Final Update from Mystery!
July 27, 2024
With Charlie and Travis back as well as our special guests from the other group Kate and May May our group was more alive than ever! We were fortunate enough to watch a beautiful last sunset in the backcountry from a great lookout spot. And at our reunion dinner, we had a carrot/chocolate cake to celebrate “success trekking”! We even had a song to match our celebratory mood.
Ended moonup with a mini concert and stargazing- Walker, Eva Rose, Kate, and Sofie played guitar while everyone sang along.
The next morning we woke up to a chilly morning and said bye to the horsemen. After one last tea and tasty breakfast, we drove out of the backcountry. While it was a windy drive we filled it with good music (and serenaded the town while doing it).
After our two-and-a-half-hour drive, we were thrilled to be back at the hotel (and really ready for showers). We played cards, code names, and banana grams. It felt great to be be clean and well-rested after 10 days of high energy!
The best part of our day? We went out to dinner in town – pizza, milkshakes, fries! It was a true taste of America and made us feel extra cozy. The restaurant we were eating at had a great ambiance and we all got to sit on the ground.
The next morning we had pepper omelets for breakfast that came with a little spice and we enjoyed fresh watermelon. We then packed our overnight homestay at a snow leopard conservation site in a small village with only seven households.
On the way to our homestay, we enjoyed ice cream, pringles, and gummies as we drove through the curvy mountain roads singing the whole way.
Upon our arrival we toured a home in the village and had butter tea with a local family while Julian held their tiny kitty. Daviss attempted to pet their goat but we weren’t sure the goat was ready to be his friend, which lead to many laughs. We then ate subs for lunch with our favorite potatoes.
We then began our final hike of the trip as we made our way up to our homestay. Harrigan and Will still had some extra energy after our hike up the mountain and decided to climb to an even higher peak for a photo opp
As we descended down into the village and arrived at our homestay, we were greeted with fresh mint tea served from the family’s garden. Before dinner, Julia, Riley, and Eva Rose performed a choreographed dance for the family and extra guests staying in the home. Shortly after we began prepping for dinner dicing lettuce, peas, mushrooms, carrots, and peppers for our homemade dumplings we learned how to fold dumplings (lots of trial and error!) Walker and Daviss chatted it up with other guests from Australia and France in our homestay, while Riley and Livvy got to work perfecting their dumpling folding. Will and Lauren absolutely loved getting to play with the family’s baby rabbits and Julia bonded with the family’s youngest daughter.
We enjoyed the fruits of our labor as we stuffed ourselves with steaming dumplings while Charlie came up with a secret sauce mixing mayonnaise with chili oil.Our bellies may have been full but the energy of the group did not go away. After dinner, Sofie led us in a game of hacky sack while we waited for the bonfire to start.
Soon enough we found ourselves dancing around the fire. Lauren showed off her dance skills as she led us in the Cupid shuffle Cha Cha Slide and other group dances. To end the night we admired the full moon and then headed back into the home for a good night’s rest.
We woke up to fresh warm bread which we topped with butter, apricot marmalade, and Nutella and paired with chai. Gulzar even taught us how to make the perfect cup of masala chai tea!
He then led us on a village walk where we spent ten minutes reflecting on our trip beneath a fifteen-foot Bhudda. This simple meditation really captures the thoughtfulness of our group as they reflected back on all the had learned during their time in India.
After our village walk we headed to the river to suit up in wet suits and got into boats to raft down the Indus River. Lauren and Will did backflips off the boats being the first ones into the cold glacier water. Sophie followed with an epic cannonball. One of the boats, named “dream team” by Riley, tried to hijack the other boat and FAILED! After a fun 2 hours of rapids, we landed ashore for lunch.
Once arriving back at the hotel everyone showered up, ordered French fries, and hung out in the garden playing code names. Julia, Zoe, Lauren, and Davis had the best chemistry and won the most. Livvy and Travis’ team were accused of being sore losers for actually playing by the rules (or so they say!) A lively time was held by all.
During dinner, Davis, Walker, and Julian turned up the hotel speaker and started a dance party at the dining table which was moved outside shortly after for getting a little too rowdy.We ended the night calmly with a nice moonup lead by Will and Julia followed by one last game of Uno to close out the night.
We woke up the next morning in Ladakh and had a great breakfast before heading out to tour some local schools around the area. We had a great tour of the school, guided by a forever student of the school. We walked along learning all about their way of life and the students that went there. After the tour we all sat around and enjoyed some fresh apricot juice and dumplings made by the students at the school. Harrigan, Eva Rose and Charlie went to go find the ping pong tables to play a match.
After the schools we hopped back in the van and Davis and walker put on quite the performance singing everything from Hooked on a feeling to Taylor Swift songs! Before we knew it we were at the market and everyone was excited to shopping! We made sure to get some ice cream for everyone. Livvy, Will and Lauren all got delicious ores milkshakes! After everyone had wrapped up their shopping we headed up to an American restaurant for lunch. Julia gave everyone matching beaded bracelets that she had bought from the market! We quickly ate our delicious lunch of pizzas, grilled cheeses, fries and chicken wraps.
With our stomachs full and everyone happy we headed back to the hotel to change before going on a walk to a beautiful shanti near our hotel. There was a beautiful view point where we could admire the city of Ladakh! We took some great group photos and headed back down to our hotel to hang out before dinner.
We sat out in the garden listening to music and chatting before dinner. We headed back to the market and we followed our guides to an incredible local restaurant for our Ladakh banquet! Julian practically ate his weight in dumplings. We all then had some tasty ice cream and headed back for our last Moonup in Ladakh! It was a true celebration of our time in the mountains.
Our next day began early in the morning as we said our goodbyes to the Ladakh Palace hotel in the garden and had one last final breakfast complete with milk tea and pancakes. The Ladakh Palace has truly felt like our home on this trip, so we were sentimental to leave the place that holds so many memories of code names and games in the garden.
We then quickly met with Gulzar to head to the airport. On our final Ladakhi drive we jammed out to Please, Please, Please (a favorite of everyone but particularly Riley, Julia, and Eva Rose) and even Will agreed it was one heck of a song. We checked in and boarded for our 2 hour flight to Ladakh. It was sweet to see as the kids sat next to their same partners on the flight here how much closer they had become on our few weeks together. Sofie and Harrigan even let us in on a few on their inside jokes as we landed in Delhi!
Once in Delhi we boarded our bus headed to Agra. The driving here is truly something to behold, and Livvy is already looking forward to trying to explain it to all of you at home because it is unforgettable. On our bus ride we caught some zzz’s before beginning our Karaoke session on the bus microphone. Will kicked us off as he has a knack for knowing endless amounts of songs! Harrigan followed with Build Me Up Buttercup, and Chuck with Life is a Highway. But nothing could beat Sofie’s 10 minute rendition of American Pie! These kids can make anything fun and exciting!
Upon our arrival in Agra we headed to a local shop to find our outfits for our big morning at the Taj Mahal. The boys jumped right in- changing directly in the store into traditional Indian garb. Walker, Will, and Harrigan even picked out some incredible hats to match (and I’m not sure Walker will ever take his off again). The girls each chose a beautiful brightly colored sari and we all headed to our hotel for the evening. Our fancy hotel hosted us for a buffet dinner where we had the chance to celebrate Gulzar’s birthday with singing and cake! We then headed up for a sweet Moonup lead by our LODs Riley and Lauren before headed to bed for our 4 am wake up call for the Taj.
4 am came quickly and soon everyone was up and dressed! We boarded our van to the drop off point where we then embarked on golf carts to the Taj Mahal. We even saw monkeys on our way in in the early morning darkness. It felt as though we were headed to a set of a movie.
Upon our arrival, we finally saw our first glimpse of the incredible Taj Mahal in the first bit of the sunrise. We got to see the color change as the morning went on and we took tons of photos! Julia and Zoe were matching in blue, and Riley, Sofie, and Harrigan were matching in red. Livvy and Harrigan said they felt so special they kept telling everyone it was their wedding day. Eva Rose was a celebrity in her pink sari and blonde hair as she was frequently stopped for photos.
We wandered through the gardens and tombs of the Taj Mahal, truly taking in the incredible once-in-a-lifetime experience.
After a few hours, we headed back to the hotel to change, eat breakfast, and head out to the Agra Fort. The boys really got into the stories of the fort with Travis leading the way in asking many questions about the battles and elephants that the fort was famous for. Through the heat Lauren and Will still had a blast taking photos of the far-off Taj Mahal and the beautiful architecture. Julian, Walker, and Will had some fun playing harmless jokes on the locals who were thrilled we were stopping by.
We then all headed back to the bus for our final drive to Delhi. We caught up on some well-deserved sleep and soon we were back at the Pride Plaza. After checking in, he headed out to a local shopping center to grab some ice cream. Livvy and Lauren can always be counted on to be thrilled about an ice cream stop and they both had delicious sundaes while Julia and Riley got bubble tea.
After ice cream, we headed back to clean up for our final banquet dinner at the hotel. Our buffet meal was complete with lots of toasts and napkin crown-wearing.
Finally, the time had come for our final Moonup led by our incredible LODs Daviss and Eva Rose. When I tell you this Moonup was one of the books I am not lying. Moonup started with a scream-singing session of our favorite songs. It then turned into an individual nug jug session for every single person. I have never seen such thoughtful, silly, kind, truthful words of affirmation for each other. We then shared why we believe one day we will be good leaders for others and what we hope to take home from the trip. There was not a dry eye in the room. It was a special moment of true Moondance magic to see this group of future leaders coming together for one last Moonup as students while looking ahead to who they will be as leaders. Our hearts could not be more grateful for each and every one of them.
After our nearly perfect final Moonup and final group hug. We said our final goodbyes to Gulzar and to India itself as we made our way to the Delhi airport at 11 pm to begin our journey home.
Julian, Daviss, and Walker all fully committed to living out their last minutes in India by wearing their traditional outfits on the plane home! Through intense hours of waiting in line and travel these kids proved over and over again to us that they are savvy travelers and resilient non-complainers.
Finally, after nearly 36 hours of straight traveling, we landed in Atlanta where we had to say our final goodbyes to this special group.
Travis and I can’t really put into words how much this group has inspired us, warmed our hearts, made us laugh and cry, and reminded us time and time again why Moondance is so special. Mystery 1B will always have a special place in our hearts and we leave you with our trip manifesto, modeled after the Bon Viviant Manifesto of Moondance lore.
Moondance 1B Manifesto
We love to laugh with and at each other. We aren’t afraid of a dance party. We are the connoisseurs of bidets and enemies of toilets. We love trail talk. We are the lovers of Leh. We always go for good food and are masters of the market. We like music. House music. Dance music. Taylor Swift. We embrace the LAP and love the attention. We eat French fries. As often as possible. We love the days of the week and taking our tarps off. We ride the roads and love the turns. We frequently visit the med kit.
We are beavers.
We wake with the donkeys and love to hate them. Harrigan even likes to ride them. We love to be barefoot. We like sunsets. And the moon (ooooOooooOoooo)
We love Fridays. We hate curry. We are the destroyers of dumplings. We love a challenge and seek the mountains. We are always ready to play a game. We are never afraid to embarrass ourselves. We love patching our blisters and cooling our feet in icy streams. We are nug jug openers. We love each other well and deeply. We are Mystery 1B. Thank you again for following our adventures in the Indian Himalayas. May we only continue to grow in our support of these students as they head into college and their senior years, and as each and every one of them has the potential to become unforgettable Moondance leaders. We just feel really, really lucky to be a small part of their story.
With full hearts, one last time, Juley!
Zoe and Travis
Trek of a Lifetime in the Himalayas!
July 21, 2024
As we continue to the trekking section of this prestigious journey through the Himalayan Mountains, we departed from the Hotel Leh Dahk to embark on our new adventure in the wilderness. A three hour drive to the trailhead, definitely had its perks, as seen by the motivational signs that were placed at every corner of the Highway. An all time favorite sign of the group was “Don’t be a gama in the land of the lama” which Julian has made its way to being his most used quote so far. We finally made it to the trailhead, and as a boost of good luck, Travis threw a large rock, while all the rest of the group threw smaller rocks at it, trying to hit the rock. Unfortunately, no one had the perfect aim for it, but it was definitely fun seeing all of the laughs and gusto that came along with it. The two hour trek to our camping site had finally begun, and while it was hot and dusty, the group maintained good spirits while adjusting to the change in altitude. After some great trail conversations, we made it to our first campsite where we were greeted with refreshing pineapple juice. As we relaxed at the site, we played group games consisting of Code Names and Mafia. Julia was able to achieve the win strategically. We finished up day 1 of trekking with a moonup led by LODs Lauren and Walker under the pink moon while sleeping at an elevation of 3400 m.
Day 2 trekking had officially begun when we were awoken with a delicious breakfast of peanut butter toast and cereal. After breakfast, Sophie went to go see the donkeys and show them some love. Right before trekking, Eva Rose and Riley decided to use sunscreen as war paint on their faces to protect their skin from the dry and dusty day ahead. Around mid morning, the group stopped at a tea hut where we were given tea with biscuits. At the hut, we learned about the importance of plants and how they play an important role in living for the people of LaDahk. As the day progressed, we finally made it to our next camp site, where in total we trekked 28 km! There were many highs and lows but it overall summed up to a fantastic day. Exhaustion took over the group, so we all sat in a circle and listened to music while waiting for our dinner being prepared. Walker was extremely excited when they found out that there was an Italian themed dinner. Later, we had a wonderful moonup led by LODs Charlie and Julia.
We were awoken by the peaceful rain in the Himalayas. Breakfast once again was amazing, as we were given porridge and olive omelettes. Shortly after breakfast, the girls decided to take pictures in front of the beautiful mustard flower field while the guys played hacky sack. Day 3 trekking had officially begun, while a long hard day awaited. After trekking for some time, we stopped at the tea hut, where we also got a tour of a home stead. Right next to the hut, there was a baby cow, where Harrigan was able to hold it! While continuing the trekking, we walked up some steep hills in order to gain elevation. As lunch came around, we were also given the opportunity to tour a school where we all did arts and crafts with leaves and danced with the kids. We then arrived at the next camp site with the beautiful Himalayan mountains in the background. Livvy and Will took advantage of this backdrop and played an intense game of Back Gammon. As the day came to an end, we ended the night with another moonup led by Riley and Davis under the stars at 4000 meters.
We began day nine with some delicious cheesy mashed potatoes and oats while listening to Jack Johnson. Julia, Riley, and Eva Rose spent some time with the horses that carry our equipment before they got on the trail. Will and Sophie gave a good motivational quote during our morning huddle before we go on the trail to keep our spirits up! Today our group gained 700m in altitude putting us at 4,900m. We stopped for lunch at a glacial lake with a floating Buddha statue in the middle with a huge snowy mountain in the background. While Charlie was distracting Zoe, Julian put a huge rock in her pack as a prank. Lauren Andrews cried laughing at Walker who “stepped on a bull frog” during lunch. We arrived at our next camp and bunkered in the dining tent due to the cold mountain air. Travis and Harrigan brought out the back gammon while Eva Rose, Livvy, and Will played cards.
We can’t wait for the next days of our adventure in the Himalayas!
We started off the day with a warm breakfast of oatmeal, bread and some mikes vegetables to gear up for our big day of hiking. We started off our hike making our way up the first pass which was 5300 meters! We stopped along the way up to shed layers, share some snacks and have some great trail talk. Will, Harriman and Lauren were doing a great job leading the way. After the long morning of hiking we finally made it to the top of the pass! Everyone celebrated by making a tunnel for everyone to run through at they made it to the top! This was the highest point we had been in our trip so far. We looked around at the incredible view that we could see, as we tried to take it all in.
After reaching the top and spending time up there celebrating we began our decent back down. Spirits and trail talk were at a high as we headed down the trail. Daviss and Walker sang loudly as some motivation for all of us!
We stopped at a beautiful green meadow for a break.
After a quick snack break fueled by KitKats and apples, we began the trek to our next (and highest) pass of 5480 meters! We were so proud of our mountain goat Julia who lead the pack to the top and of the grit and steely determination of Walker and Sofie to make it to the top. As we crested over the ridge line, you could see hundreds of mountains and valleys- including the one we had just hiked from!
We set up camp near a river and had the chance to rinse our hair and socks for those daring to brave the chilly water! After a delicious dinner and a moving Moonup we all fell into bed satisfied by an incredible day of trekking.
The next day we got back on the trail and began our first of many river crossings. Everyone did their best to keep their boots dry. Charlie had the idea of getting a piggy back ride over and didn’t get a drop of water on him. Will bravely catapulted himself over the river each time, testing to see how far he could make it. Riley and Sofie riled up the group in our trail talk by starting the argument of if jimmy johns or jersey mikes is better. We wandered down and down through the valley before arriving at a small village where we became the town celebrities. After ordering sodas and snacks for everyone, Livvy kept laughing at how everyone wanted photos with us. After a quick rest we headed back out on the trail.
Arriving to camp, harrigan and Will started building a dam in the creek to put our water bottles in to cool them off because we have to boil all our water first to sanitize it. The girls sipped tea and rested their toes in the water. This infamous dam became the first of many for our little beavers who became active participants in building as many dams as possible over the next few days. For dinner we were surprised with chicken dumplings and sweet and sour chicken- this was big news for Daviss and Walker who were really missing meat while we were in the backcountry!
The next morning we trekked 4 hours up the valley to set up base camp for the next few days of trekking. On the way, Julian and Daviss tried their hardest to move a huge boulder they were convinced they could get to roll (remember this boulder for later!)
This particular camp was special because of the outstanding sunsets we were able to see! We spent the whole afternoon playing Birdie on a Perch, Ships and Sailors, Fishbowl, and Backgammon. Will showed his competitive side as he won in our veggie off and Moo off! There were SO many laughs all around!
The next day, we started from our base camp for our day hike! We enjoyed fresh pears and guava juice on our way up and we loved stacking rocks. Eva Rose, Julia and Riley entertained us with their new choreographed dance to Sabrina Carpenters “Please, Please, Please”. In the afternoon there were even more games to be had! The best being an extremely competitive game of fishbowl where Julia laughed so hard she broke her chair. There was also much dam construction in our little stream! Lauren and Sofie also caught up on their journaling. Harrigan kept us entertained during dinner as we took turns dj-ing.
The next morning, we packed up our base camp with high hopes to see Charlie and Travis soon! When we arrived at our next camp the boys and girls started a competition to see who could build a better dam- the boys certainly had an advantage though with the porters and cool team helping them out. All of that hard work paid off when we all got to swim in the new pool. Will and Julian were the first to jump in! With Lauren and Julia not far behind. Riley and Will led the group as LODs!
Just as the sun was starting to crest- we had the best surprise – Charlie and Travis had returned!! They even brought special guests May May and Kate from the other group!! Cheers were heard all around and we celebrated with cake!!
We can’t wait to fill you in on more of our adventures- but for now, we are off to our homestay!
Cheers!
Zoe and Travis
Shoutouts:
Miss you guys!! Love y’all having so much fun thank you so much! Luke tell Joey I say hi ❤️❤️ -Riley
Hey! I miss and love y’all so much! I’m having the best time and can’t wait to see everyone! Happy Anniversary Mom and Dad! -Lauren
I miss y’all so much!! I can’t wait to see you all. I am having so much fun in India and am so excited to tell y’all all about it! Love, Eva Rose
Hi I miss and love y’all so much. India is so fun, thanks for sending me. Say hi to Austin and Ariana for me. Love y’all! -Walker
Hey, I miss and love y’all a lot. I am having a lot of fun in India and can’t wait to tell y’all about it. Tell Nora I said hi. -Charlie
Hey guys!! I miss you all so much and I can’t wait to tell you guys all about India. I’m so excited to see everyone and I’m so thankful y’all let me go on this trip. Say hi to Morgan, Laura, and Liv for me!! Love y’all!! -Will
Hi mom, dad, Ti. Miss y’all a ton and can’t wait to let you know how it was. It’s pretty awesome so far and India is pretty much exactly how you expect. The Himalayas are beautiful and the views are insane. Love y’all and miss you a ton, see you in a week or so, and have fun in Brazil. -Julian
Hey Y’all!! I miss you guys hope everything is going great at home. Everything here is incredible and I can’t wait to tell y’all all about it. I love y’all and can’t wait to see you soon! – Sofie
Hey family! I’m having a blast here in India and curry is definitely not allowed to be had at home for a while. Miss you guys a lot!
Julia
Hey everyone! Saying hello from Leh, India right now and am happy to say I’m having a great time! We’ve recently finished our trekking in the Himalayas and are moving on to the next part of our trip. Will let y’all know how it went when I get home and I’m excited to see y’all! – Daviss
Hey y’all, It’s like another world here in India. Just finished up the trekking portion through the Himalayas and are heading up to the snow leopard capital of the world! Love and miss y’all so much and can’t wait to tell you about everything. -Harrigan
Hey y’all! The trip has been incredible! We just finished trekking through the Himalayas and are heading to the snow leopard capitol today. I’m having a great time! Miss and love y’all so much!! -Livvy
Exploring Leh and Into the Himalayas!
July 16, 2024
The past few days have truly felt out of a movie! We began our first full day in Leh on a heritage walk after a morning huddle led by Livvy and Harrigan (our LODs). We started out to get a bird’s eye view of the entire town of Leh at a local monastery. We were blown away by the beauty of the prayer flags: red, yellow, green, blue, and white. Daviss, Charlie, and Will lead the charge to explore the monastery and the views. The prayer flags traced back and forth across bridges and the sides of the mountain- it’s everything we dreamed the Himalayas would be and more.
Gulzar, our guide, then told us the story of Ladakh beginning thousands of years ago. The rich history of how the mountains rose from the clash of tectonic plates from 3 different continents. How the altitude of the mountains prevents the Monsoon season and how the people built their faith surrounding the weather and the land. How religion and faith are uniquely special in this region and how we are going to experience it over the next few days. We then climbed to the top of the monument for truly stunning views before heading back to the vans to see the town of Leh.
Driving in Leh is an experience in itself, with the roads full of cows and dogs- Harrigan particularly likes to sit in the front as a co-pilot to give us a running commentary of all of the interesting things we pass! Eva Rose even pointed out all of the stupas she had learned about in school.
Our heritage walk then took us to a beautiful mosque. We removed our shoes and headed in to explore the gorgeous carvings and architecture of the mosque. We learned how all mosques face Mecca and the traditional Islamic way of praying. Riley particularly loved the golden chandelier covered in Arabic script that was the centerpiece of the mosque. Julia shared with us her Persian history and how she can speak a bit of the language while sharing her favorite foods with Gulzar!
We then headed up through the streets of Leh to the Asian history museum where in the front is one of the very first instances of a board game. The stone is carved with divots and lines for dice and game pieces. Charlie loved the piece and said he might be willing to bet his cow on a game.
The Asian history museum was full of relics from the silk and spice road, which Lauren was amazed by. Many of our students had heard of these topics, but it was astounding to see artifacts from the era and the true expansive nature of both roads. Daviss, Walker, and Harrigan found some old photos that they hope to recreate throughout our time in India.
We then headed back to the streets where we found ourselves on a street full of bakeries. We were able to watch locals creating their breads and even tried 2 different types with the sesame nut loaf being Julian’s favorite by far.
After our snack, we continued up through town to a local pottery and art gallery that had been restored. Riley loved the spindle art that was tucked away in a far back room and everyone enjoyed getting to see all of the artist’s creations. We then headed to the roof for one of the best views I’ve ever seen of the mountains, the main market of Leh, and the prayer flags flying. We had to drag Sofie, Harrigan, and Zoe off the roof because they would have been happy to stay there all day!
We then headed back to the hotel for lunch and a rest before departing for our next monastery. This Buddhist monastery is a home for many monks and astounding Buddha statues. We began by circling the prayer rings with Harrigan being the first to ring the bell and Eva Rose collecting a double ring. We ascended the stairs to see the home of the monks and where they do their traditional prayers. We learned of the circle of life, reincarnation, and enlightenment through the ancient art depicted on the walls and through the statues.
We then headed into a uniquely beautiful room with a happy Buddha statue that was over 70 feet tall. In silence, our guide led us through a guided meditation focused on grounding and our breathing. Riley said this was her favorite part of the day!
We also got to see where the monks eat and spend their time. Walker was surprised by how joyful and casual the monks were as they joked around with each other and Charlie couldn’t believe that they drank Mountain Dew!
We then all piled back into the van to head back for our tasty dinner and on to Moonup. After a silly nug jug opening there seemed to be endless nugs for this group and the environment we are in. We are so grateful for how present and positive all of our students are! We answered what superpower we wished we had and what teacher, mentor, or role model had influenced us the most over the last few years. I hope a few of your ears were ringing as we were so happy to hear how supported our kids feel back at home. We ended with one final grounding meditation before Eva Rose and Julian were named as our new LODs!
We are thrilled to now be in the Himalayas on our trekking section! We are accompanied by 3 chefs and 4 guides to make our trek a success (and a tasty one at that!) While we are out of service we want to remind you all that no news is good news! And we promise to update as soon as we can!
This group is full of leaders who are endlessly positive in the face of adversity, respectful and attentive to new cultures, and all around just fun! We can’t thank you enough for sharing them with us!
With full hearts,
Zoe and Travis
Update from the Himalayas!
July 10, 2024
Trip update 1
The mystery has been revealed! After months of anxiously waiting to share the secret, we revealed our destination in a Survior-esque challenge! We gave the crew 4 different challenges in order to unlock the secret location. One of the challenges was with Zoe to go on a scavenger hunt across the International Terminal in Atlanta to collect the requested items! Harrigan successfully completed his challenge by getting 13 ketchup packets, Eva Rose found the water bottle with the most stickers, Livvy searched to find a Moondance wristband, and Julia got a selfie with the birthday boy himself (Harrigan)! Together they unlocked a miniature Buddha statue.
Another challenge was to collect fun facts from everyone in both groups and report back to May May! Riley and Lauren were quick on the job, chatting up all of her new friends! A Stephen Curry basketball
was revealed.
Sofie put her brain to work on an airport currency math problem with Jack to reveal a snow leopard.
Will, Daviss, Walker, and Charlie did some last minute altitude training with Travis to earn their mountain goat figurine. Burpees, pushups, and squats galore!
Finally, with all clues in hand, they lodged their final guess of Nepal, only to be surprised when the group chanted “FLIP THAT SIGN!” to reveal we were headed to India! Cheers could be heard al around the Atlanta airport as everyone was thrilled to start our adventure. With smiles we thanked Hayes for joining us and were ready to head out…
But we had one final surprise up our sleeve, a birthday celebration for Harrigan’s 19th birthday! Party poppers, birthday glasses, and an echoingly loud Happy Birthday song were all part of the celebration! We couldn’t have been more happy to be a part of his special day.
With a flight to catch, and an adventure to begin, we quickly checked our bags and headed to security. With a small flight delay, we had the chance to explore every terminal in the Atlanta airport and grabbed some dinner before getting ready to board our flight. Riley and Eva Rose couldn’t be happier that their last meal in the US was a nice Mexican bowl from Willy’s.
Our 13.5 hour flight was spent playing Who Wants to Be a Millionaire and catching some zzz’s. Millionaire status was achieved by Julia! We even had all 3 meals and two snacks to pass the time (the flight attendants particularly liked feeding our group and constantly were checking to make sure we were full and happy!). Julian played endless rounds of Majong and enjoying stretching his legs in the aisle.
Once we arrived in Doha we quickly made our way to our next gate. Harrigan was a big fan of the famous yellow bear! The 3.5 passed quickly and soon we landed in Delhi.
Our amazing guide Gulzar met us at baggage claim to help collect our luggage and anticipation filled the air to see India for the very first time. We jumped onto our bus and headed to our hotel for the evening. After a quick night’s rest and fast moonup we were greeted by an incredible breakfast buffet.
The spread included chocolate chip pancakes, chicken sausage, watermelon juice, potatoes, tasty yoghurt, papaya, and pastries galore. Walker even dared to try the traditional buttermilk (and of course everyone joined in!) It was so fun to hear Sofie keep remarking that she just couldn’t believe we were in India.
Then it was back to the airport – 3rd times the charm to get us to our home for the next few weeks! The views of the snowcapped mountains took our breath away as we descended into Ladakh. Leh is a cold, dry desert and the views are something from out of this world!
We then headed to our guesthouse for the evening and had a tasty lunch of traditional Indian food. They greeted us with traditional white scarves welcoming us to Leh with the snow and clouds of the mountains and the purity and love they hope to show us. Gulzar gave us a quick briefing of the area and his experience- his family has been living here for over 400 years!
Everyone then retreated to their rooms for a nice (and well-earned) siesta! The best part of our guesthouse is that our rooms have balconies that look out on the mountains and we can chat with each other from the balcony! Daviss, Charlie, and Will particularity like to chatter back and forth as they get ready in their rooms.
After our naps, we prepped our gear for trekking and then headed out to the garden to soak in the beautiful weather- 70’s and sunny. As the sun set we headed into dinner where we enjoyed curry pasta and tasty naan.
Then it was off to the best part of the night- our first Moonup! We talked hopes, goals, memories and even what vegetables we self-identify as. Daviss is a proud bok choy, Julian a celery, and Julia a cucumber. Our silly conversation turned more serious as we shared how much Moondance means to us and how we want to soak in every last moment of this group and the culture we will get to experience. Livvy and Harrigan were named as our next LODs! We can’t wait to watch them shine as our designated leaders.
We are off to an unbelievable start to our trip, and we couldn’t be more grateful to share it with this special group. Truly there is an air of magic in this group, this destination, and this trip. We feel so lucky.
We will keep you posted as our adventure continues!
Cheers,
Zoe and Travis
