Last check in from Slovenia!
July 13, 2024
The last few days of our trip were a whirlwind of laughter, dancing, music, and food. After wrapping up an exhilarating rafting adventure, we headed to our final swim spot on the Soča River. Jack, Connor, and Harrison played speed frisbee, while Hart, Henry, Oskar, Meade, and Victoria showcased their teamwork by building impressive rock towers along the riverbank. We ventured into town to cool off with some delicious ice cream and explored souvenir shops. Another stop at Mercator had us grabbing more gummy hot dogs, new flavors of chips, and Slovenian sodas. Dinner that evening was a “mystery box” feast, featuring tin foil packets filled with roasted veggies and meat, followed by a dessert of Nutella crepes lovingly made by Victoria, Hollis, and Paige. We ended the evening with Moonup by the water, gazing at the vast mountains and cherishing our last moments together.
Packing up, we set off for Croatia, making stops along the way to indulge in burek and watch locals dive into the river below. Our journey continued with plenty of music and sing-alongs, leading us to a cooking class near the coast. Oskar, along with Hart, took charge of the meat, Victoria and Paige crafted pasta, while Marlo and AC prepared peach pie. Meade and Hollis chopped veggies, Jack and Harrison peeled potatoes, and Henry and Connor handled the peaches. In the midst of meal prep, Jack and Oskar took a dip in the pool to escape the heat. We sat overlooking the beautiful vineyards of the Brda region, enjoying our delicious food and getting energized for the drive ahead to Croatia.
Upon arrival in Croatia, Harrison challenged a Slovenian boy to a one-on-one game of basketball, representing the USA well and coming out victorious. That matchup was followed by a game of two-on-two, with Connor and Oskar narrowly beating Eli and Hart. Meanwhile, the rest of the group took their first dip in the Adriatic Sea. Dinner followed before we explored the town of Pula, weaving in and out of stores and enjoying more ice cream.
The next day, we woke up early to a breakfast of croissants and crepes, then headed out for sea kayaking. We paddled to an underwater cave, explored its crevices, enjoyed some snorkeling, watched the fish have a feeding frenzy, and indulged in some cliff jumping before returning to our kayaks. The group’s strength and agility continued to impress. Our inner children emerged as we swam to an aquapark made of floating bouncy castles, where Marlo hilariously wiped out climbing the top tower. An intense relay race ensued, covering the entire park. Exhausted, we replenished with a delicious lunch nearby, then rested in the shade with ice cream and guitar before more swimming and pier jumping. Dinner was pizza, followed by yet another round of ice cream. The locals adored us, especially Oskar. We wrapped up the night with Moonup, looking out over the water and closing with a dance party led by Hart’s signature moves.
Our last day involved another drive, with music blasting all the way to Ljubljana. Shoutout to AC for writing down over 100 songs that we listened to throughout the trip. After dropping our bags, we explored the streets of old town, enjoying tacos topped off with churros for lunch. More shopping led to a bit of a fashion show at Zara, with everyone finding new pieces to expand their wardrobes. Our final meal was at a delicious Italian spot, where we savored pizzas and pastas. A search for a jazz concert ended up leading us to a sculpture of bears painted with every country around the world. One last ice cream stop coincided with a nearby band, sparking a spontaneous dance party, taking us full circle, ending the trip as we had started it on the first night.
The evening ended with our final Moonup, where we shared the impact of the trip on each of us. Pulling an all-nighter, we talked into the early hours before boarding the bus to the airport. Our last gummy hot dog was eaten nostalgically as we exchanged handwritten notes. Big hugs sent everyone off through security. We feel so lucky to have shared this experience with your children and have learned so much from them.
Cheers to an unforgettable two weeks spent in the mountains and by the sea.
Until next time,
Mary Grace and Eli
Trekking in Triglav National Park!
July 8, 2024
All is well over here in the Soca Valley! Since our last update, we spent four exhilarating days hiking hut-to-hut in Triglav National Park. The views were absolutely breathtaking, featuring several summits, serene lakes, vibrant wildflowers, and challenging descents. We even spotted marmots and mountain goats along the way. A special shoutout to Paige for completing her first-ever hike!
On our toughest hiking day, we took a well-deserved break at a quaint mountain hut, where we enjoyed some refreshing Coca-Colas and played with an adorable wiener dog. One of the highlights was visiting a local cheese-making shop in the mountains. There, Marlo had a close encounter with a donkey named Fjodor, who tried to nibble on her ponytail.
We also had a great time-solving riddles along the way. “Sure does” has now become a popular phrase among us! Acapella battles were fierce in the meadows of the mountains, and Jack led the boys to victory with his impressive rapping skills. Connor serenaded us with “Banana Pancakes” by Jack Johnson during nap time, adding a touch of relaxation to some members of the group. Ghost stories rounded off our nights, filling the evenings with spooky fun. We must not forget the card game Dutch, which was an integral part of our time in the mountains.
We celebrated the 4th of July in the mountains with patriotic fervor. The day started with us singing the national anthem and continued with “freedom eggs”, delivered by a special bald eagle. For dinner, we had hot dogs and sang “Happy Birthday” to America.
As we descended out of the mountains, we took a refreshing dip in Lake Bohinj, which spontaneously turned into a yoga session. With our bodies warmed up, AC and Hollis wowed us with their tumbling skills. We then took a car train through the mountains and afterward rewarded ourselves with some well-deserved pizza and another swim. Harrison impressed everyone with an amazing frisbee catch into the lake.
Upon arriving at our new campsite in the Soca Valley, we engaged in multiple volleyball games. Hart displayed his clever tactics, tricking out his opponents. Henry has also led the charge in the slackline, giving us all a few good chuckles.
Today’s group favorite was canyoneering, where we rappelled and slid headfirst down waterfalls. It was an adrenaline-pumping experience for everyone. We also visited another swim spot on the Soca River where Meade fearlessly flew into the air off multiple cliff jumps into the clear blue water below. For dinner, we had a fantastic grill-out at the campsite. Oskar took the lead as grill master with our local guides Miha and Luka, while Victoria showcased her tomato-chopping skills and taught us how to perfectly roast marshmallows.
Tomorrow, we kick off the day with white-water rafting before heading into town for a much-anticipated visit to the local Mercator for some goodies (and gummy hotdogs). This trip has been filled with adventure, camaraderie, and unforgettable moments. Can’t wait to see what the final days have in store!
Stay tuned,
MG and Eli
Shout outs!
July 3, 2024
henry: Hey yall!! Slovenia is so much fun and super cool. excited to see yall when i get back. have a good 4th, love yall.
meat: hey guys, the trip has been so cool so far. i can’t wait to show yall some pics when I get back. Have a great fourth, god bless america 🦅🦅🦅
oskar: Hey guys, we’re having a bunch of fun over here in Slovenia. More beautiful than you could imagine, the mountains ranges and lakes are lovely. i’ll show you all the photos when i get home.
harrison: hey guys, the landscape here is absolutely astonishing. I’m having so much fun meeting new people and enjoying my every activity. I will make sure to tell you all about it when I return. Miss you guys!
marlo: hi guys!!! we are having the absolute best time. the views are actually insane. everyone is so nice and funny and i’ve got lots of stories to tell everyone when i come home. miss you guys but see you all soon and know that im so happy and having so much fun! happy 4th #godblessamerica🦅🦅🇸🇮🇸🇮🇸🇮🇸🇮🇸🇮🇸🇮
victoria: hey guys!! we are having so much fun here in slovenia. we have the best group and have the prettiest views around us. exited to tell you all about it when i come back!!
paige: hi mom and dad!! i’m having so much fun in slovenia. europe is soooo pretty! i can’t wait to tell yall all about it when i get back and show my pictures. I miss yall and please show this to nina!!
hart: hey guys! hope yall are doing well. this trip has been awesome so far. food has been great and the weather has too for the most part, but it’s just been a great experience overall. love yall so much and can’t wait to tell yall about it!
jack: Hey everyone, Im having the best time. It is absolutely beautiful here and the mountains are amazing. I’m eating the best food and I love everyone in my group. we’re about to start our four day trek wish me luck, anyways thank you so much for the trip. Tell Ashley i miss her and love her so much. see ya’ll soon!!!!
Hollis: Hey fam, I’m having an AMZINGGGG time. This trip is already so much fun. Surprisingly one of my favorite things I did was rock climbing. Thank you so much for sending me on this trip. We should definitely come back to Slovenia one day bc it is sooo pretty. Tell my friends I miss them and to not have too much fun w out me. I hope yall have fun at the beach and have a great fourth of July!!!!!! Love yall 🩷🩷🩷
AC: Hey yall!!! Thank yall so much for sending me on this trip! It’s been so so much fun! can’t wait to see yall and tell yall more about it💌💌 Have fun on the 4th! Tell henry i said hello when yall pick him up! love yall sooo much!!
Connor: Hi guys! Hope you didnt do any fun things without me. We are about to leave to start our 4 day trek! This trip has been amazing so far and i cannot fully express how grateful i am for this opportunity you have given me. I miss yall so much. I hope you are staying busy with PB and gardening. Love yall so much🩷
Safely in Slovenia!
June 30, 2024
Hello Slovenia Families!
All students have landed safely in Slovenia and the group is excited for hiking tomorrow! The trip is off to a great start and we can’t wait to share more updates from their adventure.
-Moondance HQ
