I did not rejoice seeing my camel struggle to walk and carry my weight across the vast desert sand dunes of Jaisalmer. In fact, I see a tear form near its eyelids. I pat its back gently and run my palm over its rough skin I hear it made a sound of acknowledgement. I realized I can’t go overly sensitive at their plight – as these kings of the desert have thrived on this landscape performing what it is asked of them; to transport men and supplies across this harsh environment which at the same time pepper the eyes with visually stimulating scenery.

It was like a hand from heaven came out of the sky and pointed to a spot in the middle of the vast Leyte farmland, and out appeared a spacious campsite and festival grounds encircled by towering trees and green pasture. In the middle stood the main stage waiting to be rocked by the night’s list of musical artists. All around from where I stood, I saw people lying scattered in small groups all over the greens. Almost instantly, I felt the vibe at the The Farm in San Miguel, Leyte mirroring the strong camaraderie harnessed together by the Yolanda survivors, the Leyte residents, and the many volunteers from all over world.

After a couple of days of island hopping exploring the many white sandy beaches and hidden lagoons of the Bacuit archipelago, another adventure awaited us the next day. The previous night’s rain worried me a bit, as I expected the jagged trail to Taraw Cliff to be extra slippery. Despite being my second time in El Nido, it would be my first time to scale Taraw Cliff. Making the short but arduous scramble to the top extra special was the company of my girlfriend, Monnette.