Sorry To Say Goodbye, Thankful We Did It!
July 16, 2025
One last hello from ICE 2A,
Fresh out the backcountry, we are sad to leave this beautiful place and each other! This group became so close over the last couple weeks, making this goodbye especially sentimental.
Starting from the top, our trekking section was nothing short of magical. The weather was ever so in our favor, providing us sunny lunch spots by waterfalls, rainbows falling into mountaintops, and brisk glacier rivers to wake us up along our trek. Shoutout French for having excellent expedition behavior and helping ferry students across rivers too deep to cross with boots on!
One of the days, we were able to cheer on hundreds of runners attempting a 55 km trail run along our route in the highlands! Nothing like a little teen spirit to keep you going! Speaking of which, we were so impressed by Kate B’s positivity and sunshine vibes the entirety of the trekking trip. Every vista we passed, she expressed her awe and joy to be here, which spread to the rest of the group as well. Colin did a wonderful job capturing this special type of joy from each student through his camera lens, and we can’t wait for him to share those moments with us when he gets home!
As we continued our trekking section through the highlands, we passed by several expansive vistas and waterfalls galore. We took every chance to soak up the sunshine, and drink fresh spring water flowing straight from the glaciers around. Palmer perfected her handstand on a mountain top, and Carrie and Carr constantly expressed their appreciation for sandwich time, which was a pivotal energy boosting period during our longer days. Everyone was appreciative of Cate G for always sharing her snacks and having anything people could possibly need along the trail and at camp. Abby kept the entire group engaged by recounting mystery documentaries verbatim. And we would be reminded if we did not shout out Adi for crushing these past 5 days with humility, strength, and poise. 76 kilometers in 5 days is not a small feat, and everyone should be extremely proud of themselves.
As for our camp entertainment, LOD’s (Leaders of the Day) French and Emily led a hilarious Moonup with a nug jug story that kept us on the edge of our seats. For our final night in the backcountry, our LODs Whit and Carrie MC’d our first ever “Iceland’s Got Talent”, with a wonderful rendition of Yellow by Carrie and Carr, a choreographed masterpiece by Emily and Carr, another stunning dance routine from Kate and Palmer, a witty parody written by French and Price, as well as an original song written by Georgia and Carrie featuring quirky moments starring each student throughout the trip. Abby and Calvin acted as our Simon Cowell and Mel B, providing constructive feedback to each contestant and saving their golden buzzer for the right moment!
Our final day was action packed- thrifting in Reykjavik, bottomless wings for a final meal together with gelato to wash them down, a rambunctious superlative ceremony with some well-deserved awards around the table, a meaningful “nug-mug” moment where we all shared our best memories of each student from the trip, and topped it all off with a dance party to our song of the trip, Lush Life by Zara Larson. We truly did love every day as if it was our last, and we are ever so grateful to have shared these last two incredible weeks with these amazing kids. We wish them the best in school, and are always here to lend an ear or a piece of advice from time to time! We hope this experience has made them love the outdoors a bit more and we hope to see them on many adventures in the future!
With love and many fond memories,
Georgia and Moss
ICE 2A <3
PS- shoutout to our wonderful guide Hjalti, our trip grandpa and highland hero!
The Land of Fire and Ice
July 9, 2025
Greetings from Iceland!
We’re back with another update from the land of waterfalls, lava fields, and nonstop adventure. This crew has been crushing every challenge and soaking in every moment, starting with an unforgettable snorkeling experience at Thingvellir National Park. Floating between two tectonic plates in glacial water was as surreal as it sounds. Carr stayed in the water the longest as he was so blown away by the visibility and colors. The clarity, the cold, and the giant smiles set the tone for the amazing days ahead.
Afterwards, we stopped at the supermarket and all the kids had a blast buying cool new candy and snacks. Cate was especially intrigued by the heavy dose of licorice that every Icelandic candy seems to have.
Next up was our big day hike at Kerlingarfjöll, where Calvin took the lead and powered up the trail like he’d lived in the Icelandic highlands his whole life. The colorful steam vents and snow patches gave us a wild mix of seasons in just a few steps. The group rallied through every twist and turn with awesome energy, stopping for trail snacks, pictures, and snowball fights!
After the day hike, we found ourselves at a campsite with a trampoline-and that was all we needed for hours of fun. Kate, Whit, and Abby led the charge, showing off their hacky sack skills and launching into impromptu trampoline routines that drew a small (and very impressed) crowd. The laughter echoed across the field, and for a moment, it felt like summer camp under the midnight sun.
The next day brought high energy and roaring rapids as we geared up for whitewater rafting. Everyone embraced the challenge with open arms (and tightly gripped paddles). The girls shared a boat with Georgia, and the boys with Moss. The girls’ boat sang beautiful songs and enjoyed the views while the boys went full throttle into every rapid-getting soaked every time! A highlight of rafting was when the guide for the boys’ boat let French take the helm and steer as well as give commands for the rest of the group. He was a natural.
As we continued exploring Iceland’s magic, we stopped at three different waterfalls, each one somehow more stunning than the last. At one viewpoint, Price stood in awe, quietly taking it all in, and later said it reminded him of a scene from a fantasy movie. Moments like where the beauty just stops you in your tracks have been a huge part of what makes this trip so special.
Of course, no trip to Iceland is complete without a geyser, and we had front-row seats to one of the island’s most iconic eruptions.
One of our favorite evenings so far was spent at a cozy cabin tucked into the hillside. We cooked dinner together, played music, and enjoyed some much-needed downtime. Adi and Colin were kitchen MVPs, taking the lead on burrito night and making sure everyone left the table full and happy. Later, Carrie pulled out the guitar and played for the group, creating the perfect soundtrack to a peaceful Icelandic evening.
We’ve already made so many memories with this amazing group, and it’s been incredible to watch each person find their stride. Whether it’s Palmer spotting something new on every hike or Emily jumping into every game with full enthusiasm, each of these Moondancers brings something special to the table. With a few more adventures ahead, we’re so excited for what’s next in this land of fire and ice!
With love and stoke,
Georgia and Moss
Whit – I couldn’t be more grateful for this trip thank you so much mom and dad for allowing me to be able to enjoy this experience
Adi – Thank you for this opportunity to learn and experience the landscape and culture of Iceland, I’m extremely grateful for this trip and I’m having a lot of fun.
Calvin – thanks a lot for letting me go on this trip and experience a bunch of new things and meet some really nice people.
French – Thank you so much for giving me the opportunity to try new things with new people and create fun memories. Love y’all.
Abby – Thank you so much Mom and Dad for letting me go in this trip! I have learned and seen so many things and I’m so grateful for that! See you soon love you.
Emily – Thank you so much for this trip!! It’s been great and I had fun with everything so far. See you guys soon and love you!!
Carrie – Thank y’all so much for sending me on this trip! I am having so much fun and have made so many friends. Love and miss yall!
Colin – Thank you mother and father for the trip. Love you 💁. Post Script: I got a 5😉
Palmer – Thank you so much for the trip! I’m having a lot of fun and am seeing a lot of pretty things. Love y’all, Mango
Price – Thank you guys for letting me go on this trip, it is really fun and the food is yummy 😋 🍠🍠🍠🍠🍠
Carr – Thank you guys so much for this trip, I’m having the time of my life. I have seen so many great places and made so many new friends. i cannot wait to tell you guys all about this trip! Love y’all so much!
Kate – Thank you so so much for sending me on this trip. I love it so much and each place is more amazing than the other. I am so grateful to be here and can’t wait to see you back at home. Love you.
Cate -Thank you so much for letting me go on this trip to Iceland! I’m having the time of my life! I love you so much and I cannot wait to fill you in on the trip details! Thank you
Shoutouts!
July 8, 2025
Shoutouts to your kids!
Adi for braving the cold plunge the longest at Sky Lagoon,
Emily and Carrie for leading our many dance parties with style and spirit,
Abby for her fearless frisbee skills and for stepping up as one of our first LODs,
French for keeping us in stitches with nonstop riddles and jokes,
Whit and Calvin for their big win in our World Cup showdown, with the fitting team name Iceland
Colin for capturing all the magic on camera,
Kate B and Palmer for absolutely demolishing the hacky sack circle,
Cate for being a total horse whisperer,
Carr and Price-our resident Wild Kratts-for teaching the group how to get sturdy and bringing the energy to every dance circle.
Here’s a little hello to y’all from everyone!
Adi: Hey, I’m having a lot of fun here in Iceland, can’t wait to see y’all again. I’ve had a really nice time here site seeing and everything.
French: What’s up family. Thank you for this opportunity to go on such an awesome trip. I’m having the time of my life making new friends and doing things I’ve never done. I love and miss y’all and tell scooter I miss him.
Colin: Thanks you guys so much for letting me go on this gorgeous trip. I’m doing great and do not want to leave.
Calvin – thanks a bunch for the trip I’ve been having fun. Can’t wait to see y’all when I get back.
Price I’m having a good time. I got to go on a short run but not sure how many of those I’m gonna do. It’s been fun getting away and see you guys next week
Carr: Thank you guys so much for allowing me to go on this trip, I’ve had so much fun and met a lot of new friends. I miss you guys so much and tell Rylan I miss her. Also my back is perfectly fine, so don’t worry too much.
Cate Hey mom and dad! I miss you! The trip has been so much fun so far! I have been taking so many pics that I’ll show you but I’m so annoyed because I forgot my charger it’s literally sitting in my room but it’s fine I’m conserving battery. Iceland is so cool I know you’d love it! Love you.
Kate- Hi mom and dad! I love it so much here but I also miss you both tons. I can’t wait to be back at home but thank you so much for sending me here. This is something I will never forget and I will tell you all about it at home. Love you.
Abby- Hey Mom and Dad!!! Thank you so much for sending me on this trip it has been amazing! And I have seen and experienced some of the coolest things. Today we went hiking to a snow mountain and slid down it. Iceland is so cool and fun but also cold at night so I packed the best clothes. I have filmed so many cool videos on my camera I can’t wait to show you! I hope Charlie had fun at camp and I can’t wait to see you in a week! Love you.
Carrie: Hi mom dad and Hayes! I miss you but I am having so much fun and have made so many new friends. My group is amazing and Iceland is so pretty I don’t want to leave! Love y’all
Palmer: hi mom and dad. Today we went hiking up a mountain and saw snow. I am having a lot of fun and thank y’all for this opportunity. Love y’all and hope you’re having a fun time in Nantucket.
Emily : hi mom and dad. Trip has been great and awesome so far and I appreciate everything Thanks – Emily
Whit: Hey mom and dad this trip has been wonderful,hiking and traveling around Iceland has been one of the greatest experiences ever. Thank you so much.
Peace and love!
ICE 2A – Georgia and Moss
Greetings from Iceland!
July 6, 2025
Greetings from Iceland!
We are happy to report that we’ve had an absolute blast the past few days, soaking up the sunshine, dancing at every opportunity, and laughing nonstop. This group has truly clicked-we’ve got a crew of jokesters and some serious movers-and-shakers. Emily and Carrie have taken on the role of unofficial dance instructors, leading the charge with contagious energy. Our visit to Sky Lagoon was the perfect start, complete with a plunge into the ice bath that Adi embraced like a champ and stayed longer than anyone else.
With blue skies overhead, our hike to the geothermal felt straight out of a dream. Colin and Price entertained the group with riddles while we soaked in the warmth surrounded by Icelandic mountains and sheep. We kept the adventure going with an interesting lava tunnel tour, then celebrated the 4th of July in true Moondance fashion: sparklers, cobbler, relay games, and an epic round of ultimate frisbee. Abby absolutely dominated for the blue team, bringing her A-game, though the red team ultimately prevailed. Definitely missing family traditions on this day but had so much fun making our own in Iceland!
As if things couldn’t get better, we ventured out on a glacier tunnel tour, where Palmer got a true taste of the glacier, and then saddled up for horseback riding through one of the most beautiful valleys we’ve seen yet-purple flowers everywhere, a flowing river, and mountains all around. Cate was a natural with the horses, like a true whisperer. We wrapped up that dreamy day at Bjarteyjarsander Farm, where we got to pet and feed their resident goats and lambs, including the farm’s newest arrivals-two tiny lambs just a day old! That night we enjoyed a delicious buffalo chicken soup and chocolate pudding, followed by some fun with whipped cream and a meaningful Moonup led by Emily and Whit .
Throughout it all, this group has been full of energy and heart. French and Abby kicked things off as our first Leaders of the Day, and French has kept us laughing ever since with a constant stream of riddles and jokes. Whit and Calvin claimed victory in an intense game of World Cup, while Colin has been capturing the magic moments through his camera lens. Kate B has shown absolutely no mercy the hacky sack circle, and Carr and Price, (aka the Wild Kratts) have been constant entertainers teaching the group to get sturdy, along with plenty of other dance moves.
We can’t wait for what’s ahead and are all hoping this incredible sunny weather sticks around for trekking. More adventures to come from this joyful, high-spirited crew here in Iceland!
Peace and love!
Georgia and Moss
ICE 2A
Safe Arrival in Reykjavik!
July 3, 2025
Hello Iceland Families!
We heard from our leaders that the group has landed safely! 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
