AAVE Trip BLOG » Italy & Greece
August 5, 2008
Italy & Greece #2 - Mediterranean Adventure!
Posted by AAVE Leader in : General, Italy & Greece , add a comment
Hello Abbott, family and friends back home,
About a week ago we arrived in a quaint Greek town named Vassiliki on the beautiful island Lefkada. In the next week we learned many different water sports in the mornings and explored Vassiliki in the afternoons. On the first day of water sports we learned how to scuba dive. While some to us were new to breathing under water others were already experts. After practicing scuba techniques in the pool we set off to explore the Ionean sea underwater.
Then we explored the seaside towns and came upon our soon to be favorite café with comfy Lime Green sofas that overlook the breathtaking scenery.
After sleeping outside under the stars we woke up bright and early to learn how to windsurf. By the end of the first our lesson we had all mastered the basic techniques of windsurfing. Later, after the winds picked up, some of us went back out on the board while others played an exciting game of beach volleyball. Next on the agenda was sea kayaking! We spent this day traveling by sea kayak to many small beaches where we rested our arms lounged by the water, and playing water games.
Although we loved the day out at sea we were all looking forward to our second day of scuba diving. Our scuba instructors took us out to another secluded beach where we split up into two scuba groups. While one group was exploring deep sea caves and schools of fish the other group learned how to eat a sea urchin!
Today we were supposed to go mountain biking but we all wanted to spend another day out at sea and so instead we went on a catamaran and sailed along the shores. Our British sailing instructors though it would be funny to flip our boat sideways so a bunch of us fell in the water!
Every day after our exhilarating lessons in water sports we went back to our campsite to take much needed showers and then walked along the beach to our favorite café. At the café we enjoyed delicious food while our Greek guide thought us Greek words such as “efcharisto” and “kalimera”.
So far it has been an awesome thrilling week on the Greek island of Lefkada!
Tomorrow we’ll start traveling again in the direction of Italia!!!
Loving the AAVE life on the Mediterranean Sea
Italy & Greece #2 - Athens to Rome!
Posted by Nate at AAVE in : General, Italy & Greece , add a comment
Hello to everyone back home, from Italy and Greece,
We started off our Italy Greece adventure by meeting each other in the Athens airport. After some lunch we continued to bond on a bus ride to our hotel. We spent the next two days in Greece’s capital exploring historic sites and tasting authentic Greek food.
Next we set out to our camp at Alfios River, learning Greek words from one of our leaders, Filippos off course, and we stopped for a challenging grocery shopping along the way.
When we arrived at our camp site we set up camp and discovered our own private waterfalls. We went swimming and tested our skills by climbing a nearby rock wall, which we sooner or later all accomplished. That night we got to know our trip leaders better and how funny and awesome they are. Filippos, Elisabeth and Lien are all fun and knowledgeable.
We were joined by our eccentric and entertaining river guides who are all especially good at charades.
The next morning we went on a trek through the majestic mountains of Greece, checking out monasteries hidden in the rocks and more than 1000 years old!
We spent the next day on an action packed white water rafting adventure. Along the river, we had a blast pushing each other in the river. After eating lunch on the beach we tested our teamwork by playing fun games in the raft and occasionally falling in the water. We spent our last day in this camp on exciting but vigorous water trek. We bouldered our way through the river and some of us struggled to stay on two feet! When we reached the end of the river, we made our way into a spooky cave filled with bats! We returned from our river camp with cd’s from our river guides in hand, which we are very excited to listen to. That night we packed up camp for the next morning’s departure.
We have now arrived on Lefkada island for more fun and adventures!
From the Italy & Greece #2 group
Molly, Aaron, Adam, Beth, Sarah, Kate, Rebecca, Evan, Maria, Kailey and our awesome trip leaders Lien, Elisabeth and Filippos, Loving the AAVE Life!
July 16, 2008
Italy & Greece Photos
Posted by AAVE Leader in : Italy & Greece , add a comment
July 14, 2008
Greetings from Greece Postcard
Posted by AAVE Leader in : Italy & Greece , add a comment
Italy & Greece #1
Posted by AAVE Leader in : Italy & Greece , add a comment
Hello Abbott and families back home,
After a great scuba day the group set out to a beautiful beach alternating travel between kayaks and Zodacs. Once we arrived on the beach, some tanned (James), others relaxed on the boat and the bulgy ones went rock jumping. Overall a good mellow day. On the 3rd day we did similar stuff such as kayaking and boating, only we went further this time. Swimming wasn’t really an option, our trip leader “V” found out the hard way (sea urchin). Tired from the activities and the hot weather we took a long great siesta.
The next day was an absolute favorite for all of us. We got the opportunity to windsurf. Although non of us to make perfect turns, everyone enjoyed standing above the water and feeling the wind in the sails.
On the 5th day on the island we mountain biked to a spring which was a struggle for some but rewarding for all. We had lunch on the top.
In the afternoon we had a great time at the water park where Lea and Jason were the only ones to make it over the moonwalk!!!
On the Zodiac safari, on the last day on Lefkada, we all went together snorkeling in a grotto where we saw lots of beautiful fish and bats. Later on we went on an exhilarating tubing adventure!
The last two days we had a long travel days but it brought us all the way to Pompeii Italy where we are right enjoying our first real Italian pizza!
We are loving each and everyone and living the AAVE Life!
July 7, 2008
IG1-Greetings from Greece!
Posted by AAVE Leader in : Italy & Greece , add a comment
Up to now, the trip has been a great experience for all of us. The group consists of a bunch of students who get along great and everyday we learn more and more cool things about each other. We kicked off out journey with a trip to the Acropolis where we saw the Parthenon and many other ruins that portray ancient Greek mythology and culture.
After spending our first two days in Athens we ventured to the Peloponnesus by bus. During our time in these breathtaking mountains, the group spent 4 days rafting, hiking and river trekking. The weather here was hot, Greece’s typical weather, but one day, for the first time in two summers, rain came clashing down on to the mountains only to create fun mud baths to play in. Our great time here came to an end yet we did not have a clue that Olympia would be just as much fun!
Now we are on Lefkada Island. We just spent our first day here, learning how to scuba dive, and we can’t wait for the activities coming up.
Thank you for sharing your amazing teenagers with us!!!
Emily and the rest of the IG crew!
July 2, 2008
IG1
Posted by AAVE Leader in : Italy & Greece , add a comment
Wow! Athens is absolutely remarkable - everyone always said that the houses were beautifully white and the water was deep blue and indeed the contrast between the two colors is remarkable!!
What a great group of campers - we have all arrived safely and happy and thoroughly enjoyed getting to know one another our first night together after a long journey. Everyone is pretty excited mostly to see some sights they’ve only read about in history class and to also learn how to SCUBA dive as well as do some pretty great kayaking and rafting. The water feels so good becasue the sun is strong but it’s a perfect combo.
Check back later for some more stories as we continue on this adventure together!
January 2, 2008
Teens Sail Italy & Greece!
Posted by AAVE Parent in : General, Italy & Greece , add a comment
Sonja came back with lots of exiting memories. She particularly enjoyed the scuba diving and the sailing. She looks foward to going on another trip next summer!-Jan Hagemeier, Parent
This was Jacob’s third year with you. As in the past, the trip was very well organised, the group leaders were fantastic, Jacob made new friends and the whole experience was great. It couldn’t have been better. In spite of the terrible heat in Greece, everyone seemed to be happy.-Kate Bennett, parent
I would say that the trip was very successful in all aspects. The leaders were fun and outgoing and the other teens in the trips as well. The whole group meshed well and everyone was ready to try everything our AAVE trip had to offer.-David Kuratek, camper
Stephanie was simply delighted by her trip. She enjoyed the activities and the atmosphere. She made good friends and the 3 weeks just flew by. Anne-Marie & Tony Morrongiello, parents
Everything about the trip was really fun! There wasn’t anything that I didn’t enjoy and all the activities were really fun. It was cool that we had a small group because we all got to know each other really well and got along great.-Stephanie Morrongiello, camper
It was awesome! It allowed me to be with my friend Nick but at the same time meet other friends from all over the world. I really liked learning about Greece and learning Scuba was amazing!-Oliver Shetler, camper
August 2, 2007
Sail Italy & Greece - Fun in the Sun!
Posted by Jenny at AAVE in : General, Italy & Greece , add a comment
August 1, 2007
Sail Italy & Greece #2A - Hot but Happy!
Posted by Jenny at AAVE in : General, Italy & Greece , add a comment
Greetings from Greece to Abbott and families back home,
Hot, but Happy!
Arrival in Athens was in the midst of the hottest summer in nearly ten years. The temperature was 115! The group is quickly adapting to the heat and realizing that water is indeed more hydrating than coke! Day two we loaded up our styling bus and our driver, Mr. T, led us to Keritena, a remote town in the middle of the Peloponnese peninsula. This was our home for the next 3 days. We were very happy to see a river at the base of our camp. This river, the Alfios, was also where we went rafting and hydrospeeding. Our guides were great and are already greatly missed. Next, Mr. T led us to Olympia where we toured the old Olympic grounds. Then we loaded up the bus again and continued further north to Lefkata Island. We are here for 5 days and how lucky we are. Now we are at diving school and this morning we arrived here, loaded the boats and got to swim with the dolphins! They were literally right underneath us, how lucky are we.
Greetings from the beautiful Mediterranean Sea!
Sarah, Jamie, Jacob Bennett, Stephanie Morrongiello, Julia Morrongiello, David Kuratek, Sonja Hagemeier, Alex Brehnan, Nick Strelov, Oliver Shetler, Barbara Billiet