Again we woke up early. I think a monkey shouting outside the room jolted me out of my slumber, but perhaps a very noisy and untuneful bird just shouted its mating call. Whatever disturbed me it meant my body had left the comfort of our bed by 6:15.
Yoga Class with Rahul
By 7 am we had arrived at our yoga class. I couldn’t call it a room because there are only walls on two sides and a roof. It feels more like a platform. I’m refreshed by practising yoga almost outdoors. The breeze drifts gently through our class which marginally helps with the cooling process after 6 rounds of ‘salute to the sun’. Then you hear the call of a tropical bird so loud it makes you turn around and what you see is a group of monkeys passing by. Mixed in with the animals comes the chanting from a nearby Buddhist Temple which gives the whole yoga experience an authenticity hard to beat.
Today our teacher, Rahul, has many more pupils, probably 15, although I didn’t count them. I intended to be at the back of the class but late arrivals prevented this.
Apart from a few minor alterations we repeated yesterday’s efforts, stretches, breathing and relaxation. Rahul doesn’t try to persuade people to take part. His instructions come as orders which you should obey rather than gentle hints. Oft times he paces around us as he gives repeated instructions for the routines or the rhythmic breathing. When he demonstrates some of the moves his ability shines through. He ones from India and he must have been practicing yoga since childhood.
Although I am undoubtedly the eldest of the participants I don’t feel that I stand out as the most useless member. People have all different shaped bodies with all sorts of shapes, strengths and weaknesses. Yoga tends to show up both strengths and weaknesses. My hamstrings are so extremely tight that I find any stretch involving straight legs difficult, whereas I look at Maggi who can bend down and touch her toes. I struggle to get close with bent legs.
At the end of the class we saw our first monkey of the trip. In fact a troop played in the tree beside our yoga studio, unfortunately I couldn’t get a decent picture of them.
Santani Food
I’m trying to cut down on my intake of food and so last night I told the chef that I didn’t want anything other than the fruit and yogurt/granola with my morning coffee. Similarly for lunch I requested no soup. He obliged at brekkies but when it came to lunch I received the soup. In actual fact, the fish and cauliflower broth I didn’t really like so it wasn’t a problem not eating it. This course proved to be an exception because I have liked virtually everything else we have received here. I hope that isn’t a bad luck omen and the food deteriorates from here on in.
During the afternoon we received a visit from a couple of adventurous monkeys who sat on our balcony. One of them enjoyed an opulent of bananas I left out. Perhaps that was a mistake as it just encourages them to hang around the people here at the hotel.
Back to yoga at 4:30 for 1 hour. The evening is slightly easier although it did include six rounds of ‘salute to the sun’. A quick dip in the pool concluded the afternoon exercise regime.
Today I also feel I have managed to understand the basics of the database called Notion which I am using to write this diary entry.
Another very good meal in the evening and after we returned to the room we both more or less flaked out.