Signing Off!
July 28, 2025
Day 9
Hello from Tiranë, Albania! We were sad to leave Theth but excited for the next leg of the trip! We spent the car ride each queuing 3 of our favorite songs. Vince started us off strong with some classic yacht rock! Many people slept on the ride and we stopped at our beautiful lunch spot on top of a vineyard. We had a delicious course of cheeses, meats, and spreads! Arden loved trying the pomegranate juice and even bought some cool gifts from the local shop! We were ready to hit the road again, and before we knew it, we arrived in the capital! It wasn’t long before we started walking to our cooking class! We made traditional Fërgesë (vegetable and cheese stew) and spinach Bureks for dinner! We had so much fun chopping the veggies and making the dough for the bureks. Lila was in charge of adding corn flour to each bowl while Lilli was pouring water into each to turn it into a dough texture. Luke and William took turns filling bowls with veggies and butter to put into the oven. We made traditional cookies, and Taylor and Chloe decorated the cookies with almonds. Ari took some behind-the-scenes GoPro videos and pictures. Everyone loved trying the food we made, and it left us so full. But not full enough to not get ice cream! We walked, and everyone was pumped to get ice cream! Dom loves all things lemon-flavored, so he was especially excited to get the lemon gelato. Quinn and Don continued to play 20 questions, attempting to stump one another. We headed back to our hostel and ended the night with Moonup led by William and Taylor!
Day 10
It was another early morning in Albania as we departed Tirane and made our way to Sarande! We queued everyone’s favorite song to listen to on the drive. We stopped to grab some pizzas for lunch on the road, and before we knew it, we were pulling into our beachside hotel! Everyone was super excited to run down and get to the beach. We swam and tanned before it was time to get ready to explore Sarande. Vince, Dom, and Luke bought funny off-white shirts from a street vendor while Chloe purchased her fake Labubu that Charlie helped pick out. Everyone decided we wanted to do bumper cars, and everyone got to drive their own. We finished our evening with amazing burgers for dinner and gelato! Quinn and Lila led us in a very impactful Moonup on the beach. We are so appreciative of this group and love seeing how everyone loves and supports each other!
Day 11
We had a lovely morning getting ready for the ferry and heading to Corfu, Greece! The girls got iced lattes, and we all headed down to the dock. We played cards, made videos with Charlie’s camera, and hung out for the smooth ride. We had a short van ride to drop off our bags at the accommodation and heading to lunch at San George’s! Everyone loved eating here and enjoyed an array of shrimp tacos, pizzas, and burgers. Everyone was pumped to spend the rest of the afternoon at the beach! All the boys got on the water inflatable, and Arden joined, being the only girl to do it! We had a few hours to relax and hang out before we made our way back to the villa and got some snacks. Everyone showered, hung out, and got ready to start preparing dinner. We made spaghetti bolognese with Ari leading the charge in making the sauce. Everyone loved the food, and we had a lovely Moonup during the sunset. Our LODs, Quinn and Lila, led us in a deep question and activity before going to bed.
Day 12
Today was our first full day in Corfu, and we made the most of it! We had rock climbing in the morning, and Arden and William are our rockstars and climbed every route and even got to do some more advanced ones! Taylor and Vince both conquered their fears and climbed with the group cheering them on. After a while, we were ready to go home and head to the beach! As a group, we all decided to do the beach inflatable out in the water! We had the best time jumping around and playing tag. Charlie and Luke stayed back with Don and tried to run across the floats as fast as possible without falling. We spent the rest of the afternoon hanging out on the beach before showering and getting ready to make dinner. We made Greek bowls. Taylor and William cut up chicken while Chloe chopped up the onion and garlic. Lilli was in charge of cooking the chicken and ensured there was enough seasoning. Our meal was so great and everyone loved it! Lila headed our cleanup crew with Vince, Dom, and Ari’s help. We had a great Moonup while the sun was setting, in which LODs, Ari, and Dom brought the group closer and helped make lasting memories. Everyone was wiped from the day and ready to hit the bed!
Day 13
Today was our boat day! We woke up ready to seize the day and excited to be on the water. We woke up, had some breakfast, and walked to the boat. Our guide showed us around some of the caves and coves of Corfu island! We then found a nice rocky beach to hang out on for a few hours, listening to music and making pita sandwich lunches. Everyone went snorkeling and enjoyed seeing all the underwater sea life. Soon, it was time to head back. The girls found a free entry pool, so we set up shop and spent the afternoon hanging by the pool until it was time to shower. We had our first gyros of the trip and enjoyed every bite at a local restaurant next to our accommodation. Lilli and Vince then led us in Moonup on the beach. Charlie had the idea to have everyone run as fast as they could in the sand. We did a few races before everyone was tired and ready to head back to the villa and go to sleep.
Day 14
We woke up early this morning, and Arden helped Carter make scrambled eggs for the group. We hopped on our bus and said goodbye to Villa Lucia! Before we knew it, we arrived at the Pink Palace, our spot for sea kayaking. LODs, Quinn and Taylor, divided up the kayaks and made paddling partners. We had so much fun, and the water was beautiful today. Lilli and Charlie called themselves the chill boat and managed to knock Carter off the paddle board, causing everyone to laugh. Chloe and Luke’s boat flipped, sinking one of their paddles. William came to the rescue and dove down to retrieve the paddle before it was lost! Dom found some snorkels and was diving under the water, meanwhile Quinn got to try out paddle boarding. Ari’s boat also got flipped, and Arden got some great photos of everyone. It was eventually time to leave, and we grabbed some sandwiches and ate while we waited for our bus to pick us up. We played Shake and Pop and one last round of Mr. Commissioner. Lilli was making everyone laugh with her facial expressions and got many people out. Our bus arrived, and Chloe got the AUX and played some 2000s songs and danced. We got to Corfu Town and settled in at our hotel! We spent the next few hours shopping and walking around Corfu! The girls especially enjoyed it, and Lila even got a dress! We headed back to the hotel to shower and change. We had an awesome last dinner in Corfu and got some ice cream before having a Moonup under the stars.
Day 15
Today was our last day together as a group, and we are so thankful for each and every one of our students. We headed to the airport in Corfu to begin our journey to Athens. We had a delightful flight and arrived in Athens with time to spare. We enjoyed a lunch of burgers and walked around to shop! Everyone got some awesome things before we wanted to take naps. Before we knew it, it was time for our last dinner, and we even got a view of the Parthenon! After we took some photos next to the Parthenon from a cool viewing spot, we did our final Moonup and reflected on what an awesome trip this has been!
HELLO TO THE FAM!!
July 21, 2025
Day 5
Hello from Albania! We spent the morning packing up and eating breakfast before saying goodbye to Camp Grab and hello to Albania! The car ride was spent listening to our favorite music, taking naps, and playing games. We stopped in Podgorica, the capital of Montenegro, at a mall for an hour. Dom bought a pizza while Vince tried out a mall hotdog! Everyone loaded up on snacks and Ari and Lilli even got matching sunglasses. The drive was smooth sailing from then on and the kids were so excited when we pulled up to our accommodation and finally arrived in Theth, Albania! Surrounded by the beautiful Albanian alps in the valley of Theth, the group was ready for this new chapter to begin. Everyone settled in and we played some volleyball after. William showed up his skills and was by far our MVP! Soon, it was dinner time and everyone was pumped to see the spread in front of us. We had a feast of lamb, fried veggies, tzatziki, and fries. We dug in and were full and ready for our LODs, William and Arden, to lead us in our first Moonup in Theth! Everyone was pretty tired but played one last round of death sack before going to bed!
Day 6
It was an earlier morning here in Theth and we woke up with the roosters calling. We had a delicious breakfast buffet and Don led the group in dynamic stretches before we were off on our hike. The first half of the hike consisted of a 3,200 foot elevation gain and the group killed it! Luke and Quinn played wavelength extended, a game in which you guess the number based on a person’s response to a category. Taylor and Vince discussed their music taste and love for vinyls and playlists. We took several breaks along the way. Don and I were so impressed by the group’s positivity and energy as we made our ascent! After a few hours and some scenic photo ops, our group submitted the Valbona pass! We enjoyed our sandwiches and were in awe with the view! Chloe used Carter’s camera to take some great photos of the group. On our way down Lila and Charlie discussed his track events and got to know each other while Arden and Carter discussed their shared love for psychology! The way down was smooth and we stopped to get some sodas at a mountain hut before finishing our day hike back at our hostel in Theth. Our legs were sore but we had such an amazing day of trekking! Everyone showered and ready for another fantastic dinner! We ended our wonderful evening with a Moonup under the stars led by LODs, Lilli and Quinn.
Day 7
It was another earlier morning today in Theth as we got ready to embark to the Blue Eye, a beautiful waterfall and a 12 mile round trip hike. Don led us in stretching again after a big breakfast and before we knew it, we were on our way! Our hike was spent playing games, discussing sports, and asking get to know you questions. We stopped at a spot to get soft serve ice cream before finishing the rest of the hike! We made it in record time and after eating lunch everyone was eager to jump in the water. Don was the first person to jump off the rock and into the freezing cold water. The rest of the group wasn’t far behind! We all enjoyed jumping in the water and embracing the ice cold water. We dried off and started heading back. Don and Quinn played 20 questions the entire way back. The way back went by quickly with everyone a bit tired. We had some time to chill before an amazing dinner at a local spot in town. Our LODs, Ari and Luke, finished off our night with another Moonup under the stars!
Day 8
We were sad for our last full day on Theth but excited for today’s activities. After a big breakfast, we hit the road and got to our zip lining activity! The zip line is over a mile long with a 360 degree view of the Albanian Alps. We sped down in style and everyone posed for Carter who was at the bottom taking pictures. We decided to go straight into our hike to Grunas Waterfall right after! It was a quick but fun hike. Carter, Taylor, Vince and Lilli had some fun trail talks along the way. Several people opted to get into the waterfall once we arrived. Despite the freezing water, it was so much fun! Lila and Don had a long conversation about their favorite comedians. We had the best time and had an easy way back down to our hostel. We had plenty of free time in which everyone drew and played hacky sack. Before we knew it, it was dinner and we took pictures before having our last dinner in Theth. Chloe and Charlie led us in our final Theth Moonup and had a hilarious nug jug story that had everyone dying laughing. Everyone packed up their belongings and got some sleep!
Vincent: Thanks mom and dad for sending me here. I appreciate the opportunity yall gave me by letting me take this trip.
William: Shoutout mom and dad, thank you for giving me the opportunity to experience the world.
Dom: thanks mom and dad for sending me across the world. Thank you for the opportunity to experience the world
Luke: thanks mom and dad for sending me on this moon dance trip it’s been great to experience more of the world.
Arden: mom and dad, thank you for letting me experience the world in this unique way. I can’t wait to tell you all about it. I love yall!!
Charlie: hi mom and dad- we just finished hiking and are going to the capital of Albania right now. I’m having a ton of fun and thank you guys for letting me come on this trip
Lilli: Mom and Dad, we just finished hiking in the Albanian alps and we’re on the way to Greece!! It’s so amazing, thank you so much for letting me experience this! I love you both so so much and miss you lots, safe travels!
Ari: Hi mom and dad, thank you so much for letting me do Moondance for the past 4 summers. I’m so grateful and you guys rock! Love and miss you lots
Taylor: Hiii mom and dad, thank y’all so much for letting me get to experience this and travel the world in this way! I miss y’all so much but I am having the best time ever!!! Y’all are the best and love y’all so much!!
Chloe: Hi Mom and Dad!!! Thank you so much for letting me go on Moondance, especially after Spain. It’s been absolutely awesome! You guys rock!! I love you both and I’m so excited to see you soon❤️
Lila: Hi mom and dad!! Thank you so much for letting me go on this trip and all the ones before! And thanks dad for working so hard so I can go on this trip!! Btw i did a little fall but all better now!! Love y’all and miss y’all so much!!
Quinn: Hey mom and dad! Thank you guys so much for letting me experience this trip it has been so much fun and my group and leaders have been awesome! Miss you guys and I hope everything is going well at home! Love you!!
Making Waves in Montenegro
July 17, 2025
Day 1
After a long travel day, we are so excited that everyone has made it! We picked everyone up at the airport and made our way to Camp Grab in Montenegro. Dom played guitar for everyone in the van. Upon our arrival, we unpacked our things and played some hacky sack, followed by card games. William and Lila jumped into the cold water after losing a competitive card game. Luke and Arden decided to join them and jumped in! Before we knew it, we had an awesome dinner of pork with red sauce over rice with salad. It wasn’t long before Carter pulled up to the camp with the rest of our group! We finished the night off with our very first Moonuo all together as a group! We are so excited for this group and for the next few days of rafting.
Day 2
Everyone was thrilled to get some extra sleep today and get ready for our first full day together as a group! We had a wonderful Balkan breakfast of sausage, puff pastries, and scrambled eggs. It wasn’t long until we were putting on our swimsuits and making our way to our rafting spot. We split up into groups and helped carry the rafts into the water. We had so much fun learning more about each other and sharing fun facts. Vince shared about having his pilot’s license and flying! When the opportunity arose, everyone was thrilled to jump into the icy water off the rock! We played a few rounds of a Moondance classic, Don’t Touch My Rock, before hopping back in our boats and continuing down the Tara River Canyon. Lilli and Taylor shared their Love Island theories and opinions with the group, igniting fun raft conversations. We had such a fun day rafting and were ready for lunch by the time we got back to Camp Grab! After, everyone hung out by the water, jumping in after one another. We played some cards, and some people read. After some free time, we gathered the group together to play our favorite hacky sack game, Death Sack. By the end of the game, the group was pros! Quinn and William were our winners, and everyone applauded them in their victory. We headed down to the fire pit to play even more games. Don taught everyone Mr. Commissioner! Ari and Taylor were by far the pros of our group and had a rock paper scissors battle to determine the winner. It was then time for dinner and Moonup, led by our trip’s first Leaders of the Day, Charlie and Lila! After our long first day, everyone was exhausted and ready for a good night of sleep!
Day 3
Good morning from Montenegro! Our group was up and ready to go this morning. We ate a great breakfast before heading out for the day. We drove to some awesome viewpoints and got great pictures of the group in all their new Moondance gear! Everyone took turns playing their favorite songs on the speaker, and after a bit of driving, we arrived at Blake Lake! We had plenty of time to jump in the water, swim, and throw the frisbee! It was a beautiful day to see the lake and hang out. Quinn and Vince swam out to see how far they could get while the girls hung out closer to shore. Arden brought out her camera and showed everyone the pictures. Eventually, we were ready to hit the road and head back to camp. Once we got back, it was just in time for a dinner of spaghetti bolognese! Everyone was thrilled to eat and hang out. Chloe and Dom, today’s LODs, led us in our Moonup, but not before we played a game of Mafia! After, we played manhunt, before heading to bed!
Day 4
Everyone was eager to sleep in a bit this morning after our long day yesterday. We had another wonderful breakfast, followed by some free time until the afternoon. We played death sack in field and Luke was our champion! After, the girls tanned by the river while the boys swam and listened to music. Everyone got in the water at least once, and before we knew it, it was time for lunch. We then got ready to suit up for rafting! We had so much fun today and battled it out on the water, attempting to throw people in the other boat in the water. Don jumped onto the other boat and pushed Charlie into the water! We got to an awesome cliff jumping spot, and everyone cheered on Ari and Lilli as they jumped off the rock. Chloe entertained us all by playing 20 questions and wavelength. It was an awesome last day of rafting that had everyone laughing and cheerful. We drove back to camp and had some time to shower and clean up before our last dinner in Camo Grab.
-Carter + Don
Shout-outs!
Chloe: Hi fam!! The views and mountains here are so insane and I’m having the best time ever, but I miss y’all so so much!! I love y’all❤️
Taylor: Hi Guys!!!!! This place is absolutely beautiful and I am having so much fun!!! I miss y’all so much!! I Love ya!!! ❣️😽
Lilli: Hey Mom and Dad!! We are having the BEST time right now! Everything is so gorgeous here, I cant wait to tell you all about it! Give Emmy and Sadie hugs and kisses for me and have safe travels! Love YALL and you guys a ton ❤️
Ari: Hiiiiii! I am having lots of fun so far! It’s sooo pretty here, you guys would love it! Tell Zoe, Calvin, and Charley I miss them! Love and miss y’all so much!
Lila: Hi mom and dad!! I’m having so much fun and doing a bunch of cool stuff! Everything here is gorgeous and reminds me of skiing with yall and the water is so beautiful! I miss Andrew the most but yall too! I love y’all so much and thanks for letting me go on this trip!! Btw we are on our way to Albania rn
Charlie: Hi guys, hope everything is going well with Maple! We just finished rafting in Montenegro yesterday and are driving to Albania rn. We stayed at a camp that had stray cats everywhere. I’m having a lot of fun and miss you guys!
Arden: Hi mom and dad!! We’re driving out of Montenegro today after a few days of rafting and exploring. I can’t wait to tell you guys all about it. I hope everything’s good back home with the girls and that Trevor gets home safe in a couple days. I love and miss you guys so much. (Ps: they may have converted me into a country music fan…)
Vincent: Hey mom and dad, thanks for sending me here I’ve had a lot of fun. Love you.
Quinn: What’s up mom and dad? I’m having a blast here and I hope you guys are too!! Montenegro has been unreal and I can’t wait for Albania and Greece! Thank you guys so much for this opportunity and I love you guys and miss you!!
Dominic: hey mom and dad! I’ve got to say thank you guys so letting me go on this trip. I’ve made a bunch of friends and we just wrapped up with Montenegro and so we’re heading to Albania now. I’m so excited and it’s been a lot of fun. We went rafting for a couple days, which was so fun. Love you guys so much and miss you a lot!
Luke: hey yall, thanks for sending me on this trip it’s super fun and im having a great time! It’s really pretty with the mountains and everything and everyone here is really cool. I made sure to write stuff down so I don’t forget it and I’ll have lots of stories when I get back. Love and miss y’all!
William: Yoooooo, it is crazy here the mountains are huge and there are giant valleys and hilly plains with a bunch of small houses scattered everywhere. The water is also super clear and I caught a lizard that I almost jumped on. Still scouting for yall and will see yall when I get back. Love y’all
Safe Arrival!
July 14, 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
