It makes me feel proud and thankful to have flown in with my team to Sri Lanka to film this one of a kind birthday celebration.

I have done previous work for this family – the Yansons, Lacsons and Buhains.  And I can tell you this, theirs is a tight knit family unlike anything I have ever seen.   Their love is sincere and overflowing and extends outside the immediate family to friends.  I’m a witness to that.

This was no ordinary 18th birthday celebration, as Riana chose to have an adventure of a lifetime with family and friends over a big party in the Philippines.  And when I say adventure – I don’t mean that lightly.  I mean ADVENTURE!  Seventy-five people doing this –

tuktuk rides in the city
hiking
canyoning (look it up!)
a river cruise
white water rafting
a treasure hunt
petting a wild baby alligator
and curry for days! Now that’s a gastronomic adventure (I kid!)

All jam packed in 5 days culminating in a traditional party at the last night.

Sure a bit of Alaxan and some other pain relievers were necessary after the long gruelling days, but the adventures shared, the real fears and risks and the tiny triumphs of everybody in the party, both young and old –  solidified what were already strong bonds between them.

I’d be lying if I said it was easy.  But It’d be more of a lie if I said that I and my team didn’t enjoy it every bit of the way.

All images courtesy of the talented Myio Okamoto.