First Byron Week

On Friday we had a led class. Dena was practicing with us again. My practice was terrible, because I was next to the heater, which they have in Shala. My feet were burning and my upperbody was ice cold. First I thought that I will only do half-Primary, because I was so distracted, but I was able to do my whole practice. I have to say that the Shala herein Byron isn’t the best one. It’s cold and superhumid. The floor is ok, but when my body is so cold because of the room temperature, I am quite stiff. This practice week wasn’t the best one, because I don’t like short weeks. I like to have a full week and then I am enjoying my day off more.

Dena gave me extra practices to strengthen my core. I think that those will be really beneficial for my back. Dena’s own students are doing those extras too to support their backs during adjustments.

I went to the Shala by bike during one morning and I liked it. I prefer to go to the Shala a little bit earlier and do stretching before class. We start always with common pranayama and little meditation. I haven’t done my own pranayama practice now, but I will get back to it after this course. I think that one breathing practice per day is enough for me.

To be honest, otherwise I am not that impressed by Byron Bay. Customer service here is terrible and people in general are not nice. Here seems to be a lack of manners and culture. People walk around wearing beach clothes and so many are drunk or on drugs. Beach in Suffolk Park is beautiful and this area is very green, but those are the only things, which I really like (and yoga of course) here. Everything is very expensive and often overpriced. In stores you can find a lot of organic and healthy food, but in restaurants food isn’t that good. Maybe many people cook their meals at home. Accomodation is almost ridiculously expensive, specially what comes to quality hotels. Suffolk Park area could be a paradise on Earth because of the amazing beach, but houses are built in a bad way, so that often houses are a little bit too humid, cold and dim.

My roomie Kate is asking me what she is going to do in Byron during the whole month. She is dying to leave this house and go back home to Melbourne. She is specially struggling with our accommodation, because the owner of the house doesn’t keep places tidy. We cleaned here one day and the day after people were walking around the house their shoes on and our work was worth nothing. Luckily I have been traveling for a while, so I don’t struggle that much, but I have to say, that even I would prefer a place, which would be cleaner. Kate got now her own car, so that’s giving her more freedom. I have been borrowing Shelagh’s bike to get around or I have gotten a lift from my friends. For sure Byron isn’t very exciting place and I am pretty done with small places anyway. I am looking forward to city life in Sydney and getting back to civilization, but before that I am trying to enjoy the beach life here as much as possible and read interesting books.

I have been reading quite much lately and I finished Not Without My Sister yesterday. It wasn’t my favorite book, but the topic was interesting. The book was so much about sexual abuse and other heavy topics, that reading wasn’t enjoyable. When three sisters were telling their own versions about the same events, book was repeating itself too much.

After that book I started to read a book called The Road Home by Rose Tremain. It’s a story about Eastern European man Lev, who moves to London to look for a job and start a new life. I like to read books, which are happening in the cities, where I have lived. It’s nice to go back to those cities in my head and be there again.

Tonight I am going for a dinner to my friend Deb’s place. She lives in a gorgeous Japanese style apartment, so I will get my dose of luxury for today. I will prepare a dessert with apples and vanilla sauce, Kate will prepare dal and Sonja promised to make salad. I love sharing meals with my friends. You will get good company, excellent food and the work is half. I don't like to eat alone and cooking for one person is such a waste. Sharing is caring, too…