Amazing Memories from Maderia!!
June 11, 2025
Olá amigos e família!!
We miss you all and hope you’re doing well. Our trip is off to a fantastic start, and we couldn’t be more grateful for how awesome this group is. It’s taken no time at all for everyone to get comfortable here in Madeira. With the stunning, dramatic cliffs and crystal-clear water, who wouldn’t quickly settle in? Every day has been a new adventure-I can’t believe how much we’ve already accomplished!
Saturday:
The second we met the kids in the Lisbon airport, we could tell it was going to be a good trip. You would’ve thought they were lifelong friends after having just met a few hours prior in the Miami airport. Jonas and Grace immediately pointed us toward “the best espresso in the airport,” which quickly revealed who the energizers of the group would be.
We touched down in Madeira and wasted no time immersing ourselves in the local culture by indulging in a typical Portuguese lunch. Props to the whole crew for diving in-most of the kids ordered things they’d never heard of before, but they all seemed to enjoy their meals! After lunch, we hit the beach, where a volleyball game broke out. It got competitive fast, but luckily, we had Juliette, Cole, and Ellery, who carried us with their prior volleyball experience. After working up a sweat, we all took a dip in the ocean to cool off. Bennett got his hands on a skimboard and gave it a try, which ended with him flat on his back in the sand and laughs to follow.
We then headed back to the hotel to meet Lucas, who had some travel delays. We welcomed him with open arms, and he seamlessly added to the group. For dinner, we kept it simple with pizza back at the hotel and ended the night on the rooftop balcony playing hacky sack with the sunset in the background. Not a bad way to spend our first full day here.
Sunday:
After breakfast, we started the day with a gorgeous hike. It definitely had a decent amount of incline, but it was totally worth it for the views-the kids crushed it. Hudson and Lucas fielded some hilarious questions about life in California, debunking myths of everyone being surfers and influencers. We stopped at the top to have a picnic lunch overlooking the coastline.
After the descent, we rewarded ourselves with another beach stop, of course. A new volleyball game started, and the improvement from the teams was very evident. Throughout the game, we blasted the Madeira playlist the kids curated. Special shoutout to Palmer, Owen, and Juliette for introducing us to some great songs we didn’t know.
Next up was surfing. We met our surf guides, pulled on wetsuits, and hit the waves. Mayah impressed everyone-including herself-by getting up multiple times, even though it was her first time surfing. Kirby was also a natural, strategically paddling off to the side to get prime access to her own waves.
By dinnertime, we were ready to EAT, and the group rallied at a seaside spot known for Espetada-giant skewers of meat that hung from metal stands above the table. The kids’ eyes nearly popped out of their heads when they saw the size of them. Big energy around that dinner table.
After dinner, we walked through a Medieval festival going on just steps from our hotel. We watched in awe as hundreds of people dressed in tunics, kirtles, gowns, and surcoats paraded around the town. The entire square was transformed into an old Medieval village. Everyone grabbed a treat and watched the various dancers and acts before heading to bed.
Monday:
We had an early wake-up call to catch the ferry to Porto Santo, about two hours from Madeira. The kids got comfy in the onboard movie theater (personally, I can’t imagine watching a film in a rocking room while crossing the Atlantic, but I digress).
Once we landed, it was full beach mode: picnic lunch, games, snorkeling-you name it. Bennett had a little mishap going for a volleyball that went over his head; unfortunately, his toenail didn’t make it out of the altercation with a hidden rock. Kudos to Jonas for staying right by his side as we got him cleaned up.
Later, we geared up for sea kayaking and explored beautiful caves along the coast. Ellery and Grace were zooming-so fast they may have run into the guide once or twice, but he was happy to play along. On the way to dinner, we stopped for ice cream (obviously). Luckily, their appetites were unfazed, and everyone scarfed down their food.
Tuesday:
The group kicked off the day with a cold ocean plunge that definitely woke everyone up. With masks in hand, we swam along the rocky coast of a beach on the opposite side of Porto Santo, encountering various small fish swimming in and out of the massive igneous rocks.
Next, we explored a staggering canyon made of sand that’s been building up for thousands of years-it was like walking through a natural fortress. From there, we embarked on a longer hike with sweeping views of the island. It started off a little rough with high temps and inclines, but as soon as we reached the ridge, that was all forgotten. Huge shoutout to Mayah, Cole, and Ellery for keeping morale high with an endless stream of dad jokes.
The afternoon was spent hanging at the beach again-telling stories, laughing, and relaxing. We wrapped up with dinner right on the water. Palmer and Owen kept the group entertained with hilarious stories from their previous trips.
When we finished, we caught an absolutely gorgeous sunset from the pier. Lucas and Kirby, the leaders of the day, kept the group laughing as we sat in a circle for our nightly meeting. A huge group of kindergarteners ran in behind us, yelling, causing the entire group to burst out laughing. I was one of those moments you don’t forget. Spirits were high as we headed back to the hotel for our final night in Porto Santo.
Wednesday:
Today we explored the northern coast of Porto Santo, climbing over rock structures to reach massive crystal-clear natural pools. Laughter filled the air as we swam from pool to pool. The slick rocks provided endless entertainment as we all nearly wiped out hundreds of times. We made it out with no injuries, which is great news as we head into our trekking section tomorrow.
I’m writing this from the ferry back to Madeira. We’re all sad to leave Porto Santo but super excited for what’s ahead!
These kids continue to impress us with their energy, kindness, and the way they take care of each other. More adventures to come, and we’ll keep you posted. Thanks for sharing them with us-they’re making the most of every minute.
Talk soon,
Nelson and Hayden
Shout Outs:
Kirby: “Hi friends and family! Im having the best time here in Madeira, but can’t wait to see you guys soon. We’ve been to lots of cool places! Please feed my fish and take care of the dogs. Bye guys!!”
Ellery: “Hi mi familia! I’m having so much fun here in Madeira. This is the prettiest place I’ve ever been to. I love and miss you guys see you soon!”
Cole: “Hello family! I am doing great. Having lots of fun. I learned how to solve a Rubik’s cube, tell Charlie!! Bye”
Grace: “hi!! I am having so much fun I love you and miss you!!!”
Palmer: “Hey mom and dad, Madeira is awesome. It is a ton of fun and I learned how to Rubik’s cube.”
Juliette: “Hey mom, dad, and Bao! Having a great time in Madeira and I can’t wait to tell you guys all about it. I love you ❤️.”
Mayah: “Hey mom and dad, Madeira is so cool and I learned how to surf. I love you and I can’t wait to tell you about it all. Also if you’re reading this hi Adelaide!!!”
Owen: “Hey guys! Miss you guys! I’m having a great time right now, the group is awesome and really fun. Sorry I didn’t call before I left. Hiking, surfing, and snorkeling has been super fun and I’m excited to hike and trek!”
Bennett: “Hi mom and dad, love and miss yall. I learned how good I am at cat photography – hopefully will pursue in the future. Toe is doing great. Much love – Bennett”
Jonas- “hi mom and dad, miss and love yall so much. Bennett and I both have right big toe injuries now so we have great a power duo. I’ve done everything so far including surfing with no pain, but hiking 4km in chacos probably wasn’t the smartest decision. Madeira is so sick!”
Lucas: “Hi guys the trips been so much fun. Miss you guys so much and I’m really excited to go to France. The water activities have been a highlight but they have also been mostly things we’ve done. I learned how to surf!! See you two soon.”
Hudson: “Hey mom and dad I’m having fun! We are going onto our hiking part of the trip after this coastal part so I’ll tell you guys about. Love you very much”
Landed in Madeira!
June 7, 2025
Hello Madeira Families!
We heard from our leaders this morning that the group has landed safely on Madeira! One student got delayed in Lisbon but is scheduled to land on Madeira in just a couple of hours. The group is so excited to start their adventure 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
