Back to the Mat: My Power Yoga Quest for Zen

Inhale. Exhale. Repeat.

I have practiced yoga on and off for several years, but never with the required dedication. Don't be mistaken - yoga has always been a haven for me, meditating during shavasana and pushing through a challenging sequence through breath... But I would always get caught up with my social life and find some excuse that would eventually result in the cessation of practice after a few months in the studio.

Whilst it is the effects of yoga on my mind and spirit that continue to bring me back to practising, it's hard to be specific and measure a goal that relates to my mental clarity, so I set myself a goal for 2014 - to be able to do scorpion pose (vrschikasana) by the end of the year. With two months of procrastination already under my belt this year, I decided last week it was time to return to the mat and dive into yoga practice.

There are many different styles of yoga, and up until this point, my favourite by far had been bikram. I relished in the 37 degree heat, beads of sweat dripping down my limbs during the long pose hold-times. Bikram yoga was so much more mentally and physically challenging than any other style class I had attended, until Power Vinyasa.

Unfortunately, no bikram timetables work with my current work/life schedule, so, looking elsewhere I landed upon Power Vinyasa (just one of the several different styles offered at Power Living in Neutral Bay.) Vinyasa means 'flow' in sanskrit: the movements are fluid, making for a cardio intensive routine. The dynamic class is practiced in a heated room and is truly physically demanding - whilst yoga is more to me than a workout, I'm definitely not one to complain if I'm toning my muscles and raising my heart rate.

I feel as though I'm currently in the right headspace to be focused on improving my yoga practice, and I can't wait to share all the changes I experience with my mind and body. I'd love to hear about your experiences with yoga... How long have you been practising? What is your favourite style? Which poses do you find difficult?

Zen out xx

(Is that a thing?.... It is now....)

My Balinese Adventure Begins: The Bukit Peninsula

Paragliders sail over Pandawa Beach, The Bukit Peninsula / September 2013

Ten days ago I arrived in Bukit, a peninsula located on the southern end of Bali – it is an area still very much rich in culture and traditions, and remains yet to sell out in the way Kuta has. By chance (or as I prefer, by reason of the universe) I have had more of an authentic Balinese experience than many would even dare imagine. (I’m not just talking cold showers.)

I happened across accommodation (an eco-villa on a permaculture farm) in an untouched village where many inhabitants didn’t speak a word of English. I spent a lot of my time walking through the quiet villages reflecting on where I'm at and where I'm headed, I got a lot of reading and writing done and through meditation, I have managed to silent my thoughts for a good few minutes at a time! (Baby steps.) Testament to how little exposure some of these villages have to tourists, is the fact that every single day, I had groups of Indonesian people at the beach asking to take a photo with me. 

I was lucky enough to be invited to a Balinese style Hindu ceremony at Balangang beach. I quite literally felt as though I had been plucked from real life and placed into a scene from Eat Pray Love. I couldn’t wipe the smile off my face as I took in all the bright colours, hypnotic music and endless offerings – it was so surreal and different to any kind of religious ceremony I have ever taken part in, but the energy was incredible and I too received cleansing and blessing.

EAT

Padang Padang Breeze – If I had to choose one dish to eat for the rest of my life, hands down I would choose the marinated mussels (which the menu should correctly amend to clams) from this restaurant. No moment in my entire life could compare to the sheer pleasure that my tastebuds experienced upon tasting this creation. The fish in Bali is always incredibly fresh along the coast, but this warung (or restaurant in English) takes it to another level.  I highly recommend ordering (and sharing only if you feel generous) one of the BBQ platters, which serve a variety of fish and crustaceans, accompanied with standard sides such as rice and incredibly delicious battered potatoes. The mojitos here go down a treat seeing as they are made with rum and NOT arak, and the staff were just delightful.

DO

Beach Hop – Some of the most pristine beaches I have ever seen can be found off the Bukit peninsula, and several are famous for their surf. Warungs along the beach will let you hire a beach chair and umbrella (don’t pay more than 25,000 rp), where you can sit and sip on a coconut (15,000 rp). Try to pay with the correct money because I have witnessed and experienced them running away with your cash and not bringing any change. Most weekends the locals will host a beach party, complete with reggae band, eclectic dj mix and bright lights – it feels a lot like a blue light disco. The beach parties are a heap of fun, you can buy beers (and mushrooms) – the locals or surfers can point you in the direction of which beach to visit on any given night.

I'll be spending the next ten days in Seminyak - my body is yearning for a little luxury and indulgence after what has been an intense few months! I will get some of the incredible photos from my time in Bukit up in the next few days, but for now: massages, sun tanning and cocktails await. xx

Leaving London - What to Eat, Drink & Do

Beautiful houses on a glorious Sunday in Notting Hill, London / August 2013

Today marks my last whole day in London, and Europe. I had originally intended to spend a few weeks in Italy before flying home, but the value of the Australian dollar continues to drop and I'm in need of a bit of a Sabbatical. Tomorrow I start my journey to Indonesia, where I'll spend two weeks on the Bukit Peninsula realigning my mind, body and spirit. My body is yearning for some detoxification after months of partying and my mind is hazy and in dire need of revitalising. 

I'm ready for some serious soul searching (cue 'sah wanky' comments from my friends), and you will see a lot of that spill over onto my blog in the coming weeks and forever on after that. My sole purpose for creating this blog was to help me explore the different avenues which interest me (not just travel), to help me create intention and direction for myself. I know after these next two weeks I will be well on my way to working out the path that I should be paving for myself, and I can't wait to share that journey with you all.

I am so grateful for all the natural and constructed marvels I was so privileged to see on this trip, and not to mention the incredible people I travelled with and met along the way. It amazes me how diverse the cultures are from country to country in Europe, even when they are often only a couple of hours apart. It is such an incredible continent, and I can't wait until I'm back again. I'll have to come up with an overall 'best of' post when I return to Sydney, but for now some of my favourite places in London xx

EAT
The Breakfast Club - There are a few different locations for this cafe, my preferred spot being East London. The cafe is open from breakfast until dinner, and serves a variety of smoothies and cocktails, big breakfasts and burgers (gourmet of course). There is a great vibe in the cafe - it is set out like a diner and filled with an eclectic mix of retro 50s furnishings and 'junk from the owners childhood bedrooms.' The Breakfast Club is home to the most amazing tasting vegetarian burger I've ever tasted (I've probably said that before, but I mean it now) and has some delicious share-plates for starters. (Haloumi and marinated olives, yum!)

DRINK
The Ten Bells - You will never go thirsty in London, I doubt there is a single street corner that doesn't house a pub. The bars in London are all quite expensive, not to mention most will hit you with a 12.5% service charge so I opted for drinking at pubs. The Ten Bells was our local, just a few steps off Brick Lane. It doesn't matter what time of day or night, there was always a huge crowd of people with a beer drinking on the footpath (cheers Summer sunshine). It did get a bit tight for space inside with all the tables taken, but the drinks were reasonably priced and the bar staff were all darlings.

DO
Harry Potter Studio Tour - The truth comes out: I'm a huge geek. The Warner Bros studio where much of the Harry Potter movies were filmed is in Watford, a short train ride from London. The studio houses many of the original sets which were used in the films, all of which are still completely dressed. There are thousands of original props and costumes, you can walk through Diagon Alley, there are interviews with stars and set designers, you can drink Butterbeer and see moving chess pieces - and the actual model of Hogwarts Castle. I am obviously a huge fan so was completely swept away with the experience, but it was truly magical and I urge you to visit. Tours sell out weeks in advance so book ahead!