Goodbye Thailand
July 16, 2025
Day 17Sadly, we’ve reached the final leg of our trip, but we’re so excited to see what else Krabi has in store for us! We finally had a chance to catch up on some much-needed sleep and enjoyed a lazy morning, with everyone slowly rolling out of bed one by one. Once we were all up, we kicked off the day with a walk down to Ao Nang Beach for lunch at a delicious brunch spot. We sat down, placed our orders, and waited patiently-and wow, lunch did not disappoint! The breakfast tacos were a major hit, and others loved their smoothie bowls. After letting our stomachs settle, we made our way to the Monkey Trail and began the climb up its many stairs. Along the way, we even had a few monkey encounters-one jumped on Harrison and then leapt to Alessi! The trail led us to a secluded beach where waves lapped the shore and a huge floating dock rolled with the tide, offering endless entertainment. Turner and Porter led the charge out to the dock, with everyone quickly following. The rest of the afternoon was filled with swimming, tanning, playing frisbee, and tossing the football. As the sun began to set, we made our way back to shower and get ready for dinner. Dinner was not only delicious but also super entertaining-Maxwell made friends with several waiters and waitresses, and the restaurant even turned up the music just for us. We left full of food and laughter, and ended the night with a fun Moonup before bed. A few people even jumped into the pool! With an early morning ahead, we decided to call it a night and get some good rest.
Day 18Today was incredibly special-it’s Lillian’s 18th birthday! We woke up singing all the birthday songs and surprised her at breakfast with birthday hats, a crown, and candles in her toast. Despite the early wake-up, everyone was full of energy and excited to celebrate her all day long. After breakfast, we packed into the vans and headed to the climbing office to get fitted for gear and prep our climbing bags. Our guides then led us to the docks, where we boarded longboats to Railay-a stunning area of Thailand famous for its rock climbing. Once we arrived, we were brought straight to the beachside climbing routes. Towels went down, shoes came off, and the climbing began! Sarah M. and Sarah W. absolutely crushed it, impressing us all as they scaled multiple routes. Madeleine Ann made a great call by taking a dip to cool off, and a few others quickly joined her. With sore arms and tired legs, we broke for lunch at a nearby restaurant-just what we needed before the afternoon rappel. We had a couple of hours to kill, so we headed to the beach for swimming and napping. Lily then introduced us to a smoothie shop that hit the spot perfectly. Later, we regrouped with our guides-who surprised Lillian with a birthday cake! We sang happy birthday and devoured the cake before heading on a short hike into a cave. The climb up was a bit tricky, but everyone handled it like pros. At the top, we were treated to an epic lookout over the beach and ocean. Once inside the cave, we waited for the group ahead of us and passed the time playing games-song association, group counting, word association-you name it. Finally, it was our turn to climb up a ladder and rappel down over the stunning Railay cliffs. One by one, we descended while soaking in the amazing views. We then hiked back to the beach, boarded the longboats, and returned to Krabi. Once home, we showered quickly and put on our “banquet attire”-a mix of elephant pants, Burger Daddy tees, and other Thai merch we’ve picked up along the way. We headed to a nearby Mexican restaurant where the owner personally welcomed us. The music started, and we couldn’t help but dance and sing-Mills even did a duet of Tik Tok by Kesha with the singer! Dinner was full of energy, great food, and unforgettable vibes. To end the night, we walked along the beach to a small ice cream shop and enjoyed scoops of deliciousness before returning to the hostel. Our late-night Moonup was filled with reflection, laughter, and gratitude for this incredible journey.
Day 19It’s our last day in Krabi, and we couldn’t wait to get back to Railay for one final climbing adventure before tonight’s flight. We had another early start, but the excitement kept us going. Our vans picked us up and took us to the climbing shop, and before we knew it, we were back on longboats heading to Railay. Once there, we made a quick pit stop at a café for coffee to wake us up. We then made our way to a new climbing site on a more hidden beach, tucked behind a big rock formation. A quick rain shower cooled us off, but luckily didn’t last long. We geared up and jumped right into climbing. The morning flew by with climbs and rappels-safe to say, we checked “climbing in Thailand” off our bucket list. Our arms were toast by the end! We made it to lunch just in time as the skies opened up again. We huddled in the restaurant and waited for the rain to pass before taking the boat and van back home. The rest of the afternoon was low-key-showers, packing, and soaking up our final hours together. Eventually, we made it to the airport, checked in, and grabbed some Burger King before boarding our flight to Bangkok. The plane ride was full of good conversations and laughter. After landing late in Bangkok, we headed to the hotel, checked in, and gathered for our final Moonup. We reflected on the entire trip-the good, the tough, and the hilarious. This group is truly special, and we can’t believe tomorrow is our last day in Thailand.
Day 20Our final morning kicked off with excitement as we got ready for a tour of Bangkok! We threw on our elephant pants and met our guide, Apple, before heading into the city center. The bus ride was full of music and singalongs as we admired the towering skyline around us. We arrived at the Grand Palace and were immediately blown away by the intricate architecture of the temples and buildings. Each structure was more beautiful and unique than the last. Apple guided us through the holiest building in Thailand, where we saw the famous Emerald Buddha-who only the King of Thailand is allowed to touch! After walking the palace grounds and snapping tons of pictures, we found a nearby spot with A/C for a much-needed lunch. Back at the hotel, we showered and rested before our long travel night. A few of us made one last snack run to 7-Eleven to stock up before the airport. At last, it was time to head to the airport and say our goodbyes. Even though there were tears, we couldn’t stop smiling as we thought back on all the joy, adventure, and memories we’ve shared.
To our kids:We love each of you so much and are beyond grateful to have shared this journey together. You’ve become a family, and we know you’ll go on to do amazing things.
With love,Lucy + Charlie
Final Update from Thailand!
July 12, 2025
Day 13:
Greetings from Krabi! We have reached the much-anticipated part of our trip and can’t wait to get things moving with scuba diving. The day started early for one group-our Open Water divers getting certified-who were picked up to begin learning how to dive! Lillian, Harrison, and Alessi were so excited to finally start and began today in the pool. The rest of our group met them there a little later for a review dive. The sun beamed down on us as we swam around in our diving gear. After everyone had learned and reviewed their skills for the day, we swam and tanned. We eventually headed back home and enjoyed a lazy afternoon swimming in the pool and reading our books. We opted for an early dinner across the street, where we had delicious pasta, burgers, and pizzas! The night ended with some ice cream, of course, and we gathered for a wonderful Moonup at our hostel. We absolutely love it here already-and it’s only day one!
Day 14:
We woke up with the sun today and couldn’t contain our excitement for our first day out on the open water. Many of us fueled up with peanut butter and Nutella toast before loading into the vans and heading down to the docks. Our guides met us there and walked us to the longboats that would taxi us to our boat for the next few days-the Tiki Queen! We got a tour of the huge boat and then set off for our dive sites. As we made our way there, we admired the beautiful landscape around us and talked about how amazing the weather was. Once we arrived, we assembled our tanks and gear, met with our dive groups, and jumped into the water. Both Open Water and Advanced learning groups had their first full day of skill work-and they did amazing! After the first dive, everyone surfaced beaming with excitement from what they saw. We enjoyed some yummy banana muffins-Lily said they might be the best she’s ever had-and sat in the sun before our second dive. The second dive included more skill checks for our learners, while Mills and Porter swam around with their guide, spotting colorful fish and coral. We all surfaced, ready for lunch, and enjoyed some delicious Thai food. While we ate, we talked about everything we had seen underwater. Our Advanced learners went back down for one final dive while the rest of us soaked up the sun. We then made our way back to the mainland and returned to the hostel for showers. After everyone was clean and in dry clothes, we walked down to the beach for dinner. Everyone ran ahead and made the most of the photo ops. We ate with our toes in the sand and reminisced about our day. The sunset was one for the books-we were in awe of the changing colors lighting up the sky. After dinner, we made our way back home for a wonderful Moonup to close out the day.
Day 15:
Today was our most jam-packed day yet! We had another early wake-up and got to the docks, then onto the boat. After a short ride to our first dive site, we met with our guides for a briefing, got our gear on, and headed into the water. One by one, we jumped in and descended. Our certification groups were finishing up their skills today-and they all passed with flying colors! We met back up on the boat and enjoyed a post-dive snack while talking about all the marine life we had seen. Sarah M even saw a shark! After a short break, we suited back up and dove again. We were once again amazed by the incredible underwater views, taking in a world that so few get to see. After the dive, we had a delicious lunch before heading back to the dock. But the day was too beautiful to end-so we asked to be dropped off at the beach! We laid out our towels and ran straight into the water. Turner and Lily went on a shell-hunting adventure and found some real beauties. Maxwell, Harrison, and Sarah W enjoyed the waves and competed to see who could bodysurf the furthest. Two nearby swings provided endless entertainment! Later, a group walked to the end of the beach and saw dozens of monkeys! They were so excited and snapped a bunch of pictures. We also grabbed smoothies at a nearby restaurant and enjoyed them on our towels. As the sun began to set, we kept things fun with group games. Lucy taught a game from her childhood, and Charlie named it “Ice Cream Cookie Sandwich”-the name stuck! We spent over an hour laughing and chasing each other around. Then we started a game of Ships and Sailors, which included veggie-offs at the end of each round. Afterward, we washed off our feet and headed to the Ao Nang markets for dinner! Everyone explored the booths and picked out their meals. Madeleine Ann found some delicious quesadillas and became a trendsetter. A singer performed nearby, and soon we were dancing in front of the stage! After a long, wonderful day, we made it back to the hostel for a sweet and funny Moonup before taking much-needed showers and heading to bed. We’re so ready for tomorrow and can’t believe it’s already our final day of diving! Shoutout to our newly certified Open Water divers: Harrison, Lillian, and Alessi!!!And congrats to our new Advanced Open Water divers: Lily, Turner, Maxwell, Sarah M, Sarah W, and Madeleine Ann!!!We’re so proud of their hard work and determination-it’s a huge accomplishment!
Day 16:
Today was sadly our final day of scuba diving. We woke up tired from the day before, but excited for the adventures ahead! We threw on our swimsuits, ate a quick breakfast, and loaded into the van to head to the boat. Once on board, we settled in for our ride to the dive site. It was a little cloudy with light rain, but that didn’t stop the fun! We geared up and hopped into the water, surrounded by vibrant coral and tropical fish. After the first dive, we regrouped for snacks and water, then dove back in for round two. The dives were incredible-we saw eels, bamboo sharks, seahorses, and so many clownfish hiding in anemones! It felt like Finding Nemo came to life. We met for lunch and scarfed down rice and chicken stir fry with the Andaman Sea all around us. Our guides surprised us with a bonus dive, which we were so pumped about! The current pushed and pulled us like an underwater rollercoaster. Once we surfaced, we packed up our gear and headed to the top deck to dry off and warm up. We said our goodbyes to the amazing dive instructors and made our way back for some well-earned pool time. But first-a 7-Eleven run for snacks, of course! The afternoon was filled with music and relaxing poolside. For dinner, we ordered pizza from a nearby spot and surprised the group with a movie night! After some back and forth, the group chose Rio. We snacked on candy and popcorn and settled in for a fun, cozy evening. The night ended with a wonderful Moonup, capped off by a veggie-off championship led by Madeleine and Turner. We laughed until we couldn’t anymore-it was the perfect way to wrap up an incredible chapter of our trip.
With love,Lucy + Charlie
Here’s some thank you’s from the group!
Turner: Hey Mom and Spalding! Thank you so much for letting me live my best life in Thailand these past few weeks! I love y’all so much and cannot wait to tell y’all all about it and show y’all all my amazing souvenirs and photos! See y’all soon!😘
Sarah M: Hey y’all it’s me! Thank yall so much for letting me come on this trip! This is by far the coolest place I’ve ever been and I wish yall were here! Can’t wait to see yall and tell yall all about it.
Alessi: Hey Mom! Thank you so so much for this amazing opportunity. This has been the more amazing 3 weeks ever. So blessed and grateful for you and for this trip. I am sad to leave so soon but very excited to see you and tell you everything! Miss you everyday and I love you so much.
Madeleine Ann: Hey Mom and Dad!! I want to thank y’all for sending me to Thailand, it’s definitely been the trip of a lifetime. I’m so incredibly grateful for the opportunity, and I obviously couldn’t have done it without y’all lol. Miss y’all and see you so so soon!! I love y’all ❤️
Maxwell: What’s up Mom and Dad! Thank yall so much for letting me go to Thailand. I’ve had so much fun and I’m very appreciative. Can’t wait to get home love y’all ❤️
Harrison: Whats up fam!! I am genuinely so thankful that I was able to come on this trip, It has been such a blast! I have the best leaders and the best group I could have asked for. Can’t wait to tell yall all about it! Be home soon! Love y’all ❤️
Lily: Hi Mom and Dad!!! Thank you so so much for sending me on this trip! Thailand is the most beautiful place I have ever been and these last three weeks have been better than I could’ve imagined. I can’t wait to tell you all about it and show you all the cool pics. I am so beyond grateful, Lots of love
Mills: Hey mom and dad!! I’ve had the best few weeks here in Thailand and I am so grateful for the opportunity to be here! I’ve made such amazing friends and been to the coolest places. This is such an unforgettable experience and I couldn’t be more happy. Love you guys and see y’all soon!💓
Porter: Thank you so much for the past 4 summers of Moondance and an amazing 5th and final one. I am sad that such an amazing opportunity is coming to an end but I am so grateful for all the memories and friends I have made from Moondance. I can’t wait to see y’all soon, miss y’all and love y’all!!
Sarah W: Hey fam I wanted to say a huge thank you for all my Moondance trips in the past! Thailand is the best I’m having so much fun and U can never thank yall enough for this trip. Genuinely this is the best trip of my life!! Love yall 💕
Lillian: Hey y’all!! I miss y’all so much. Thailand is absolutely AMAZING!! Guess what?! I am scuba certified!! I saw seahorses, sea snakes, and two baby sharks!!! It was really cool. My leaders are incredible. My favorite part was Chiang Mai, but every area is beautiful. I love
Thailand Fun!
July 8, 2025
Day 10
Checking back in from Chiang Mai! Now that we’re back in the city, it’s time to explore and continue learning about the culture around us. We were picked up early today for a full day outdoors rappelling and rock climbing. On our drive to the climbing site, Crazy Horse, we jammed out to music and had more great conversations. Once we arrived, our guides got us moving with some fun icebreakers-learning different ways to greet one another and sharing our goals for the day. We paired up and couldn’t stop laughing as we tried out all the silly handshakes. Maxwell even said his goal was to climb with his eyes closed! We geared up and split into two teams. The first team went caving, where Porter faced his fears and squeezed through tight cracks to explore the cave. Our guides explained the geology inside and shared fun facts about caves throughout Thailand. While that group explored, the others started rappelling! We began with a short rappel to learn the ropes, then hiked up a steep incline for the big rappel-down into a massive cave. One by one, we rappelled hundreds of feet down, taking in the enormous cavern around us. After everyone made it down, the groups switched. Harrison was a pro-his speed amazed us-and Turner volunteered right away to go first for his group. All the excitement left us starving, so we headed down for lunch to refuel. As we ate, each group swapped stories and shared funny moments from the caves. Once our stomachs settled, we geared back up and walked to our climbing routes. Sarah M immediately volunteered to go first, and one by one, we scurried up and down the wall. We spent the afternoon taking turns, pushing ourselves, and cheering each other on. After climbing wore us out, we cooled off in the vans and headed back to the hotel for some much-needed pool time. Of course, we played Star again-and Lily came out as our pro! That evening, we walked to the weekend markets to finally start shopping for gifts. Lillian knew exactly what she wanted-an elephant mug-and went straight for it! Others meandered, taking in all the sights before making some tough choices. We regrouped in the food section and spent another night sampling dozens of new dishes and raving about how good they were. Everyone showed off their “haul” of souvenirs, and we agreed we’ll miss the night markets and their food the most. We ended the night with a great Moonup, reflecting on another amazing day before heading to bed. We’re both excited and a little sad for our final full day in Chiang Mai tomorrow-but we’re ready to make the most of it!
Day 11
For our final full day in Chiang Mai, we dove deeper into Thai culture with a cooking class! Our guides gave us the gift of one extra hour of sleep before we were picked up and headed out for the day. Our first stop was a local market, where we were split into our previous groups. Each group had a guide, a budget, a list of ingredients, and a few common Thai shopping phrases. We explored the market, searched for ingredients, and even discovered some foods we’d never seen before! After shopping-and practicing a little Thai-we walked to a coffee shop where our guides treated us to drinks. Many of us tried Thai tea for the first time and agreed it was delicious. Next, we drove to a small village just outside the city. Waiting for us were local Thai mothers and grandmothers ready to help us cook. We jumped right in-chopping vegetables, cleaning fish, and cutting chicken. Charlie and Lucy made peach and lime sodas to keep everyone refreshed, and at one point, a full-on dance party broke out! We even convinced some of the moms to join in. When lunch was ready, we sat down to enjoy a feast we had made: seasoned chicken cooked in a bamboo shoot, noodles, rice, and fish. The music kept playing while we ate and let our stomachs settle before diving into dessert-mango sticky rice, of course! We returned to our stations to slice mangoes and make the coconut cream sauce. Mills generously plated the dessert and passed it out. It was so good we couldn’t stop talking about it. Too full to move, we headed back to the hotel to rest. Everyone threw on swimsuits to cool off in the Thai heat before we changed into temple attire and headed into the city to explore more temples. We admired their gleaming surfaces and intricate architecture, taking photos as we went. As the night rolled in, so did our appetites, and we solved that with some comfort food-burgers and fried chicken! Many also opted for lemonade and sweet tea. While waiting for food, we played round after round of trivia, challenging each other with tough questions. Finally, we hit up one more market. Sarah W found the jewelry she’d been searching for, and Madeleine Ann and Alessi scored outfits they plan to wear on our final day. We wrapped up our long, incredible day with a meaningful Moonup, ending the night feeling closer than ever.
Day 12
This morning, we were treated to no wake-up call, giving us a chance to sleep in and savor our final hours in Chiang Mai. We had a slow, peaceful start to the day, walking downtown for some much-needed coffee (and a few sweet treats!). Back at the hotel, we packed up and made one last 7-Eleven run for travel snacks before the vans arrived. We headed to the airport, grabbed lunch, checked in, and breezed through security with time to relax before our flight. Our first leg took us to Bangkok for a short layover, where we stretched our legs and ate snacks. Soon after, we boarded our next flight-off to our final destination: Krabi! By the time we landed, the sun was gone and the moon was up. We grabbed dinner on the way to our hostel, chatting about how excited we are for this last leg of our journey. Tomorrow, we begin scuba diving-and we can’t believe this long-anticipated adventure is finally here! The trip has flown by, and it’s incredible to see how much we’ve grown as a group in such a short time. This group-and each of these kids-is truly amazing. We can’t wait to experience southern Thailand with them!
With love,
Lucy + Charlie
Giants, Jungles, and Joy
July 5, 2025
Day 1:Sawadee kha from Thailand! Everyone is on their way to us, and we couldn’t be more excited to greet them in Bangkok. Let’s get caught up on everything that’s been happening on our Thai adventure!
Day 2:We arrived at the Bangkok airport, eager to meet everyone who had traveled halfway around the world. After initial introductions, we hopped into the van and made our way to the hotel to have a late dinner and get settled in. Once in our rooms and showered, we gathered outside for our first Moonup. We sat around and went around saying our names, where we are from, and the Moondance trips we have gone on in the past! We even discussed goals that we have for ourselves that we want to accomplish over the next three weeks. Everyone received alumni gifts, which we were all excited about. It was a super late night, and all of our eyes were closing, so we decided to get some rest and prepare for the coming travel day to start our trip. We can’t wait to get this show on the road!
Day 3:Our first full day together! The time change had some of us messed up, and we woke up with the sun. We sat down for our first breakfast together and enjoyed eggs, bacon, rice, and an abundance of fresh mango, bananas, and pineapple. With stomachs full and bags packed to go, we walked over to the nearest 7-Eleven to try out all of the Thai snacks we could. We loaded up our bags and made our way back to the hotel to try everything we bought. There were gummy worms, sour candy, jello, Thai Cheetos, and ramen galore! Finally, it was time for us to head to the airport to make our way to the first stop of our trip: Chiang Mai! We checked in, went through security, and played many rounds of Psychiatrist before boarding the plane and making our way to our destination. After a short flight, we landed and were driven over to our hotel for the night. Jet lag was starting to hit, so we opted for a lazy afternoon by the pool. We played round after round of Star, where Maxwell showed his knowledge of cinema, knowing every movie we said! Our stomachs started grumbling, so we got out, put on dry clothes, and made our way to the Chiang Mai night markets! As we walked by all of the stalls, we eyed gifts we are planning on buying once we come back. At the food section of the market, everyone ran around and tried different foods. Skewers and crepes were a group favorite, and everyone was incredibly impressed with Turner for trying every fruit he saw-even if it smelled interesting! We were so full of delicious market food that we could barely walk home. The night ended with a sweet Moonup, and we are all growing so close already!
Day 4:Today was our most anticipated part of the trip: an up-close encounter with elephants! Lillian couldn’t contain her excitement and told us this was the main thing she was excited about. We fueled up for the day with a delicious breakfast and eagerly hopped into the vans to drive up to the sanctuary. Our long drive had us jamming out and preparing to be alongside the gentle giants. We stopped at a local market on our drive and explored the different foods and goods that were all around. After stretching our legs for a second, we got back in the van and finished our drive. We tumbled out of the vans, put on our elephant shirts-every color imaginable-and grabbed a bag full of bamboo. After a short walk across a river, we were met immediately by a huge elephant! We were in awe at their size as we fed them and took a million pictures. The smiles couldn’t be contained as more and more elephants made their way to us in hopes of grabbing a yummy snack. Harrison was even kissed by an elephant! All out of treats, we headed back up to a beautiful overlook where we devoured a lunch that consisted of sticky rice, fried chicken, fruit, and a million other delicacies! There was silence while we all dug into our meals, and contentment spread over our group. Before the afternoon slump could hit us, we were immediately put to work creating elephant medicine. We took turns mashing up different fruits and spices in a bowl. After that, we rolled them into small sections and wrapped them in banana leaves. It quickly became a competition to see who could tie the packages the best, and Lily came out on top with high praise from our guide, Uncle Chai. We took down baskets full of the packages and gave them to the elephants down below. After giving them all out, we followed the elephants down into the water to give them a bath! We splashed the elephants, and they shot water out of their trunks right back at us. We were laughing as we swam beside the elephants and enjoyed the refreshing water. As the afternoon led on, we made our way back to our hotel and enjoyed some much-needed showers and rest. We spent the rest of the day lounging around and playing a multitude of card games before sitting down together for a delicious dinner. We held Moonup in a beautiful treehouse-like structure and enjoyed hearing nature around us. An early night called our names, and we enjoyed a nice night filled with rest after our first full activity day!
Day 5:We woke up early and gathered for breakfast to prepare for our trek up to the village where we would be spending the next few days. Our things were all packed up and put into the van, and we followed shortly after to be driven up to the start of our hike. Uncle Chai showed us around some of the houses near the start, and we saw many old Moondance projects from years before us. We stopped at a house where we received a weaving tutorial, a history lesson on Thai weapons, and the progression of the village over the past 10 years! We were even given homemade flavored rice cakes, which were such a treat. We walked outside and were shown the process of smashing rice and the three ways the different processes of rice can be used. Finally, we filled our waters up to the brim and began our hike. A steep uphill had us warming up quickly, and we all fell into step and got into a groove. Madeleine Ann, Porter, and Alessi kept vibes high by serenading us as we walked. As we hiked, Uncle Chai showed us different plants and their uses, along with many different animals that existed in the Thai forest. We stopped for lunch and enjoyed a meal in the woods consisting of fried rice and an array of fruit. We continued our hike with full stomachs now, and clouds provided nice cool coverage as we walked. Many hours of our hike were spent trying to figure out riddles, and everyone was trying to guess the answers. After an hour or so of hiking, we finally saw a clearing with the most beautiful view of growing rice fields. We were shocked at the sheer size and beauty of them all. As we walked through the fields, we balanced between each one, trying not to fall in. Once we made it up to the house, we met our host family and settled in before walking down to the school to see the children! The whole afternoon was filled with laughs and smiles as we played soccer, tag, duck-duck-goose, and swung on the swingset. A small rainstorm came in, which rushed us up into the school. The kids broke out the Legos, and we continued to get to know them! Finally, we walked back up to the house and showered before dinner. Our homemade dinner consisted of some of the best fried chicken we have ever had, and we couldn’t stop talking about how good it was! Our long, eventful day was finally at an end, and we sat down to recap the day in a hilarious Moonup and continue to grow the relationships in our group.
Day 6:Good morning from Karen Village! We woke up with the roosters and sat down for some much-needed coffee and hot chocolate to wake us up. After enjoying our slow morning, we prepared for our first day of community engagement at the school. Once there, we split up into two groups: one that would help the roofing team at the kitchen, and another that was putting together soccer goals for the kids! The roofing team put on their gloves and spent the morning moving roofing tiles in order to help the locals on top of the school. They jammed out to music and kept vibes high throughout the day. The other group spent the morning sawing pieces of pipe and gluing them together to create the soccer goal. We had a short snack break, enjoying our new favorite snack-chocolate sticks! We continued on our work through the late morning, and the roofing team went down to paint our names on the fence while the goal team learned how to weave the net for the goals! After a while, the two groups switched-one went to paint while the other worked on putting chalk on the field to set the boundaries. We were very hungry at this point, so we decided to walk back to the house and enjoy some lunch and rest time before walking back down to the school. That afternoon, we played the rest of the day with the kids. Many of us found new best friends and became inseparable with them. Once all the kids were picked up and on their way home, we made our way back to our house as well. Charlie, Maxwell, and Harrison went up to the soccer stadium and had an intense match. Sarah W led the rest of us through an intense workout that had us sore the next day! We all took some much-needed showers and enjoyed another dinner that had us ready for bed.
Day 7:For our second full day of community engagement, we continued more projects from the day before. We sat around in the morning enjoying a group favorite-hot chocolate. Breakfast fueled us up for the activities ahead, and we walked down to the school. The boys continued to work on the roof, and the girls were sent to create name tags for trees that were recently planted and to play with the children in the nursery. Around mid-morning, we sat down in the sun for more snacks. Many of the kids wandered over to us, and we had an impromptu dance party! We were jumping, singing, and dancing around with all of the children around us. It was so much fun seeing all the smiles light up on everyone’s faces. We spent the rest of the morning playing soccer and continuing with more dancing. After the music died down, we went up for lunch and talked about how much fun we had dancing with the kids. While we ate, the sky let loose, and rain poured all around us. That didn’t stop our group! A rain walk called their names, and they wandered around the village and rice fields as the rain came down. Everyone else decided to stay back, listen to music, and watch the rain. Once it ended, we went back up to the school to do some yard work and paint a mural! Mills painted the ABCs along the wall in different colors, and Lillian painted a beautiful sun. Everyone else got their hands dirty picking weeds and moving dirt! Of course, we had to meet the kids down at the field and play with them before they were picked up from school. We sat on the porch of the school, played Legos, and enjoyed conversations with our new friends. That afternoon, we all joined in for another group workout followed by showers before dinner. After dinner, Uncle Chai joined us with his guitar, and we had a singalong with classics such as Stand By Me and Hotel California. We sang for a while and then decided to play Three on a Couch. Everyone turned in the funniest stories and did their best to convince everyone theirs was true-but Sarah M absolutely wowed us with her tale and had us all convinced. We’ll definitely be playing more! Finally, we ended the night with Moonup and hung out for a little while before heading to bed.
Day 8:Happy 4th of July! We woke up in Karen Village to enjoy a yummy breakfast accompanied by a patriotic playlist. After putting on some red, white, and blue, we gathered to sing The Star-Spangled Banner. We hiked uphill to a Buddhist monastery to meet a monk who had spent a lot of time in the United States. We asked him questions about his daily life and what it’s like to be a monk. After getting to know our new friend, we were given a tour of the facilities and learned more about Buddhism. We were then given tools to help with some yard work! Everyone got to work raking and shoveling leaves and sticks. We even stumbled upon a plant with spicy chilis. Harrison, Maxwell, Porter, and Turner all tried them-and quickly regretted that decision! We were all very proud of their courage nonetheless. We walked back down the steep road in awe of the village and rice fields below us, soaking in our final full day. As we passed a small market, Uncle Chai offered to buy us all ice cream! It was such a sweet treat, and we are so thankful for such a great guide! The heat brought us back to the house, where we lounged around and continued listening to music before lunch arrived. A small rainstorm cooled us off and gave us time to play our new favorite game: Three on a Couch! It was time for us to go over to the school one final time and play with our new friends. They met us out on the field, and we played a new game mimicking monkey in the middle. The football was thrown from person to person while a swarm of children chased them down! We enjoyed another fun afternoon playing with our little friends and were so sad to say goodbye. To celebrate the Fourth, we walked back down to the market to treat the group to snacks and drinks. We sat outside and continued to chat until heading back up for showers and chill time. Later in the afternoon, we had a visit from a shaman who provided all of us with blessings of prosperity! We finished dinner and of course had to sing the national anthem one final time before we played Fishbowl. What would game night be without a sweet treat? We surprised the group with red, white, and blue candy from the U.S., and we devoured the gummy bears, Airheads, and suckers! Glow sticks also lit up the outside as a fierce competition broke out between two groups. Our final, full, exciting day in Karen Village came to a close, and we ended the night with Moonup and much-needed sleep.
Day 9:This morning, we woke up with heavy hearts as we had to say goodbye to our host family and Karen Village. We were treated to banana pancakes and a fruit tray before packing up our things and heading down the mountain. We arrived at the trailhead, where we began our trek down to a tumbling waterfall! We immediately ran into the water and swam around the huge falls. After a while, we dried off and enjoyed the view before devouring a lunch of chicken, rice, and fruit! We gathered our things and kept trekking down the mountain. As we walked, our guides continued to show us the many uses of plants and trees in medicine-it was like a natural pharmacy! As we hiked, we continued to admire the beauty of northern Thailand and reflect on our time here so far. We made it out of the jungle, and our vans drove us to our next activity: bamboo rafting! We put on our life jackets and boarded the boats, where we floated down the river. There were so many sights to see, including dozens more elephants and even a snake! The raft ride allowed us to rejuvenate and relax after our busy few days. Once we reached the end, we hopped into the vans and made our way back to Chiang Mai for showers and rest. That afternoon, of course, we had to go to 7-Eleven and stock up on snacks and goodies. At dinner time, we walked through downtown Chiang Mai on the search for pizza. We found the perfect place and sat down together with stomachs grumbling. Of course, we had to end the night with ice cream to celebrate the first section of our trip coming to an end. We can’t wait for the rest of the trip and what’s to come-time has been flying over here in Thailand!
With love,Lucy + Charlie
We wanted to give everyone the chance to say hi, so here are some shoutouts from your awesome kids!
Madeleine Ann: Hey Fam!! I’m actually having the best time ever, Thailand is so amazing! Our group is fire and all of our activities so far have been too. Love y’all so much and can’t wait to see y’all when I get home ❤️❤️ Tell Dolly I say hi!
Alessi: HIIIII Mom, Cade, and Camden. Thailand is truly so amazing, having the most amazing time. Our group is perfect and so is Lucy and Charlie. We are currently on our way to rock climbing then to the Beach. We have been in the Village the past week. Thank you so much for this experience, so life changing. I love you so so much and so excited to see you and tell you everything. I miss y’all so much and the doggies ❤️❤️❤️
Mills: Hey Mom and Dad!!! I love and miss you guys so so much!! These 10 days have gone by so quick and I cannot believe we’re at the half way point. We’ve been spending our time feeding and playing with the Asian Elephants, doing community service at the village, hiking, and more. I can’t wait to spend more time in Thailand and tell you guys all about it. Tell Greg and Mary Lynes I miss them too, and Oscar, Rex, Elle, and the baby! I love my group so much and I’ve made the best friends this past week and a half. See you soon!!💕
Lily: Hi mom, dad, and Chachi!! I love and miss you guys so so much. I’m so shocked that it’s already been 10 days time moves so fast here. I am having the absolute best time ever and love my group so much. Every part of this trip has been so amazing and I’m so grateful to have this opportunity. I hope you guys are having the best time and can’t wait to tell you all about this trip. I’ve also been trying all of the food and have found some new meals I rlly like! Tell my friends I say hi and that I miss everyone!! Also send my love to Molly and summer I miss them
Turner: Hi Mom and Spalding! I can’t believe I’ve already been gone for 10 days. Thailand is even more beautiful and amazing than I could have ever imagined. I’m having the absolute best time ever I don’t know if anything could ever beat this. I hope y’all are having a blast at the lake because I know I am! I can’t wait to tell you guys all about this amazing trip. I love and miss y’all so so so much❤️❤️❤️. And I hope tuck had a blast at the beach!
Sarah W: Sup fam Thailand is awesome! There’s two Sarahs so I’m Swoody which is kinda funny.
Katherine better be feeding the dogs and the fish also prayers for Bluey and his bubble. I led the group through an ab workout and the trip is so fun I can’t wait to tell yall about it. Sp anyways I miss yall especially the dogs and tell Selah hey!! 💕💕
Lillian: Hey everyone who is reading this! I miss y’all so much and I think and pray for y’all daily. Thailand is AMAZING! It is my favorite trip by far. The elephants are incredible and one gave me a kiss!!! My favorite elephant was “Grandma” and I think that makes complete sense because I am a grandma lol. The village was very eye opening and life changing. We got to play with the local school children and a little girl named “Nancy” picked me. She was the cutest!! Also, at the local school, Uncle Chai (our guide) asked me to paint on the walls and they turned out really good. Anyways, I love y’all so much and I cannot wait to see y’all. I will be back home before you know it but I do not think I am ready to leave Thailand. With so much love, Lillian.
Harrison: Hey Family, I miss y’all a ton and can’t wait to tell you about all of the things we have done. I have had so much fun and the group is amazing. I hope you guys had a blast in Barbados and I am excited to hear about it. Tell Gertie I said what’s up. Love you and see you soon!
Sarah M: Hey y’all, it’s me! Hope y’all are having fun in Banff and Pensacola. Trilby hope you’re having fun at work and no I haven’t found you anything cool yet. Thailand is so cool, by far the best place I have been. My group is great and I’m having a great time. Also hope yall had a good fourth! Love yall and miss yall.
Porter: Hi everyone!! I’m missing you so much but I love my group and am having fun! I can’t wait to see y’all! Thailand is a blast!! Love you all lots!!!
Maxwell: Hey Mom, Dad, Jack, and Caroline- Miss y’all so much. I’m having tons of fun with everyone. I can’t wait to get home. I haven’t lost anything yet this year! Everything we have done here has been awesome Lucy and Charlie are amazing leaders! See y’all soon
Safe Arrival!
June 28, 2025
Hello Thailand Families!
We heard from our leaders this morning that the group has landed safely in Bangkok! The trip is off to a great start, and we cannot wait to hear more stories from 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
