India: Yoga Week 2

Somehow, someway, I made it through Week 2 at the Yoga Ashram. Apparently, there is a saying that people tend to go crazy during their second week at an Ashram, and that was definitely quite true at the Yoga Vidya Gurukul. After a glorious day out last Tuesday, we thought we would be feeling refreshed and ready for more yoga action. Unfortunately, our hundreds of sun salutations could not break through the clouds, and the rains began to fall on Wednesday.


Ew! 

It rained all day Wednesday. It rained all night Wednesday night. It rained all day Thursday. It rained all night Thursday night. It rained all day Friday...okay, you get the picture. The monsoon season is officially here in Central India. Today is the first day that we have seen the sun in a week, and it is so nice to feel slightly dry for a change. The heavy, continuous downpour did nothing but steadily lower the spirits of all forty of us yoga students. People were getting cranky and depressed, and when we were not in class, the only thing to do that seemed slightly appealing was to take a nap. So we napped...alot.


Ew! 

In addition to the miserable, dismal weather, we got a new yoga instructor. Apparently, he is a legend in these parts, and at 62, a life-long practicer and teacher of yoga. We all hated him. He was like a yoga drill sergeant, yelling out commands and killing the relaxed spirit in the hall...however, with our suggestions, he has toned down, and now I like the old guy, strange quirks and all.

To help lift our spirits, and considering the rain was keeping us from our daily walks, we began trying to fit in some additional exercise. My friend Haley taught a Vinyasa Power Yoga class, and I have been putting together some ab workouts and short dynamic cardio sessions for myself and some of the others. Anything to keep us from killing ourselves and each other! By Saturday, the bad moods had worn off, and we were all feeling much better.


Ew! 

On another note, for some strange reason, my physical health has been a little less than par. Considering all the fiber-rich, healthy, organic foods we have been eating, the average person should have no problem in the bathroom department. Well, I have managed to get the complete opposite results...let's just say that I went twelve days without relief. TWELVE DAYS. Believe me, I tried everything herbal that the ashram had to offer, drank castor oil with milk, and even had to go through a "partial cleansing," in which I had to do two sets of various "bowel massaging" exercises, followed by two warm glasses of salt water for four sets...nothing has really gotten me back on track. Hey, sometimes you get to the point where the herbal mumbo-jumbo doesn't work, and then it's time to break out the chemicals! Next stop, the pharmacy!

And today is our day off...and it is sunny! What more could a girl ask for? I am once again going to try not to cheat, doing my best to stay away from sweets and caffeine! Only two more weeks to go! I am soooo ready to go home!

India: Yoga Week 1

Last Tuesday morning, the 11th, Chris and I checked out of our hotel around 8:00 am and headed to the train station to try to pre-purchase tickets for the 11:00 am train to Nasik, but we found out that it was too late. Therefore, we got back on the train to go straight to the station of departure. Unfortunately, in one of the transfers, Chris and I got separated...I was now on my own. I will not go into the details of the day from hell, but after a few more rides on the local train (most of which were free, as they rarely check tickets and I was too exasperated to buy them), one missed train to Nasik, one expensive cab ride that took me in a complete circle, a few more pointless train rides, another expensive cab ride to another part of town, and a nervous breakdown in the middle of a busy, cow-infested intersection, I finally boarded a bus around 3:00pm.

The luxury Volvo bus was over-priced and filled with members of Bombay's upper-crust elite, but I was just happy to finally be making my way to Nasik. I was supposed to check into the yoga course at 4:00pm, so I called the ashram before leaving to inform them that I was running late. Throughout the five-hour bus journey I worried about Chris, hoping he was luckier than I in finding his way to Nasik (even though I had all the information and he was letting me take the reins)and worked at calming my nerves and preparing myself for what was to lie ahead for the next thirty days...intense yoga action!




Outside the main yoga hall. 

I finally arrived in Nasik around 8:00pm, and after a frustrating cab ride by a stubborn driver, I was brought to the Yoga Vidya office in downtown Nasik. I immediately was greeted by Chris, and I gave him a huge hug and nearly fell into tears. He had managed to catch a noon train out of Bombay and had arrived around 4:30pm. The other students had left for the ashram, which is located forty-five minutes outside of Nasik, but he had stayed behind to wait for me. Eventually, we hired a cab and rode out to the Yoga Vidya Dahm ashram.

We had missed the orientation meeting, so after eating some food that they had kept out for us and being shown to my room, I fell asleep. The next morning, at 5:30 am, I awoke, got dressed, and went down to the kitchen for the morning herbal drink. I finally got to see some of the other faces from the course, but I could not speak to anyone as all meals and herbal drinks are under a strictly-enforced silence rule. After the tea, we thirty-six participants went down to the studio for our first yoga class, which involved two hours of stretches and introductions to various poses. Thus began our first week of our yoga teacher training course.


My roommate Cecilia, from Mexico. 

Our daily schedule is pretty much the same every day, and I quickly got into a routine. I wake up at 5:30 am, quickly get dressed, and head down for the morning herbal drink (no caffeine, which was definitely a killer those first few days!). At 6:00 am we have a thirty-minute meditation session...now, I am going to have to be completely honest here. When I signed up for this course, I knew that it would involve some meditation and chanting and other various fruity what-nots, which is fine and dandy, but I will be frank: I am in it for the fitness aspect and to teach, not for a life-changing spiritual experience. Therefore, during said meditation sessions, let's just say I do lots of day-dreaming and mental shopping lists. Anyway, after the meditation at 6:30 am we have a two-hour yoga asana class, followed by breakfast at 9:00 am in the dining hall. At 9:30 am we have a forty-five minute theory lecture, followed by thirty minutes of "Yoga Nidra" (basically a deep relaxation/nap), followed by another lecture that ends just in time for lunch at 12:30. After lunch we have free time, in which I go for a power walk/girl talk session with some of the others. We down another herbal drink at 3:00pm, and, depending on the day, we either have another theory lecture at 3:15pm or "Karma Yoga" (doing good deeds/chores...like cleaning the kitchen or bathrooms). At 4:30pm we attend the second yoga asana class, which ends at 6:00pm. After the class I usually do a little abs workout (some of the others are starting to join in) and wait through the excrutiating hunger pains until dinner at 7:30pm. At 8:30pm we have a group discussion, which involves stories, songs, and learning Sanskrit. I take a "bucket bath" after this and am asleep by 10:30pm.

So this has been what my life has consisted of for the past six days. I easily adapted to the early mornings, but it was hard not having a cup of coffee to jolt me into action. It only took a few days of falling asleep in the morning lectures before I overcame that, thankfully! We usually imbibe in rice or couscous and fruit for breakfast; vegetables, curry, rice, and chapatis (Indian tortillas) for lunch and dinner. The food is terrific...strictly vegetarian, no eggs, but I am wary about what seems to be a lack of good protein...I get excited about finding lentils or nuts in the curry. They have a strict rule about no outside food in the ashram, so it is their food or nothing.


My other roomie, Yuri, from Japan. 

Anyway, so far, so good...this is just what I needed after six months of traveling. The yoga is fantastic exercise, as I am feeling myself getting more and more lean, flexible, and fit everyday. I can also recognize the detoxification my body has been going through...no meat, sugar, caffeine, alcohol, or fat...all the vices to which I am happily (although a bit begrudgingly) saying goodbye! Obviously, due to the schedule and silent meals, we do not have much social time. There are about forty of us in the course, most of which, predictably, are girls, but there are about ten guys, so Chris is not completely alone in the tides of female hormones. I have three roommates: Cecilia, from Mexico, and Yuri from Japan. They are great, and Cecilia and I instantly bonded. We have also clicked with a few other girls from the States...with forty people, it is easy to form cliques, and there are definitely little micro-groups, which is absolutely wonderful because we all get along.

So that's it. Today was our first weekly day off from the ashram, and after breakfast we all came into Nasik City. Most of the others cheated, ie. ate chocolate, ice cream, drank coffee, and smoked cigarettes, but I decided to stick with it...my special treat was getting my roots bleached! Today was a much-needed excursion from our little yoga compound...and I was shocked to find tons of emails from people who were worried about me because of the bombings in Bombay. I am okay! I was on the very train line that got bombed that very morning (and the night before!), but fortunately was already on my bus to Nasik when the bombs exploded around 6:00 pm that evening. I feel very lucky, and thanks to everyone who worried about me! I am safe here in Nasik!

Well, it is off to the Ashram again...one more week of intense yoga, lectures, and organic food before I get another day off...yay!

India: Bollywood or Bust!

After a big, late night out at Leopold's bar for the World Cup Final, it was tougher than tough getting out of bed and ready to go at 8:00 am this morning. Somehow, Chris and I managed to do it, and by 9:00 am we were on a special "extras" bus and heading for the studio for the last day of filming for the much-anticipated "Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna", or "Never Say Goodbye". There were about twenty other foreigners on the bus with us, and we were all looking forward to our day with excitement.

We arrived at the film studio in northern Bombay around 11:00 am and were immediately whisked upstairs to wardrobe. All the other girls attacked the dress racks like animals, while I leaned my aching head against the wall, waiting for them to finish. Finally, as I tried to find a dress, the bossy and high-stress wardrobe guy threw me an ugly pink outfit and told me to get changed. Luckily, the dress did not fit, so I found another, more elegant dress. Well, as I was getting zipped into it, the zipper broke. Fantastic. Miraculously, I found a gorgeous dress hidden away on the rack, and squeezed myself into it. It seemed all the dresses were either super-tiny or super-huge.


Tiff's transformation into drag queen. 

I then sat down for makeup...what a disaster! I knew the makeup would be over the top because I would be under bright lights and on camera, but this was ridiculous. Our role as extras was to be in a formal party scene, so we girls were to wear formal gowns, heavy evening makeup, and fancy up-do's. Well, I had the heavy makeup, allright...black eyes, red cheeks, and bright fuschia lipstick. It was scary stuff, especially considering I have hardly worn makeup at all these last six months. And the hair...they put in two hairpieces in my already thick hair and brushed the curls up into a bun on top of my head...frizzy is an understatement!


Future Bollywood Stars! 

So after being rushed, rushed, rushed through wardrobe, hair, and makeupI was looking quite tragically glamourous...and then the waiting began. Chris (in his tux) and I sat around with the others, chatting and getting more bored by the passing minutes. We finally had a tasty, free lunch...I loaded up, and as I was sitting back, admiring how much I had eaten, I felt a pop in my back...yep, broke another zipper. God, I need this upcoming yoga class so much!!! So, holding the strapless dress up, I shamefully made my way back to wardrobe...this time I got really lucky and found a fabulous, never-worn beaded black dress in a secret closet, and thankfully this one fit perfectly! And then the waiting continued...


Chris is bored. 

Basically, we all sat around for hours waiting in our formal gear, drinking chai and water, and talking...as I mentioned before, it was the final day of shooting for this huge Bollywood film, so they had the main actor in the studio with his final shots...it was taking forever. Finally, around 5:00 pm, they called us into the studio for our scene. I looked around for Chris, with no luck, before being frantically ushered onto the set. So our scene went something like this: Famous Indian actor on a stage facing the cameras and us, the extras, who made up his audience (our backs were to the cameras! Bummer!)...he's giving a speech in English and Hindi...blah, blah, blah...then he says some stuff and we react...then he turns around to the "band" and says, "Hit it, boys!"...and we raise our false champagne glasses into the air and cheer. It took about ten minutes, then we were ushered back outside.


Tiffany is Bored. 

I finally found Chris...he had gone off in search of a coffee and missed everything! Haha...anyway, we all went to dinner, only to be told that we probably would not finish until 10:00 pm. Well, not only were Chris and I exhausted, but we have a morning train to catch tomorrow, so we asked if we could leave early. They said only four people could go, so Chris and I, along with two Frenchies, said goodbye to everyone, and changed out of our formal frocks and hairstyles. We even got paid five-hundred rupees (about $10) for the day...not bad, especially for Chris who did not do a thing except wear a tuxedo and drink coffee. All in all, it was quite an experience, but not something I ever want to do again. And hey, maybe when "Never Say Goodbye" comes out on DVD, I might see the back of my frizzy head on screen!

Tomorrow Chris and I leave Bombay and head to Nasik, which will be our home for the next month as we put ourselves through an intense yoga teacher training course. We are very excited!

India: Bombay

After a delightful sixteen-hour journey in a large, private sleeper compartment on the nicest bus I have ever had the pleasure of riding, I arrived in Bombay this morning around 9:00 am. I took a taxi to the Colaba area, where I reunited with Chris at the dismal Salvation Army Red Shield Guesthouse. He flew in last night from Bangkok and scored us a dingy 600 Rupee room...the most expensive room I have ever stayed in since traveling, but also the cheapest room, outside of a dorm, in Bombay.


Streets of Mumbai. 

We headed off to breakfast at a yummy bakery, then proceeded to the train station to try to reserve tickets to our next destination, Nasik. Unfortunately, the advance reservation counter was closed. We then wandered around the Colaba district, and I was immediately impressed by the cleanliness and cosmopolitan feel of this city, particularly compared to Delhi. At one point, I turned around and said, "Hey, Chris! What's missing?" He immediately responded with the correct answer: Cows. I have yet to see a cow in this city. Thus, no cows, no cow poo, no cow poo flies, and most importantly, no cow poo on shoes. Excellent! There are also no exhaust-coughing tuk-tuks...only beat up English taxicabs circa 1960.


The tide wall in Colaba. 

We eventually made our way to the Gateway of India, a large, Arc de Triomphe-like structure at the end of Colaba Causeway and opening up to the Indian Ocean. We snapped a few photos before a light rain began to fall, so we found dry comfort in Leopold's, a famous traveler haunt, for lunch.


The Gateway to India. 

As I was walking back into the Salvation Army, I was approached by a Talent Scout for a casting agency. He was looking for Westerners to work as extras for the last day of shooting for a Bollywood film. Of course, Chris and I were not going to come to Bombay without trying our luck in the movies, so tomorrow morning at 8:00 am we have to report for a bus that will take us to the set, have our hair and makeup done, and then we will be part of a party scene. I can't wait! It should be a riot!

Tonight is the World Cup Final....Go France!

India: Udaipur

After a long and bumpy overnight bus journey (where, despite my whole body continuously getting slammed into the bus ceiling for eight hours straight, I somehow managed to sleep in my little bed-like compartment), I arrived in Udaipur early Wednesday morning. I checked into the Lal Ghat Guesthouse and immediately slept until around noon. Upon awakening, I had breakfast before heading to a nearby internet shop to catch up on e-mails and my blog. I do not know how I did it, but the excitement of fast internet allowed me to manage to sit in front of a computer for four hours, thus foiling my plans for some sightseeing around Udaipur.

Once I roused myself away from the computer screen, I went to a nearby hotel for dinner and to watch a nightly screening of James Bond's "Octopussy". Despite the fact that Roger Moore is the absolute worst James Bond ever, I watched as much of the film as I could, since it was mostly filmed right here in Udaipur. It was interesting to see the various Udaipur sights in the film while seeing them at the same time, in person, from the rooftop cafe. However, I could not handle the entire film, and went back to my guesthouse before it finished.

At this point, I was trying to cope with the worst headache of my life...I began feeling the pains on Monday, and with every minute it got worse. By the time of kick-off for the Portugal-France World Cup match, I thought my eyeballs were going to pop out of my head, but I toughed it out to see France win.

Thursday morning I awoke with a serious head-pounding. I had breakfast, picked up some medicine from the pharmacy, then slept the entire day. My headache was unbearable, I had a high fever, body aches, and chills. I finally awoke around 6:00pm in a pool of sweat. Wanting to diagnose myself, I turned to the Health section in my trusty Lonely Planet book, and my symptoms completely coincide with Dengue Fever, a disease acquired from mosquito bites with no cure other than taking paracetamol for the pain. I am hoping that that is all it is!

I managed to sleep that night, and Friday morning awoke determined for some sightseeing. After breakfast, I went to the beautiful city palace for a wander around and to take in the magnificent views of the city. Udaipur is well-known as India's most romantic city, and it is very true. The city is built around a large, man-made lake, and few islands dreamily float within the lake. One island boasts the immaculate Palace Hotel, which is a mainstay in "Octopussy". Off in the distance, resting atop a mountain, lies the massive Monsoon Palace. At night is Udaipur's most beautiful time, as the dazzling lights of the buildings around the lake, as well as the occasional colorful fireworks, twinkle, sparkle, and shimmer on the surface of the water.

My time at the palace was short, as my head was still throbbing and my legs ached too much to carry me around for long. I had a short lunch, then had my legs waxed...better my legs hurt than my head! Last night, after getting waxed, I had a romantic candlelight dinner with an American girl I met. I tried to get to bed early, but the tea I had with dinner, along with a band of hopeful Indian musicians in the guesthouse courtyard, kept me awake all night.

This morning I struggled to get out of bed, checked out of the hotel, and spent a long time reading my book, Shantaram. I am so happy that I am almost finished reading it...well, almost finished...I ONLY have two-hundred pages left, but that is nothing in a nearly 1,000 page book! Soon I will board a bus that will take me to Mumbai/Bombay to reunite with Chris. We will spend a couple days in the city before heading to Nasik, home of our yoga course. I hear Bombay is completely flooded right now, thanks to the monsoon, but hopefully the rains will chill out just for a day or two while we are there so we do not wash away!

India: Bundi

Well, I thought I would just end up staying in Bundi for two days before heading west to Jodhpur, but that ended up not happening! After a bumpy right in a sweaty public bus for five hours, I arrived in Bundi in the late afternoon on Saturday. I walked a few kilometers from the bus station, threading my way around the central market and through the ancient city walls before checking into a family-run guesthouse. As it is low season in Rajasthan (apparently, only a fool would travel here in mid-summer's sweltering heat!), I scored an amazing room, complete with a huge balcony with mesmerizing views of the great Bundi Palace. I had a wonderful rooftop dinner, then finally, after much searching, found a small internet shop to watch England sadly lose to Portugal.

Bundi has been around for centuries, most of its enchanting charm is still intact, and it has managed to remain a relative secret from the throngs of tourists. It is a small village of modest boxy mud homes built in the 17th century, known as "Havelis", painted in light shades of blue. These homes rest at the base of a large hill; atop this hill sits a magnificent, enourmous storybook castle that was built in the early 1600s. Only a few parts of the castle are open to visitors, as much of this massive palace is home to thousands of bats, cobras, and other creepy crawlers.

After a late breakfast at another nearby guesthouse, Haveli Parihar, and a few hours chatting it up with a brother and sister that ran the place, I set off for some local sightseeing. I wandered through the enchanting palace, gazing at the intact wall paintings, colored-glass, and mirrors of the Chitrasala, all the while keeping a close eye on the cheeky monkeys that swarm the castle grounds (one started chasing me, but the caretaker scared him off! I HATE monkeys!!!). The views from the castle windows overlooking the town were enchanting and amazing, and I found peace gazing at the nearby dry lakebed filled with grazing horses. It is easy to see why Rudyard Kipling called Bundi his home while writing "Kim".

That night, at the request of the family at Haveli Parihar, I joined in on cooking a scrumptious dinner of spinach and paneer, dahl, rice, and chapatis. Sashi gave me my first Henna tatoo on my left hand, I drank some local wine (strong whiskey!) with the five brothers and sisters of the house, laughed with "Mama," and finally set off back to my guesthouse.

I had every intention to leave Bundi on July 3rd and head to Jodhpur, but that just did not happen. After a little bit of deliberation and much persuasion from the Parihar family, I checked out of my balcony room and checked into their family guesthouse for another night. I spent the day visiting the future family of Sashi, the Parihar daughter who I instantly bonded with, meeting the man that will soon be her husband, thanks to the family's arranged marriage. Later that afternoon, Sashi, her sister Minu, and I went to the market to buy bangles and ice cream, and I bought a gift for her future mother-in-law. That evening, before dinner, Sashi and I compared cultures, painted our nails, swapped clothes, all while learning much about arranged marriages and what life is like for an Indian woman in Rajasthan.

After another huge dinner, I went to bed. I tossed and turned as I tried to sleep, thinking about the glimpse into Rajasthani life I had received that day. Arranged marriages to a man you do not love, the prohibition of women leaving their homes for any reason other than buying food or bangles, women not allowed to go into public in "Western" clothing...it was all too much for me to grasp! Let's just say that I am proud to have been born in a Western society!

Yesterday, other than a quick trip to the ATM, I spent the day again with Sashi and her family. At dusk, we sat atop the rooftop of their guesthouse and watched the nightly procession of the palace bats as they flew their way to the forest. I won a bet I had made with the three Parihar brothers (they said it was impossible to completely eat five milk cookies in the count of 100...I showed them!), ate one final home-cooked meal, and sadly said goodbye to the whole gang.

On another note, the Parihar family has asked me to come back in August, after my yoga course, to live with them for three months. I would be sharing a room with Sashi and Minu, helping out in the kitchen and guesthouse as needed, and I would probably volunteer my extra time teaching English lessons at the local school. It is a huge offer, and I am seriously considering it. Half of me would hate to turn down the offer to really experience Indian life, and it is possible as I will have three months left on my visa. However, I really miss my own family, and can feel the toll that six months of two days here, three days there of traveling has taken on me. Also, I am beginning to feel lazy and am ready to start a job again, make some money, and get on with my life. I will see how I feel after my month of yoga before making any decisions!