Syria overwhelmed me with it's breathtaking landscape and unbounded kindness. People living in such barren and harsh landscapes moved me with their warmth and generosity; none more so than the bedouins who hosted us in their camp. We made our way to the camp in the back of a pickup truck, lounging on colourful cushions and watching the town of Palmyra become smaller and smaller behind us. We were introduced to the best hunter in Palmyra who rode alongside us on his motorbike and later showed us videos of falcons on his mobile phone. We stood by as camels were given water, car engine problems were solved and dinner was prepared. We fell asleep under a blanket of stars as our new friends explained arabic words and their culture.

Ya'ni is a word in Arabic that translates roughly to 'meaning' or 'like' and is often used to string together a sentence whilst searching for other words. Ya'ni is a word that I equate with the time I have spent in Syria - with its people and with its stories which enchant and intrigue.