One last hoorah from Croatia!
June 20, 2024
DAY 11
We enjoyed our final breakfast on Rab Island before catching the morning ferry back to the mainland. Ferry rides offered everyone a chance to relax on deck, soaking in the beautiful mountainous coastal landscapes. After a few hours of driving, we arrived in Zadar, a city further southeast along the coast. Thankfully, we broke up the journey with a rock climbing session! Following a pizza lunch pit stop, we headed to the park for our climbing activity. Daisy, Halliden, and Caroline bravely took the lead, while the entire group cheered them on from below. Woods, Reece, and Margot impressed everyone by tackling almost every climbing route.
After our climbing adventure, we drove into Zadar, a quintessential European city, and settled into a hotel in the heart of Old Town. Excitement buzzed as we anticipated a delicious dinner and an evening stroll through the shops. Reece and Sonny picked up new “European” shirts for our next destination, Dubrovnik, and everyone indulged in treats from a local candy shop. We snacked on our candy as we walked along the waterside path, where underwater music played and the floor lit up — such a unique experience! After a busy day, Clare and Reece hosted the evening’s Moonup on the private terrace atop our hotel, and we retired for the night.
DAY 12
We started day 12 with a traditional Croatian pastry for breakfast, then hopped back into the vans for our final activity of the trip — ziplining! We drove a couple of hours to Omiš, another breathtaking town nestled amidst mountains and a river. Ziplining had been eagerly anticipated by all, and our excitement peaked as we practiced and then embarked on our first of 8 ziplines. The initial dual zipline offered the longest and fastest ride, boasting spectacular views of the river and mountains below. Any nerves dissipated after the first exhilarating ride, and after a few hours, we completed all 8 ziplines, leaving everyone on cloud nine.
Our campsite for the night was close by, allowing us to settle in and enjoy a pre-dinner swim. It quickly became everyone’s favorite camping spot of the trip, with tents set up on a flat side of the mountain overlooking the water, just a short walk from a perfect swimming spot. The day continued to exceed expectations with yet another highlight: a special dinner featuring freshly barbecued meat and fish, accompanied by lively guitar players and singers. They even played American classics like “Take Me Home, Country Roads,” “Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door,” “Yellow Submarine,” and “You Are My Sunshine.” The entire restaurant joined in singing and dancing, making it another magical Moondance moment. We wrapped up this extraordinary day with a memorable Moonup led by Margot and Caleb, followed by a game of charades. Day 12 was undeniably unforgettable for everyone.
DAY 13
It’s hard to believe it’s already the last day of our trip. It feels like just yesterday we were bonding over river kayaking! We woke up at a campsite everyone loved, so we savored a half-day here before heading to Dubrovnik. Breakfast at the camp restaurant was delicious, and the morning was spent swimming and soaking in the surroundings. Eventually, we reluctantly packed up and boarded the van for our final journey. The three-hour ride to Dubrovnik was filled with music, naps, and stunning views. Upon arrival, we checked into our hostel and ventured into Old Town. Everyone enjoyed browsing the shops, picking out souvenirs for themselves and loved ones back home. Alex and Sonny were especially thoughtful in their purchases, while Mary treated herself to a beautiful new necklace. After exploring for a couple of hours, we gathered for a banquet dinner at a nearby restaurant and capped off the evening with gelato. As the realization set in that it was our last night together, we opted to walk back to our hostel, taking in more of the city and cherishing our time together. We gathered on the lawn for our final Moonup, led by LODs Tallis and Abbey. This group was truly special, and we know they’ll go on to do amazing things in the future!
DAY 14
Today began with an early wake-up call and heartfelt goodbyes at the airport. We’re sad to see everyone go but grateful for the unforgettable experiences and memories shared with this exceptional group.
-William and Anna
Trail Magic in the Velebit Mountains!!
June 15, 2024
DAY 5: We had a much more peaceful and leisurely morning today. We woke up in our tents at the campground for the last time and went to the lodge to eat omelets and hot cocoa. After breakfast, we finished up some last-minute tidying up, taught the group how to take down the tents, and went grocery shopping for our next three days in the mountains. Our leaders of the day today, Reece and Alex, did a phenomenal job taking a leadership role and helping William and I during this busy travel day. The entire group truly stepped up and took initiative, which was an enormous help, and we are so proud of them already! We enjoyed napping, listening to music, and chatting on our 2.5-hour bus ride to the beautiful mountain hut we would be lucky to call our new home for the next few days! Along the drive, we were able to stop and grab Daisy some eye medication (she is feeling better already 🙂 and make a delicious local pizza lunch stop by a river. With full bellies and great spirits, we carried our bags up to the hut and made ourselves at home. The views are breathtaking up here at the top, and with the few hours of daylight left, we all climbed to a nearby peak and took in the views. We are all feeling extra lucky today! In the hut, we are pretty remote but have access to a kitchen, so we cooked the group some chicken and cheese quesadillas… a group favorite if we do say so ourselves 🙂 Caroline and Mary were on the cleaning crew tonight and did a fabulous job washing our dishes. Our LODs wrapped up the night with one of our most meaningful Moonups yet, filled with conversation that brought the group even closer. Time for a big night’s sleep in the bunk rooms to prepare for a day of trekking and views that look like desktopscreensavers tomorrow!!!
DAY 6: Today was a big day for the group! It rained through the night, but luckily, the sun came out, and we were on our way after cooking breakfast in the hut. The selection included scrambled eggs, cereals, chocolate and vanilla granola, and toast with jam and Nutella. Our clean-up crew consisted of Caleb and Clare, and they got the hut in order while the others finished packing their bags. We were fueled for our longest hike of the trip and hit the trail! The group energy was high, and the students did a wonderful job singing, playing games, and getting to know each other better on the trail. We didn’t disclose to the group that our hike would be a 10-mile summit, and this made everyone go into the day with a positive attitude and only noticing their tiredness around mile 8. Daisy, in particular, stepped into a leadership role, keeping up the positive encouragement at the front of the pack. Around mile 4.5, we summited Mount Gromovaca and sat at the peak to enjoy our turkey and cheese and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches with a stellar view. We made a pit stop at Rossi’s Shelter and finished up our difficult but rewarding hike. William and I cooked some pasta for dinner, and we went outside to start a fire. Woods helped us clean up the dishes after dinner, and William, Reece, Sonny, and Tallis worked diligently to start the fire. Unfortunately, the wood was a little too wet, so we had to abort that mission. Our LODs, Abbey and Tallis, led a phenomenal Moonup tonight that brought the group out of their shells after an overall solid day of bonding. After Moonup, William and I surprised the group and told them that they accomplished the “big hike” today, and everyone cheered. We think it was a great lesson for them to build confidence in their abilities to conquer difficult challenges and the power of a positive mindset. Before bed, we had a second surprise of chocolate cookies and a few games of Wavelength. You can truly feel the buzz of high energy around the hut, and we are optimistic for what our final day on the mountain will hold tomorrow.
DAY 7: We all got to sleep in this morning, which was much needed. Our slow morning continued with a big pancake breakfast. Everyone gathered around for Nutella, chocolate chip, blueberry, and plain pancakes and enjoyed a leisurely start on the mountain. Unfortunately, a storm started to roll in, so we played a couple of rounds of Fishbowl, cards, and Empire, some group favorites, to wait out the rain. We saw a break in the rain, and we jumped at the opportunity to lace up our hiking boots and go on a hike up to an old meteorologist station, fitting for the weather today. We returned to the mountain hut just in time for a second storm to roll in. Everyone was thankful for the plethora of coloring books and markers that Alex brought, and the hut looks beautifully decorated now! There was a second clearing in the storm, so we did a final hike to a nearby peak. I think everyone would agree that this sunset view was one of the most incredible they had ever seen in their lives. We took plenty of photos to prove it upon arrival home, but also a moment of silence to simmer in our gratitude for the splendor we were able to experience then. After sunset, it was dinner time! Tonight’s dinner included teriyaki chicken and rice, made with the help of our expert cooking crew: Clare and Reece. After dinner, Margot, Halliden, and Alex conquered the clean crew tonight and had a record time for a clean kitchen! Caleb and Daisy held a really intentional Moonup tonight that gave justice to the end of a once-in-a-lifetime sort of day. Despite it being stormy at times, we made the most of today by spending quality time together and playing games and taking smaller hikes during patches of good weather.
STUDENT SHOUT OUTS
Caleb- Hi mom and dad! Tell Molly I miss her! See you next week!
Abbey – hey guys I’m having fun and we’re at the beach right now it’s pretty happy Father’s Day dad love y’all and miss y’all
Alex- hey mom and dad! I’m having so much fun. Tell syd and James I miss them and I miss y’all too. love y’all and happy Father’s Day dad!
Halliden- hey mom and dad love you so much miss you happy Father’s Day piggy ! Tell everyone I miss them!
Daisy- Hey Fam I miss y’all lots and can’t wait to see you!! Happy Father’s Day Dad hope it’s thebest!
Margot- Hi hiii!! Love and miss you guys so so much and can’t wait to see you!! Happy Father’s Daybird!!
Clare- Hi Mom! Hope you and Dad had the best time in Croatia, can’t wait to see photos! Dad havethe best Father’s Day and I’m so excited to see you! GJMJ Love y’all.
Reece – HI FAM! I am having so much fun and this is one of the best experiences of my life, thank you! Happy Father’s Day Dad sorry I’m not there but I hope it’s a great one. Love you guys and seeyou soon say hi to the dogs for me!
Sonny Brown- Hi, thinking of y’all. I’m having a lot of fun. Hope y’all had fun in Los Angeles. HappyFather’s Day Hubert
Mary Fuller: Hi, happy Father’s Day I miss y’all so much and Lucky. I’m having so much fun and so excited to see y’all soon.
Caroline Pruitt: hey!! I’m having a blast and I miss y’all so much. Happy Father’s Day! Love y’all lots.
Woods Gamble: Hi Mom and Dad! The trip has been awesome so far and we have river kayaked, seen two cool national parks, and trekked in a mountain range next to the sea. Right now, we are onRab Island where we sea kayaked today. I love you guys and can’t wait to see you when I get back. HAPPY FATHER’S DAY!
Tallis: Hey I miss you and can’t wait so see you guys. Also happy Father’s Day Richie.
All is Well in Croatia!
June 12, 2024
DAY 1: Today, the students left their homes and began their travels to Zagreb!
DAY 2: THE DAY HAS FINALLY COME! William and I (Anna) are SO excited to welcome our first group of students at the Zagreb airport today! Despite some travel hiccups and delays, we are happy to say everyone made it safe and sound. Due to some of the group’s delays, we had staggered arrival times. Margot and Halliden were our first arrivals, and we waited for Woods to come next with a yummy snack at the airport café. By around 4 pm, we had most of our new crew, so I took the first 10 arrivals back to camp for dinner while William stayed to bring in our final three troopers who had long days of travel. Everyone was understandably exhausted from flying, so we wrapped up the night with Moonup and a big welcome for William, Abbey, Tallis, and Alex when they arrived at camp. Moonup is a nightly discussion led by LODs (Leaders of the Day) that takes place with every Moondance group around the world. During these conversations, we open up with questions, recap the day, and prepare for tomorrow. It was so great to finally meet the group; everyone was so excited to be here, and William and I could not be happier about the dynamics thus far!
DAY 3: Today was our first full day as a group! We woke up in our cute little log huts and went to breakfast at the lodge at our campsite. Breakfast was welcomed by all after yesterday, consisting of a wide array of fruit, pastries, eggs, meats, and cereals. After breakfast, our bus picked us up and we headed to our first activity of the trip-river kayaking! We met with two guides and paired off into the inflatable kayaks for a fun day out on the water. We mastered some rapids, conquered waterfalls, and enjoyed sandwiches on the riverbank. Caroline was our brave first jumper on our highest waterfall jump! Our leaders of the day today were Woods and Clare. They did a wonderful job keeping the group energy high, leading the way through the river, and helping William and me out. Upon arrival back at camp, we had an hour to relax in the hammocks and shower off before dinner. We are camping on the other side of the national park today, so we walked to a new lodge and ate dinner. After dinner, we got our tents nice and cozy for the night, and, as always, capped off our great day with Moonup led by the LODs. The first official day of our trip was a great one, and I am very optimistic about what the next two weeks will hold!
DAY 4: Today started with a bit of rain but ended with clear skies and sunshine! We woke up for a quick breakfast at the lodge and cleaned up after a stormy night in the tents. We were so proud of the entire group for being super organized and optimistic despite the dreary wake-up. After an omelet breakfast, we hopped in the bus for a quick drive to Plitvice Lakes National Park. This is the most famous park in Croatia and for good reason! Luckily, the skies cleared up after breakfast, and we hiked 4 miles along the lakes for a few hours. We saw all 16 lakes and adjoining waterfalls-a breathtaking and incredible sight. After a picnic lunch, we came back to our campsite and were relieved that the sun had dried our belongings. We had a few hours of free time before dinner, which included a big soccer game in the grass, hammock reading, and drawing. Daisy and Reece organized a 2-mile group run with spectacular views of the mountains, and Caleb, Sonny, Tallis, and Reece played hacky sack with William. After a yummy pasta dinner, we all got some ice cream at the supermarket across the street from the campgrounds to top off the night before Moonup. Tonight’s Moonup was led by LODs Sonny and Halliden, who brought the energy by closing out with a couple of rounds of Mafia. Mafia is a game that is starting to become a group tradition that everyone looks forward to at night. Tonight, William won, but it came down neck and neck between Caleb and Mary. William and I are so happy with how the group is clicking so far. Everyone has been respectful to one another, excited for every activity, and inclusive! We truly believe this session is going to be such a fun one!
Safe Arrival in Zagreb!
June 8, 2024
Hello Croatia Families!
We are so excited to report that we just heard from our leaders after a long travel day, and all of the students arrived safely in Zagreb! We are so excited to hear more stories from their adventures over the next few weeks!
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
