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For years I have wanted to go and travel, to explore the world, experience different countries and cultures, to smell the traditional food and explore different landscapes and the nature within. But I always made excuses and came up with reasons why I should not go. My latest excuse was that I was too old to travel. Healers and witches, (for me being a western person from Europe), belong in fairy tales. But Siquijor, in the Philippines, is an island of mysterious witchcraft and the unknown and it opened my eyes to an array of possibilities. Deep in the mountains you can find the village San Antonio; this is where you can find the healers and the witches. One is referred to as the "Shaman" and the other the "Sorcerer". The shaman is called mananambal while the sorcerer is called a mambabarang in the local language. One of them goes by the name Vicente Tamala. When I arrived at San Antonio a group of ten children guided me to one of the healer’s huts. In the doorway stood a small Filipino woman to greet me. She introduced herself as Lualhati. I went inside the authentic woven hut and sat down on a chair made from bamboo. Lualhati explained to me the different potions they make for healing purposes, and the ingredients included. It was in that moment, whilst I was listening to Lualhati that the amulets on the other side of the room caught my eye. The amulets were made from coconut on the outside and different ingredients are placed inside them before they are sealed with wax to make sure all the ingredients stay securely inside. “The amulets remedy a lot of problems, from physical to emotional to mental and financial issues. Also the amulet will protect you form any harm.” Lualhati explained to me. I felt a slight shiver go through my body and when I turned my head Vincente was standing next to me. I wondered how long he had been standing there. Vincente didn’t look like a healer to me, but maybe this is because in my mind healers and witches take the form of those I have come across in fairy tales and a normal looking gentleman in plain clothing did not fulfil the stereotype I had in my head. Vincente wrapped me within a blanket while burning charcoal mixed with some sumpa (magic potion) which he had placed under my chair. After the smoke surrounded me for ten minutes, while my ears filled with the whispers of Vincent’s voice, I felt as those I had been `healed`. Apart from the soft whispers, Vincente didn’t say a single word during the whole healing process. It was magical. Lualhati brought the amulet to Vincente so he could place it on me. I looked at the other amulets and she said “don’t worry you will get the one you want”. Confused and unsure about what Lualhati had meant by what she had told me I left San Antonio. Could she read my mind? Did she know what I was thinking? To be honest I was hoping for a different amulet. But I did not want to come across as rude or ungrateful or disturb the healing process so I remained silent. The following day I visited the Cambugahay Falls. I had an amazing time here, jumping into the crystal clear water and swimming in the deep pools. The local people at the waterfall asked me where on the island I had already visited and I told them about my experience in San Antonio. When I reached to try to show them the amulet from around my neck it was gone! I immediately went back to San Antonio, feeling a bit ashamed because I had somehow managed to misplace the Amulet. As I walked towards the hut, Lualhati saw me walking up to her and she said; “I knew you would come back and it is good to see you again”. Vincente placed a new amulet on my neck, the one that had caught my eye on my previous visit, and Lualhati stated “You are never too old to start your journey”.