One last hello from Thailand!

June 26, 2024

The past three weeks have been nothing short of incredible, and we cannot believe our time together has come to an end. Your kiddos are currently on their flight home, and as Carter and I remain in Bangkok, we are reminiscing on how much fun this trip has been!

Since we last wrote to you, we have experienced all that the North has to offer! From our base in Chiang Mai, we prepared for the many activities ahead! After an afternoon of city exploring, we geared up to head out for our next adventure: the elephants! We met Uncle Chai, our wise guide for the next section of the trip, and exchanged the city streets for a jungle oasis for the night. On the van ride over, Grey and Durland exclaimed how excited they were to see the elephants and what the sanctuary would be like. We first made a stop at a market to tour around the food and spices section. The kids always gravitate to trying new snacks, such as avocado chips and date-flavored sunflower seeds.

Upon arrival at the elephant sanctuary, we slipped into woven shirts before picking up our snack bag for the elephants. Buzzing with excitement, the group was the most energetic we had seen them thus far! We were in for a treat and had no idea how hectic and hilarious our time in the sanctuary would be. As we made our way through the bamboo and banana leaves, we caught our first glimpse of the gentle giants as they made their way over to us. Caught off guard, an elephant immediately reached for Frances, searching for the sugar cane in her satchel. Laughter erupted as we were shocked at how pushy the elephants were. When Sascha was feeding one, it hopped up on its hind legs and jumped the fence, eager for more treats. Elizabeth may be the elephant whisperer as she quickly became comfortable with the animals, being the first to accept a kiss on the cheek. Soon everyone was giggling as the elephants left mud marks on their faces. The elephants took an interest in Carter, as he affectionately named one Big Dawg. At one point, they cornered him for the remaining sugar cane in his bag.

After feeding the elephants, we covered them in mud, an essential part of their skincare. Our guides told us that the mud acts as a natural sunscreen and insect repellent for the elephants. We smeared mud all over their massive bodies, turning the bathing session into a playful mud fight. If you’re picturing a mud pit with 13 of us squealing and frolicking around, you’ve got the right idea. We then followed the elephants to a water stream for a bath. Imagine a pool splash zone on steroids! The elephants seemed to enjoy the attention, playfully spraying water with their trunks and rolling around. It seemed like they were just giant puppies.

EC and Pierce made a pact to belly flop into what the group deemed the muddiest puddle on earth, and that they did! The group was honestly in disbelief as it was spur of the moment. Covered head to toe, Harrison, Will, and Bray followed suit and soon were drenched in the mud. We rinsed off Thai style with buckets of water and said goodbye to our new favorite friends. After a muddy and magical morning with the elephants, we returned to our lovely jungle cabins for an afternoon of relaxation. As rain pitter-pattered on the rooftops, we got some much-needed rest after two full weeks of non-stop excitement! Hard to believe, but we even pulled out our sweatshirts because of the cooler temperatures. Another delicious dinner with, you guessed it, chicken, rice, and spring rolls (!!) and story time from Uncle Chai was enjoyed by all. The upstairs area was perfect for music and Moonup. Bray received applause from everyone, other visitors, and staff included, as he continues to serenade us with our favorite songs.

The next morning, pancakes, fruit, and crepes awaited us in the beautiful wooden open-air kitchen at our jungle paradise. We were ready to tackle the day after Uncle Chai’s briefing of what lay ahead. Our trekking day was filled with diverse stops, beautiful landscapes, and hot sunny weather. We started our hike early in the morning, making our way through lush forests and scenic trails. Bamboo walking sticks were a must, making us feel like pro hikers. Our first major stop was at a waterfall, where we took a break for lunch and a refreshing swim. The cascading water provided a perfect backdrop as we enjoyed our meal of our tried and true, fried rice, chicken, and fruit. Bray skipped rocks across the pond, and Zyah braved the little minnows swimming around our feet.

Continuing our trek, we reached a local village elementary school, where we had the opportunity to spend time with fifth and sixth-grade Thai students. The children were shy to interact with us, but Maddi quickly became a favorite as she drew their beloved cartoon characters on the whiteboard. The room was filled with laughter and excitement as the students gathered around her, asking her to draw more and more.

Our final stop for the day was at a local family’s home, where we were warmly welcomed and treated to tea and snacks. The rice cakes and corn crackers, reminiscent of cornbread, were a delightful treat. The family’s grandmother demonstrated traditional weaving techniques and how they sift the rice on their local machine. As the day came to a close, we arrived at our homestay, settling in for the next four nights. A large, home-cooked meal awaited us, providing a comforting end to our long day of trekking through the picturesque Thai countryside. The Karen Village became home over the next few days with their incredible hospitality and kindness. Tucked in our silk sleeping bags under our mosquito nets, we heard the sounds of the frogs and dogs that surrounded our open-air room.

Our service time in the village was deeply fulfilling. Walking into the village, we saw the water tank built by last summer’s Moondance groups, their handprints and names proudly displayed. It is inspiring to see the culmination of a summer’s work, a year later. The majority of the group’s work this session involved digging trenches for water pipes along the road. Harrison kept spirits high by dominating the digging and chatting with everyone. As we progressed from digging trenches to laying the pipes and gluing them together, Durland was a steadfast participant. Smaller groups assisted Mr. Luke in the construction of a pavilion next to the church. Elizabeth and Frances spray-painted, while Gray and Bray helped hand the roofing to the construction crew.

After our service, we would spend the afternoons at the homestay typically posted on the porch that overlooked the valley. Cards, bracelets, and snacks around the table are where we spent most of our time. Zyah and EC could not get enough of the jasmine tea our hosts made for us throughout our stay. They shared many ways the village uses the land for all aspects of life, especially for holistic medicine. We tasted lemongrass and ginger tea, which is great for detoxing and healing. This experience has opened our eyes to another way to treat ailments, such as using specific plants for teas.

Evenings by the campfire became a routine, as everybody loved spending time together gathered around the fire, filled with music and laughter. One night a local Karen man joined us and played a traditional wooden harp-like instrument. Frances was the first to try it, giggling as she plucked the strings under the firelight. We shared our own songs, with “Country Roads” being a big hit and some silly songs we all knew from growing up.

Our porch overlooked rice fields, and we got to dip our toes in them with a planting seminar led by Lek, one of our favorite guides. Will was quick to try the technique, donning a wicker hat. The group then hiked to yet another waterfall for an afternoon cool off. After our last full day of service, the boys tirelessly played in the pool with local Karen village kids. They swam around on their shoulders tossing a soccer ball back and forth. Pierce finally got to use his fishing rod at a small pond just past our homestay, accompanied by the local boys, Grey and Durland.

Our time in the Karen village came to a close with one last breakfast before we headed out on a morning hike. We said goodbye to the early morning rooster crows, spring rolls, Thai soda, and bamboo floors and loaded up in the open-air truck. Uncle Chai told us tales of his tiger encounters when he was a kid and what it was like growing up. Our last hike was a change of pace from our previous ones- it was mostly downhill! Hats made out of leaves provided entertainment as we spent our last moments in rural Thailand. We saw elephants along the way at a sanctuary and still can’t wrap our heads around the fact that they are real!

Bamboo rafting was up next on our journey back to Chiang Mai. We hopped on boards of bamboo tied together, two or three to a raft, and let our guides navigate us down the river. It was a peaceful ride and a relaxing experience to end our trekking portion of the trip! We hopped out of the river, boarded our comfy vans, and drove to the city. We returned to Chiang Mai to our familiar hotel with our favorite 7/11 just next door. We then had the arguably best pasta east of Italy to end our day of travel.

The group then continued on our packed itinerary with rock climbing! A 40-meter rappel kicked off the day in which the students learned to lower themselves down into a cave. From there, the guides mapped out four routes for the group to climb. Impressively, Carter and Will completed all four routes to end our climbing stint in Thailand!

On our final morning in Chiang Mai, a cooking class was on schedule. First, a market scavenger hunt for all the needed ingredients occupied the kids as they split into two groups. After the kids cheffed up some chicken, rice, and veggies, we hit the road and headed back to our constant touch point: the airport! Airport excitement wasn’t the only special event of the day- Carter’s 23rd birthday! With a fabulous dinner of steak, chicken wings, French fries, veggies, and burgers to celebrate, vibes were high for his special day. We ended the travel day with an assortment of birthday cakes, as the restaurant played Happy Birthday over the speakers as they brought it out to him.

Our last day spent together was on a tour of Bangkok, the capital city of the country we have come to love over the past three weeks. The group set out in search of the king at the Grand Palace. Though they did not find him, the group did find one of the most incredible places we’ve ever seen! This temple is the most sacred in Thailand, and we surely felt its powerful presence. Our informational guide Nina was wonderful and answered all of our questions! We then hopped onto boats to see Bangkok by the river and ended up feeding catfish with Cheeto puff-like snacks. The most impressive sight was a 60 ft Buddha along the river that we caught a glimpse of.

Once back at our hotel, we celebrated our time in Thailand together with a banquet and one last final Moonup. The laughs about the superlatives we gave the kids and thoughtful compliments given to each other were the perfect culmination of our group- hilarious yet sincere. If we haven’t said it enough, this group has been stellar. They loved each other well and evidently! Carter and I expressed our gratitude for them before heading to the airport for the final goodbye. It seems like an abrupt ending to our friendships, but we know this is not the end. We look forward to keeping up with the kids and seeing what this next year will bring.

We want to extend a HUGE thank you to all the parents and family members who made this experience possible. Your kids took advantage of their time in Thailand and new opportunities to explore this part of the world. We had a blast living alongside them and will have these memories for years to come. Carter and I learned a lot from your kids and are so thankful to know them!

One last time,

Carter & Emma Cutter (EC)

In Thailand’s embrace, where adventures unfold,

Three weeks of memories, in stories retold.

With Sven and with Goyo, we dove in the deep,

Underwater wonders, a treasure to keep.

Big Mama’s Mexican, a feast for the soul,

Tacos and laughter, where hearts became whole.

Uncle Chai led the way through the jungle so wide,

With each step we took, by his wisdom we’d guide.

We climbed up the rocks, reaching new heights,

Each grip and each pull, igniting our might.

Friendships were forged in the sun’s golden ray,

Growing and learning, by night and by day.

In Thailand we blossomed, with every new friend,

A journey of growth we wished wouldn’t end.

Though we part ways, our hearts hold the cheer,

For knowing you all made our lives truly dear.

We’ll miss the shared moments, the laughter, the fun,

But we’re better people for the bonds we’ve begun.

In Thailand’s sweet embrace, we found more than we sought,

A family in friendship, with lessons well-taught.

Carter and I will miss you all so much,

You’ve been such a lively and fun bunch.

Don’t forget us or to live in the moment,

You guys are full of love, and have truly shown it.

Thailand 1B will go down in history

What is next for you all is still a mystery.

This isn’t a goodbye, just a see you later.

When you see us in the future, don’t be a stranger!

Checking in from Thailand!

June 18, 2024

Since we last updated you, we have been conquering the other side of the South – the land! After experiencing the incredible underwater world the Indian Ocean has to offer, we were ready to trade in our sea legs for some hiking and climbing, and boy did we cover some ground!

Our next adventure was Dragon’s Crest hike which the group was stoked for. We started the day early to beat the heat and headed to the Khao Ngon Nak National Park for our hike up! The early morning wake-up paid off as we practically had the mountain to ourselves.

Trail time calls for games and conversations and we sure chatted. The movies game was a favorite, especially adored by Bray, in which the group would try and figure out which movie someone was thinking of by asking only yes or no questions. The boys continued to play this game even after the hike, and were all stumped by Carter’s movie: Narnia. The girls kept spirits high by updating the vlog on our progress. Sascha was a phenomenal reporter in giving accounts of our journey up Dragon’s Crest. The group persevered through humid heat and an uphill battle to the top greeted with the most astonishing view yet! We jammed out to some tunes at the top and caught some shade before making our descent down. If you couldn’t tell by now, our group is extremely outgoing and makes friends every place we visit. It’s only fitting that on our way down, we ran into our dive guide Sven!

Tired legs and hungry hikers called for a rewarding lunch. We deemed our lunch spot the most beautiful café EVER with our rooftop beach view gracing our eyes while we fueled up on Thai food. The boys may have overestimated their hunger with a fried rice mountain eating competition. Pierce is not one to back down from a challenge, especially coming from a friend. Durland tried a Thai rendition of a burger, and we all decided that we should leave hamburgers to America and stick to the Thai food from here on out.

There is nothing better than relaxing on a beach after a sweaty morning hike. That being said, the group’s high energy prevailed and we swam in the ocean the entire time splashing around in the hot afternoon sun. We hopped into our open air tuk tuks and drove back to our hostel for the afternoon.

The days are packed but the weeks are flying by faster than we can say สวัสดี (hello in Thai)! We can’t believe we already made it to the climbing portion of the trip. It may seem as though we are exaggerating the views we are seeing day after day, but Railay beach was no exception of awe. Railay is where we climbed the cliffs and continued to explore other areas of South West Thailand. We arrived via longboat once again to a beach with white sand and cliffs jutting hundreds of feet into the air. As we walked along the paths to our first spot, we were greeted by a troop of monkeys! The guides showed us that they were friendly and the boss monkey even gave EC a high five.

We got all set up with our climbing gear and briefed on the routes that lay above us. Zyah breezed up every climb, as we quickly learned she is a pro climber back home. She showed the group skilled technique and offered encouragement to everyone else! Harrison flew up the climb that the group deemed the most challenging, winning a competition between Pierce and himself. A full morning of climbing called for a beach break, during which a makeshift game of coconut football entertained the crew. Frances and Maddi chatted with EC cheering everyone on and laughing at the measures taken to win. The afternoon continued with more climbing and conversations with our guides. The second spot was steeper and more challenging, but Will showed us how it’s done by making it to the top first. We left with chalky hands and tired forearms as proof of a day well spent outside.

Dinner was a hit, as we had our own room at the Jungle Café! The group is acclimated to the cuisine and (mostly) choosing Thai dishes for their meal. Stir fry and rice are the heavy favorites. Before Moonup, there was a lively game of spoons occurring in which Durland jumped up to snatch the last spoon, leaving everyone in tears from laughing.

The second day of climbing took a a different route as we explored the caves guided by headlamp. It felt like we were truly spelunkers! We made it to an amazing overlook by climbing and crawling and took in the view before continuing to our rappelling spot. Harrison set the tone and rappelled down first with ease, showing us how its done. Carter caught some award worthy pictures of the kids posing hanging over the cliffside! We made our way out of the cave and had a farewell lunch with our climbing guides before parting ways back at their shop. We returned to the mainland to spend our last afternoon at our beloved home, Glur hostel. Some played a rambunctious game of Star, another movie game, while others hung out on the hammocks before packing our duffles. To celebrate our last night in Krabi, we went back to our favorite spot- the Ao Nang Night Market. We couldn’t get enough of the street food and shopping. The girls loved the jewelry stands and the boys left sporting full fútbol uniforms. Carter’s favorite was the fresh guava juice and EC was a big fan of the mango sticky rice. Its safe to say the whole group loves ice cream as they went back for seconds! Back at the hostel, a heated game of mafia commenced with Pierce’s intracate storying telling skills rowling up the group. After Moonup, Bray played guitar for the group, a much anticipated performance! All the kids exclaimed that it sounded like Zach Bryan himself playing from a speaker! It was a great way to close out our last night in Krabi.

Our time in the South came to an end with an early morning travel day that brought us to Chiang Mai! Elizabeth entertained the group with the plane game, which the group solved quickly (with the help of some hints). Grey is fast at solving riddles and continued to banter back and forth with Elizabeth and Durland while boarding. The adventure of trying new foods has not ceased, as Maddi and Sascha tried internet viral Raman on the flight. The group gladly gave Sascha their extra water as the noodles were a lot spicier than she expected. A pit stop in Bangkok was only an intermission on our way North.

The rainy season is in full swing up in Chiang Mai as we were welcomed by a stormy afternoon. Rain or shine, we made our way through the streets of Old Town to reach Wat Chedi Luang, one of the largest temples in the city! We admired the intricate alters and temples and chatted about which Thai Lunar calendar animal correlated with our birth year. We can already tell that Chiang Mai is very historical- we enjoyed walking the busy streets to dinner and back to our riverside hotel. We are preparing for our next section ahead which is full of exciting experiences that will deepen our appreciation of Thai culture.

Much love,

EC and Carter

We know you’re missing your kids, so here are some words from them!

Hey mom and dad, I’m having a super fun time! We’re leaving Krabi today and heading to chiang mai. The scuba diving was amazing and so was the rock climbing. I love y’all can’t wait to see y’all! -Bray

Hey Mom and Dad! I hope y’all had a great Father’s Day Weekend! I’m having a lot of fun and I can’t wait to see y’all! Thank you so much for letting me go on this trip! We are seeing elephants tomorrow and we are on the way to the village right now. I love y’all so much! -Will

Hey Mom and Dad!! I am having so much fun in Thailand. Thank you so much for letting me go on this trip! We are leaving Krabi today and seeing elephants tomorrow! I’m so excited! I miss y’all so much and can’t wait to tell you all about the trip! Hope y’all had a good Father’s Day Weekend. Love you so much!- Grey

Hey mom and dad, what’s up I’m having so much fun!! We are leaving Krabi today and seeing elephants tomorrow! The scuba diving was amazing and so was the rock climbing. I hope y’all had a great Father’s Day Weekend! I miss y’all so much and I love y’all. -Harrison

Hey dad, we just finished climbing and we’re going to go see elephants. I’m having fun and I’m excited for the rest of the trip. I miss and love you! – Zyah

Hey mom and Mikey! I miss you guys a lot and I hope Asheville is good. Mom, happy early birthday and I love you so much! I cant wait to celebrate with you when I get back! I love you both – Zyah

Hey mom and dad!! We’re leaving the beach today to go see the elephants and do service. I’m having so much fun!! I love and miss y’all so much. I hope y’all had a great Father’s Day weekend! Tell Gabe and Catherine I miss them too. -Frances

Hey parents! We are leaving Krabi today and I had the best time scuba diving and rock climbing there. I’ve already tried so many new things and am so excited to share with y’all when I get back. Love and miss you guys so much! – Elizabeth

Hey Mom and Dad! We are leaving Krabi and are now on the way to the village to go see the elephants and do service. Rock climbing was really fun and the views were so pretty! I hope y’all had a good Father’s Day weekend! I’m having the best time and can’t wait to tell y’all all about it! Tell Davis I say hi too! Love and miss y’all so much! -Durland

hi mom dad Connor and reha! were on a plane going to chiang mai rn. me and sascha just made bukdok ramen mid air hers was so hot. we were just in krabi where i got my scuba certification and got really good bubble waffles. my favorite thing ive seen so far is a seahorse it was SO CUTE and tiny. in chiang mai we’re going to the elephant sanctuary im so excited!!! im having a fun time but i miss you so so much. see you soon!! we got this.🐘🐘😽💃🐄👻🐠🦀 – Maddi

Hey mom and dad! I’m having the best time right now In Thailand! Rock climbing was so pretty and scuba diving was so cool! I almost just died on the plane from eating a really hot noodle. Thank y’all so much for sending me on this trip! Love and miss you both!! -Sascha

Hey mom and pop I miss you guys and I’m having a great time here and I love you guys! We have lots of fun activities here in Thailand. See you in Augusta in around 15 business days! Your son, Pierce

Hello from Thailand!

June 13, 2024

Hello from Thailand!

Our time in South East Asia has begun, and we cannot wait to tell you all about the past days together! Uniting in the Atlanta airport kicked off our journey across the world. Fueled by snacks and excited anticipation, we boarded our 15 hour flight to Seoul and settled in for the long haul. We passed the time with movies, music, and doing our best to get some solid z’s before landing in Korea! The Seoul airport brought more excitement, as we quickly made it to our gate before boarding our final flight of the journey.

Upon arrival, we were all so relived to have made it to our home for the next 3 weeks. Our group was made complete when we were greeted by Carter at the airport! He arrived a day before us to scout out Bangkok and wait for our arrival. Pizza waiting for us at the hotel was a delicious end to the day(s) of travel and we went to bed shortly after our first MoonUp. We know the long travel day will be worth the adventures that lay ahead.

The next morning we woke up a little more rested and enjoyed a delicious breakfast at our hotel’s cafe. After packing our things, we headed out for our first experience in Bangkok. We first visited the Wat Lan Boon temple which was not too far from our hotel. The temple was beautiful and reinforced how rich Thai culture truly is! The temple doubled as a fish sanctuary and we were intrigued by the massive catfish that swam in the canal. We then headed to a mall to get a taste of the local cuisine. Sharing an array of dishes from the market area left us full and excited for all the new foods to come!

We continued our jet-setting with an evening flight to the South where we would reside for the following week. Grey kept the group entertained with a game of poison dart frog while waiting at our gate. We arrived in Krabi later that night and made our way to our hostel. Waking up the following morning and seeing the picturesque cliffs behind our hostel made us realize how naturally beautiful this country is!

Day 1 of scuba was a success, laying the foundation for our week ahead of diving.T he girls excelled in their confined water section, learning the basics skills of scuba for their Open Water Certification. For those who were already certified, we completed a refresher course in the pool along side the girls. After scuba, we dined at a local Thai restaurant called Mama Kitchen- pad thai, fried rice, and curry chicken were the fan favorites of the group. With it being all of our first times in Asia, we are learning something new everyday. Zyah got her first glimpse of Thai spice and learned her limits with “pet” (spicy in Thai)! We dined with chatty conversation about the diving class today and ended with plates licked clean. Even Harrison and Pierce ate the vegetable spring rolls, expanding their palate day by day!

Day 2 of Scuba was the first real taste of the incredible island views we’d been eyeing from the land since we arrived. The islands look straight out of a movie- we cannot get over how BEAUTIFUL it is here!! We can’t wait for you to see the pictures captured by Carter after the trip. We boarded long tail boats that took us out to sea to our scuba boat for the day. Koh See, which means “Fourth Island” in Thai, was our first dive site! The group persevered through limited visibility underwater due to early morning storms and made the most of it! The first day of open water diving consisted mainly of preforming skills and everyone passed with flying colors. The main focus was buancy control- a skill difficult to master. Everyone soaked up the sun in the afternoon laying on the front of the boat, exhausted from the time spent in the water. After diving, we walked through the town getting a lay of the land as we headed to the beach for the remainder of the afternoon. The evening sun was perfect for a friendly game of soccer. Durland was a team captain and dominated the field, promoting a competitive match. Pierce made friends with some local boys and got into a 2 v 2 match before we all cooled down with a swim in the ocean where Harrison and Will continued playing frisbee, perfecting their throws. We ventured into a 7/11 to scope out what a convenience store in Thailand looked like and we were overwhelmed with options of new snacks to try! Zyah and Maddi tried mochi, a frozen ice cream treat, while others chose chocolate as a treat.

Day 3 of scuba took us to the beautiful Phi Phi Islands where we spent the entire day! These world renowned islands were no short of incredible, as all the kids exclaimed how they can’t believe it’s real. The two hour boat ride out to the dive sites gave the group plenty of time to relax and hang out. Maddi started making bracelets and soon everyone was on the weaving train. The group could not get enough of the fresh pineapple, watermelon, and banana muffins the boat crew offered us as a pre-dive snack (which we ate in record speed). Diving today was beyond rewarding with better conditions and visibility! The wildlife was unreal with a squad of squid swimming by us, Nemo fish in an anemone, and our first shark sightings! Zyah’s group saw two black tipped reef sharks sleeping under rocks. The Advanced Certification group completed their deep dive today getting down to 25 meters! Sascha and EC took the color test at the bottom with their instructor Goyo, while Bray and Will did the same with Steve. Everyone made it down with no difficulties!! Grey, Frances, Durland, Zyah, Elizabeth, and Maddi completed many skills underwater such as flooding their mask, swimming without their mask, and an emergency exit. The dive masters expressed how impressed they were by how quickly the girls were learning everything!

Being on the water all day worked up an appetite so we decided on a local Mexican Restaurant. Our expectations were quickly exceeded as we were warmly welcomed by the owner, big Mama, and sat immediately. The ambiance was as amazing as the food, as they queued up songs just for us to sing along to, such as Carolina Girl! The gelato that we had been passing on the street was too hard to pass up on our way home and we all quickly devoured our dessert. Back at the hostel, Bray took over the aux and introduced the group to Colter Wall, sharing his music taste. The group loved discussing different artists they like, with lots of similar favorite songs. Harrison is always down for a game of ping pong, whether it be at 7 am or late at night, and got one more game in before bed.

To kick off our last day of scuba, as Leader Of the Day, Frances shared a quote with the group that emphasized the importance of new experiences that perfectly encompassed the diving section of our trip. We loaded up in the open air truck one last time and headed over the pier to meet our guides. On the boat ride over, Elizabeth documented our trip with video logs which the whole group loves to chime in on. Finishing up certifications and fun dives filled our day, as Bray and Harrison did underwater navigation with compasses. Pierce and Carter dove with dive master, Bob, and had some funny run ins with the girls group. Sascha is a pro at this point, playing rock paper scissors underwater. Will enjoyed taking videos and pictures of everything to see underwater on his go pro. Our last dive was a Reef Conservation clean up, and luckily we did not find much trash! Grey’s group even saw a baby sting ray while the rest had another shark sighting- this time it was a Bamboo shark! We all got certificates and said goodbye to our dive guides that we spent the week with. To celebrate finishing our scuba section, we went to the Night Market for shopping and dinner! It was a busy scene, with live music, endless options for dinner, and many vendors selling everything under the sun. Between gyoza, mango sticky rice, and spring rolls, we have loved exploring Thai cuisine! We have had an action packed first week together filled with new experiences and bonding and cannot wait to see what the coming weeks bring! The kids are embracing this new culture graciously and soaking it all in (the heat and bugs included).

Until next time,

EC & Carter

Here are some shout outs from your wonderful kids!

hi mom dad and connor!!! it’s already one week!!! the hostel were staying at in krabi is really cool and oreo is enjoying his vacay. im having fun!! i love you and miss you guys. 🐘🐘🐘😸😸😽😽🫶 – Maddi

Hi guys!!! I miss y’all! I’m having so much fun. We’re about to finish scuba diving and start rock climbing. Happy Father’s Day dad!! I love y’all – Frances

Hi mom and dad! I’m having such a good time in Thailand!! We are on our last day of scuba diving. So much fun! Happy Father’s Day dad I love you so much and happy late birthday mom! I love you both – Sascha

Hi Mom and Dad!! I miss y’all and I am having so much fun! Thailand is super cool. We have tried lots of new food and seen so many cool things! We are scuba diving and I just got certified! Krabi is such a fun city. Happy Father’s Day Dad I love you so much!! Can’t wait to tell y’all all about the trip!- Grey

Hi Mom and Dad! I miss ya’ll and I am having a great time in Thailand. Today is our last day of scuba, but I got some cool pictures for y’all. Happy Father’s Day Dad! I hope you have a great day! I love ya’ll and I’ll see you soon! – Will

Hello mother and father I am having an extraordinary time here in Thailand and I wish you guys could be here to witness. I hope y’all are having fun in Augusta, and happy Father’s Day big Gdawg! – Pierce Boulus

Hey Mom and Dad!! I am having so much fun in Thailand and a great time with my group. I hope everyone is doing good and tell Sidney and Phillip I said hey and I miss them. I miss and love y’all so much and can’t wait to tell y’all about everything. And happy Father’s Day Dad!! – Harrison

Hey Mom and Dad! I’m having a really good time. Today is our last day of diving in Krabi and tomorrow we are hiking then rock climbing for 2 days. I miss y’all and can’t wait to tell y’all about the trip. Happy Father’s Day dad! I love y’all! – Bray

Hey dad happy Father’s Day. I’m having a lot of fun on the trip! Miss and love you – Zyah

Hey mom and mike! I miss you guys so much Thailand is amazing . I’m having fun and can’t wait to tell you guys about it when I get home! Happy Father’s Day mikey! I love and miss you both! – Zyah

Hi Mom and Dad! I’m having the best time so far in Thailand with my group. We are on our last day of scuba today and we will hike tomorrow. Love and miss you so much, happy Father’s Day dad! – Elizabeth

Hi Mom, Dad, and Davis! I am having the best time in Thailand so far!! The food is actually good and we just got scuba certified and now are on our last day of diving. Tomorrow we are hiking and then we’ll start our rock climbing the day after that! Also, Happy Father’s Day Dad! I love and miss y’all so much and can’t wait to tell you all about it and show you lots of pictures! -Durland

Safe Arrival in Bangkok!

June 8, 2024

Hello Thailand Families!

We heard from our leaders that after a long travel day, all of the students arrived safely in Bangkok and their trip is off to a great start! 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