Hello Again!
June 15, 2025
We are back for another update!
Day 5: We had a wonderful morning spent preparing to our trekking section in Albania. We were extra delighted to have our first birthday of the session today! The whole group woke up early to surprise Margaret with balloons and decorations for her 17th birthday! After eating a huge breakfast, we embarked on our journey across borders with excitement and a taste for adventure. Our car ride was spent playing games like wavelength, movie guessing, and exchanging stories. We stopped shortly at a shopping mall to load up on snacks and have to time to look around. Our LODs, Katie and Shepard, navigated our group around the mall and collected everyone back at the van when it was time to get back on the road. We finished our drive by descending into the Albania alps with some winding roads and breathtaking views. We descended into the town of Theth and got settled in at our hostel, followed by a competitive volleyball match. Cassie showed off her volleyball skills and aced many of her competitors. We got showered and settled in for a dinner feast of roasted pork, tzatziki sauce, cucumber + tomato salad, zucchini bites, fresh veggies, French fries (to everybody’s delight) and a cake for the birthday girl! Norwood was in food heaven and we loved that he was so willing to try new foods. We ended our day by the fire and under the stars with another deep Moonup. As leaders, we are so impressed by our group’s maturity and willingness to be vulnerable despite only knowing each other for less than a week. We are so excited about the days to come and the closeness of this group.
Day 6: Ride and Shine for day 6 of the trip and day 1 of trekking! We had an earlier start to tackle our 9.5 mile trek through the Valbona pass. We started the day with a great Balkan breakfast of eggs, sausage, puff pastry, various fruits & vegetables, crepes, bread, pudding, milk, coffee, and juice. Before setting off, the gang played a few sets of volleyball. Our LODs, Wells A. and MG A, started off our day with a group huddle and set our pace as we ventured upwards to our scenic destination. Our hike was full of riddles, games, and true crime stories with Collin and Wells G. We went up 3,390 feet in elevation in the matter of four hours- needless to say we felt the burn. Once we reached the top, we indulged in our Nutella and salami sandwiches. The downhill portion was a breeze and we even saw a few dogs along the way. Once we arrived back at the hostel, we celebrated with a volleyball match. Meanwhile, Eliza found some adorable puppies for the group to play with! Everyone showered and hung out. Barrett and Carter spent some time reading while others were taking turns playing guitar. We had another delicious dinner of beef soup, hot bread & oil, roasted cheesy potatoes, fresh garden salad, roasted lamb & beef on a bed of fries, and tres leche cake with a side of fruit. Before Moonup, we sat around a circle and listened to Norwood play “Broken Window Serenade” with Wells A. on the harmonica and Wells G. singing. It was such an awesome and unforgettable moment for our group.
Day 7: We had a very special wake up this morning for Katie’s 18th birthday! We feel so lucky that two of our kids shared their birthdays with us this session- we love birthdays! We had another fantastic breakfast and had a quick pickup volleyball match before starting our hike to Blue Eye falls. Our LODs, MG C. And Collin, did a fantastic job setting the pace and keeping the group motivated. It was a hot day out so we were sure to drink plenty of water and take frequent breaks on the trail. Every opportunity they got, Shepard and Don were practicing their hackey sack skills. After a few hours, we arrived to the “Bluest Eye,” a waterfall with an awesome jumping spot and restaurant area overlooking the water. Everyone in our group jumped in to the frigid but refreshing water! Reese even jumped in multiple times with some of the guys, who posed for pictures. We stopped at another swimming spot on the way back and played categories as Barrett jumped into the water three more times. Slowly but surely, we made our way back to our hostel and played yet another match our group’s favorite activity: volleyball. Everyone was especially impressed my MG A.’s performance as she led her team to victory! Everyone showered and we made our way to a new dinner spot down the road. For dinner tonight, we were treated to tomato cucumber salad with olive oil, vegetable purée soup, toasted bread topped with feta & peppers, roasted zucchini, fries with ketchup, and grilled chicken & beef. For dessert, the restaurant provided gluten free lemon cake in honor of Katie’s 18th birthday. We had Moonup by the fire and after sang along to everyone’s favorite songs before heading to bed.
Day 8: Our last full day in Theth and everyone was eager to get an early start! We loaded up on breakfast and sunscreen before playing another volleyball match. We had a bit of shorter hike today to the Grunas waterfall. On the trail, Wells A. and Don enjoyed an energy drink together for a little power boost. We climbed up to the waterfall and enjoyed lunch with a breathtaking view! Cassie tried tuna salad for the first time and MG C. even tried beet humus. Our LODs, Margaret and Wells G. decided that the group would head back to our hostel to have some downtime before embarking on our zip lining adventure. We had so much fun zipping through the valley of Theth with the Albanian Alps as our backdrop. The zip line was nearly a mile long and everyone went in pairs. Once at the bottom we made our way back to the hostel for some downtime. We then decided to play a competitive game of capture the flag. Reese guarded the line and tagged opposing players on the other team out while Eliza protected the flag. Both teams ended up crossing the line at the same time ending the game in a true photo finish. After much discussion, both sides agreed to a tie (AKA- mutual win). Everyone cleaned up before dinner and the LODs organized a mini Moondance Prom for dinner. We had an incredible last Moonup in Theth and will be sad to leave but excited for the days ahead!
Don + Carter
Shout outs and thank you’s!
Wells Gamble – Thank you so much for sending me on this trip. Dad, I appreciate you always being there for me and giving me every opportunity to live life to the fullest. Thank you too Mom!
Collin – Happy Father’s Day dad and thank you for being there best dad. I love you so much and thank you for being somebody I can always talk to and allowing me to be able to do this trip. I miss you mom very much too.
Shep- happy Father’s Day dad, can’t wait to see you and mom. Y’all have done everything for me to send me to Moondance 3 years in a row, and I’m so blessed. I know I can always come talk to you dad and can’t wait for our hunting/ fishing trips again. I’ll try to find a present here!! Love y’all
Wells A. – Just got done trekking in Albania on the way to Greece. Our group is really really good and have tons of connections with all of them. Hope y’all have had a fun time at home without me. Dad happy Father Day I love you so much and the work you put in for our family never goes unnoticed. I miss you all and can’t wait to see y’all in a week. I love you all.
Norwood: hey guys, I’m still having so much fun and I’m so glad I decided to come. Thank y’all so much for letting me do this and happy Father’s Day to papa wadis #6/7
Barrett- hey guys having a ton of fun. Happy Father’s Day dad. If it’s possible could you guys bring my watch to Greece. See you in a week.
Katie: What’s up guys, Happy Father’s Day dad hope you have a great one sorry I can’t be there but appreciate you very much and miss you!! And tomorrow happy 19th birthday jack have fun I miss you too! Can’t wait to see y’all having the best time and everyone made my birthday here super nice! Mom good luck with the recovery hope you’re doing better. James you’d love this place. Miss y’all and hope y’all are doing good. Love y’all!
Mary Grace: Hey guys! Happy Father’s Day Dad wish I was there to celebrate! Hopefully y’all’s drive to Alabama was good and Meredith is enjoying camp. I’m having so much fun and have made so many good friends. Miss and love y’all so much!
MG: Hi guys! Happy Father’s Day miss you all. I am having so much fun and cannot believe I am almost halfway through my trip. Hope everyone is having fun at the beach I cannot wait to come after! See you soon!
Margaret: Hi!! Happy Father’s Day Dad I’m thank you so much for everything you do for me! I wish I could be there to give you a hug! I’m having so much fun and the Albanian alps were insane. Hope everything is going good and I love you all! Can’t wait to see y’all!!
Cassie: heyyyy!! Happy Father’s Day!!! I love you dad! And happy birthday Davis(tomorrow). And hello to annabeth Kaylee and mom. Love you all see y’all soon!!
Eliza: Hey guys! Happy Father’s Day!!! I love you dad! Hope you guys are doing great! Love you!!
Reese: Hi!!! Happy Fathers Day Papa❤️❤️I hope you had an amazing day, you deserve it more than anyone! We just finished treking in Albania and are on the way to the capital of the country (idk what it’s called). I am having SUCH an amazing time and our group is awesome. Thank you so much for letting me do this, I am so glad that I decided to. Hope y’all are not having too much fun in Nantucket without me! Love you🙌
Hello Hello!
June 11, 2025
Having the opportunity to venture through the Balkans with a new group of people before graduating high school is truly a once in a lifetime trip. The excitement in the air is palpable. Everyone in our group understands the depth of this experience. They exit the plane with gleaming smiles and eyes ready to see the beauty of Eastern Europe. Our adventure begins!
Day 1
Hello from Montenegro!! We are off to a fantastic start here on AMG and we can’t be more thrilled to have everyone here! We grabbed some lunch before we packed up and said goodbye to Dubrovnik. Our car ride was full of good music, great vibes, and magnificent views. Wells A. showed off his great geography skills while playing a guessing game and Shepard played us some of his favorite songs! We arrived to our campsite and got settled in after a long travel day. We unpacked and listened to Wells G. play us some songs on guitar! Before we knew it, it was time for dinner in which we had a spread of bolognese pasta with a side salad and fresh bread. We ended the day with Moonup, a nightly reflection time in which we get to reminiscence on the day’s activities and get excited about what’s to come!
Day 2
Our first elected Leaders of the Day (LODs) were Eliza and Norwood and they helped us wake everyone up for our big day! They led us in a great morning huddle and explained the day’s activities after we loaded up on breakfast. MG A. was so generous and braided everyone’s hair, even our guide Matea’s, before we started our rafting journey! We spent the next two hours rafting and exploring the beautiful waters of the Tara Canyon, also known as the second deepest canyon in the world! Each rafting group had a great time playing games, jumping in the icy blue water, and continuing to get to know each other better as we voyaged through each rapid. We ended the activity with an exciting and competitive relay race in which Shepard led his team into victory! We were pretty tired afterwards and filled up on a big lunch of baked chicken with a side of home grown tomatoes and cucumbers. We took advantage of the daylight and laid out on the beach while the boys enjoyed skipping rocks. Norwood spent some time building an enormous tower of rocks which impressively remained upright. Some of the boys climbed up on penguin rock and showed us their best jumps-> Katie was the only girl to brave the cold waters and jump off! Meanwhile, Don and Barrett set up their enos and read for a bit to the babbles of the river. Everyone showered followed by games on the lawn. Cassie taught everyone her favorite Moondance game of Mr. Commissioner and we even ended up playing for over an hour! Collin, our resident mafioso, made the group cry with laughter in his part as the killer in “Handshake Mafia” game. Margaret and Reese found the cutest kittens and got to play with them! We played mafia with Wells G as our awesome narrator. We finished our games with some hacky sack before dinner. For supper, we were treated to a native dinner of chicken and rice followed by a sweet honey, cinnamon cake with chocolate icing. We all met next to the stream for moonup lead by our wonderful LODs to finish off our second day. Afterwards, we filed into our rooms to rest after a long day of adventure!
Day 3
We had an earlier morning today but our LODs, Cassie and Barrett woke everyone up with some gusto! We grabbed our equipment for rafting and headed to breakfast. We loaded the vans and embarked on our incredibly beautiful scenic drive to our rafting spot. We even got to stop at a grocery store and grabbed some snacks and goodies for the road! Once we arrived, we ate a packaged lunch of baked chicken, fresh tomato, bread, and a brownie. Once we were finished, we put on our gear and loaded up our rafts. The weather was beautiful today and although cold, MG C. was quick to motivate the girls into the water for a dip when we got the chance. Each raft paddled down the river and enjoyed every second of it. Eliza began asking her boat some get to know you questions. MG A. showed off her sports knowledge during a game of Alphabet categories, which impressed us all. Wells led his raft down the stream, calling “row”, “forward”, and “stop” to make sure everyone was in sync. We took a pit stop to climb up a waterfall and into a beautiful cave! We finished our rafting journey with some games and big splashes before settling back in a camp. Everyone showered and got ready for dinner which consisted of pork chops with red sauce, salad, rice, and cornbread. We wrapped up dinner and ended our evening with a lovely Moonup next to the fire. Reese and Wells G. were nominated at our LODs for tomorrow! And with that we were all ready for a good night’s sleep.
Day 4
We had a lowly last day at Camp Grab here in Montenegro! We started the morning off with a big breakfast followed by some free time. We listened to each other sing and play guitar, while most of us basked in the warm sun. Margaret even learned how to play piano man on the harmonica! Katie and Carter spent the time asking questions and getting to know each other’s better. We had a big lunch before we were ready for our afternoon rafting section. Collin led at the front of the boat today and was one of the first to cliff jump! We got to stop at a 32 degree waterfall and all the boys went for a cold plunge beneath the surface. The rest of the afternoon Carter’s boat played wavelength, a classic Moondance number guessing game. MG C. gave her group some great scenarios that helped narrow down what number it was. Before we knew it, it was time to get out and head back to Camp Grab to shower and cleanup before dinner. We had pulled pork, mashed potatoes and cheese bread making this some of the kids’ favorite meals thus far! We transitioned into Moonup and reflected on completing our first leg of the trip. Although sad about this stage coming to an end, we are so excited about the days to come!
Xoxo, Carter and Don (aka Darter)
Shout outs:
Eliza: Hey mom and dad! I’m having so my fun here in Montenegro! I’m so excited to go to Albania and then Greece! Happy Father’s Day dad ❤️ I am so excited to hike in Albania and enjoy some Greek Salad! Please give Coco some love for me!! Miss you and love you!!! 😘
Reese: Hi Mom and Dad!!!! We are on the way to Albania right now and leaving Montenegro! I had such a fun time and the place we stayed at had the cutest kittens! Miss y’all and love yall soooo much & happy early Father’s Day 🙂 Also give all my love to Rosie and Charlie❤️❤️
Wells Alderman: Hey Mom and Dad. Hope moving in Sally went well. We had such a great time in Montenegro white water rafting and seeing so much great views. Our group is super good. Dad hope you have broken 85. Love you all.
Norwood: Hey guys, I’m having so much fun. I definitely thought it was going to be fun but I didn’t think I would connect with everyone this fast and well. Everyone is cool and fun to be around. I have played the guitar and sung with wells and the other kids. I also have a lot of mutual friends with everyone here. Love y’all!
Shepard: Hey Mom and dad, I’m having such a great time as I always do. I miss y’all so much. Have a great group of kids and it’s definitely one of the best yet. Can’t wait to see y’all when I get home. Only day 4 I’m having more fun than I’ve had on any trip. But just wanted to check in love y’all so much thank y’all for this opportunity.
Mary Grace: Hey Mom and Dad, I’m having such a fun time. We are driving to our second country today. I miss y’all so much and tell Maggie, Meredith, Marshall, and Ollie I miss them. I’m so excited for the rest of the trip. Love y’all so much.
Collin: Hi Mom and Dad I am having so much fun. We just finished rafting and it was very exciting and we got to jump off some rocks. Right now we are driving to Albania. I miss y’all so much and I can’t wait to see you soon.
Wells Gamble: Hi Mom and Dad! This is EASILY the best group I’ve ever had and the best trip I’ve ever been on. We went rafting, jumped into the river, and have had like amazing food. Everything is perfect. Tell Madeline I say hi if you can. I miss all of you so much (especially Wrigley). Happy Father’s Day and late Birthday dad. I hope you both are having so much fun in the Bahamas! See you soon!
MG: Hi Mom and Dad! – I am having the best time and cannot wait to see y’all I have a really good group! We are driving to Albania today and stopping at the mall. See you soon, love y’all. Happy early Father’s Day Dad! Tell cooper I miss him!
Cassie: Hi fam🤘! Miss you all!! I love my group so much! This is easily the prettiest trip I’ve been on. We just left Montenegro and the water there was so pretty I love rafting. Me and Margaret shared a bed and today’s her birthday! We’re leaving today and going to hike in Albania. Happy almost Father’s Day and late 25 anniversary!! And happy almost Davis’s birthday!! Love and miss you all!! I miss you Bella!
Margaret: Hi Mom and Dad!! I’m having the best time here! We started in Montenegro and went white water rafting. It was so fun!! Definitely a must for the family to come here! This is easily the coolest place I have ever been. I love my group so much and I’m having the best birthday ever!! We are on the way to Albania right now to start hiking. Tell Murphy and William I say hi and miss them! Happy early Father’s Day Dad! I love and miss you all! Can’t wait to tell yall all about it! Hope yall aren’t having too much fun without me 😂
Barrett: Hi Mom and Dad. Having a great time on the trip. Happy father’s day Dad. Hope you guys have fun in Nantucket. Love you guys. See you soon
Katie: Hey guys been having a great time we rafted, cliff jumped, and tanned. We’re on the bus right now going to Albania from Montenegro but I miss you guys. Hope you’re feeling better mom, tell Wyatt I say hi to, and tell James and Jack and dad they’re scammers. Love you guys. Happy early b day and happy early Father’s Day.
The Adventure Begins!
June 7, 2025
Hello Albania, Montenegro + Greece Families!
We heard from our leaders this morning that the group has landed safely in Dubrovnik! The group is so excited to start their journey together!
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
