Dobar Dan from Croatia!
June 16, 2025
We have been on the move these past few days and it’s time y’all hear about it!
On the fifth day of the trip we woke up and it was time to bid farewell to our bungalows. Our most loyal driver Marco came to pick us up and we headed off to the mountains. Before we knew it we had arrived at the grocery store where LODs Lina and Mathias spearheaded the bulk buying process for our three days at the mountain hut. While they pushed around two shopping carts full of food the others stumbled upon a nearby sportsplex and kicked around the soccer ball. After all that work we decided it was time to stop for some pizza, and it did not disappoint. Will M, Ben, and Mathias were particularly adventurous in their ordering technique and tried out a new pizza that had been written on the menu in exclusively Croatian, and they ate it all! Once we boarded back into the van Leigh was quick to teach Ryan the basics of bracelet making. In the meantime most of us slept and we woke to a beautiful view of the mountains. White limestone dotted through groves of trees and fields of grass, and atop it all we saw our red mountain hut. It stood two stories tall and etched onto the side of the mountain, soon this place became our home! Pike, William, and Will M were eager to explore the nearby peaks and quickly set off into the mountains while others stayed back to journal and read. We took a group hike to one of the newly uncovered peaks to watch the sunset before Pike and Catherine cheffed up some burrito bowls. After a long day of travel we slept excellently in the mountain air!
We slept in late and made the most of our slow mountain morning. Leigh taught a class on chess before cooking pancakes with Lila. As we headed off for our first official hike in the area Will R lead the pack. He and our fearless guide, Lara, led us to our first lookout where we stopped to soak in panoramic views. It felt like we could see the entire world, from the Velebit Mountains to the Adriatic Sea. We hit one more peak to gain yet another perspective on this beautiful place then headed back through the woods to the hut. We had worked up an appetite and brought out some snacks. Ben tried hummus for the first time and was mind-blown at its excellent taste and texture. We played cards to pass time as Lina and Will R cooked burgers. Will R stayed a star of that night by keeping us all laughing during his first Moonup as LOD.
On the seventh day we maximized the tranquility of the mountains by sleeping in again! We had a classic sausage and egg breakfast before heading out for our second day of trekking. Lara explained this route as a “long walk” but by the end of the day we all agreed that our nine mile day through the mountains was a full blown hike! Throughout the route we walked on ledges of mountains, traversed the shady woods, and carved our way past several caves. Madeleine kept the vibes high by carrying the speaker with a smile painted across her face. When the hike came to a close we celebrated with two of our favorite Croatian treats: sparkling lemonades and chocolate wafers. But that wasn’t all that was on the menu, soon Will M and William served us with a delectable chicken pesto pasta. Before bed, Mathias introduced the card game of Chairman MAO and we have been hooked ever since! Pike and Halle led Moonup and then we headed off to our well deserved sleep.
Sleep didn’t last long though, as we had all made a pact, on the final day at the mountain hut we woke up for sunrise. So, at the wee hour of 5 am we bundled up and headed to a nearby peak to admire the sun rising from the East! As the gradient of morning pinks and purples traded with the blue of day we headed back to our warm beds for some final hours of sleep. When we woke again we packed up, ate, and met Marco for yet another beautiful drive. As we headed towards the sea it was quickly apparent how clear the water was. We saw shelves of green and blue from the roadside and admired it more closely as we took a ferry off the mainland to our new island home. As we found ourselves heading out to sea Lina requested that we listen to some Kenny Chesney which only felt fitting for the sunny day. We had a feast for our inaugural island meal, pizzas and “cowboy” burgers as big as some of the boy’s faces. Once we were all full we headed off to camp where we were eager to cool down. So, we swam through the water that we had admired hours earlier then headed off to dinner. On the walk home we discovered a boardwalk filled with go cart tracks, games, and treats galore. Then we headed to Moonup on the beach led by Madeleine and William. And as we headed off to camp for bed, we suddenly got a burst of energy which led us back out. With our headlights flashing, and glow in the dark wristbands we had gotten from some Czech students, Ryan DJed for us until we were all tired enough to watch the stars in silence.
The next day we woke up, suited up, then headed off for the day. We walked to breakfast where a delightful buffet waited for us and then we wandered a little bit farther to get in our kayaks. We paired up with new partners, watched a safety briefing, then paddled off into the turquoise water. We stopped to swim a few times before arriving at a beach for lunch where Will R found a hermit crab to be our pet for the time, we named him Rico. When it was time to part with Rico we watched him crawl away and grabbed our kayaks to head back to the beach. It didn’t take long for us to get in and swim again, this time in the deep water which was so salty that it felt impossible to dive down deep. After we finished kayaking, Madeleine, Lina, William, and Pike all swam more before dinner as the others played cards. As we headed home from dinner that night, Pike picked up a basketball which prompted a game of PIG to breakout on the boardwalk courts. On the same court Ben found himself in a game of pickup soccer amongst other travelers. We all supported him before heading back to camp and getting some rest.
Our third day on the island we rose with the sun to make the most of our day! After breakfast we headed out on the boat for a snorkeling tour that did not disappoint! Our first stop was a cave. Once inside, a hole in the surrounding rock lit up the room so that we could see all the creatures that inhabited it! Once we had explored, we rode on the roof of our boat to our next spot, where we jumped into the water. After playing some jumping games and exploring another cave, we decided that we just hadn’t had enough and kept going. This time, we arrived at a rock with a diving board feature wedged in. After our outfitter gave us the go-ahead Catherine braved her fears and walked the plank to jump back in. After Pike did the jump he exclaimed that it had sent his adrenaline through the roof!!! Below, Lila found herself treading water in a massive school of fish before scouring the seafloor where she found a starfish hanging out. After this, we headed to our final stop of the day, a rocky beach where some swam and others just soaked up the rays. When it was time to head home Lina pronounced this day to be one of the top ten in her life, and we couldn’t agree more. To celebrate, the group got ice cream before (and during) dinner. Then we played charades on the beach as the sun set for our last time at the island.
All our best,
Palmer + Ryan
And now for some shout outs and hellos!
Lina: Hi!! Thank y’all so much for sending me on this trip! I am having so much fun! I miss y’all so so much! Happy Father’s Day!! Love y’all!
Lila: hi mom and dad! I just wanted to say thank you so much for sending me on this trip. Also, I wanted to say Happy Father’s Day dad! I miss you so so much and I cannot wait to see yall when I get home!
Will M: hello there papa and mama, I just want to say thank you for sending me on this trip. Dad, happy Father’s Day I miss you so much and can’t wait to see you at home. Mom please let me know what dog we are getting before max knows. Love y’all sooooooo much, Will
Will R: Hi ! Thank you so much for sending me on this trip it’s really cool. Also thank you for packing me so much sun screen I promise I’m using it even if it doesn’t show it. 🥰I am having a lot of fun though and also, happy Father’s Day Dad! Ok bye bye now 💕😋!!
Ben: Hey ma and dad. Thank you so much for letting me go on this trip. I know how hard you guys work to let me do things like this. And happy Father’s Day dad!
Pike: Hey mom and dad! I am very thankful for this once in a life time opportunity. I am having the time of my life and feel like I got here yesterday.
Catherine: hey!!! Just wanted to say how thankful I am for having this opportunity to do Moondance! thank you so much and thank you kk for the supplies. Happy Father’s Day daddy! love you. Hope you had the best day and gift is on way. Love y’all.
William: Hey, Happy Father’s Day hope all has been well while I’ve been gone. Thank you once again for letting me come on this trip. Love you
Madeleine: Hey! Thank y’all so much for sending me on this trip! I am having the best time ever and miss y’all so much! Happy Father’s Day dad! Love y’all and see yall soon!
Mathias: Happy Father’s Day Wiyum Thanks so much for letting me go on this trip it’s been lots of fun. I hope you all are doing amazing and I will see you soon.
Halle: Hiiii guys!! Thank u so much for sending me on this trip! I’m having the best time ever and can’t wait to see you guys soon. Tell dad I said happy Father’s Day and I will get him a gift from Croatia! I love y’all sooo much and can’t wait to tell you everything I’ve done!
Leigh: hi mom and dad thank you for letting me go on this trip. I am having so much fun and can’t wait to give a review on Croatia. And missing y’all extra today! Happy Father’s Day!!
Hvala (thank you)! We are so thankful for all of the people who have made this trip happen, especially the parents! Your kids have made us smile and laugh constantly and we are so grateful to have each of them on the trip!
Student Shout-Outs!
June 10, 2025
Lina: Hi!! I miss y’all so much! I’m having so much fun and I’m so excited to tell y’all all about the trip! I love y’all so much (more)!
Lila: Hi mom and dad! I miss y’all so much and I’m having a great time. I can’t wait to see y’all when I get back. I was so glad to hear that dad’s surgery went well and I hope he starts to feel better! I love y’all so much and I can’t wait to tell you all about Croatia.
Halle: HIIII!! I am having the best time of my life and I literally never want to leave!! I hope y’all are having fun in Dwood but not too much without me. I miss y’all so much and can’t wait to tell yall all about it!! Love uuuu!!
Madeleine: Hi everyone! I miss y’all so much! I’m having the best time and can’t wait to tell y’all all about it! Love y’all so much!
Catherine: hey! I’m having so much fun. We are currently leaving our first destination and heading towards a new camp site. The first couple of days were so much fun. I got a couple cool pics and vids on the go pro. Sadly, wills go pro stopped working but I got some pics of him. Will and I got L.O.D. (leader of the day) yesterday and everyone loves Will. They call him cousin Will. Anyways, miss y’all!!
Leigh: Hi mom and dad miss y’all!! I feel much better and I am having so much fun! Tell all the girls I miss them too! See y’all soon!
Will M: hey mom, hey dad I’m having so much fun on the trip and I miss y’all. Tell the dogs hi for me and tell Sam hi too when he gets back from covy rise. Love y’all.
Mathias: Hey mom and dad I’m doing great in Croatia. I miss you and love you lots. See you soon
Will R: Hi Mom and Dad! Croatia is so beautiful. The nature is vast, the water is clear, and the people are kind. I am learning extensively about Croatia and the Balkans as a whole. I miss you all and can’t wait to see you all again! Bye for now love you all see you soon! <3
Pike: Hey mom and dad I finally made it. Croatia is beautiful! Say hi to Biscuit
William: Hey I’m having lots of fun and can’t wait to tell you all about it. Love you and see you soon
Ben: Hey mom and dad. I’m having a great time – the kayaking was awesome. We’re driving to the mountains to start the trekking part of the trip. Thanks so much for letting me do this. Love y’all!
Checking in from Croatia!!!
June 9, 2025
Hello from BEAUTIFUL Croatia! We have been having the time of our lives exploring this incredible region and getting to know each of the students. You are probably wondering… what has my student been up to, and we surely have stories to tell!
After a long day of travel we arrived in the Zagreb airport, quickly collected our group, and headed out with our wonderful driver, Marco, and native Croatian guide, Lara. Some well earned naps were taken on the bus, and before we knew it we arrived at our first accommodation: bungalows. Students paired up with a friend they had not met before and got comfortable. It didn’t take long for Lila to pull out her set of cards and set up a game of spoons for the group. As the night progressed Will R. shared his vast knowledge of European history and geography which left us all feeling in awe of his stories! Before we knew it, it was time for dinner and Moonup, where we reflected on our goals for the trip and shared what character from an alternate universe we would choose to be. Students received some sweeeeet Moondance merch and we headed off to bed, ready for our next adventure!
We rose to the beautiful Croatian sun and headed off to a breakfast fit for kings and queens: croissants, scrambled eggs, fruit, yogurt, infinite juices, and miniature sausages which the boys LOVED. We packed some lunches for the river and then drove through the Croatian countryside. Ryan hyped us all up with some new music as we rolled up to the Mreznica River where we would white water kayak. After getting ready and watching a safety briefing, we put our wetsuits to the test and hopped into our bright blue boats. The cold clear water was the perfect contrast to the warm weather for the day. To start the journey our river guide, Bailey, sent teams shooting down a 6 foot waterfall. As we launched downwards our smiles couldn’t have been bigger. William and Madeline sent their kayak spinning while laughing down the river, and eventually they honed their skills to travel in a more direct path! Then we arrived at our next obstacle, a waterfall so large that we could not to traverse it. Instead, we jumped down into it and Madeline was the first student to take the plunge! Mathias even took the option to jump from the highest ledge at 8 meters! As morning turned into afternoon we traversed several more waterfalls and headed into a canyon that was filled with beautiful trees and green vines dipping into the rivers edge. Bailey told us more about the history of the area and how the waterfalls were formed. Then, the river turned from steep drops to more gradual white water rapids. Our smiles still had not wiped away, especially Lina’s as she was sent down the final rapid backwards! After weaving through the rapids, we decided it was time to stop for lunch and pulled over at a place so bizarre it amazed us. In the middle of the most seemingly remote part of the river was the venue of a music festival to come, filled with statues ranging from Greco-Roman style pillars to pagodas: safe or say we were entertained. After lunch, a quick paddle led us to the vans and we parted ways with Bailey. We headed back to the bungalows and down to yet another river. Our campsite hosts a source of the crystal clear blue water we had seen earlier in the day and we took it all in, enjoying time on the bank spent playing Uno, reading, and journaling. We headed to dinner and then had our first student let Moonup. Our LODs (Leaders of the Day) Will M. and Lila led us through a wonderful evening and even surprised the rest of the group with M&Ms.
Our fourth day of adventure was spent in what we decided was one of the most jaw dropping places our eyes had ever seen: Plitvice National Park. We headed off for another great breakfast and then packed for the park. Lara told us about the uniqueness of the landscape and then led us on a wonderful walk through the park over glass blue lakes, in the woods surrounding it, and feeling the mist from the falls. Ben practiced his photography skills and captured the scenery beautifully, as it deserved to be captured. As we galavanted through the park our jaws continued to drop. We were quickly met with a surprise of equal delight, a boat ride across the larger lake that took us to a more secluded back side of the park. We agreed that it felt like we’re on a theme park ride where everywhere we looked something new and interesting popped up. After a fascinating day in the park we headed off for the preferred treat of Moondancers worldwide: ice cream. After some downtime at the bungalows, Pike spearheaded the efforts to acquire a ball to kick around so we headed up to the store and got one for the group. It is safe to say that now we are anticipating some great games of kickball. While we were at the store Leigh and Halle bought some candy unique to Croatia and reviewed them in a Go Pro style vlog! They decided that it was an interesting batch, with the sour strawberries winning out over some more whacky treats that were the shape of flying saucers. Safe to say these girls are after the true Croatian experience! After some more time hanging around we headed off to our dinner and to our third Moonup led by LODs Catherine and Will M.
We are so incredibly thankful that each of your students is on the trip, they are all making this group so special and welcoming. We cannot wait to see where the coming days take us!
Until next time!!!
Palmer + Ryan
Hello from Zagreb!
June 7, 2025
Hello Croatia Families!
We heard from our leaders that the group has landed safely in Zagreb and is enjoying well-deserved rest after travel! The trip is off to a great start, and we are so excited to hear more stories as they begin their adventure.
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
