Puerto Princesa to Siargao - Kayaking and Life Calls

I'm sitting in a coffee shop in Puerto Princesa, waiting for my flight to Siargao via Cebu. Yesterday was a great day in Port Barton. Rachel and I rented a kayak and spent the entire day exploring beautiful, secluded beaches. It was incredibly relaxing and fun. Traveling with Rachel has been amazing — I've done things I wouldn't typically do alone. During our kayaking adventure, I spotted a huge blue jellyfish — one of the craziest animals I've ever seen in real life. It was likely a box jellyfish, known for their cube-shaped, translucent blue bells and long tentacles. They're extremely venomous. Seeing wild animals like that in their natural habitat really makes you feel like Hashem is right there in front of your eyes. I really liked Port Barton, even though it was just a one-day stopover. It's a great backpacker spot — not overcrowded or overrun like some other places in the Philippines. That night, I had two meaningful calls with dear friends. First, I spoke with Ron about our evolving egos. It's so cool — when you're developing a new self, you get to meet your friends all over again for the first time. I told him that life often feels like a one-player game — we're ultimately on our own. No matter how secure you might feel with family or work, this journey is yours alone. Ron suggested that this changes when you marry — when two become one in a sacred union. I agreed. We talked about love — how real love, built through shared experiences, is something deeply sacred and beautiful. I shared some of my internal monologue, and we both got emotional. I wished him much love and happiness on his upcoming trip to Israel with his family. Later that evening, I spoke with Count Katz — Qmanj — Zachary Aaron Katz. I asked him about his reintegration back home, and he offered some powerful insights and advice. We both want to build an international adventure capitalist lifestyle — the most awesome version of life we can imagine. He mentioned how our long-term backpacking trips — nearly a year of frolicking around the world — aren't sustainable. I've really started to understand that now, as my funds run low. The only reason I've been able to take this incredible trip is because of the hard, intellectual work I put in during the first 22 years of my life — through school, and 2.5 years of work. It feels right to say thank you for this experience and now continue onwards and upwards. We talked about everything we've learned, and how when you return home, there are so many external forces — obligations, expectations — pulling at you. That's why I want to use the next couple of months, the remainder of this trip, to cement new habits and identities. I want to draw lines in the sand so that when I go home, I can stand firm as those forces start tugging again. I'm ready to reignite my intellectual curiosity — and I'm excited to see how that unfolds. Count Katz also said something that stuck with me: it's relatively easy to make money. But making money the right way — doing something you care about, something meaningful — that's the hard part. Part of the reason we both quit our jobs was to explore where in the world we could live a healthy, connected-with-nature, beautiful life. I haven't found that place yet, but Zach shared some that he sees as possibilities: Hawaii, Bali, Israel, Costa Rica. I haven't been to Hawaii or Bali yet, but I plan to visit both soon. All of those places seem to have what I'm looking for: beautiful nature and beaches, rich culture and community, healthy local food, and walkability. Anyway, I'm still waiting on this flight. Looking forward to a week in Siargao to cap off my time in the Philippines before heading to Indonesia.