San Fransisco

We spent this afternoon driving up to San Fransisco. What a truely beautiful city! It is a Sister City with Wellington in NZ and you can see why. There are a lot of parks in the city along with the hilly streets of course which provide amazing views over the harbour. It has a great energy about it and the streets are filled with people so the city feels alive (sonething that LA didn't have?).

The famous Golden Gate bridge is visible from miles and so it was an easy landmark to find. We have planned to take pics of different yoga postures in front of all famous landmarks we visit so this is the first.

It is very poor excuse for a Bow pose but I had been sitting in a car for 4 hours previously, it was freezing outside so the bod wasn't warmed up at all, I had jeans on, it was very windy.....enough excuses, but you get the idea. lol

We walked around the city for a bit before settling on a place for dinnner. The area we are in reminded me of Ponsonby in AK and is full of trendy cafes and restaurants etc. I have to admit it feels great to be in a bustling city again and if I had to live in the States it would definitely be a city on my list.

Alcatraz

Spent another stunning day in the beautiful city of San Fransisco today. Woke up early and went to the Global Yoga studio for a 6 am class (which I will write about in a seperate post so that those of you who are non-yogis aren't bored with my blow by blow account of each posture :-) We then went down to Fishermans Wharf (in pic) and walked along the waterfront. Its very much a touristy area but still lovely all the same. The Wharf is alive and bustling with fresh seafood stalls and all the vendors try to out do each other for your business.

I'm amazed at how clean the city is. There is NO rubbish, cig butts, or graffiti anywhere and it would certainly put a lot of our cities to shame.

We then headed to Pier 33 to catch the ferry to Alcatraz. We couldn't have picked a more perfect day to be out on the harbour as there wasn't a cloud in the sky and we got 360 degree views of the harbour from the ferry (though temps are still a bit cool for us Gold Coast residents).

The Tour around Alcatraz was really interesting. I didn't know but the place was originally built as a fortress to protect San Fransisco in the Gold Rush in the early 1800's. It was then converted to a prison until it was deemed too expensive to run and upkeep and it was closed in 1963. Little history lesson there :-) It also didn't have the "heavy" energy I expected it too. I'm wondering maybe if its because it is open to the public and so has had so many people through? Mind you I didn't feel too keen on hanging out in anyone's cell for any length of time!

Would have loved to have had time to stay longer as there is so much to do here but unfortunately the day of reckoning will soon be upon us so we have to start making our way back to the City of Angels.

,,

The Big Sur - "The Greatest Meeting of Land & Sea"

Today we drove up The Big Sur (The Big South Country), which is the scenic highway approximately 300 miles north of LA and 150 miles south of San Fransisco (our final destination).

It is 90 miles of rugged, beautiful coastline and the views were stunning. Some if it was as I had imagined CA but I did think it would be more sandy. (I guess if I'd spent more time updating my American geography I would know to expect more than palm trees and sandy beaches!)

Each corner gave way to even more spectatcular views than the last and there wasn't a cloud in the sky, so it was a perfect day, though still pretty chilly.

Along the way we saw a colony of sealions, and of course at each rest stop were the ever present Squirrels - always fun to watch.

We finished today's drive at Monterey Bay (just south of San Fran) and went for a look around the Penninsula which is famous for the golf course where the US Golf Open was held in 2010. (I say that like I knew it, but I have to admit to reading it in the brochure :-)

The Pennisula is also a playground for the rich and richer and the drive around their homes is a tourist attraction in itself. Its hard for me to even comprehend what life with that kind of wealth would be like....... Maybe next time around? I wonder if it would only prove that money doesn't buy happiness?

Plan is to start tomorrow with a Bikram class and then head up to San Fransisco. Really looking forward to looking around there as have heard great things about the city.

Less than a week now till TT. Oh man..........

Yoga in Monterey Bay

Got up this morning and did a 9am class at Bikram Monterey Bay. A nice relaxing start for the morning as there are no 6am classes available. Oh bummer...... :-) We were warmly welcomed by William the Studio Manager and instructor for our class who gave us complimentary passes which is always nice for travelling yogis on a budget like us. Again, the room was really hot, but no humidity which just makes breathing SO much easier. I had a really strong class and didn't feel too stiff considering how many hours we've been sitting in the car for the past few days. I got complimented on several of my postures which is always nice, and after my Standing Head to Knee William asked if I had competed in the last comp! Something I had never considered as have enough on my plate with getting my head around TT etc, but what a wonderful compliment.

Now, I know your yoga should be just about the journey and staying present with each posture as it happens. About not having any expectations, and especially about not comparing yourself to others or practicing with ego etc, so it shouldn't matter whether anyone notices any of your postures or not, but I have to admit to being pretty chuffed about it. Its nice to have someone recognise your hard work.

Anyway, incase I let it go to my head too much, I then feel out of both sides of Bow which is the very next posture. LOL Nothing like being grounded again eh! For the Seperate Leg Stretching / Head to Knee Poses and Triangle they had us turn and face the side mirrors so that we were standing length ways along the mat. Something we don't do in Oz or in AK but the studio in LA did it also. It means you can't see yourself in the front mirror to check your alignment so you have to really feel where you are in the posture. An added bonus is that you don't end up dripping sweat on your neighbours mats which is prob something newcomers freak out about but after years of sweating together with fellow yogis for 90 mins every day I have to admit you fail to even notice a bit of sweat.

For Triangle they had us turn our heads first so that the profile of our face was visible to the side mirror, THEN move both our arms. (hmmm, maybe some of that dialogue is sticking in there after all?) That felt really different but did help to get your chin to your shoulder. The class finished with a very quiet subtle Kapalbhati breathing which I found very calming. Then a short prayer of thanks and several hits on a large gong which made a lovely tone and was a really nice way to close off everything.

So then it was back into the cold and time to get out onto the road to head for San Fransisco.

Have Arrived in LA

I've made it to LA safe and sound with no dramas. Yay!

A fellow Yogi from my home studio in Burleigh is here also and so it has been nice to have a familiar face around. I must admit that I would have felt a little daunted arriving here and having to find my way around totally alone. Not that I couldn't have managed it of course, being the Nomad that I am. Packing up my life and moving to another country is something I've done several times now. I think perhaps its the added pressure of Training that added to the nerves I felt when we landed here.

So have been here a few days now. The day I arrived was raining and very windy, but since then we have had stunning clear blue skies. Which unfort have been accompanied by freezing temps and cold winds (well ok, not freezing by world standards, but after two years on the Goldie, day temps that only get to the mid teens less windchill feels very cold.)

Spent the first day going on a Tiki-tour (Kiwi for sightseeing) of some of the main attractions - Sunset Blvd, Hollywood, Bev Hills etc. Pic above is of me standing in front of the famous Hollywood sign. Unfort didn't get the zoom on the camera right and so the sign in barely visible in the distance. But by the time I realised this, I decided it was too bl**dy cold to go back out there to get another one! Will have to try again on a nicer day.

Have managed to get in a couple of yoga classes. The first one at a regular yoga studio in Hollywood (how very LA of us!) which was in a beautiful old building, and so the room was large, sunny, bright and airy with timber floors. Not something you tend to get in Bikram studios! It certainly gave the studio a beautiful energy and I really enjoyed the class. The instructors (1 leading the class and 2 trainees) were incredibly knowledgable and I learnt SO much in just that one hour class. It made me realise just how far I have yet to go on my joga journey.

Also got in a class at a Bikram studio in Silverlake, near Hollywood. It was a Saturday morning class, so very busy (at least 60 yogis) and the room was really hot but with very little humidity which makes a HUGE difference and so it was really manageable. I had imagined that after being on the plane and not having eaten properly, that my first class here I would surely be hit by the Yoga Bus, but I had a really strong practice.

So a nice start to our venture, and I don't feel any jet lag which I'm sure is due to the yoga. Looking forward to get out and about and seeing some more of the sights.

24 Hours Till Lift Off

Well, with less than 24 hours until I fly out I'm starting to feel some angst. Mostly excitement, but there is a growing knot in my stomach that I have been carrying around for a few days now.

I feel like its the end of summer and I am about to start a new school. I'm moving to a new town, and going to a school with 450 other students. I wonder, who will be my new friends? Who will be in my class / study group? What will the teachers be like? Will I like them? Will they like me? More importantly, will I survive?

So to everyone who has helped me get here; all the friends and family who listened to me for the past two years, talk endlessly about my dream to go to Bikram Teacher Training and always believed I could make it happen (often with more certainty than me), I say, thank you.

To all the yoga teachers with whom I have had the joy of crossing paths, I say thank you. Thank you for your inspiration and motivation, and for sharing your love of yoga. For taking the time in class to notice my postures and offer words of correction and encouragement, which has helped me improve in so many ways.

A special word to Sean and Jodie, and the fellow yogis / yoginis of what has become my home studio in Burleigh. Thank you for welcoming me so warmly into your studio when I first moved here from NZ two years ago. My life wouldn't be complete without Bikram Yoga and so it has been wonderful to continue my practice here on the Goldie.

To you all, a most heartfelt, Namaste.

My Bags Are Packed

For the past six months I have had the luxury of living on my own in an old 2 BRM bach (house) in North Kirra at the Southern end of the coast. The beach has been my backyard. I can sit in my lounge and look at the ocean and walk out the front door straight onto the sand. Needless to say for a beach lover like Moi, this has been absolute heaven.

However, I'm giving up my lease on the unit while I'm away so that I'm not paying rent etc. So while this makes financial sense I hate the thought of leaving the beach pad that I have been lucky enough to call home.

This has meant of course that besides packing what I will need in LA I have to sort and pack everything else so that it can be put into storage.

Ugh what a job. This is what I've spent my first day off work doing. Hardly the day of leisure I had envisaged for myself.

So the contents of this one bag will be my life for the next 3 months. Enough yoga outfits to get through the week without having to do any laundry. (A hint from one of our teachers who said your time is so precious through the week that not having to find time to do washing will be a bonus.)

Can I say though, its amazing how much yoga clothes weigh! I have had to re-pack several times to get my bag under 20kg. I can see the guys rolling your eyes here, but hey its just a girl thing.

Another hint from Luke who used to work at TT, was to just buy everything in black that way you didn't even have to waste any time, energy or brain power co-ordinating outfits. Sorry but I just can't bring myself to do this! I'll take the chance that I will still have enough energy to at least co-ordinate my clothes. :-)