Yoga Heaven, Yoga Hell!

Okay this is going to be a challenge spending a week doing yoga and mediation. This will be the very first time for Jody doing any type of Yoga. So we arrived on out first day at around 4pm, the journey to the retreat was fun, the taxi driver did not know where we were going so after a number of calls to the yoga centre and asking directions from all the locals we reached a steep gravel road. The poor taxi, which was like a fiat panda with a 700cc engine, could not make it up the hill so we both got out of the car and had to push it up the hill. Only to find that at the top was the yoga centre. We had arrived! We went in and a young girl came to see us, she sat us down in the lovely gardens and offered us some mint tea. We were hoping for a chance to see the Yoga Master to talk to him about our lack of experience and what we were after. But no, we waited a bit longer & read the magazines. The young girl offered to show us around to kill some time and she took us to the tents where we would be staying,they were named Wisdom, Harmony, Bliss and Tranquility. We were given Harmony, so now we can say we are living in Harmony together. How sweet! First class mediation. We have never done this before and the Yoga Master never even spoke to us before the first class so we were finding it hard to understand the instructor and the noise from outside was very distracting. After an hour of doing three different mediation exercise we finished and headed for some food. The food was lovely, spring vegetable soup followed by rice and paneer cheese . New morning new day, up at 6am, yep 6am, well 6:45 by the time we got out of bed and headed for the yoga class which started at 7am. The yoga class was to last for two hours, starting with a warm up of all you different body parts. Then on to stretching. This we both enjoyed even though Jody found it quite hard. All the moving has unleashed the pain from when she fell off the horse again which was a shame as we thought it was all better. Breakfast on the lawn, the food here is really lovely, all vegetarian and well made and presented. Each day we get a treatment too. So day one we Jody has a massage which was wonderful and really seemed to help her back. Bryan had the water torture which involves lying on your back and having warm oil dripped onto your forehead. We have lunch at 1pm and the evening meditation at 6pm for one hour followed by dinner at 7pm. All the time in-between is our own and we spend most of that time talking to the other guests - which change daily as every day someone leaves and someone else arrives. Okay now day three or is it day four? All I know is it's all too slow for Bryan and his body has gone to sleep and he keeps sleeping All this laying around doing nothing might be relaxing for those who live a busy stressful life, but when you've been on the road for ten months and are quite chilled out already, Yoga is the last thing you need. Bryan just want to leave and get on the road again, life is just wasting away at the Yoga retreat. It is so boring. Well that’s his story but Jody was actually quite enjoying it The instructor, goes through the motions of different Yoga, but we are on day six and he has just said to Jody don't do sun salutations as it is not good for your back. Hang on we've been doing it for five days already! So why the sudden concern now? Bryan had his steam box this morning, so he is all hot and sweaty. Jody asked if she could watch the chef today as she heard they were making Chapatis. She got to help out in the kitchen and they really seem to love the fact that someone was taking an interest in what they do. You can see the video she made on our video links Only one more night of this Yoga hell then back to the real world. First stop Thamel, Kathmandu again. Then off to Pokhara where Bryan will go off trekking and Jody will have some me time :-) Himalaya International Yoga Centre Room rating: 7/10 surprisingly really clean and comfortable Location: 7/10 - on a hill with great views. Noisy Staff: 7/10 - really nice people Value for Money: 4/10 - quite expensive Other comments: lovely food and nice massage Stay again? no we would find somewhere quieter Overall area experience: 5/10 unique!