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December 30, 2008
Typical day
Nothing much has happened the last couple of days though the time's gone past very, very quickly. There's a group of 4 yogis practicing in my living room each morning at the moment as there was a couple of abortive attempts to practice together at Alex's place but each time we went over the room was locked. After the second try I suggested we could use the space in the place I've rented as it's got quite a big living area and its really no hassle to have people over here.
Here's a typical breakdown of my day here...
5.45 am: wake to turn the lights on and open the doors so my friends can get in
6.00 am: start practice
8.00 am: shift out of savasana and trundle over the the chai stand for a drink
8.45 am: return to flat for shower and reset the living area
9.30 - 11.00: breakfast
11-12 noon read
12: first coconut of the day
12:30 : second coconut
1-3.30 - run around either doing chores or wandering around down town
4.00 return to flat
5.30: third and fourth coconut
6.00 work out where dinner's going to be and go eat
8.00 home for internet catch up, blogging, phone home (try to)
9.00 bed
Eating after 6pm is having an effect on my practice so I'll be glad when the regular Mysore haunts re-open after the shala restarts as it's easier to get good food earlier in the evening then.
Posted by graeme at 1:14 PM | Comments (0)
December 28, 2008
Walks around Mysore
My friend's just got back from treking Annapurna in Nepal and he's wanting to keep his stamina up for treking by finding different places to go. Two days ago we took a walk around the lake (lots of talking!) and I found it a really nice place to stroll, it's much nicer than the Tank further into town.
Nice view over the lake to Chamundi Hill
Today we actually went up Chamundi Hill. Ok, my friend's being doing it evert day so it was a bit of a stroll for him but very hard on my knees...
It was a bit misty at the top but I did get a good snap of kids playing round the back of the temple.
One of the local dogs takes a siesta
Posted by graeme at 2:35 PM | Comments (0)
December 27, 2008
Lazy afternoons..
I spent a wonderful afternoon at my friends apartment sitting talking. He'd cooked a fantastic spaghetti dish and with his flat mate and 2 other friends we kicked back and talked for what must've been nearly 4.5 hours. We did break for a trip out to a nearby cake shop to bring back some luxury chocolate cakes, which lasted all of about 2 minutes when we opened the boxes back at the flat. What with the gossip, story telling and a quick round of youTube videos it all ended up being great fun.
This evening it seems more and more new faces are appearing around Gokulam. It definitely feels as if there are more westerners in the area, and at the coconut stand it was practically standing room only.
I'm still having problems with my mobile phone, trying to get an international dialing pack added on, but when I went this morning I was asked to come back at 6pm. When I went back a little thereafter and the guy phoned in to their offices he came back with 'Office closed, come Monday'. Err, that's a little late as I need to get the problem with my visa card sorted. When I found the nearest international phone box the electricity for the street must've been cut as the whole area was thrown into pitch darkness. When I got back to the flat all the kids from the chemistry class were outside enjoying the break from their studies. That place goes all day, and I imagine they work really hard from what I've picked up from the Indian guys that have worked beside me back in Glasgow. They seemed to be enjoying the hiatus.
Thankfully the bite on my left bicep seems to be going down and I'm not being bitten so much. After some detective work I found out that the only way Mozzies can get into the apartment is through the toilet extractor fan (I've been leaving the door open) so I'll have to make sure I close it from now on in.
Posted by graeme at 2:48 PM | Comments (0)
December 26, 2008
Different Obstacles
Is it the universe providing obstacles or is it my expectations...
Yesterday's visits to the orphanages had already happened in the morning (though there's some later on in the week apparently), the atm here blocked my one and only valid visa card, my mobile wouldn't let me phone home (though that's more than likely down to the pay-as-you-go package I bought), the place where the students have been practicing while the shala is closed was also locked this morning, the bite on my left bicep gets mashed every time I bind and gets itchy as hell after practice and, oh, the Gandhi dvd turned out to be an empty box!! It's not as if anybody died yet my mind took the hump about some of them!
Still, I did manage to do my washing yesterday.
It's funny to see how quickly my mind has swapped from finding stuff at work to moan about to finding stuff here to moan about. I should really let it all go. Like one of the guys I talked to yesterday was saying, India's a good place for stuff like this happening. If you're not mindful it can drive you nuts.
I'm settling down into a little routine now, trying to fill the hours as they slowly click by. I had to move the clock out of sight as I was finding myself looking at it every 10 minutes going "is that only the time!". I'm still feeling kinda agitated but I kinda knew it would take 3 or 4 days to unwind from the previous couple of months. It's coming slow but sure.
I think I might've pissed off my neighbour down stairs as I was cleaning the balcony area (it's lovely and shaded but the floor was a mess) and before I knew it the water I was using was dripping down into their back yard. It's one of the gotcha's of this place, you just never know what tap does what, what switch activates what light, why there's a shower head right over the toilet seat, and why there's only 1 socket in the bedroom (why is it so high on the wall?).
I guess things here are just different, especially this....
Posted by graeme at 5:39 AM | Comments (0)
December 25, 2008
Outside it's Mysore
So it seems Santa came last night and I got my wish to wake up in Mysore for Xmas. Seems I also received a nice big bit on my left bicep too! I practiced this morning and it was a lot better than I thought it was going to be seeing that I'd been sitting for practically the whole day yesterday getting here.
I pulled out the rug from under the table and set up my mat so I could see along this corridor to Mysore. It was nice seeing the light come down the hall like that, filling out into the main room, and combined with the now familiar noises of this place, the dogs barking, the kids arriving for lessons a couple of doors down, the rickshaw engines screaming as they go past, the odd horn been blown to catch someone's attention, and the morning sellers out peddling their goods, it all makes for a nice ambience to practice in. But I took my time and did a nice long practice, tried to iron out a few creases and check in with the knees to see if they were ok as they'd been aching from all the walking I'd been doing after I arrived. I stayed away from some of the obvious stuff just to make sure I didn't blow anything day 1, but had a fairly good time of it.
In the afternoon I took a walk over to Mr Joseph's for the pot luck he was hosting. It was nice to finally meet some of the students who had decided to stay in Mysore even though the Shala's closed until the 4th. I can get a bit self conscious in small groups so it was nice to find myself able to talk to complete strangers, something that's always made me feel a bit anxious. There was some faces there I did recognise and even my good friend Joey turned up which was a complete surprise as I'd thought he was up North somewhere treking about the country. So I'm glad he's going to be around for the next week or so and I can hang with him for a while.
On the way back I had a nice offer of being shown where some of the students are practicing during the break so I can find it in the morning, and a new breakfast place that's opened since the last time I was here. We stopped for a Coconut and as we were there the coconuts were delivered. I said that I'd always wondered where they came from.
"From a big truck!", came the reply.
Later on I did get a bit of shock when I tried to withdraw some money from the cash point this evening though as after a couple of attempts it printed out a slip saying my card was now blocked and I should phone my bank. I actually had completely forgotten it was Xmas day as I was going to try and call them when I got back to the flat and I could dig out there number. It was only when I was in Loyal World picking up something to eat and the store announcer came over the tannoy to wish everyone a Happy Xmas (and to remind everyone that if they broke anything they considered it sold!) that I realised that there'd be no-one to talk to back home.
So this evening I'm going to sit and watch Gandhi, someone who stayed here before must've kindly left it in the flat. Nice way to wind down the day...
Merry Xmas!!
Posted by graeme at 2:25 PM | Comments (1)
December 24, 2008
Touchdown Mysore 2008 (day 0)
I arrived in Mysore this morning after touching down in the new Bangalore airport just after 4.30am local time. I have to say that it kinda took a bit of the fun out of getting here as everythings so much more like your typical western airport now compared to the scrum and shambles of the 'old' airport. I actually witnessed people queuing to collect their bags from the carousel, and the queue for the Thomas Cook travel exchange was practically non-existant. Last time I was here you pretty much had to fight your way to your bag (they would take them off the conveyor belt as soon as they came out) and there was no real order to the queue for travel money exchange, it was pretty much everyone for themselves.
The drive out from the airport was pretty good too. An excellent 4 lane highway back into the city that then turns into the Bangalore-Mysore 2 lane. Apart from the drone of the 4-speed sudan car there was a lot less horn blowing going on as everyone has so much more room. Oh, it only took about 2 minutes from the airport before I saw some guy relieving himself at the side of the road. I guess some things haven't changed.
I've had a good walk around Gokulam this morning. Ganesh was good enough to greet me when I arrived, it's been so long since I saw him and we had a good wee chat together when I got unpacked from the car. I've already had a look at some accommodation but as there are so many students away for the break some of the places are actually shut for the break as well, Anu's for one. Darn! And I was really looking forward to her cooking as well. Guess I'll need to wait for the 5th to come around.
So it's been nice to be back here. I sat for about an hour at the coconut stand just soaking in the energy of the place, the sights and sounds, oh, and a good dose of sunlight too which I'm really not used too. It's so bright here.
First tasks for the day are to sort out some transport (a scooter), a sim card for the phone, and a place to stay, though I here there's a few places now the place is pretty quiet. Ganesh tells me SKPJ is doing well though I've obviously not seen him yet though I've been past the shala a couple of times. I'm hoping I might be able to catch up with some friends either tonight or tomorrow. I'd hate to land here then spend most of Xmas day on my own!
Man, it's good to be back.
Posted by graeme at 7:55 AM | Comments (0)
December 22, 2008
Nothing to do but turn out the lights
I'm waiting here for my disk backup to finish crunching a byte level copy of my laptop before I can switch it off for the last time before heading out to Mysore. It's been the expected hectic last day, stuff to remove from the project, reports that needed to be updated (that everyone ignores), people expecting me to work my lunch when everyone else is out getting some last minute shopping done, and the usual stramash of running around trying to tie up as many lose ends as possible.
At last it's all over bar the singing, which might just happen to night as a good friend has invited me over to join her and her friends for a bite to eat and some drinks, not that I'll be having much as the last thing I want to do is sit hungover on a plane for several hours. No thanks.
So. I'm packed. Everything that had to be done is done, more or less (still need to find some zip lock bags). All that's left to do is to go out and enjoy myself.
Shit. My next entry will probably be typed at Anu's in Mysore!!!!!
Posted by graeme at 4:44 PM | Comments (1)
December 18, 2008
This time next week...
I'll be in Mysore and it'll be Xmas day. Jings, it's come around soon!
I was just thinking last night that if someone had told me a couple of years ago that I'd be excited about going half way round the world to a foreign country and culture to spend Xmas day helping to distribute gifts to kids in orphanages I would've thought them entirely crazy, yet here I am sitting with that very real reality. I can't fathom how my life's changed since deciding to move out of my flat in my hometown almost 5 years ago now, sometimes it feels like I haven't ever stopped moving since. I guess there's a lot of reflection on that in a daily practice where I sit before hand, then once things get going, there's no stopping, until the end of course. I guess it's all a matter of where I end up.
I'm looking forward to the next move to India, moreover for the rest than anything. It seems a strange thing to say that I'd be travelling to the centre of such a physical practice as ashtanga to get a rest, but away from all the daily hassles here, the commotion revolving the software release, the constant too-ing and frow-ing of the arguments about what can and can't be achieved, I think the peace of a place like Mysore's going to do me the world of good. Yeah, and I know Mysore isn't really a quiet place, but it's 'noise' will certainly be different from that I'm sitting in here.
Stuff to remember to do before leaving...
- extra passport photos
- bug repellant
- portable light (tho I'm not sure if Mysore suffers from blackouts anymore)
- zip lock bags (I'm sure the ants are still there)
- something for the kids
- birthday present for my friend
Hmnnn. I bet you I've forgotten something, that seems an awfully short list.
Posted by graeme at 12:20 PM | Comments (1)
December 17, 2008
Avoiding the cold
I'm trying like mad here to avoid catching the cold before leaving for Mysore. It's like everyone I know at the moment is either laid out low, or coughing like crazy. I'd be bummed if I caught something now just as I'm about to head out to a warmer climate.
Posted by graeme at 4:58 PM | Comments (0)
December 16, 2008
Waiting game
I can't wait till the end of this week. There's an almighty push on at the J.O.B. to get this software release out the door and there's way too much stuff left on the table to get finished. It's exhausting. Hourly meetings twice a day, project managers after status reports on when the status reports are going to be ready, bug reports needing allocated, and new implementations being added with no real time to test or debug before the final hours. It's a bit of a mess.
There's a certain sense of deja-vu here from last year at exactly this time.
But when the weekend comes I'm heading back down south and all the meetings and reports and problems will land on someone else's desk. It's a bad attitude to have to my work, for sure, but I've been slogging away on this project for the last 8 months pretty much constantly, and I've had enough.
Having said that, I'm typing up this entry at work.
I really need to get a life, huh?
Posted by graeme at 6:44 PM | Comments (0)
December 14, 2008
Closer
It's been a busy, long weekend. I had a blast at the shalas Xmas party. Lots of good a Scottish dancing and H there replendant in his kilt! I always like the times i get to talk to people i practice with and only vaguely know. I found out one of them was all the way from Latvia. It was nice to find there's a fair few heading to India in the new year so there'll be plenty of people with familiar faces across there this time which will be nice.
I was helping out at the teacher training this weekend, the last for this year, and had been asked to lead the practice in the morning, which was really quite a big compliment from the schools teachers, mind you there's only so much you can get thru with the busy timetable that's set but the feedback from the students was all positive so that was good. The yoga flow teacher, who's a course director, said she was well pleased with how I'd led the students and even though I was super nervous with her taking part in the class, I thought it flowed pretty well and I had some fun doing it. Here's hoping they ask me again
The downside of the weekend was saying cheerio to the student all of whom bar one I'll not be seeing now for 2 months. They had their first real taste of teaching this weekend when they had to teach a small flow for 5 minutes to the rest of the class. I imagine it's like parents watching their kids walk for the first time. They all did really, really well. In fact the quality was so much better than any of the other classes if seen go through this exercise. The directors and the other assistants were all full of praise fo how far they've all come. I'm going to miss them for sure
Anyway. It's another weekend down and times racing in and my thoughts are turning to the journey ahead and the experiences to be had and shared. Soon the adventures continue...
Posted by graeme at 9:01 PM | Comments (0)
December 10, 2008
Yikes!
11 days to go till India!
Posted by graeme at 1:35 PM | Comments (0)
December 8, 2008
Gone....
When I turned up at the parking bay where I left the hire car last night I was a bit shocked to find the rental car wasn't there! Jings. A couple of phone calls later and it turns out that someone had noticed one of the windows had been smashed in and as the police couldn't find the owners (the car rental company) they had the car removed in case someone tried to steal it.
The thing is I left my yoga mat in the back seat so I had no idea if that had been taken or not - who'd want to break in to a car for a yoga mat you can get in a shop for 10 pounds?
Anyways, turns out the pick up company want 150 pounds to release the car but thankfully I've been given another one so was able to get in to work this morning. And, after calling them, it seems my mat's still lying there in the back seat.
Phew.
Posted by graeme at 3:45 PM | Comments (0)
December 3, 2008
Mysore trip update. T-20.
So I finally settled my dates for travelling back to Mysore. Having agreed with my work that I'd postpone my trip, I was due to leave for Mysore this Friday, I managed to secure a good deal on a flight that gets me into Bangalore very early Xmas eve.
I had a quick email exchange with H and following his suggestion I've just come off the phone to Mysore just to let them know that I wouldn't be arriving on the date that it said on my form and asking if it would be ok to come later in the month. I know that the shala's going to be super crowded in the New Year, and that I arrive after they've closed the place on the 21st, so I'm a bit concerned that I might not be allowed in to practice, though I would've been in Mysore up until the 11th of January in the first place (I'm now staying to the 31st). It's a long way to go to be told 'Shala full'. So I talked to Sharath quickly, I think he had a problem with my accent, and he said it would be ok, though I understand there's a lot of water to flow underneath the bridge between then and now and things may change. I'll be joining the long queue of students registering when the shala re-opens on the 4th.
I was talking to the consultant I work with, telling her who I had just spoken to. It's one of the nicest things about Ashtanga in the sense that everyone's pretty much welcome to go to Mysore. 'Don't fear, you come', as it goes. And to be able to pick up the phone and talk to Sharath kinda blows my mind a bit, that he's so easily accessible, though I did feel a bit nervous about phoning through.
I was thinking during practice this morning that by the time I get back to Mysore I will have been working on getting my bind in Mari-D for just over 2 years. I can get my arm over the front knee and my hand pointing back on my own now, but I've a lot of work left to do on the twist part to get my hands closer to touching and taking a bind. With a bit of a nudge I can get in ok. It'll be interesting to see how I get on in Mysore.
Posted by graeme at 1:32 PM | Comments (0)
December 2, 2008
3 for 3
I'm still dreaming about yoga, though this time on a more hands on level. Adjusting. The class I walked into (late) was already in full swing and the teacher (who I couldn't see) had the class arranged in a circle, yoga flow style, but they were definitely being taught ashtanga. The two assistants were going around adjusting the class at parsvakonasana. They were working side by side so that when the first adjuster finished adjusting on a student, the second adjuster did the same adjustment on the same student. Hmnn. A double whammy of adjustments so to speak, so the first adjuster gets you in to a pose and the second adjuster takes you deeper, kinda.
Interestingly enough, when I joined the class the adjuster proceeded to squeeze my head between his legs. Nice.
Posted by graeme at 9:09 AM | Comments (0)
December 1, 2008
Not to be out done....
So now SKPJ is popping up in my dreams! I'm not to sure why he'd be in a sports shop with 6 burly minders looking at Scotland vs France Rugby tops but there he was in all his guru-ness trying on the tops for size.
Well, the mind's a funny thing. I'm hoping for a visit from Saraswati soon!
Posted by graeme at 9:26 AM | Comments (0)