Life these days

I couldn't have planned a better way to overhaul the frantic and very off work-life balance of the past 18 months than to come here. We often speak of slowing down the pace but frankly, some places simply lend themselves far better than others.

Over here the sun sets at 5:15 more or less, which is why my afternoon yoga classes begin at 4:30. It's just a nice, cruisy and rather mystical way of putting a final dot on the day (and often-times to also mark the beginning of the evening's shennanigans :-))

So  this year instead of indulging in the Halloween candy spiral, I started the day at 7AM (no alarm clock required) with a composite 20Km bike ride: to and from town (in search of ingredients for my upcoming Spanish food night) and to and from Pansukian Resort, my friend Gai's place (www.pansukian.com). The excuse? A dip in her large ocean-front swimming pool followed by lunch. I thought we were getting the leftover Thai chicken panaeng curryshe kindly offered, but instead she had prepared a small feast, offering me the leftover chicken in a tupper wear to ride home with (hmmm no need to think up dinner now!) So I got back home in time for my daily 4:30 PM yoga class: made up of the usual suspects, Although I might add I do also love the beginner classes, particularly when they're made up of 5 sexy French surfers (he he). After all that cycling and swimming and eating and stretching, I was so exhausted I was in bed by 20:45, not even hungry, so left the curry for the next day, which was today.

An early night like that leads to an early start like today's: 6:30 AM bangka pump boat ride over crystal-clear turqouise waters  to Dako island for an early morning surf :-) Can't beat the warm salt water substituting for the early morning shower...just immersing yourself and feeling that "je ne sais quoi" in the waves crashing down on me. I caught some waves, actually, but mostly paddled, which is fine by me. The exercise was in for the morning.  Riding back as the sun started to burn on my back, I felt exhilirated. If only every day could start this way. A little light breakfast before sweeping the floor and lighting the mosquito coils, turning on the fans and getting the zen music for Sunday's morning yoga class at 10:30. Hmmmmm it was great. Had 2 new students today who will be joining tomorrow's full moon yoga over on the platform rlooking out onto Cloud9....it's the raised wooden walkway that leads out to the surf. So sunset takes on a whole new dimension when that big, fat, beautiful full moon shines down upon your deep, even and relaxed breathing. Can't wait!

(Above: a bit of the road I cycle into town daily)