Sunny Days, Yummy Foods, And An Awesome Ending To AMG!
July 9, 2026
Hey Moondance Families!
Day 13:
Today was our second official day in Corfu, and we had our boat and snorkeling day! The morning began with a delicious breakfast of Greek yogurt and granola, each kid creating a beautiful fruit and peanut butter bowl and proudly showing off their amazing breakfasts. We had all been looking forward to this day for so long, excited to spend the day floating together in a clear blue bay surrounded by rocky cliffs and exploring the ocean together. We swam in the cool water, floated and listened to music, got some more incredible pictures thanks to Chloe and Jake, and the day was full of relaxation and bursts of laughter and new lessons learned, especially Seth who had some rigorous lessons with the boys, learning how to dive. Nothing, including the threat of bad weather that never came, could dim the joy this group brings to each other and our outfitters at every turn and challenge we face. Wilkes, Seth, Zach, Witt, Drew, and Jake all snorkeled around the bay with Claude while Olivia, Alessi, Lucy Kate, Lily, Chloe, Georgie, Ellery, and I enjoyed our time in the sun, laying on the boat and swimming. After these well spent hours on the boat, we had the rest of the day to ourselves, and spent it at the beach, making shapes in the sand and enjoying each others company. We then had another stop at our local market to stock up on food for dinner, our second home cooked meal and last of the trip. That night, we made some delicious grilled chicken tacos, and the entire group participated in huge endeavor that was cooking this meal for 15. The tortilla steaming crew was run by Jake and Alessi, who lead with iron fists, while on the same stove Drew spearheaded the broccoli crew. Wilkes, Ellery and Seth were in charge of the rice, an essential part of the meal and were very proud of how it turned out. In the upstairs kitchen, Chloe helped run every aspect of the meals, and this is very much in her nature. Chloe is always helping out any chance that she gets, and her kindness and bubbly nature is endlessly fueling the energy and connection in this group.
Day 14:
Today, we had a pivot in the plans for the day and ended up having one of the best days yet! Surprises on Moondance are always positive, even when the weather on the other side of the island doesn’t permit us to have our kayaking activity. We immediately switched to our emergency backup plan of tubing! On the beach right next to where we usually spend our afternoons, there was a whole tubing company that tubed 6 at a time around the coast of the island. Jake, Georgie, Chloe, Alessi, Zach, and Seth went first, and as I sat on the boat watching and cheering them on, I knew that this was a great consolation activity to replace the kayaking section, and the smiles were all that it took to convince me. After this first round, Wilkes, Witt, Drew, LK, Lily, Chloe, and Ellery went next, and the next 2 hours were spent in tubing rotations and beach tanning and naps. We always have so much fun, especially after the rigorous weeks before, and having the time to relax together on the beach has been a much needed blessing and has brought this group even closer together. After lunch, we took a walk to the monetary that sits at the top of the hill by the beach and got the chance to explore the inside of the old buildings, see the church, wander the museum, and take in the 360 views from the top of the hill. After this, we went back to our hostel and got ready for a dinner out at a beachside restaurant, where we all got to try some delicious Greek food, and get ready for rock climbing and a transfer to a beautiful town for the next day! For our last night in a favorite section of the trip, we did our moonup on the top of a hill and had a sunset moonup looking over the coastline and talking about what we would do with our lives if money were not an object. So many of these dreams the kids shared are possible and within their reach, and we know that each and every one of them is capable of achieving them.
Day 15:
Today, we had our rock climbing activity! This activity takes place at a beautiful cliff that hangs over the coastline. While Lily worked on her needlepoint, the rest of the group took to climbing the amazing routes set up by our guides and for many of these kids, it was their first time ever rock climbing. Wilkes and Georgie were especially gifted, and we had such a blast watching them conquer these routes. We all enjoyed the rotation, snacking, talking, and taking some amazing pictures before leaving to transfer to our next town. Once we arrived, we explored as much of the city as possible, walking around, cracking jokes, and being entertained by the Witt, Jake, and Zach trio that always keeps us laughing and on our toes. We wandered through the markets, shopping, finding some amazing jewelry, buying souvenirs, and exploring the variety of goods that were on display in all of the stalls lining the narrow streets. We then went to a delicious dinner before having a deep moonup by the water and watching the boats come in on the way to pick us up and take us for ice cream.
Day 16:
Today was our last official day of the trip before the travel day home! We took an early morning flight to Athens, mentally preparing for the long and full day ahead of exploring the ancient city. Once we arrived and dropped our bags at the hostel, we immediately got to exploring the whole city. We spent time walking the streets for hours and taking in the history of this incredible city. This group was full of history buffs, and we especially enjoyed learning from our tour guide, and Ellery and Chloe and I couldn’t get enough of how much Greek history lives in his head. This day was full of long walks, great conversations, happy memories, and the spirit of adventure as we walked through the sunny streets. Zach, Drew, and I even stopped at a local spa and had the fish pedicure, with our comfort levels with the strange sensation varying from enjoyment to extreme discomfort :). After this, we went back to our hostel to change and get ready for our final banquet dinner, which is an extremely special night for many reasons. We arrived at our absolute favorite restaurant with a beautiful view of the street and park lying just beyond. As the group arrived, we were happily surprised to find that the Delta pilot for Wilkes flight the next day and some attendants were seated behind us, and after connecting and striking up some conversation, we were amazed to find that she had paid for our entire dinner, feeding 15 people! This went in line with the theme of the day, that according to Murphy’s law, anything that can happen will happen. After dinner, we stopped at the best view of the city as the sun set. We spent over an hour taking in the views, taking pictures, reminiscing, and basking in the gratitude of being in such an amazing place with the best group any of us have been a part of. There is something special about this group of kids, and for the first time campers, we could not be more grateful that this group of veteran leaders was able to show them the Moondance way and give them the chance to learn how to fully be present and exhausted in the best way possible. From pushing your limits and saying goodbye to your comfort zone, to discovering a version of yourself you didn’t think existed (one proud of your own authenticity and loved and accepted by a group of best friends), you realize just how special this experience is. This day was full of small, seemingly fated little moments, and this paid dinner left us with an amazing and large dessert budget, which we spent on the most delicious crepes you can imagine. We were so full, and most of us felt like we were carrying strawberry, banana, and Nutella babies. After this dinner and dessert stop, we headed back to the hostel for our final moonup, a long one where the best memories of the trip were shared, and positive affirmations for our group brought out the sadness of this trip coming to an end.
This group has been absolutely incredible, and the hour long drive to soothing and reminiscent music on the way to the Athens airport this morning put us all in a contemplative and grateful mood.
Claude and I miss all of y’all SO much already, and can’t believe how lucky we were to spend these 17 days with such a special group of kids.
WE LOVE YOU ALL.
Love,
Anna and Claude
Always a Blast in Albania!
July 5, 2026
Day 7:
Today, we woke up in Albania after the first night in Shpella guest house and got ready to hike to the crystal clear blue eye waterfall and lagoon! We had breakfast surrounded by the towering Albanian Alps and mentally prepared for the challenge. We then hiked directly from our hostel, through the little town, and passed by shops and farmland along the way. As we walked along the brick sidewalks, local cows crossed the road and joined us on our flat part of the hike. Then, we began the uphill portion to the Blue Eye Waterfall, where we had our lunch and got to jump into the freezing cold, clear turquoise water. Everyone who jumped was prepped for the cold with a quick dip in the river, but it still wasn’t enough preparation for the exhilaration of jumping into the foaming water at the bottom of the falls. We then hiked back down and taxied to our surprise activity, buckled into the back of a pickup truck, and a swanky orange bus. We then had the surprise zip line activity and rode the long line downhill through the mountains. We all raced each other down the line two at a time, looking around at the scenery unlike anything else we have ever seen, and at familiar faces full of joy. On the way back to the hostel, we stopped for ice cream at our best stop yet, before our 7-course meal full of Albanian delicacies and our favorite baskets of bread. Then we did our moonup at the local church, in a field outside of the old building under mountains the stars, and ended the night with a game of three doors down, again a highlight game of the trip inspired and led with passion by Lily, and an fun note to go to bed on before our biggest challenge, the Valbona pass the next day.
Day 8:
Today we all conquered the Valbona pass!! We woke up extra early and all made it to the top of the past, with almost everyone going the extra twenty minutes after a yummy summit lunch break to the nearby third highest peak in Albania. We started off slow, and everyone pushed through the entire way, spirits lifting with the altitude. Though it was challenging, it was fun and full of laughter at the same time. Olivia is always one of the best people to find yourself walking next to, her attitude is positive and she faces challenges by uplifting all of those around her with ease. At the peak, we had some amazing photo ops inspired by Jake and Alessi, our devoted trip photographers, and were left in awe with the 360 view of both Theth and Valbona, our beginning and our ending, and the fishbowl of mountains and white glowing rivers. We then returned to top of the pass to Zach’s peaceful, seated sunshine nap, and began the steep descent into Valbona. Along the way, we were joined by many mules and porters, passing by drinkable streams, snowbanks where we had snowball fights (started by Witt of course), lush forest, and countless trail dogs before crossing the rocky, dried up riverbed that led to our next accommodation, a quaint hostel run by our fearless guide, 10 year old Fabian.
Day 9:
Today is July first! We awoke to the soothing sounds of pouring rain echoing off of the roof and the surrounding mountains, ready for our hike to a small family run farm in the mountains for a vegetarian lunch. After the rain stopped, our determined guide Fabian led us through the town, showing us the best souvenir shops to stop at along the way and guiding us around the cows that roamed free. Once we arrived at the farm, we had the amazing lunch and took some of the best pictures yet. We enjoyed some homemade iced coffees on the porch, and then made our way back to the hostel to enjoy the rest of the afternoon. Dinners with this group are always so much fun, reminiscing on the best moments of the day, continuing to get to know each other, and enjoying the meals. That night, we ended moonup, led by Andrew and Georgie, with an intense game of Family, won by Jake, and took some much needed rest before our long travel day to Tirana the next day.
Day 10:
Today we woke up in Valbona, had a delicious breakfast, and it was lightly raining as we boarded the bus for our drive to Tirana. While we were in the bus for most of the day, this did not dim the spirits of the group, as we crossed through beautiful land and entertained ourselves or took a soothing bus nap. We even drove through our fifth official country of Kosovo, and got to put feet on the ground during a snack stop along the way. When we finally made it to Tirana, we had a surprise cooking class for dinner and made absolutely delicious stuffed eggplant with spinach pie and some buttery, cinnamon cookies! This cooking class was an epic way to end the long day and bring the group together, with flour fights that left every single person covered head to toe in flour and shapes drawn all over everyone’s faces, or for Zach, Jake, and Witt, their entire faces. This was, in most of our opinions, the most delicious dinner we have had yet, and all of our hard work in preparing it made it all the more delicious. Our sweet Albanian chef teacher and her mother were excellent teachers, and hopefully with the recipe, we can share this meal with friends and family at home! After this, we had a group trip to a supermarket where we stocked up on some dried fruit and healthy snacks, and all of the kids got crowns from the Burger King upstairs, wearing them back to the hostel for our moonup.
Day 11:
Today we drove from Tirana to Sarande! Another long drive, but we arrived at our beautiful accommodations, a hotel that sits directly over the bay and marina where we would later spend the afternoon. After settling in, we went to our first pizza lunch since arriving on the trip, and had some absolutely delicious pizza, each kid splitting and almost finishing an entire large. It was almost New Haven level according to Jake (Just kidding, that’s blasphemous according to him). Then we went to the rocky beach where we played spikeball and met many interesting people, including a kind woman who taught the kids some French. Lucy Kate especially loved this, and the woman and her found a lot to talk about. LK can talk to literally anyone, and her bubbly personality and easygoing nature is always such a joy to be around. Some of us, including Seth, Georgie, Jake, Zach, and Alessi, swam out into the water and found some ruins to stand on before the end of the swimming area, exploring a little bit more of this quaint ocean town and soaking in the sun. Seth is always there to jump headfirst into a challenge, and take advantage of every opportunity for adventure, always inspiring others in the group to join him. His presence in this group is so huge and full of joy, and this group would not be the same without him, we call him the glue for many reasons, including but not limited to his attitude and contagious smile. Then we went back to have a nice dinner at a beautiful restaurant by the water, overlooking the marina and watched the sunset over the ocean, ferries, and catamarans as we ate. We had a delicious multi shop dessert stop, with half of the gorup getting some divine Nutella crepes, and the other half stopping at a milka stand and getting multiple different kinds of ice cream, in many forms. Witt even got Oreo fettuccini, which was sliced up crepe in pasta form, Oreo crumble, and ice cream. Then we had moonup outside of our hotel, led by Chloe and Jake, where we ended with a game of look up look down with water in our mouths as an extra level, and by the end, everyone was soaked, and Ellery came out victorious.
Day 12:
Today we arrived finally in our sixth country when we reached the beautiful shores of Corfu on the fourth of July! We all decked out in our red, white, and blue beads for the ferry ride, and then we drove to our little pink house on the hillside, overlooking the island coast where we will spend most of our time here. We then decked ourselves out in blue body paint, USA tattoos, and fourth gear and headed to an amazing Mediterranean lunch by the beach, and then spent the afternoon at the beach, exploring the coastal caves, doing some light cliff jumping, getting some sun, exploring the market, shopping around, getting the best gyros we’ve had yet, some smoothies, and soaking in the first day here while celebrating America in the birthplace of democracy. Wilkes is always down to stop for some delicious food that he spots and encourage the rest of the group to join in, and him and Jake has some amazing gyros that will come close to the best ones we will ever have once we reach athens. All of the kids adventured into the ocean town explore the coast, and this place is unlike anywhere we have ever seen. We then had our first night of cooking by the group, and Jake, Drew, Lily, Ellery, and Zach headed up the cleaning crew, cleaning thoroughly and helping the entire group in the process, setting a great example of the kind of voluntary expedition behavior we try to set on these trips. Wilkes even learned how to make a delicious quinoa salad, and his and Chloe’s enthusiasm in the kitchen helped make this amazing meal. Our moonup was led by Wilkes and Ellery, with American themed questions and a fun game of wavelength to close us out.
Alessi: Thank you Mom for this incredible experience for the past 3 years. This is such a life changing experience and I will forever be thankful. See you soon!! I love you so so much.
Jake: Hi Mom, Dad, Gabe, and Ben! Thank you so much for sending me on Moondance. The past 2 summers have been amazing. This trip has been super fun and we just arrived in Greece! See you next week! Hope everything is well at home!
Olivia: Hey everyone!! Happy 4th! Thank you so much for everything you do Moondance has been a blast and we landed in Greece today so I am super excited. Hope everything is good at home tell everyone I said hello!! see you next week love y’all.
Witt: Hi mom and dad, thank you so much for letting me go on this trip, we just arrived in Greece and it’s awesome here. My group is awesome and I can’t wait to tell you everything when I get home. I miss y’all so much, see ya soon.
Drew: What’s up everyone back home. Mom and Dad thank you so much for letting me come here. We just landed in Greece and it’s amazing. We saw some awesome turtles snorkeling. We had a sendy forth and I can’t wait to celebrate back home!
Seth: Hi Mom and Dad, thank you so much for sending me on this trip. We are at the last portion of the trip – Greece. I am excited to see you when I get home.
Georgie: Hey y’all!!! Thank you for sending me on this trip! We are in Greece for the fourth and had so much fun. I love and miss y’all and can’t wait to see y’all soon!
Zach: Greetings mom and dad!! Thank you so much for sending me on this trip it has been a blast. We are in Greece for the fourth and we are getting sendyyy. Love you guys so much can’t wait to see y’all!
Lucy Kate: Hi mom and dad! Thanks for sending me on this trip it has been some of the most fun weeks!! I love my group so much and we had such a fun 4th of July celebration. Can’t wait to see y’all soon!
Lily: Hi fam! Love y’all and thank you guys so so much for sending me on this trip! It’s been the absolute best time ever!! We just had the 4th in Corfu and it was sooo fun! Can’t wait to show my photos and tell my stories!!
Ellery: Hellooooo from Greece!! It is so beautiful here. Thank y’all so much for sending me on this trip. My group is the best, and we have been having so much fun traveling together. Love y’all and see y’all so soon!!
Wilkes: Hi mom and pop. Albania was awesome 🇦🇱 and Greece is fun 🇬🇷. Thank you for making these experiences possible for me. See you 🔜🔮!
Chloe: hellooo and happy fourth!!! There is so much to love about Greece and all the new paces we’ve experienced. Getting to know and hangout with my group has been such a gift. I love you guys and I can’t wait to tell you all about it
Shoutouts!
June 29, 2026
Georgie: Hey mom, dad, and Mary Sadler!! I’m having so much fun here thank you so much for sending me on this trip! Love y’all so much!!
Jake: Hi Mom, Dad, Gabe, and Ben! I’m having a great time! I’m had so much fun rafting and now we are off to our trekking portion. Unfortunately, my whoop fell over in the river and is gone…! Thanks so much for sending me on the trip. Say hi to everyone at home. Miss you guys! Love you
Drew: Hey Mom, Dad, Will, Cassius, Peyton and all other friends reading this. I’ve been having so much fun with our group rafting and trekking. It’s on track to be the coolest trip I’ve ever been on. I’m so excited for the rest of it! Can’t wait to see all y’all!
Alessi: Hey Mom, Cade, and Camden!! I miss y’all!! I am having the best time, these countries are all so so beautiful. Our group is really awesome and we all have so much fun together. We went on the most beautiful hike in Montenegro. We are on the way to Albania now!!! Thank you Mom for this opportunity one last time, it might end up being my favorite trip. Can’t wait to see y’all!! I love you all. Also HIII Colin, hope your trip out west is so much fun. Thinking of you!! Miss you and I love you!!
Ellery: Hey Mom, Dad, Gaige, and Cannon!!! Montenegro has been the best. On our way to Albania now! My group is awesome, I love them all! Can’t wait to tell y’all everything. Hope that Disney was a blast haha. Thank you guys for sending me here! Love y’all!!!
Olivia- Hey fam, I miss you guys!! I am having a blast we just left Montenegro and are on the way to Albania right now. My group is awesome and we’re having the best time. Ava- I hope you passed your drivers test , crossing my fingers! Can’t wait to tell y’all about this trip love y’all!! And happiest birthday Steele can’t wait to celebrate.
Lily – Hi Mom, Dad, and Chachi!!! I miss you guys so much! We’ve gone to such beautiful sites and my group/leaders are amazing!! I’m so thankful that you guys sent me and I can’t wait to see what comes next! Also Chachi I’ve really been channeling you to jump in all the freezing cold water and tell my friends I miss them but that there is no way I’m ever gonna stop talking about this trip
Lucy Kate- Hi mom and dad!! Thanks for sending me on this awesome trip!! It has been so much fun so far. We went on a really cool hike in Montenegro and now we are on the way to Bosnia. Can’t wait to see you guys and tell you all about the rest of the trip! Love you guys.
Chloe- Heyo fam!! I’m having an amazing time Montenegro was a blast, and now we’re on our way to Albania! I love my group and we all get along so well. I can’t thank you enough for making this trip happen, you guys are the best and I love and miss you so much. ALSOOO, happy 21st drew I hope you celebrated well I love you big brotha!!!
Zach- whats up family! I miss you guys. Montenegro was so pretty. The group here is great we all get along so well and it’s been so much fun. Happy 21st house boy Drew. Love y’all!
Wilkes-Hi mom and dad. Been having a good time. Hope you all, lucy and the dogs are doing ok. Happy birthday pops!
Seth – Hi mom and dad. I have had a good time and tried new things and my group is amazing. I hope you have been enjoying the time off. Thank you for letting me go on this trip I’m having so much fun.
Witt- Hi mom and dad, I hope y’all are having a great time at home and without much noise around the house. Thank you so much for letting me go on this trip, it’s awesome and I’m enjoying my group here so much. I miss y’all and can’t wait to tell you everything I have done here.
Moondance Magic in Montenegro
June 29, 2026
Day 1:
All of the kids landed safely in Dubrovnik, and we began the bus ride to our first campsite in Montenegro! We were so excited for this trip to begin when we made it to our lunch stop on the way, a beautiful Albanian restaurant on a cliff that looks over the expanse of farmland and red barns in an oval of Albanian alps, and the kids talked excitedly, getting to know each other, and enjoying the delicious meal of bolognese, fried chicken burgers, and chicken Caesar salads. On the bus ride there, while the group mostly slept off the jet lag, I was grateful to be sitting next to Chloe and hear about her travels, outlook on life, and spark so much interest in each other and future conversations to be had. Once we arrived at camp, the boys and girls all separated into their group bunk rooms and we had the afternoon to settle in, get to know each other, and prepare for our first day of rafting the next day. The kids got familiar with the camp animals that night, the three dogs Jack, George, and Oscar, and the two white and orange striped tabbys who we previously named Squeeps and Squaggles, and were happily surprised to meet their two adorable kittens for the first time, named Smittens and To Be Determined. Wilkes, as he explained that he was not a cat person in the slightest and didn’t really like cats all that much, was the first to pick up little Smittens and hold her like a football before cradling her to his chest, and stating the reason as “it’s just cute”. We then went to bed after a day full of first impressions that left us excited for the morning and got some much needed rest.
Day 2:
Today we had our first day of rafting! This crystal clear blue river is part of the third deepest canyon in the world, and the high cliffs that surround us give us some incredible views of Montenegrin mountains, perfectly shaded from the glare of the sun. This first day of rafting was full of laughter and new jokes as our amazing guides took us down the cresting rapids, and we were soaked by the chilly clear water. Along the way, we had a small jump off of a rock that lied in an eddy on the bank of the river, and all of the kids leapt into the water with smiles on their faces and bathed in the light of the sunny day, warmed by the wetsuits and the amusement of the silly nicknames we taped to our helmets. Initiated by Wit and his co conspirator Zach, as so many of the jokes in this group are, each of us had a ridiculous nickname taped to our helmets, because there is no better way to introduce ourselves to our guides for the first time than by any normal names, instead they were delighted to meet John Wilkes Pork, Lester, Big Juicer, Silly Seth, Rodrigo, Geo, Dewitt, PMJ, Drewski, Charizard, and more, Claude the AI, Bouse Squid, and more. The rafting ended as we pulled up to the river bank that sits in front of our camp, and made our way back to camp to nap and hang out together until dinner.
Day 3:
Today was our co-trip leader, Claude’s birthday! To celebrate the day, the kids had all helped to make a happy birthday sign, sign their names, and prepare a surprise happy birthday song in the morning to celebrate. As we all stood there waiting, he came down and the kids began to sing, and as we serenaded him, our outfitter Alan walked out gracefully holding a tray of peaches, Claude’s favorite fruit, and the tension of having people sing a song to you as you stand there disappeared and we all enjoyed some fresh peaches that our amazing camp and outfitters went out of their way to supply for us, a theme they carry with them on our all of our trips together. After breakfast, we began one of our toughest hikes, an 11 mile round trip hike through the Montenegrin alps to a mountain lake, nestled in a fishbowl of snowy peaks. The attitude of the entire group was amazing on this very challenging, half uphill battle of a hike! Our Leaders of the Day, Andrew and Olivia, led with positivity and grit, attitudes that were much appreciated as we pushed uphill and fought battles both mentally and physically. Georgie was an especially positive force on this day, and the smile on her face when we reached the lake and the pride I saw in her inspired not only me but every other person on the trip. Once at the lake, almost everyone changed into their anything suits and jumped right into the freezing clear waters! Across the lake, cows grazed, and we ate our delicious packed lunches in the sunshine. Jake, Andrew, Witt, and Wilkes all led the charge on jumping into the lake, a once in a lifetime opportunity that inspired me, Lucy Kate, and Lily to follow. Lucy Kate, Lily and I leapt in with excitement and huge smiles on our faces, quickly followed by Georgie, and we were all incredibly grateful to have experienced such a unique opportunity in a place so beautiful, and challenging to reach, that it’s hard to describe.
After the hike, we hopped in the vans to head home, and surprised the kids with a stop at a local restaurant nestled in the bottom of the valley for some coffee and a pick me up before the hour long van ride back to camp. This time around, our guides took us back to camp by taking the long way, giving us the chance to have now seen all three of the major canyons in Montenegro, and left in awe by the amazing views. One thing about this group is that they are always talking, always making new jokes, always asking each other questions, and our guides and I never fail to be entertained by eavesdropping on their conversations.
That night, we had a delicious dinner, and ended it with a surprise tiramisu for Claude’s birthday! This cake was one of the best tiramisus we all have ever had, and it was such an amazing way to end the long and challenging day.
Day 4:
Today we had our second day of rafting down the stunning Tara river! This time, we began at our camp and rafted down the river, but this time before beginning, we had a raft relay race, raft vs raft, team 1 vs team 2, and the challenge was heated. Raft 1 was led by our leader of the day Zach, and raft 2 was led by our other leader of the day Ellery. Both of these campers absolutely motivated their team, going above and beyond in their leadership skills. The activity began with a run to the first raft which floated in the small gap between the shore and a tall rock, and once we ran across the floating raft, we climbed to the top of the rock and slid down on our bellies into the water, swimming to shore and tagging in the next team mate. Raft group 1 won the challenge, and then we set off on another beautiful raft trip! Today, we had the opportunity to do some light cliff jumping, and every single kid leapt off the cliff into the sparkling water, boarding the raft again on the shore of Bosnia just across the river. This day was full of constant laughter and excitement, and not a moment was wasted wishing to be anywhere other than where our feet were, in little wet suit booties and tucked in the raft. After rafting, we all hung out on the beach for a few hours, jumped off the rock that we had used in our relay in the morning, and soaked in the sun. After the beach time, Georgie, Chloe, Olivia, Lily, Lucy Kate and Claude all played card games, frustrated that he somehow wins every round but nonetheless determined to beat him, while the rest of the group hung out, read, and enjoyed the chill afternoon before another delicious dinner and amazing moonup led by Ellery and Zach, which we closed with an intense game of family that Andrew won valiantly and swiftly.
Day 5:
Today we transferred to Albania! We had a longer car ride, in which spirits were incredibly high as the entire group spent the hours playing games like wavelength, black magic, and more, getting to know each other and deciding to pass the time together and having fun, as this group always does. We are constantly entertained by this group, and their closeness so early on in the trip warms our hearts every day. This is one of the most inclusive, supportive, and kind groups we have ever had, and watching them lift each other up and always have something to talk about, even on the slower days such as this one, is all we could ever hope to see.
Once we arrived in Albania, we couldn’t believe our eyes when our van stopped to allow the herd of goats led by a local man and his many many dogs to cross the road. Jacob and Alessi, our trip photographers, captured some amazing pictures of the moment, along with memories of the best moments throughout the entire trip.
Once we arrived in Albania, we had a free afternoon before dinner to enjoy, and we spent it together and made the most of our beautiful hostel in the middle of the Albanian alps, and with a full view of the Valbona pass we will be conquering in a couple days. During this free time, Wilkes and I had the chance to play guitar and sing for the group, and everyone was struck into silence by his incredible skills on the guitar. Despite saying he was rusty having not played in 4 weeks, his incredible talent brought so much joy to the group. After this jam session, everyone played ping pong and hacky sack until our incredible 7 course dinner, full of Albanian delicacies and entertainment as the hostel cat, cece, joined us on the bench and snatched stray sausages off the table to feed her adorable newborn 5 kittens, which all of the boys (including enthusiastic Wilkes and Jake) held with such care and love.
After this, we enjoyed our moonup led by Lily and Seth at the local church, with indescribable views and humor. Lily had the amazing idea to play the 3 lies game, and it led to some amazing stories being told. Lily is always coming up with fun things for the entire group to talk about, there can never be a dull moment with her or any lack of enthusiasm, and this contagious attitude has brought so much joy to the group.
Safe Arrival!
June 24, 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
