Closing Out Croatia
July 19, 2025
Hello, and sadly, goodbye.
We are so sad to report that our two weeks together has wrapped up. However, the memories and friendships we made this summer will surely live on. These last few days have been an incredible combination of activities and heading south.
Let’s pick up where we left off.
After our final night at Rab Island we woke up and loaded up. We took the ferry off the island then drove down the coast to Paklenica National Park. Before entering the park, we had to fuel up for our afternoon of rock climbing. We ordered pizzas and salads, and even got one prawn pizza which came out with two large crustaceans on it. After filling up, we got back on the road and listened to AC/DC’s “Highway to Hell” as Paklenica translated to hot hell in English. Luckily though, we were in the shade and the heat was no obstacle to our climbers. We met the guides and got a safety briefing before heading on the walls. Before we knew it, Walker had hooked into the wall and begun climbing. The crew took turns going up and down each route. Anne even did the routes a few extra times, barefoot. After our climbing had concluded we loaded into the van and headed to the town of Zadar for the night. As we were rolling in, we jammed out to some singalongs and kept the vibes high. Upon arrival, we unloaded the bus, grabbed our bags, and wove through the alleys to our hostel. We dropped our stuff and then hit the town. We shopped, got ice cream, and watched some street performers before it was time for dinner. Dyer got even more muscles to embrace the coastal nature of the nation, and we all left with our stomachs full. After dinner, we walked around the opposite side of the town. There were tons of light shows going on and a little bit more shopping was done, Weiler even found a highly coveted Moonball, a favorite souvenir of the trip. After this, we decided it was time for a rest and headed back to our hostel for one of the most comfortable nights of sleep yet.
The next morning we woke up and ate a killer breakfast at the hostel. We even ordered coffees and got to chill out a little bit before weaving back out of the town and meeting Marko to drive even further South. Once we arrived in the town of Omis we grabbed a quick lunch then met our zip lining guides. We all felt like eagles flying across the beautiful Cetina Canyon. The group spirits stayed high and we sung songs on each line we passed through, Disney classics were a particular favorite for belting out. There was even one line where students could zip line together, and Anne and PK took this opportunity instantly and laughed the entire time. After ziplining, we headed back down to the coast and got settled in our campsite for the night that was perched right on the sea. We dawned our haunting suits and jumped in to start exploring. After we had been exhausted by the waves, we sat up on the edge of water and jammed out before dinner. Once we arrived to dinner, we were greeted by a beautiful sunset and lively atmosphere. Most students split meat plates while Lola, Baker, and Baer tried out the fish. Baker and Baer also took it upon themselves to eat a fish eye, for good luck of course. We loved eating family style one last time! All day the group had been begging for a dance party and boy did she get one. After the meal we were invited to dance on our tables to the live band. We rejoiced and sang classics like Proud Mary and Wagon Wheel. And then, of course we had to celebrate our birthday girl Emma. We brought out a cake and the band sang along to happy birthday as she blew out the candles. There was also a mermaid, because why not? And she added a hilarious tint to our night, she said she had recently swam over from Costa Rica… safe to say we shared some laughs. After the band finished, Anne asked the guitarist if she could play and he obliged. She played a few songs and then Walker took a spin on the strings. It was wonderful to see these students perform in this way and the rest of the crowd enjoyed it as well. Afterwards, we retired to Moonup at our campsite and then had a windy night of sleep.
Our final day together started off with a wonderful breakfast. We had coffee, cereal, meats, and eggs galore which got us fueled up for a morning swim in the sea one last time. Then, it was time to shower and load up. For the last time we wove down the coast. Ryan played some emotional music as we neared into our final stop: Dubrovnik. Once we arrived, we settled into our accommodation, a dormitory that gave us all a zen vibe from all of the plants that surrounded our rooms. After that, we then loaded the bus and went to old town Dubrovnik. We walked in the walls and were enchanted to discover stone streets and shopping galore. The kids quickly got after it, buying souvenirs, Court ordered a milkshake to satisfy his cookout craving, Lola found a nice purse in an authentic Croatian leather store, and we even bought somecnew books to read. We had so much fun exploring but all the while, we had been working up an appetite. So we went to a Mexican restaurant (of all places) to celebrate our last night together in Croatia. After our filling meal, we walked around a bit more and got even more ice cream. Dyer even got a Croatian water polo cap to commemorate his time on the coast, and because he lost a bet. As we were exiting, we found the street performers that Georgia had been hunting for. Walker got the crowd and music going and we all danced to “Hallelujah.” Micheal even tried doing the doggie to this song, which might be a first but we supported him whole heartedly. Catherine did her best to coach him through this endeavor, but we were perfectly content just dancing in the streets, we could have stayed for hours. When we arrived back at the accommodation we had one final Moonup before hitting the beds one last time.
Today we woke up, packed up, and went to the airport where we celebrated Anne’s sweet 16 birthday with breakfast donuts before parting ways.
This trip has been a blast to lead and we are so incredibly thankful for the energy that each student brought. We hope that they will all come back to Moondance in the future and continue to have a positive impact on their peers, leaders, and the world around them. Thank you!
All our best,
Palmer and Ryan
Hey, Hey From CROATIA 3A!
July 16, 2025
WOW, we have been busy this last week, and we have been dying to tell you about it!
Once we departed our bungalows we were bound for the mountains. We stopped quickly to shop for the next three days as we would be cooking for ourselves at the mountain hut. Our fearless LODs Baer and PK helped shop for the group. They stuffed chicken, avocados, toast, cereal, cheese, and so much more into two giant shopping carts before we were content. After all, feeding 16 people for three days is not a simple task. Then, we celebrated with an excellent pizza lunch. All of the ingredients from this restaurant had been sourced locally and the flour had even been milled in the backyard of the restaurant. After this, we continued up to the mountains and got our tickets for entry to Velebit National Park. Then, we met the host (Ivan) of the mountain hut (Zavizan) in the parking lot. He was kind enough to drive up our groceries while we made the hike. Once we had arrived the students began to soak in all of the views. On one side of us we saw the beautiful mountain range and on the other was the Adriatic Sea with the sun sparkling over. Once some card games had been initiated and primary explorations had been completed it was time for dinner. Since Mexican food is sparse over here we decided to cook our own. Baer and Catherine were the perfect chefs and cooked up enough burrito bowls to satisfy the crowd. After this, we had Moonup before retiring to our bunks.
The next morning we were able to wake up slowly and in no rush. Lola and Micheal made everyone some sausage and eggs which was all the fuel we needed to head on our first trek. The students chose to take the adventurous route to our first peak. We climbed over boulders and traveled through meadows before summiting a small ladder which led us to a well deserved view. We celebrated at the top with lunch and Nutella biscuits (a favorite snack of the group). After this, we descended. Most of us had to break out some skiing logic and traverse back and forth on the downhill because of some slick mud, but I am happy to say that no one had a yard sale! We climbed up to another peak, from this one we could see our home on the horizon. Then, we weaved back through the woods and returned. Upon our arrival, the students had worked up an appetite so we passed around carrots, cucumbers, bagel chips, and hummus to satisfy their cravings. Soon, it was time for dinner and the Chef Dyer and Chef PK ruled the kitchen. They flipped burgers like pros and delivered a timely and delicious meal to their hungry customers. Afterwards, LODs Baker and Emma led us through Moonup.
The next morning we got to sleep in one last time and even woke up to a little drizzle outside. However, the sky quickly cleared as Court and Baker made bacon and crepes. This meal had us truly embracing our sweet side, and we topped our crepes with Nutella, bananas, peanut butter, and whipped cream. All that fuel was needed though, as a 10 mile day awaited us. We took what Lara considered “a long walk” which led us around the limestone cliffs of the mountains and into the willow forests before reaching a different (much less civilized) mountain refuge. We chilled out and had our lunch among beautiful purple wildflowers in bloom. Afterwards, Court led the hike home. Once we arrived, Lola, Weiler, Georgia, and Catherine headed out to the meadow to take a well deserved nap. Before we knew it, the field had been taken over by some wild horses so we all headed down to check them out. The scene looked as if it was straight from a postcard for the place, the sun was setting over the Adriatic with green mountains and about 40 horses in total. It is safe to say we got some good photos of the moment. Afterwards, Anne and Georgia made some wonderful grilled chicken and pesto pasta which we quickly scarfed down. Zavizan was packed which kept things lively as we drifted off to sleep after an exhausting day of hiking.
The next morning, we woke up and packed up. Marko had come to retrieve us and he even brought some carrots to feed the wild horses which had come back again. Unfortunately, the horses weren’t too interested and preferred their grass over his treat. With that, we said our goodbyes to Ivan and ventured down the mountain and on the ferry across to Rab Island. Once we arrived, we picked up a nice lunch and found our campsite. It didn’t take long for PK, Dyer, Anne, Court, and Baer to hang their hammocks and set up our prime hangout spot. We all took an afternoon swim then took long awaited showers. After we were clean, we walked off to dinner at the buffet. Once we had all stuffed ourselves (and PK had a self- proclaimed 12 scoops of ice cream) we walked to a nearby bouncy trampoline. Once he was hooked in, Dyer did so many back flips we lost count. This was exhausting, of course, so we wandered back to camp, then Moonup, then bed.
The next morning we woke up thrilled for the day ahead. We scurried off to breakfast, then a little bit further down the boardwalk where we met Mateo, our boat captain for the day. We all got snorkels and fins then loaded up. Our first snorkel spot was a cave, which you had to briefly hold your breath and dive down to enter. This got our sense of adventure rushing, and so did jumping off the roof of the boat. We spent the rest of the day on the boat, floating around the island and stopping at spots to jump, snorkel, and jam out. At one beach, Walker decided to bury Baker. There was no sand though, so he used thousands of small pebbles to temporarily bury his friend which got us all laughing. Boat day was over all too quickly but we blasted some of the Mama Mia soundtrack upon our arrival back to the marina. Afterwards, we got ice cream to cool off. Then, to top it all off, we headed to the waterpark at the edge of our campsite. This place was small but mighty, we each got 6 rides on the slide and we did not waste any. There was one red slide which dropped straight down that we tried out. Then, we tested the curvier yellow slide by all going down at once. We were all dying laughing by the time we ganged up in the pool below. After this action packed day, we got showered, ate, then had one final hoorah on the beach: a VERY intense game of beach volleyball. We gathered a crowd as we competed until it was too dark to see the ball. In the end, the Splatters (Emma, Lola, Walker, Georgia, Baer, Catherine, Weiler, and Walker) won out over the Killers . It was a little difficult to calm our spirits after that, but LODs Lola and Michael did a great job of bringing us through Moonup with grace.
The next morning, we woke up and did the same walk to breakfast and then to the marina. But this time, instead of a motor, it was our own drive fueling us. We grouped into pairs made by a random wheel generator before paddling off into the crystal blue waters for our sea kayaking section. We took a few breaks to swim on the way out then docked at a rock beach where we chilled out for the middle park of our day. We had lunch on the beach too and swam around as we digested. Before we knew it, it was time to head back. Anne and PK decided to ditch their kayaks mid way through the journey and instead swam back to the base, of course they laughed the entire time. After our kayaking, students explored some of the markets and Dyer even treated himself to a hot plate of local muscle. In the meantime the rest of us had worked up an appetite so we headed back to the buffet and then to a magic show on the terrace below. After the show, we headed back to the jump park where Walker showed some particularly impressive jump skills. Afterwards, we ended off at the boardwalk with some cotton candy and Moonup.
These last few days are packed to the brim and we cannot wait! This last week has brought us closer than ever and we cannot imagine it any other way. Thank y’all so much for this opportunity!
All our best,
Palmer and Ryan
Thank you’s!
Dyer- dear mother dearest and father dearest, I’m having a splendifull time. All the guys and girls are so fun and I’m really enjoying it. We had a boat day and we went snorkeling under rocks into a mini cave and it was so cool. I know yall would love it here and I miss y’all. Love y’all.
Georgia- Hi guys!! miss you all and I am having such a fun time. It is so pretty here and I wish you guys could experience this with me. thank you so much for this opportunity! Miss you guys, see you soon!!
Weiler- Hi! I am having so much fun! We just finished up our Rab Island section of the trip and it was so amazing. We swam in the prettiest water and kayaked and it was the best. I even swam in a bat cave! Thank you so much for sending me on this trip. I love getting to know this group and doing so many amazing things. Can’t wait to see you and Poppy! Love you!!
PK- Hi Mom Dad Baddie! Thank you so much for this amazing once in a lifetime opportunity! I am having sooo much fun. We had a boat day and sea kayaked in the prettiest water. I also surprisingly survived the trekking. I have had so much fun getting to know everyone on my trip and exploring Croatia. I miss y’all a lot but having tons of fun. Love y’all! Thank you!!🦚
Catherine- Hi guys!!! I am having SO much fun!!! It’s crazy that I get to see u guys in like 3 days YAYYY!!! I’m so excited but also sad to leave! We had a boat day and then Sea Kayaked which was sooo amazing and aesthetic! I can’t wait to show my pics and memories!! Love you guys and see u soon☺️
Lola: Hey guys! I am having the best time ever on this trip. We went hiking in the mountains and then spent a few days on an island. We had a day on a boat and went sea kayaking. The water is so insanely gorgeous, I wish you guys could see it. I am so grateful that you guys sent me on this trip and I can’t wait to tell you guys all about everything when I get home! I love you all so much and miss you guys a lot. Tell Scout, Bristol, and Wilbur that I say hi! Thank you and love you lots!
Michael- Hi mom and dad the trip has been really fun so far thanks for letting me go. We did a bit of hiking when we stayed at this mountain hut which was really fun. Just wait till I tell y’all about Rab island that place was insane. I miss y’all and I can’t wait to see yall soon love y’all.
Walker- Hi guys. I’m having a great time. We are on our way to rock climbing right now. We just spent three days camping by the beach and it was so fun! Thanks for letting me come on this trip.
Emma- Thanks for letting me come on the trip I’m having fun and please bring me Chick-fil-A when u pick me up from the airport.
Baker – Thank you for letting me go on this trip it has been very fun so far and I would love to go to cookout once I get home.
Baer – Hey y’all, I’m having the best time, we spent three days on this mountain hut with the most amazing view and there were wild horses and such cool stuff, we went trekking there. Then we spent three days on an island with a crazy view of the mountains we trekked. Thank y’all so so much for sending me on this trip, I couldn’t be having a better summer. I love y’all so much and I can’t wait to see yall soon. Tell frank and Jack I say hi!
Anne- hey mom dad mcaulay Clyde gagi Charlie aunt candy Taylor grams joice Vaughanie I’m having so much fun on this trip and am so glad I went on it! The Croatian sea is amazing mom and dad y’all would love it here! I am sad to leave!!!!!
Court – Hey Mom and Dad, I have enjoyed this trip very much. Thank you for this, it’s made me realize how lucky I actually am. Can’t wait to share some stories at home!
Living The Best Life
July 10, 2025
Dobar dan!
Helloooooo from Croatia. We have been off to a fast start these past couple of days and cannot wait to tell you all about it. These kids have been living large and making the very most of every moment! They have inspired us to be better leaders and we couldn’t be more thankful for it.
The trip started off well. Every kid arrived safely with all baggage in tow which is surely something to be thankful for. Our earliest arrival, Walker played some Blackbird on the guitar for the leaders as we waited for our big group’s arrival. Once we had met and collected their phones, passports, etc. we headed out of the airport and into the van. Before we knew it we were weaving through the backroads of Croatia. Looking out the windows we saw fields of wheat, mountains, and crystal clear rivers. Our driver, Marko, planned a stop for snacks so we tried out some local favorites. The Nutella biscuits were a hit but their local bbq chips were quite a miss which got us all laughing. We drove further before arriving at our bungalows. We paired off and made ourselves at home in the A-frame huts. We got settled before starting up some games of hacky sack. Weiler was basically a pro and impressed us all. As for most of the rest of us, it looked more like we’re performing an interpretive dance that went rogue every time the hacky sack flew our way. After this, we headed off to dinner where we were served with an American classic, grilled chicken, fries, and apple pie. This had us all feeling gooooood. Afterwards, we had our first Moonup of the trip. Each of the students also left with some new Moondance swag… t-shirts and journals for all, and an additional sun hoodie or wind breaker for alumni. And after a LONG day of travel we retired back to our bungalows.
We awoke the next morning and put on our bathing suits and chacos under the-shirts and shorts. We headed off to breakfast and excitedly awaited our first activity. First, we filled up on eggs, cereal, sausage, and fresh fruit, including Anne’s favorite: kiwi. After this, Marko picked us up for our first activity, white water kayaking. We paired up into groups of girls and guys before getting fitted in our life jackets and helmets then headed down to the river. The waterfalls awaited us and we wasted no time getting into nature’s playground. Emma was the first to chute down the falls and got a fresh splash of water to the face. Then, we headed further down river where PK and Dyer waged war on pretty much everyone. They took no prisoners and did their best to push everyone into the water. We shared the river with many turtles and trout, but we didn’t see a single other person as we traversed through the canyon. After this, other rafting guides picked us up and we headed back to the base where we shared a quick late lunch and headed back to camp. Showers were taken and dry clothes were appreciated. We played more hacky sack, and Catherine made up some funny dances to go with the game, including running as fast as possible in a circle to make it even more difficult due to dizziness. Then headed to a nearby restaurant and all had barbecue bowls then an orange cake. We headed back to camp then our first Leaders of the Day (LODs) Georgia and Walker led us through Moonup.
Then the next day we awoke to a slight drizzle but that didn’t stop us from being bright eyed and bush tailed as we headed back to the breakfast buffet. After this, Marko arrived and took us to Plitvice National Park. As we walked through the gates we were treated with the most stunning views of giant limestone walls tattered with waterfalls that fell hundreds of feet into Gatorade blue pools. Our local guide, Lara, told us about the history of the place and its status as a UNESCO world heritage site. After that, we headed down to see the blue pools up close. We spent the day weaving over the blue water over boardwalks and even got a boat ride across one of the larger lakes. The walk had us all gawking at the beautiful scenery that seemed to only get better and better. During the walk we played the movie game, where one person says three iconic items from a film and others try to guess the film based on this. Baer knocked all of our socks off with his impressive performance in this game. Before we knew it, the trail ended and we loaded back into the bus. This time though, Ryan and I had a special trick up our sleeve and we made a surprise ice-cream stop on the way home to celebrate. Then, we played lots more hacky sack and Lola gave us henna tattoos, so we are all looking preettttyy cool now:). As this went on Micheal got on aux and played us all some sweet tunes, and we couldn’t be more thankful for the soundtrack, especially Baker and Court who were locked into throwing the football. It was Ryan’s birthday so we had yet another dessert: ice-cream cake. Once the sun had set Anne and Micheal led us through Moonup.
We cannot emphasize how much fun this trip has been. We are headed off to the mountains and sea now and we can’t wait to check in later. For now, we’ve got more adventures to have!
All our best,
Palmer + Ryan
Anne: hi mom dad Clyde and Mcaulay I miss you guys but I’m having so much fun my group is really good and I’ve gotten really close with everyone I slept in a hammock last night PK Baer and baker got too cold, but Dyer and I were the only two who stuck it out. I’m pumped for the ocean and hiking which is where we are going now! Love you guys cya soon!!! PK and I are having fun again and ofc are going together next year!!!
Michael: Hey guys it’s been really fun so far and we went kayaking on a river where the water was super clear it was kinda crazy. The next day we walked through a national park where the water was also extremely clear and there were waterfalls and stuff so that was cool to see. We’re about to go to a new campsite but I’ll miss our old one cause it was pretty nice. I’m really excited for our boat day because that’s going to be super fun. I’ll tell y’all all about it when I’m back love y’all.
Georgia: Hi guys!! Miss you all sooooo much! I am having so much fun and I can’t wait to tell you all about it! We went to a national park and the water looked like gatorade it was crazy. We are about to go treckking for a couple days but I am most excited for when we get to go in the ocean! It was a little chilly to start off the trip but it is getting warmer thank goodness. We have been playing so much hacky sack and having so many good laughs. Can’t wait to see you guys!
Lola: Hi guys! It’s only been a few days but I’m having so much fun. I miss you guys and the dogs a lot, but I’m so happy with all the fun stuff that we’re doing. We went kayaking down this beautiful river and went to this national park that had the most insane waterfalls. The water was so clear and blue it looked fake. My group is so fun and we have been playing a lot of hacky sack (I’m still bad at it sorry dad). There is also this cute dog named penny at our campsite. Love you guys and I can’t wait to tell you all about everything!
Walker: Hi guys! I am having an amazing time and the group is arguably better than last years. We are on the way to our hiking spot where we will hike for the next 3 days. I am super excited and miss and love you guys!
Emma: Thanks for letting me come on the trip, I’m having fun!
Weiler: Hi everyone! These first few days have been a great start to the trip. Our group is amazing and already so close. I have already seen so much beautiful scenery and played so much hacky sack. I’m so excited for all that comes next and can’t wait to tell you about everything more when I get home. We are about to start our trekking journey and there are so many more activities to come. I am so excited for the rest of this trip! Miss you and love you all!
PK: Hi everyone, in these first few days a lot has happened. I love my group so much!! I tried to sleep in my hammock last night but I woke up too cold. I am having a blast and me and Anne are going again next year! We are now off to go trekking for 2-3 days! I am having so much fun!! I love y’all so much! Thank y’all so much for sending me on this once in a life time opportunity!! Love yall!🦚
Baer: Hey Yall! I’m having the best time so far, I got such a good group of people this year. Our first full day we went white water kayaking and the next day we went to this insanely beautiful national park. Right now we’re on the way to Go trekking for three days which should be really fun. Last night me and a few of our friends slept in our hammocks. Again I’m really sorry about the phone, I love y’all!
Dyer: Dear Mama D and Rus Bus, it’s only been 5 days and a lot has happened. Tons of new friends and I like all of them. We slept in hammocks last night by but only 2 stayed. Sorry not sorry but I invited everyone to blalock after the trip. But having a great time. Love y’all.
Catherine: hi guys! I miss you guys so much but I’m having so much fun! We have kayaked, gone to a national park and now we’re going to trek! I love my group and my leaders so much! I can’t believe it’s already been 5 days! See you guys so soon! Love you 😊
Court: Hey Mom and Dad, I have a great time on this trip can’t wait to come back with y’all. You would love it! Love Court
Baker: Hi Mom and Dad, I am having a great trip so far and our group is great I hope y’all are having a good time in Hawaii. Love Baker
Safe Arrival in Zagreb!
July 8, 2025
Hello Croatia Families!
We heard from our leaders that the group has arrived 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
