Last few days together in Paris!
July 22, 2024
Day 22: Paris day! We woke up to our final full day of the trip and got ready to go explore the city of love! Sandy, the students, and I took the metro to the Lourve and then started wandering around downtown. We checked out a bunch of different cathedrals, parks, stores, and bakeries. We also did some major thrift shopping. We had an amazing lunch and then split up into group for some more sight seeing and exploration. Sandy took the girls shopping and checking out various small shops, I took the guys and we went on a hunt for Paris’ best waffles. And after finding and devouring them, we met the owner of the shop who also recommended his lobster roll store, which we all enjoyed promptly afterwards. We all came back together at an art museum, where we were able to take an elevator all the way up to see a view of the entire city. Also, a quick game of hacky sack in the meantime. We all then left for dinner and enjoyed a delicious banquet for our final supper together. We finished our final day with a beautiful Moonup underneath the Eiffel Tower. The tower lit up and sparkled as we were all reflecting on this trip and how much we have all meant to each other in these amazing past three weeks. This trip and this group has been so special and Sandy and I could not be more grateful to have shared this experience with these 11 students.
Day 23 Today we awoke bright and early for our final morning together. Everyone rallied together to transport all luggage through the metro and trains. Finally, we arrived where it all began.. the Paris Airport!! We said goodbye to our Atlanta flight folks and before we knew it JP and I were the only ones left. What a bittersweet 24 hours filled with laughs and cries. And more than anything, pure gratitude. Thank you for blessing us with the gift of your children- JP and I could not have asked for a better group. We will miss everyone dearly and as we always say, this trip is just the beginning of lifelong relationships. We will hold these memories forever!!
Until next time,
JP and Sandy
Update from Chamonix!
July 20, 2024
Day 16:
We awoke at our refuge to find that all the clouds had cleared and a breathtaking view stood before us. Truly incredible start to the day. After fueling up, we hit the uphill climb towards the Spanish border. At the peak, we faced the strongest winds we have thus far! To rest before the descent we found a shady spot underneath the trees and ate delicious empanadas. Finally, we hit our hostel in Spain! And of course… Lala encouraged everyone to participate in yet another polar plunge. Cold but refreshing!! We ate a much needed dinner of pasta and sausage then walked a few minutes to a quiet area down the river. Sandy read a short book, The Boy the Mole the Fox and the Horse and our LODs asked the group about past challenges and recoveries. The sound of the water was an excellent way to end such an awesome day!
Day 17:
Buenos Dias! We woke up at our beautiful hostel in Spain and had a delicious breakfast all together. We started off on the road again to yet another day of beautiful hiking weather. We had a stellar set of views today on this hike, following a ridge that overlooked the valley we were passing through. For lunch, we found an amazing rock that was big enough to seat us all, and we enjoyed the shining sun and plenty of jokes as the day’s trekking was flying by. We were finally nearing Torla, the beautiful Spanish town our refuge was in. Once in town, we went to what can only he described as the best ice cream place on Earth. In a garden in town square and being sold out of a lavender food truck, we all tried unique flavor combos of fresh local ice cream. After our sweet treat, we showered up and headed to a local restaurant for a lovely feast, where we were even able to watch the Euros! It was truly an amazing and once in a lifetime experience that we were IN SPAIN when they eventually won the 2024 Euros! As we were heading to Moonup, we were listening to all of the local Spanish kids cheer and sing for their team’s championship victory.
Day 18:
Good morning from Torla! We woke up to beautiful weather AGAIN, had a lovely breakfast, and packed our bags a little lighter for a day hike near town. We took a bus to a trail head and were eager to start the day. Victoria led us in a great stretch circle to warm us up before the hike, and then we started our ascent. We made it up to an incredible lookout, where we got many amazing group photos. This hike was really special because the yellow wildflowers were really in full bloom now. Mackenzie was taking plenty of photos, and Cole took the opportunity to always remind the group how incredible our views were. About halfway through the hike we passed one of the largest waterfalls in the Pyrenees, and felt the strength of the water and wind. We finished up the hike by another waterfall where we did a 15 minute solo meditation and grounding exercise, them headed back home. We had a lovely final dinner in Torla and had another beautiful Moonup, this time under the stars at the courtyard of the church in town.
Day 19:
We awoke bright and early to our last breakfast in Torla and hit the road. Our hike began with a steep uphill climb on the Camino de Santiago trail where we eventually crossed back into France from Spain. The views were priceless. One of our best lunches yet! Morale was high and trail conversations were stellar the entire descent down the mountain. Before finishing our downhill section, we found one of our best polar plunge locations yet. A beautiful creek with an ideal swimming hole and waterfall at the end. With the blazing heat of the sun, the timing couldn’t have been more perfect. Reed and Seth plunged in first and soon enough every single person was in! As we dried off, there were butterflies surrounding us. Chester and Tanner were major attractors!! Finally, we continued our way and met up with JP, Ashley, and Madison to begin our final ascent of the day up to Espeguettes. We took a break halfway up to try nature’s protein on trail — wood ants! The rest of the way was difficult and challenging and the group handled it all excellently. And… the peak was way worth it. We arrived not only to an incredible view but tens of horses surrounding our refuge. After settling in, we played a few card games then ate a delicious dinner with no food waste. For Moonup, we took 10 minutes of solo reflection on the mountain then met back up to share lessons we’ve learned during our time together. Chester and Ashley also asked the group to name 3 things we were grateful for. It was a perfect day!!
Day 20:
Today marks our final day of the Pyrenees trek and our trekking portion as a whole!! We awoke to warm croissants, put on our packs, and began the ascent. While the uphill wasn’t easy, morale was extra high as the realization of this being our last day sunk in. What a bittersweet feeling. Per usual, the views the entire way up were incredible. JP and I were flooded with emotions knowing we would officially be exiting these mountains – they have become our home! We picked a wonderful lunch spot by the creek where we had our last trail meal and took our best group photo yet!! A group pyramid with Lala and Madison on top. After fueling up, we finished our decent. Emma and I both teared up a bit crossing from the trail onto the road – we know we will miss these mountains and these people dearly. To continue taking in the outdoors, Reed and Lala led the group to a final polar plunge by our refuge. One of our favorite spots yet! There was even a small cave behind the waterfall we explored. We eventually drove to Luz and after some rest time, went back to our favorite burger spot – La Casa! We concluded our night with an incredibly special Moonup at a nearby Castle in Luz with a view of the whole city. We reflected on all that we’ve learned together and shared some really awesome moments. We are so grateful for our time here!
Day 21:
Final travel day, time to back to Paris! We had an awesome final breakfast at Hotel de Cimes in Luz and left for Paris in the morning. We took a train from Lourdes and arrived in the city of love in the afternoon. We spent the rest of the day exploring and sight seeing. We hit a really cool jewelry story, a boutique, and a cute bookshop. We headed towards dinner which was an amazing Italian restaurant. We had pizza and pasta to our hearts content, and then we allwalked to a beautiful park nearby for Moonup. We watched the sun set on a cathedral right next to us in the park which was just a beautiful backdrop to another beautiful and meaningful Moonup. It’s so heart warming to see this group come so close together these last few days. After Moonup, we of course made a mandatory ice cream parlor stop before walking home. So far, Paris has already exceeded our expectations and we’re excited for another full day here tomorrow!
More Adventures on the Spanish Coast and Into the Pyrenees!
July 13, 2024
Shoutouts:
Chester: Hey Yall! I am having the best time ever here, the TMB was so awesome and so was spain! Miss Yall!
Cole- Hey yall, everything is absolutely great. It is crazy beautiful here. Just got done kayaking in costa brava and we’re heading into the Pyrenees next. Love y’all see you soon.
Seth – Hey everyone! Just wanted to let y’all know that I’m doing great and I’ve had so much fun the last couple weeks and I’ve done stuff i never thought id be able to! Anyways, i love you guys so much and I’m looking forward to seeing you guys soon.
Tanner – I LOVE YOU GUYS SO MUCH!!! Hi family. Hope you guys are doing so unbelievably amazing, and I miss you guys so much. Im having an absolute bast and am making the most of every moment, so theres no need to worry about me. Tell everyone back at home I say hi and I cant wait to see you guys soon. Love y’all
Mackenzie – Hi everyone! I am having the best time on my trip and am so thankful to be here! We have trekked through Tour Mont Blanc and sea kayaked in Costa Brava, and are about to head into the Pyrenees next! I have met so many new friends and can’t wait to tell you all about it. I love you and see you so so soon😊
Reed- Hey everyone! This trip is so fun and im having the best time ever. The Tour Mont Blanc was amazing, i’ve takin so many pictures a videos of everything. We even got a certificate saying we hiked the whole thing in 5 days when we only did half. The drive to Costa Brava was long but worth it, the beach was amazing. Didnt fall off the rock this time. We are about to leave to hike the Pyrenees right now (we are eating breakfast rn). Bye
Emma: Hey everyone! I am having THE BEST summer ever! The views are absolutely incredible and so are the people. I miss you guys so much, and am so happy to be here. Cant wait to see you guys when I get home. Love you all SO MUCH
Lala- Hi guys! I miss you guys so much and cant wait to tell you guys all about the trip. I hope you guys are all doing well and having a good rest of the summer. Love you guys, yall are the best. ❤️
Victoria: Hi mom, dad, olivia, and andrew! I am having so much fun on Chamonix and have seen the most incredible views. We just finished the TMB and then we went sea kayaking in Costa Brava. Happy Birthday dad 🎂!! Love and miss you guys and can’t wait to see you soon! ❤️
Ashley- hi everyone!!! I am having so much fun in Europe and i love every minute of this trip!!! The hut to hut hiking in the Alps was hard but so so beautiful and i had a blast!!! Costa brava was so fun too, we sea kayaked through some caves and i was on the beach getting super tan every afternoon!! We are starting pyrenees today and i am super excited! I love yall SO much and thank you so so much for sending me on this trip!!!
Madison- hi mom im alive!! views are pretty, tell the dogs i miss them!! We’re off to the trekking in the Pyrenees section now!
Day 10: Buenos dias Chamonix friends and family! We woke up this morning on the coast of Spain to yet another day of perfectly blue skies, without a single cloud to be seen. Absolutely perfect weather for our beach day today. The best part about this campsite we were staying at is the fact that we have camper stoves, so we are now able to start cooking our meals for ourselves. We started today with a buffet of freshly made eggs and bacon. After that, we lathered up in sunscreen, got our sunglasses, and headed to the beach! This was a much needed and very well-deserved rest day. When we got to the beach, the only thing we had to do was chill. On the white Sands and swam in the crystal blue ocean for hours, while listening to our new curated playlist. We had a picnic on the beach, continue to float around in the Mediterranean sea, and thoroughly soaked up the sun. We headed back to our campsite where we got started on dinner, which was a amazing feast of burritos and tacos! One of the best meals we’ve had so far — because it was made with love. We were very lucky and grateful to have our good friend from the office. Owen Roberts join us for the section of the trip. After relaxing to the max with us today at the beach, he joined us for Moonup, as we sat underneath the stars.
Day 11: First day of kayaking! This morning, we woke up and got ready for the day by fueling ourselves with delicious breakfast burritos. We met with our kayaking guides, and were on our way to a river close to Costa Brava. After a safety briefing and instructions for the day, we hopped in our kayaks and got ready to paddle. Owen and Victoria started off strong, leading the group down the river. Sandy and Emma were in another kayak and decided to start a splashing contest, ensuring that everyone was properly cooled off during the day. I was with Madison, and after some technical difficulties (my bad) and being stuck in a couple trees, we caught up with the group as we all decided to swim down the river, holding onto our kayaks, just floating away with our lifejackets. Once we are finished, we headed back to our beach by our campsite, had a small picnic, and then showered up and got ready for our cooking class dinner. We went to a local restaurant called Morocco for our group cooking class, where we were taught how to prepare a variety of appetizers and the Spanish specialty of paella. Tanner and Chester prepared the squid for the rice, which was one of the more daunting tasks. Mackenzie and Ashley were in charge of the guacamole, a critical role as we were making fresh tuna ceviche. This was by far one of the best meals we had so far, and everyone left completely stuffed. We were fortunate enough to have another perfectly clear night for stargazing during Moonup, and we saw a plethora of shooting stars, which was a really special moment..
Day 12: Time to take on the Mediterranean Sea! We were kayaking on the ocean today, so after we fueled up for the day, we set off for the coast. We met up with our Kayak Costa Brava guides again and got situated with our sea kayaks, before casting off onto the water. This was an absolutely stunning day on the ocean, as this part of the Mediterranean Sea offers incredible views and experiences of cliffs, caves, and the wide open ocean. We went into a few different caves, which were awesome to use our headlamps inside. We stopped for lunch on a pebble beach, where we had a picnic featuring some local lemonade that the guides brought for us, which was quite the sweet treat. Seth, Reed, and Cole made it their sole mission during this time to find the biggest rock they could and throw it in the water, searching for whatever would make the loudest splash. We paddled our way back and got ready back at our campsite for The Official Cham 4a Iron Chef Competition. The teams prepared a wonderful buffet of appetizers, entrees, and desserts. Shoutout to Victoria, Madison, Mackenzie, Ashely, Lala, and Emma for their amazing quesadillas, and shoutout Seth, Reed, Cole, Chester, and Tanner for their winning bowl of spaghetti bolognese. After dinner, we met up with Cham 4b at the beach and had the very first and only Chamonix Olympics! We took on 4b in a variety of competitions, winning at ‘Dude, Don’t Touch My Rock’, ‘Find the gummy bears’, and the watermelon eating competition. After taking a tough loss in the final three-legged relay race, we all ran into the ocean together, followed by an amazing joint Moonup. Owen facilitated with the leaders, Lala and Seth, and we were sad to have to say bye to our friend as it was his last night before heading back to HQ. We listened to Cole play the guitar beautifully for the group singing ‘Hey there Delilah’ as we all watched the sunset together. A really special moment, thanks 4b!
Day 13: Travel day! Today we headed to Luz, France to get ready for our Pyrenees trekking section. After the van dropped us off at the hostel, we had a mini town day in Luz. Luz is an incredible and beautiful small mountain town with a ton of character. We were staying in this house right on town square, and got to see the shops and get some souvenirs. We went to ‘La Casa’ for dinner, where Lala inspired almost everyone to get the pesto and mozzarella burger, which was for many of us the best burger we’ve ever had. Such a great meal. As we watched the sunset over the mountains in town, we went back to our hostel to pack for the Pyrenees. Everyone is so excited to start hiking again, and the stoke for the Pyrenees trekking specifically couldn’t be any higher. We finished our day by sitting out in the middle of town square, beneath an old castle that has been in the middle of Luz for centuries. We had another meaningful Moonup under a bright half moon, and went off to bed.
Day 14: Time to start the Pyrenees!! We woke up, ate breakfast, and packed our bags quickly so we could head straight off into the mountains. We met with our guide, Mattieu, and got dropped off at a trail head and did a morning huddle in preparation of starting our last hiking section. The Pyrenees are a truly incredible range of mountains and we were all just so excited to finally be in the thick of it. We had an excellent day of hiking up and through the forrest, stopping for a picnic in a nice meadow just below a beautiful alpine lake. After hiking through the mist in the clouds, we arrived at our hostel – the refuge du Gaube. We thoroughly enjoyed the huge dinner. They provided us with consisting of vegetable soup, shepherds pie, and crumpets! We finished this first day on the Pyrenees with a beautiful Moonup. As we were talking and listening to music outside, the clouds finally cleared up, revealing a beautiful mountain range and a sky full of stars. This was a really special treat after our first day back in the mountains and climbing over 1200 m in elevation! Day 15: Sorry for the delay Cham friends and fam! Since getting dropped off in Pyrenees yesterday, we have been off the grid and trekking away! We woke up this morning to blue skies and an incredible view of the Gaube mountain. We fueled up, packed our bags, and got on the road again early in the morning. Today was windy, sunny, and all around a beautiful day in the high mountain. We crossed over from France into Spain! There were waterfalls all around us, as we climbed up some rocky trails and through grassy meadows. Today’s hike was most definitely difficult, as we were hiking through scree fields, rough winds, and more steep incline. We were rewarded with a nice picnic lunch at another beautiful alpine lake. We then hiked back down into the valley and finally arrived atour second hostel. We are getting very excited for dinner, as this place smells amazing. In the meantime, we are sitting outside, enjoying the view as we are at the base of a magnificent mountain range. Adios! Until next time, see y’all after Paris!
JP + Sandy
LE TOUR DE MONT BLANC!!
July 7, 2024
Day 3 (First full day of trip):
GOOOOD MORNING CHAMONIX!!! Hello friends and family, today Cham 4a woke up to a beautiful day in the valley of Chamonix France! After our travel day yesterday from Paris to Chamonix, we were rightly rewarded with walking outside to incredible views of the French Alps. The students, Sandy, and I all fueled up on baguettes and breakfast at the hostel, and then went to hit the town! We bopped around from shop to shop, and seeing all the stores and cafes Chamonix had to offer. After a lovely picnic in the park, we put on our hiking gear and took the town train up to a beautiful and brief waterfall hike. This waterfall was just stunning, and since it was such a clear and sunny day, the waterfall even created a rainbow we were able to hike through. After completing the hike, we headed back to the hostel to prep and pack for leaving for the Tour du Mont Blanc the next morning. We also met with the owner of our guiding company for the TMB, and ensured everyone had the appropriate boots and gear. Then, after a delicious home-cooked meal, we had our very first Moonup and went to sleep!
Day 4:
Time to start the TMB!! Mont Blanc… get ready to be toured. We woke up, ate breakfast, and packed our backpacking bags as we were all so immensely excited to start the TMB today. We took a bus to a gondola lift station, where we were all lifted up half of the local mountain, seeing some awesome views from the higher elevation of Chamonix. Once off the gondola, we had a morning huddle where Tanner and Ashley led us in a stretch circle, and we got on our way up the trail! The TMB is known for its’ incredible views, and right off the bat our expectations were met and exceeded. We trekked through hills, meadows, and the forests of the Alps to see a variety of wildflowers, marmots, and mountain ranges. We stopped for a picnic lunch at the top of a mountain, where we shared the area actually with 4 ibex! Ibex are the mountain goats of the Alps, and it was an incredible experience to be so close to a group of them. Madison and Mackenzie got closest, while Seth snapped some great photos. We got to our first chalet, and after a great dinner and Moonup, got some rest for the next day of hiking!
Day 5:
Waking up on the TMB is a surreal feeling, and we all felt that and the gratitude for the fact that our chalet’s are right in the middle of the wilderness of the Alps. We had breakfast and our morning hot drinks in the cliffs of the TMB, and strapped on our boots and got on the road again. Today we were hiking from the Refuge de Miage to Les Contamines. It was a beautiful day of hiking that started out with bluebird skies, and ended in the mist and fog as we hiked up into the clouds. Cole and Lala were our LODs (Leaders of the day) today, and did an excellent job of ensuring that everyone was informed of the plan for the trek and was hydrating efficiently. This was a difficult day of hiking with steep uphills, but every single student conquered this challenge and finished the day with smiles on their faces. Something they all should be super proud of. Once at our hostel, we showered up and got ready for some well-deserved rest. (And got excited for Independence day tomorrow)
Day 6:
HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY EVERYBODY!!!!
USA USA USA
Sandy and I woke everyone up this morning by blasting some good ole American tunes, starting with “Born in the USA”. As we were getting ready for the day, we surprised the students with some presents we’ve been hiding. Lots of USA merch and accessories we adorned before starting our day of trekking. We put on red, white, and blue beads, sunglasses, and even temporary tattoos. Once fully fitted and covered head to toe in patriotism, we started on the hiking by singing the national anthem. It was awesome to bump into fellow Americans on the TMB and them get a kick out of our USA outfits. Halfway through our hike today, we stopped at this beautiful lookout atop a cliff, and took 15 minutes to ourselves for silent reflection. We had a stunning lookout towards an alpine lake and the breathtaking mountain range of the Alps. Then, after lunch, we got back on trail, this time utilizing our crampons. We attached the spiked crampons to the bottom of our boots, and hike across the snow covered trails. We arrived at our own chalet, a hut called ‘The Cheese Factory’ which we had all to ourselves. This was everyone’s favorite stay, because we were in the middle of a wildflower meadow in the mountains, and this house on a river was just for us. Emma and Victoria suggested we all join and go to the river for a quick swim, so the whole group headed down for a pre-dinner cold plunge. Then, Emmanuel cooked us an amazing meal of pasta and prepared us a charcuterie board that was all of our favorite meals. Just such an overall amazing experience here, which really gave us the true feeling that we were our own family unit. Another great Moonup, then off to bed!
Day 7:
Good morning from day 4 on the TMB! We awoke this morning to clear skies and a full breakfast of leftover pasta, chocolate croissants, and cheese. This small hut has truly been a main highlight from our TMB experience. Our hike began with some creek crossings and we picked up some fresh cut turkey, local cheese, and salami from a small mountain store before beginning our uphill climb. This would be our hottest day yet!! Everyone kept up excellent morale as we made our way to the Italian border. And before we knew it… we were in Italy!! We stopped for a much needed lunch at the peak of the pass and enjoyed the cool breeze at the top. The rest of the day was phenomenal. Rather than hiking down normally, Emmanuel led us to slide down the snow and Reed was the first to go. Everyone successfully made it down with smiles all around!! Trail convos the rest of the way down were excellent. Finally, in order to make our bus to Courmayeur, Sandy jogged ahead for the final 50 minutes of hiking. Sooner or later, Chester and Seth caught up and before we knew it the whole group was running down the mountain to make our bus!! Such an awesome moment. We made it (finally) to our Italian hostel with warm food and meat waiting for us. It was a much needed reward for a long and hot day.
Day 8:
Last day of the TMB. After waking up to an amazing breakfast which included some fresh hot croissants, we briefly toured the town of Courmayeur, Italy, before getting on trail for one last hiking day. We had a short hike with some steep incline, enjoyed the view of the town, the headed back down for a sweet surprise. Sandy gave the great news to all the students that now, having finished the TMB, they were all going to get some fresh authentic Italian gelato!! We stopped by the local Gelateria and everyone got three scoops of incredible ice cream, which tasted even sweeter now that we accomplished the TMB. After this, we headed back to Chamonix and treated ourselves again to some of the best burgers they said they’ve ever had in their life at Poco Loco. Now sufficiently stuffed, we headed back to the Chamonix hostel and got ready for our travel day tomorrow. And, of course, taking some deserved showers post TMB. We finished the day at an incredible Italian restaurant with pizza and pasta galore. Another deep and meaningful Moonup, then off to bed!
Day 9:
Today we woke up one last time in the beautiful valley of Chamonix to the Alps towering above us. After breakfast and some last minute packing, we headed off for Geneva. Everyone had an hour of free time to explore a bit while there, then we hopped on the train for Paris. During these travels, the students caught up on sleep, made friendship bracelets, played card games, and recounted the adventures of the TMB in their Moondance journals. Once in Paris, we took the next train to Costa Brava! We couldn’t be more excited for the sea kayaking section, as everyone’s excited to do a bit of beach lounging, paddling, and try some Spanish cuisine. We just arrived in Costa Brava to a beautiful sunset followed by a sky full of stars. We are looking forward to updating y’all after the sea kayaking, until then, peace, love and lots of laughs from Cham 4a!!!
Safe Arrival in Chamonix!
July 2, 2024
Hello Chamonix Families!
We heard from our leaders this morning that the group has landed safely in Paris and begun their transfer day to Chamonix! The trip is off to a great start, and we cannot wait to hear more stories from their adventure as they prepare to begin trekking on the Tour du Mont Blanc!
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
Let the fun begin!
June 30, 2024
Hello Chamonix Families!
All students have landed safely and the trip is off to a great start! We can’t wait to share more updates 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 two weeks! 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
