Now in Goa

I have completed my 24-day course, Level I Yoga Intensive with Agama Yoga in Rishikesh. It was another wonderful experience. My neck feels better with the long term issue I have had, but it has a long way to go before I have a day without pain. This is one reason I gave up my business. I could no longer work without being in pain.

I've met some great people. Surprisingly I was the only American in the class. We had several exciting sessions with a cow that kept trying to get in the yoga hall every night. He was determined to get in. The last evening for our closing and graduation ceremony we were asked to perform. I didn’t perform but several classmates did. We had singers, a fire and scarf dancers, a juggler and quantum physics lesson and a RAP that pertained to the class. It was hilarious. By the way, I still don’t understand quantum physics and how it relates to spirituality.

I loved the class but it was freezing in Rishikesh and I could not get warm. My room stayed between 55-60 degrees all the time. And the yoga hall was miserable, especially for our morning class. You know it is cold, when my classmates were doing yoga poses in their sleeping bags! Now I am toasty and my skin is nice and supple again.

A private taxi arrived to take me to Dehradun airport for a short flight to Delhi to connect to Goa. I met my Indian friend who lives in Delhi at the airport and he took me to lunch. It was great to see him again! I took another long taxi ride to get to my friends house in Anjuna Beach Goa. Karen is the American who has lived here for 40-years; a hippy that came here in the 70’s and never left. There are many of them here! I am having sticker shock. Everything is at least double the price we paid in Rishikesh.

Karen got me all lined up with a scooter and oriented me around town. She left the day after my arrival and will be gone for almost 2-weeks. She is a volunteer yoga teacher at an ashram 12-hours away from Goa. I’m house and cat sitting for her. I was really nervous when she took me to a busy town called Mapusa. I hadn’t been on a scooter since 2005 and I was shaking with nerves and apprehension. We parked our scooters while we shopped in the market for an hour or so. We came back to the lot where the scooters were. I put the key in the ignition and the steering column locked up. In a panic I got people around us to help. People thought I needed WD -40, so I shopped for that after I called the owner of the bike to come rescue me. I came back with the WD-40 and tried again. To my pleasant surprise the key now worked! The parking lot attendant came over and said, “I think you were misguided. You put the key in the wrong bike”. I had looked at the license plate and it said G-003. Well, they all say G-003! What a ditzy blond I can be. I was so embarrassed. I called the owner back and told him I got it started, but I didn’t tell him what I had done. I have finally settled down and am more comfortable on the Honda Activa. There are a ton of tourists here for the XMAS and New Year’s Holiday. The Russians have landed! They are every where. I guess it use to be a big Israeli hang-out, but they are all gone now. I think it has gotten too expensive for them.

Today I rode the scooter to the beach for the large flea market they have every Wednesday. I had a beer and bought a couple of bindis, the jewelry for the third eye area. I hate all the bargaining. They are asking a fortune for mostly junk stuff! I cooked myself a meal of fresh veggies and rice today. First time I have cooked in 4-months. I enjoy cooking! I had a chicken momo, the Tibetan Dumpling at a nearby restaurant my second night here. I think it was more of a mystery meat than chicken. It made me sick. My body must be use to being a vegetarian. I have not been sick in India until now. I have also eaten several salads. And it is probably not a good idea, even here.

I am missing the camaraderie in Rishikesh. It is hard to meet anyone here because it is so spread out. But on a positive note, I love having a house to my self. I have even been watching TV, Animal Planet and cooking shows. Karen’s kitty is so affectionate. It has made me miss Sagan and Nubio. I know they are happy as I recently wrote their new owner!

My time in this area will be almost a month. Then my visa expires for India. I’ll head for Level 2 Yoga in Ko Panagan (mispell) Thailand.

I need to start doing yoga here. But I’m having a hard time paying $10 for a 2-hour class! In Rishikesh, we paid this price for 2 each, 2-hour classes and a 2-hour lecture each day. It doesn’t feel like I am still in India. I’ve only seen a couple of cows! I did see a few on the beach today where I enjoyed a most spectacular sunset and Kingfisher Beer with a young American boy.

No plans for the rest of the week. In four months of trveling, I now have a break from all the classes I have taken. It feels good.........yet I prefer staying busy with little down time.