Travel Yoga

I'll never forget the day that I chose to do the Ana Forrest Yoga teacher training, or the fact that the training was to be held in Hong Kong. Great excitement and anticipation started my trip to Hong Kong and I stepped off the airplane on a warm Thursday morning, tired and too early to check into my apartment that I'd stay in for a month.

I decided to take in some of the sights seeing as I would most likely be stuck in a Yoga studio for the next 30-odd days. I checked my baggage and made my way to the Big Buddha on Lantau Peak. I took the two or so hour bus ride through the windy hills of Hong Kong, through country that I caught me by surprise as there were very few buildings to be seen, certainly not what I had expected. I did not want to close my eyes for a second, and fought the whole way with my eyes which just wanted to catch a quick snooze. The Buddha was big and beautiful and I got to see a side of Hong Kong that was truly magnificent before heading to Mong Kok, where I would spend the next 30 days.

I arrived by taxi outside my apartment block, which was exactly what I expected to see when I came to Hong Kong. It was busy, the lift was tiny and I could barely fit my bag and myself inside. I got up to my floor and couldn't figure out which door to go in and what code to put in what door. I eventually figured it out after walking up and down the passage scared that I'd disturb someone if I knocked on the wrong door. The apartment was about the size of the boot of a car and the shower head was over the toilet, which would have all been fine, if it weren't for the fact that I was staying with a guy who was attending the same Yoga training as me. Changing and showring in that bathroom was going to be a challenge, I was very relieved that the Yoga studio had very many, very large showers. Not to mention that it overlooked the Hong Kong harbour.

I spent the next days practicing and learning to teach Yoga overlooking the harbour. Coming home to the crusty apartment was not a big deal, as my days were spent in learning, and experiential bliss. The harbour looks different everyday and I was able to watch all the people carrying on their busy lives, like a time-lapse video.

The conclusion of my journey in Hong Kong was unique, with a little Native American flavour...performing a concluding ceremony on the roof of a Hong Kong apartment building, with 'Hong Kong Eagles' flying by. There is natural beauty to be found in even the busiest of places.