Theth, nestled in the center of another massive fishbowl of Albania alps, and again in awe of how beautiful the curvy drive to get there was. We had a delicious dinner made at our new accommodations and enjoyed it as the sunset before a beautiful moonup. As we surrounded the fire, the owner began to corral her cows 20 feet from us, including an adorable calf, and put them away for the night.
Tomorrow, we have our first day of official Albanian trekking!
Claire
The best natural storyteller. Can captivate the group’s attention whenever she speaks. So kind and insightful and always there for a joke. She is always sharing about how much she loves her family and has a story for every situation. Talking to her is like listening to your favorite friend reminisce about the good old days.
Julia
The literal kindest and sweetest person in the world, the group is always remarking on how genuine she is. She will ask any stranger, newcomer, or member of the group a question and genuinely care about the answer. She is so adventurous and thoughtful. She embodies the spirit of love in all of her interactions and makes you feel as kind and giggly as she is.
Vivian
One of the funniest people I’ve been lucky enough to meet. She makes the best expressions, and any time you look at her, she is making the most hilarious face. She can make anyone laugh and is so smart and witty. She leads this group with her inquisitive questions and willingness to leap into the new and unknown.
Frances
Such a natural leader was an excellent LOD, takes her leadership role seriously, and has the most positive attitude. Even in challenges like the hike, she is going out of her way to make sure everyone in the group is doing ok and feeling good. She has kind words for everyone. Can talk to anyone about anything.
Kate
More than a pleasure to have this girl back on the trip. She absolutely crushed and carried trivia. She feels like having another friend here, so completely responsible and bubbly. A wonderful friend who is a friend to every single person in the group.
Mia
The best listener. She is the one person who notices when someone in the group speaks and isn’t heard, and she always acknowledges them. She knows everything that’s happening and is such a confident and committed person. She is the kind of person you turn to for support when you need it most.
Margaret
Literally always has a smile on her face, to the point where we don’t even know what she would look like frowning. Always has kind words and positivity to share with everyone. She is so inquisitive and curious, always asking questions and wondering about the world. She can make anyone laugh, and her laughter is just as contagious as her smile.
Thomas
Such an insightful and deep kid. He is so thoughtful in every moment of the day, so easy to talk to, and can literally talk to anyone. He is so emotionally perceptive, knows when everyone needs a kind word, and notices everything. Has so many questions about life and himself and is so curious. Embodies the love over judgment mindset. Gives his all to everything. Takes expedition behavior so seriously, every meal is taking up people’s plates for them, stacked as high as he can stack them. Living in every single moment so presently.
Luke
Such a pleasure to have him again! Again, so impressed and entertained by his guitar skills. The class clown, the group joker, always puts a smile on everyone’s face and listens with such intention. He remembers everything you tell him and makes you feel known and cared for.
JT
The most positive kid we’ve ever met. The group motivator in every single moment. So hilarious, giving, exemplary example of good expedition behavior in every moment, he is looking to help someone. He can turn your attitude around in a second, motivating not only himself but every person in this group. His behavior during the relay race of the Olympics was incredible and more than we could have ever hoped for from a teammate.
Trip
He is so curious and capable. He is always helping out, pushing himself and his group mates to the limit of what every experience holds. He is always there with a joke and a kind word for someone when they need it, and taking leadership roles in every wya he can. He loves challenges and being challenged, and we can’t wait to see more from him.
Campbell
Such a hilarious person, always has the group laughing. On the first day, we were doing ice breakers and fun facts, and the first thing he could think of was that everyone calls him soup, so now he is known by the whole group as soup. We later discovered that this was his nickname from one friend at home, but we genuinely can’t picture calling him anything else. He loves the adventure and fun that come with being here.
Safe Arrival!
June 6, 2026
Hello AMG Families!
We heard from our leaders this morning that the group has landed safely! The trip is off to a great start, and we cannot wait to hear more stories from their adventure! Please remember our leaders and students will be unplugged during their trips, but we will be posting trip updates throughout the next week! This will allow you to follow along with the trip. You can also follow us on Instagram, @moondanceadventures, to see more of what we are up to!
-Moondance HQ
