Kovalam, Kerala

It's good to get back in to more of a routine, albeit a relaxed one, which goes something like this... 7:00 get up, cup of green tea (note cup of tea is very important); 7:30 - 9:30 yoga; 9:30 breakfast; 10:30 ish onwards - relax, read book, beach, swim, shop; 5:00 - 6:30 yoga and meditation; 7:30 ish dinner; 10-11 ish bed.

This is me being relaxed and yogic...


There are 12 of us doing yoga, all pretty experienced, (about half are yoga teachers), plus teacher Neville. I like his style of yoga, relaxed and flowing, and I don't feel too intimidated by all the professionals! Am a bit stiff at first, particularly in my shoulders, most likely a result of heaving my backpack on and off so many Indian buses, but the stiffness soon goes and my 'down dog' and headstands are improving. It's funny to be surrounded by westerners again and Kovalam sometimes feels like an Indian version of the Costa del Sol, but it's still India and our yoga group is lovely.


At the weekend we have a break so 4 of us, (Sue 2, Maggie, Marena and I), decide to take a backwaters boat trip from Alleppey. I share a boat with Marena, which we decide will be the 'meditation boat', although we seem to spend most of the time eating some very delicious veg curries and seafood.


Travelling through the backwaters is beautiful and so relaxing. In our smaller 2 person boat we are able to visit some of the narrower canals and witness the village life on the water. And we do manage some mediation - at sunset we walk through the rice paddies and sit in a friendly villager's back garden to watch the sun go down, and at dawn we watch the sunrise over the water.