Goodbye from Madeira!

July 9, 2024

An update on our last few days in Madeira: After snorkeling, the girls took the afternoon to shop around and get some souvenirs. Carolina took an ice cream tour of Porto Santo, having not one, not two, not three, but four well-deserved ice cream stops throughout the afternoon. Then we rode the ferry back to Madeira. Gigi and Katherine finally got the hot dogs they’d been waiting for since day one at the Lisbon airport. We had a late arrival at the mountain hotel but still had a sweet Moonup.

The next morning, we headed out for another day of canyoneering! The sun came out for us, and we had a blast making our way down the beautiful canyon. We had a late picnic and, of course, an ice cream run to finish off the activity. Our taxi drivers gave us aux on the way home. Katherine, Emma, Ava, and Poppy gave us some throwbacks, and we took another dive into Zach Bryan’s new album per the request of Eleanor. When we got back, we hung out on the porch as the girls wrote letters to their future selves and showered before dinner. We had a sweet Moonup with Emma and Gigi as LODs (Leaders of the Day). Gigi very fittingly coughed up the nug jug, iykyk.

Our last day was jam-packed with an early pick-up to go rock climbing. The spot beautifully overlooked the water, and we were happy to be on a natural wall (although the girls had had enough sun by this point). All of our climbers made it to the top! The heat of the day called for a mandatory dip in the ocean, so the girls changed into their swimsuits and hung out in the water while Emma, Taylor, and Poppy attempted all the last-minute routes. We spent our last afternoon in Funchal enjoying a garden picnic overlooking the bay and shopping around. Of course, we had to make a Zara run and one last gelato stop insisted upon by Lucy. Our last LODs—Tess and Carolina—were crowned in the traditional Madeiran hats as they strutted through Funchal.

We had our final dinner in Funchal, ordered our last Brisas, and stuffed ourselves full of bolo de caco. Eleanor tried beets for the first time, which turned into an order for the table as everyone tried her pink pasta. Our waiter played a dessert prank on Taylor, bringing out an empty plate of chocolate drizzle and a dollop of whipped cream that had everyone laughing. The girls tragically said goodbye to Filipe, our trip guide, and we headed back up to the mountain hotel. The Sarahs gave out superlatives to the group before our final Moonup—some favorites were Jacqueline’s as “Most likely to outswim a shark attack while surfing,” Carolina’s as “Most likely to have snack room in her wetsuit,” and Charlotte’s as “Most likely to melt your heart.”

With a 1:30 AM pick-up for the airport, we slept little to none on our last night. We arrived at the airport for an early flight to Lisbon, and they got a chance to catch up on all the news from home. Thank you for sharing your girls with us! We have absolutely loved getting to know each of them and miss them already! Safe travels home, ladies!

-Sarah and Sarah

Magic in Madeira!

July 6, 2024

We can’t believe we are nearing the end of another session! Time has flown! Our post trekking days have been so restful and fun-filled!

We headed straight for the beach for a few days of surfing, and thankfully we had a lot oftime to rest up! On our first morning, Poppy and Carolina whipped up some pancakes in the apartment, with blueberries and fresh chopped chocolate chips (complements to Gigi.) We played cards, chatted and worked on friendship bracelets, before tackling the waves in Porto da Cruz. This group has some gooood surfers. Lucy, Poppy, and Emma showed us how it’s done. Taylor got into a battle with the board surfing for her first time, but won out in the end. After surfing we went back up, showered, and had a cooking class in the apartment. Maria made us traditional Madeiran bread—bolo de caco—which the girls LOVED. We also had salad, fries, steak, and chicken!

Our second day of surfing was a whole lot tougher than the last had been. Tess and I took to the waves for the first time, but we quickly retreated. At the mercy of the ocean, many of us decided watching would be more appealing than surfing, but the waves were no match for Carolina and Jacqueline. Sarah E and Emma stayed out until the very last second! We’ve got some warriors in the group, for sure! After surfing, we had ourselves a talent show. The girls did magic tricks and the twins performed the first two minutes of the movie “Cars” for us which might have won the night.

On our last day in Porto da Cruz, we were shuttled up to the mountains for a day of canyoneering. We looked quite awesome in our full body wet suits, diaper harnesses, and canyoning shoes. (Photos to come) The water was FREEZING, but we had the best day! Thankfully, Emma carried our Kit Kats through the whole experience so we could enjoy them mid-way through. Katherine and Gigi crushed their fears and rallied down all 7 waterfalls! After the canyon, we made a roadside pit stop for some much-needed ice cream. On our last night, Ava, Charlotte, and Carolina hiked up to a viewpoint with me as we took in the final moments in the stunning Porto da Cruz. The next morning came with a shock when our alarms went off at 5:30 am to catch the ferry to Porto Santo.

We still managed to ring in the Fourth of July with Eleanor’s “Merica” playlist and Zach Bryan’s new album in the car on the way. We had some crepes on the ferry that were sooo good. Upon arrival in Porto Santo, we had sandwiches at an outdoor cafe and made a mandatory stop at the store for some red glitter, because what’s the Fourth of July without a little face art? We geared up for an afternoon of sea kayaking that was BEAUTIFUL. We explored the coastal caves by kayak and swam on beaches that were only accessible from the sea. After the chaos of kayaking we stuffed ourselves with pizza leaving hardly a bite of crust on anyone’s plate, which was an impressive feat considering everyone had their own full pizza. Our Fourth of July Moonup, we played God Bless the USA and watched a firework show… on the iPad, which turned out to be a hilarious moment.

Our last few days in Porto Santo, we did a coastal hike down to a smaller rock beach where Poppy and Carolina swam in the tide pools, we snorkeled with our guide João, and had a good ole beach day! Charlotte, Eleanor, and the twins jumped from the pier into the crystal blue water! We are excited for our last few days together, but the girls are excited to be home!

A message from the girls:

Thank you guys so much for this amazing opportunity! Can’t wait to tell you guys aboutit! I love you! -Ava

Hey guys! I’m having the best time ever!! Thank you sooo much! I can’t wait to see y’all so soon! -Poppy

Thanks Dad! It’s been awesome! Can’t wait to see everyone on Tuesday!!!-gigi:)

Thank you Mom, this has been the best time I can’t wait to see you and tell you all about it. -Taylor

Thank you so so much Mom and Dad for letting me go on this trip and giving me this opportunity! It has been a blast and I can’t wait to see y’all and tell you everything. Love y’all! – Katherine

Thank you Mom and Dad! It’s been great! Can’t wait to see y’all and tell y’all about the trip. Love Carolina and Jacqueline

Thank you Mom and Dad. Can’t wait to see everyone and tell y’all all about the trip! I love y’all! -Lucy

Thanks Mom and Dad!! I’ve had a lot of fun but can’t wait to see y’all on Tuesday! Hug Reba for me!! – Eleanor

Thank you Mom and Dad! Can’t wait to tell y’all about the trip! See you guys so soon! Give Stein a kiss. – Tess

Thank you mom and dad! This trip has been super fun and I can’t wait to see you guys soon! Love you guys so much! – Charlotte

Mom and Dad. Thank you so much for giving me this opportunity to go on this trip with such amazing people. My amazing counselors stood by my side through all of it and really made this so much fun. I can’t believe I see you in two days! I love y’all so much and can’t wait to tell you all about it. – Emma

Adventures in Madeira!

July 1, 2024

What a chaotic yet fulfilling experience our time in Madeira has been thus far! We started our journey with a long day in the Lisbon airport – stuck in customs and waiting for our final two, Tess and Emma, to join the group. Meanwhile, Charlotte and Sarah E last-minute hopped on the flight to Madeira, joining a different section in the amazing hotel Vila Bela – which we’ll get back to later. After a quick stay in a hotel in Lisbon, we were off to Madeira – some of us circling the runway before a rough yet long-awaited landing. Finally, we got to see each other’s smiling faces and headed directly to our first campsite. We set up camp and cooked a delicious Mexican meal – Eleanor learned how to make both rice and chicken, while Poppy and Katherine expertly diced the veggies. We inhaled our dinner, ate some chocolate, and headed to bed. Soon after we drifted off, a visitor – later titled William Burger – gave us all a good scare as he mooed directly in our ears and nudged his nose at our tents – a very special first camping experience for some. Carolina, Gigi, and Katherine also learned, after a fitful night of sleep, that the sleeping pads are not, in fact, “self-inflating” as they were told by an anonymous source.

The next morning, we broke down camp in the cold and set off on our 8-mile journey through the foggy land of bright yellow flowers. We realized how astronomically large windmills are and contemplated how they got here – there was mention of potential alien involvement. It was about halfway through this hike that the group realized what “trekking” really entails. Our campsite was rather chilly (I was told this is an understatement), and a fire was constructed by our amazing guides Filipe, Joao, and Henrique. We did our nightly Moonup (our time to circle up and debrief the day) and headed to bed for another big day of trekking.

After a restful night away from the moo of William, we whipped up eggs and bacon and threw on our boots. Unfortunately, Jacqueline caught a nasty sickness and became patient zero – she and Sarah E took a visit to a health center while the rest began their long day of downhill trekking. The group followed the levadas – a local water transport system through tunnels and mountains. They were quite tired after their ten-mile excursion. We plopped in the parking lot where Emma performed her magic trick at least four times before Sarah H caught on and managed to do it incorrectly yet ending with the correct card. Poppy then astounded Sarah H with her extremely chaotic card trick. We prepared some rice and learned that minute rice and normal rice are not the same – somehow simultaneously undercooking and overcooking a massive pot. Luckily, it was good enough to fuel us for our biggest day.

The next morning, we expertly packed up camp, ate some breakfast, and began our massive ascent to the tallest peak in Madeira – Pico Ruivo. There were grunts, groans, and tears as we walked stair after stair, watching as the windmills slowly moved out of view. We got lucky as the weather was clear, providing us fantastic views as we struggled up. The heat, however, slowly kicked in, motivating us to move more quickly. The final push turned out to be longer than what may have been considered “final” to the girls. We made it to an area where they could either get a cold drink at a house or finish the trek and summit. Despite our guide being adamant some would take the path of least resistance – every single girl wanted to finish what they started – a feat that made Sarah’s incredibly overjoyed and proud.

We took pictures and rejoiced at the summit and then shuffled our way down the mountain for another night of cold camping – or so they thought. We surprised them with a luxurious stay at a mountain hostel where they showered, drank Coke, and cozied up in clean pajamas. We had a delicious lasagna dinner and soaked in the night indoors. Unfortunately, Lucy and Gigi felt ill as patients one and two. While they went to bed early, the rest of us tucked in for a silly Moonup with discussions of what we would bring to a deserted island and Taylor’s wild conspiracy theories.

We arose refreshed and ready for another big day and started off strong with eggs, bacon, yogurt, croissants, fresh fruit, and more. Unfortunately, Lucy took her turn at the health center while the rest of us were yet again blessed with beautiful weather and views throughout our entire hike. We traversed stair sets both up and down and received many mixed answers about what lay ahead of us from those passing by. We also happened upon a mama partridge and her sweet little chicks! The group absolutely crushed the hike and did not complain once – a testament to the mental toughness they’ve developed throughout our trekking section. We celebrated with ice cream and sandwiches and moved our way down toward our campsite. Unfortunately, Tess began feeling sick, becoming patient number three. We made it to camp and cooked a high-end meal of ramen noodles with eggs, chicken, green onions, and chili sauce. We enjoyed the beautiful sunset above the clouds, had our Moonup, and headed to bed.

Lucy woke up feeling like a new woman while Carolina, Tess, and Sarah H were not so lucky (patients 4 and 5). We began our descent into the city of Funchal and slowly made our way below the clouds. We were briefly interrupted by a mysterious (and very loud) screech which we later found out was coming from local peacocks! The path at times became so steep we walked backward to protect our knees – which Poppy stated she didn’t have as she sprinted down. Funchal was looking mighty far away when suddenly the Gondolas came into view. After a smooth ride to the city center, we rejoiced with ice cream (again) and a walk around the mall. We transferred to Hotel Vila Bela and ate a delicious burger dinner with fries and Coke or Brisa (a yummy local soda). Katherine and Ava led Moonup on our outdoor porch (in an attempt to limit the spread of the sickness) and led discussions about our ideal pets as well as what advice we would give to our younger selves.

We are so grateful for each and every one of the girls and so proud of how they have pushed through difficult hikes and not feeling well while still managing to keep a good attitude and to live in the moment. We cannot wait for the rest of our trip and all of the activities to come!!

-Sarah and Sarah

A few words from the girls:

Hey family!! Miss y’all but I’m having so much fun. I hiked 34 miles in 4 days.I’ve decided to never go hiking or camping again, but it was a fun experience. Mom, can you restring my tennis racquet? Happy late birthday Liz and the twins, if you’re reading!! Mom and Dad, tell Weazolds I say hey and I miss them! Also give Reba a big hug for me, I really miss her!! Love y’all so much! Say hey to Ham for me!! – Eleanor

Hey everyone! I’ve been having so much fun with everybody here and the time has really flown by. I’m quite excited to be back below sea level though so I can breathe again! I miss you all so so much and I can’t wait to see everyone when I get back! Tell Jacques and Wesley that I’m ready to squeeze them and I’ll see you all super soon!!!! – GiGi

Hey family! I am having a lot of fun and everyone is super sweet. The trip has really flown by and I cannot wait to see y’all when I get back! I have decided that I am not going to be camping again any time soon, even though it was a fun/cold experience. I got a little under the weather but feeling like a new person now that we are off the mountain. I hope everything is going well at home! Shoutout Natalie, Josie and Claire, miss y’all!! Can’t wait to see everyone! Love y’all! -Lucy

Hey Mom and Dad! I actually miss you so so much, but I am having fun, just like you said I would. The first few days I had some anxiety, but as I settled in it got better. I actually did enjoy the camping, even though the using the bathroom part was quite humbling. I am VERY glad to be back to the land of the living where I can shower. I am looking forward to the rest of the trip, and I am told that it goes by super fast. Both Sarah’s are actually amazing and they have been very supportive of me. I also really miss Bo, but I know that I see you guys in only like a week. I really miss you all, and I think of you all everyday (you too Fenton). I love you guys so much and will see you soon.   – Emma

Hey everyone!! I miss you guys so much and I can’t wait to meet up with Ellie in Michigan! The views here are amazing however at the start I was pretty homesick. Somehow I hiked 30 miles and survived! Mom and dad, you guys would love it here but Hadley would be dying the whole time loll. Taylor, if you are seeing this, I miss you so much and I can’t wait to hang out when I get back! Camping was pretty ruff at the start but by the end I have become so thankful for all the luxuries we have back at home. Our trekking leaders are amazing and the sweetest and funniest people ever! Don’t worry mom I have not had any allergic reactions yet and as far I know, no ticks loll. I can’t wait to see you guys soon. – Love, Charlotte

Hey family!! Hope all of y’all are doing well and everything at home is good! I’ve been laughing at what yall’s reaction is going to be when you hear that I actually hiked this much… Sorry but I definitely won’t be hiking anytime soon. The trip has been gorgeous and the people are awesome!! I’ve met so many cool people and learned a ton of things. I miss y’all more than you can imagine and I can’t wait to see you when I get back. Mom – the sunsets here have been amazing and every time we pass a flower I think of you because you would love it here.(Also sorry to have shorted you on our last phone call I had to put my phone up). Dad- I hope meat eater has been great (haha) and I sure hope you are taking good care of Remmer. We are all done with the trekking and camping and I am so excited for the rest of the week near the beach and in the town. Miss and love y’all so so much!! – Katherine

Hey everyone! Wish you could experience this! I am having so much fun so far and can’t wait for this next week. The first part with trekking was definitely a challenge but the views were amazing. We hiked about 30-40 miles in the span of the past few days, which none of us were expecting, but overall it was fun. Now that we have gotten to the coast, I am even more excited. I think tomorrow we will start surfing so we will see how that goes… but I miss you guys and can’t wait to show you all of the pictures and tell you about the trip! Love you guys! – Ava

Hi Mom! I miss everyone so much. I am having the best time ever. The girls and my leaders are awesome. We’ve gotten to do so much I can’t wait to see you the second I’m home. I’ve hiked 40 miles and slept in the freezing cold but I made it to the beach! I’m eating a ton – we get so many treats. We slept at a super super nice hostel and they had gluten free banana bread and brownies that were sooooooo good and they let me take some with me for the next days. Tomorrow we get to surf and spend the day at the beach and probably eat a lot of gelato. I can’t wait to see you guys and give you the biggest hug and tell you everything. I love you – Taylor

Hi Mom and Dad! I hope y’all are doing well and everything at home is good. I was sick during the camping because we were sleeping outside in the freezing rain and did not sleep well. We also didn’t shower and where In the airport for three days which did not help either. But it’s ok because I still went up to the highest peak on the island (which took forever) and we went up the stairway to heaven which had a really pretty view. I am excited to finally relax and swim in the ocean. Tell John hi for me and to have fun at camp. Love y’all so much! – Jacqueline

Hey guys!! I have had the best time. I have been camping and hiking all day and it is beautiful!!! In the mountains it was sooo cold during the night but during the day it warmed up and was so nice. We hiked to the tallest mountain and it was sooo pretty we were in the clouds. We are now at the first hostel at the beach and I am so excited! Some people have gotten the flu but I’m feeling great and being super safe. I can’t wait to tell y’all everything! Love you!! – Poppy

Hey family!! I miss y’all so so much!! I cannot wait to tell y’all everything we have done so far… especially about our week of camping, which I did not know was apart of the trip itinerary. This also included not being able to shower. The hiking was beautiful, but very difficult. Unfortunately I had to go to the hospital yesterday, where Sarah and I got diagnosed with the Flu, so I got an IV and some medicine, so hopefully that will start working soon. Today we are surfing, but I will be watching from the beach. I’m so excited to get home and see everyone again 🙂 – Tess

Hi! Love y’all! I’m great!

❤️Carolina