Yogataveller, Koh Ngai, Thailand - 15th November 2008 - By: Aubrey Lampkin

With Brett Penfil, Louise Dockery, Shelley Atkin, Mark Kennedy, Patrick Kaiser, Curt Wichert, Julie Hardie and Linda Widman.
By: Aubrey Lampkin

I feel like I’m starting to sound like a broken record with all the gushing about how much I love my job. So, just know I love my job - a lot - and I’ll save you the rest of the banter. What could be more amazing than arriving on a little paradise slice of island in the south of Thailand (straight from a mini-break in Melbourne, to boot) doing the thing you love most for a week? Being with eight fascinating people to share it with.







My United Nations of a yoga group was comprised of eight men and women from the England, Ireland, Scotland, Sweden, Germany, New Zealand and the US. I was so proud and humbled to have such a broad global representation sitting before me everyday. Just goes to prove no matter where you’re from, we’re all the same at the core. Makes the world seem much smaller and accessible. Oh, and did I mention we even had a member of the press amongst us? Yes, we're going to be written up in one of the top Swedish newspapers soon ... I'm not giving anything away until we get to send you the link. (I'm excited.)



We were warmly welcomed back to Thanya Resort on Koh Ngai by perfect weather, a doting hotel staff and - a massive new infinity-edged pool. Not that we need a pool when we have the translucent bath-warm ocean water right on our doorstep, but we certainly weren’t complaining about the luxurious new addition! That said, you won’t be surprised to learn we spent the first few days of our week between yoga classes alternating between ocean to pool, pool to ocean. (Oh, the torture of it all.)







Most of our nights we spent taking full advantage of the recent rebirth of high-season by scoping out the island’s best new beach restaurants (we collectively decided Koh Ngai Seafood BBQ won for best food and service and Koh Ngai Villas won for best bar and underage fire-show).









Yoga, yoga, yoga. I eat, sleep and breath it - especially on Koh Ngai. As usual, everyone did such an amazing job while holding our downward dogs, plank poses, arm balances, twists, inversions and backbends. It's so rewarding as a teacher to see one of your students get up in an arm balance, a headstand, etc. for the first time, and when they come down there's a new ray of light shining in their eyes as if to say, 'I get it! I get it!'. Love that.





Come Thursday we were itching for a little action but, alas!, our perfect weather had turned a bit grey. Light showers when it's mostly sunny and balmy isn't the worst thing in the world... but it isn't great for boat rides, which is what we wanted. So we did it anyway! Through light showers and warm ocean breeze we longtailed it over to Koh Mook to have lunch at a different resort, which was good fun. Not to mention our handsome boat captain. Eh, hum. So you could say the sun was always shining!





On our second to last night we had a little celebration for Brett and Mark's birthdays at our favorite seafood shack. Then, I had the brilliant idea to try to light blessing candles for them (which, when launched correctly, float up into the night sky like a shooting star) on a night when the wind was at its most powerful. Needless to say that didn't go over too well - but it was a fun spectacle almost setting myself (and the neighboring restaurant) in flames. We eventually let off some innocuous fireworks in lieu of the candles. Lesson being: when the natural stuff doesn't work - default to the surefire strong stuff. Only kidding, we like it the natural way.





As the end of the week approached, I did my best to fully soak in as much of the island as I could... not knowing when I'd return again (I'm leaving my post in Thailand in a few weeks to teach at a different Yogatraveller spot - location to be announced!). But, as we all know, the tighter you hold onto something the faster it slips through your fingers. So abandoning my idea of soaking everything in to form an indelible mental imprint, I decided instead to peacefully rest in the moment - whether or not I would see it again. Hey, yoga teachers have to practice what they preach. Or at least try.





Tropical locations, fancy resorts, activities and yoga classes aside, the bottom line is what makes these trips are the people. And I've never consistently met cooler people - who I want to teach AND hang out with - anywhere else. Individuals from every corner of the earth with open hearts and open minds converging outside their comfort zone to flourish even more. Folks who know how to choose one hell of a holiday. (There I go again.)

So, floods of humble thanks to my Koh Ngai 'Kula'... I would be a lucky lady to run into any of you again, which I certainly hope I do.

www.yogatraveller.com

Yogataveller, Gozo, Malta – 15st November 2008 - By: Erinbell Fanore

With Patrick, Sara, Lydia, Katharina, Katie and Monica



Dear fabulous yogi and yoginis,

It was a pleasure spending the week with you and sharing my passion for yoga with you. It was great to observe how you all got much stronger and flexible as the week went on. Your planks shook less. Your downward facing dogs found more extension. Your balance postures wobbled less and less. And your warriors bloomed. It was amazing to see each and every one of you get up into a headstand on Friday morning! The whole class no exceptions, wow! Well done.


Besides the yoga, you all gave a lot to the week You shared your warmth and humour so openly. Your consideration for each other and friendliness was so comforting and heartening. Thank you for being exactly who you are.

Here are some shots from the incredible sunset yoga we did. Plus a shot of one the critters we met along the hike. Mr. Beetle. I’m sure the bird and hedgehog that Bernard rescued are sunning themselves as I write. They’re probably looking out at the blue sea and the Comino tower smiling away at how beautiful it is here.

I hope our paths cross again someday, maybe here or Morocco or somewhere else…

Much peace and happiness to you all,
Erinbell.
www.yogatraveller.com

Yogataveller, Koh Ngai, Thailand - 1st November 2008 - By: Aubrey Lampkin

With Cecelia Ho, Liz O'Donnell, John Hudson, Nicola Gladwellbeck, Evelyn Hamilton, Megan McCabe, Laura-Beth Power and David Cahill.

I left Koh Samui where it was pouring cats and dogs, looking forward to meet up with my next Yogatraveller group in Koh Ngai, Trang and hoping for some sunnier skies - which is exactly what we were handed. I met my lovely group of 8 on Saturday morning and we all piled onto the traditional Thai longtail boat together to make the picturesque trip from Pak Meng Pier to Koh Ngai Island (where I readily refer to as 'paradise'). It was as if the clouds parted upon our arrival and we were promptly greeted by breezy blue skies and crystal still water - always a gift at the start of a beach-side yoga week.

I'm reminded how much I love Koh Ngai every time I come back, as do I always recall the magical moment I first set foot on the island (wading through the bath-warm transluscent water from the longtail boat to meet my future colleagues for the first time). There must be some magnetic force on that island where the moment you step foot on it everything just... slows ... down ... and ... doesn't ... matter ... as ... much. Yup, everyting is irie.

Approaching high season in Thailand, Koh Ngai island was almost back to full swing from the past few months of down-time. New resorts had opened, resorts were filling up and different people swept the beaches everyday. New energy rising. Which also meant ... new restaurants and new spas for us to frequent (very important for small island)!

We passed the first few days reading on the beach and soaking in the delicious sun, interrupted by the occasional Thai massage as a brief break and, of course, lots and lots of yoga. Come Wednesday, we decided not to take the perfect weather for granted and scheduled a boat/snorkelling trip to Emerald Cave (Tham Morakot) and Koh Muk to take full advantage of the clear skies and silky seas. I'm fairly certain the creators of the film, 'The Beach' were inspired by Emerald Cave because I can't imagine any natural wonder more similar to what was depicted in that film... and I was thrilled to finally get to experience it with my students for the first time. Emerald Cave is a white-sand beach lagoon hidden at the very center of the island but exposed to the sky. The cave entrance is a narrow passage on one side of the island, accessible by boat only during low tide. We got dropped off at the cave entrance and then (very bravely) swam for about 80 meters in the pitch black (our guide had one flash light to lead us) to access the lagoon, which spilled open onto a pristine white beach with an emerald colored open pool surrounded by high cliffs and jungle vegetation. So absolutely stunning we were all rendered speachless (can't wait to post the photo from Nicky's water-proof camera!). After that, we all went for lunch at a fancy new resort on Koh Muk island with a panoramic view of the ocean, then back home to our island.

No matter how many exciting activities we do, yoga is always the highlight for me. Teaching is such a joy, especially to a mixed level group. Beginners are always especially fun to teach since they're always so open and eager (as opposed to all us old, jaded yogis - only kidding!). The more you practice yoga (or anything else, I imagine) the more you discover there is to learn. So it's impossible to be a jaded yogi if you are a true yogi. Check out some of our yoga photos:

Other highlights from the week include group seafood dinners at Koh Hai Seafood (my favorite restaurant on the island), a casual little beach BBQ shack serving up fresh catches of the day, Thai massages with the illustrious Miss Mon (who calls herself my 'Thai mama') at Mayalay Sp, to-die-for reflexology and facial treatments at our Thapwarin Spa, 'Warin', a final Thapwarin group dinner on our last night and a boat/mini-bus trip back to Krabi where we all had to say our good-byes... I was off to gorgeous Melbourne for my week off, but excited to come back to my little paradise the following Saturday for my last group there.

So much thanks and respect to Ceci, Liz, John, Nicky, Evelyn, Megan, L.B. and Dave for another euphoric week in the Land of Smiles.
www.yogatraveller.com

Yogatraveller at The Yoga Show!

The Yoga Show

Friday 31st - Sunday 2nd November 2008
The Olympia
London
Featuring (among others!) Yogatraveller

What a weekend! Michael and I travelled to London to exhibit at the massive Yoga Show, a 15,000 strong crowd of yogis and yoginis all there to live, breathe and sample yoga!
There were 100's of stalls offering information on yoga styles, studios and retreats, shops selling yoga products: clothes, books and even mugs, and many many other strange and wonderful stalls with things ranging from the Yoga Chair to tarot reading. All around The Olympia's Grand Hall there were classes, workshops and demonstrations being held and I defy anyone to be bored and not a little lighter of pocket leaving that place (Yes, I spent, boxes and boxes of Pukka Tea's I can't get here, some natural shampoo and conditioner, a chakra poster, Yin Yoga DVD, a Shiva Rea DVD and two nice pairs of yoga pants, we even splashed our on a Vitamix, naughty!)


There were many well known teachers there and classes were so popular it was difficult to get into any of the paid workshops, not to mention the free classes. I had brought my new 'eco mat' with me in the hope of attending some on the Friday morning (when I assumed I would be quiet) but how wrong I was! We didn't have even a minute to spare and were on our feet and chatting away about Yogatraveller the whole time!


We ran a raffle to win a yoga holiday for two to Gozo and we took hundreds and hundreds of names as people stopped by our stall to chat, enter the raffle and discuss everything from yoga holidays to superstar yogis (not sure I'm too comfortable with that one). It was a huge experience. There were representatives from Sivanada, Iyengar, The Special Yoga Centre, Yoga Bugs, Kundalini Yoga and many many others. All over the place there were friendly faces waiting to chat to you about their yoga thing what ever that may be. I was there for 3 days and even though I was at my stall most of the time, even with all the breaks I went to explore (and shop!) I still feel like I didn't see half of it!


It might not be for everyone and could definitely be interpreted as a commercial event, everything that yoga isn't. I have to admit that svelte babes in micro-lycra doing advanced postures does have a touch of the ego attached to it, but it was all a bit of fun at the end of the day. For us, yoga isn't just a lifestyle, it's become a business too, so being at the Yoga Show was very important for us.
We had quite a few past customers stop by to say hi which was lovely, it's always nice to either meet them again (on holidays we ran) or put faces to the names. Thank you for that.


We will definietely be back at The Yoga Show next year, watch this space!!!
Namaste,
Michelle
www.yogatraveller.com

Yogataveller, Gozo, Malta – 1st November 2008 - By: Erinbell Fanore

With Sam, Angela, Martha, Adrianna, Orla, Carol Ann, and Rachel too!

Dear positively stunning yoginis,

Thank you for a week full of positivety and laughter. Your open spirits to try new things and just go for it was inspirational. I very much enjoyed your company.

The hikethis week was once again a special experience. We took a different route: Xlendi to Sannat. The cliffs and the blue blue sea wowed us. Orla pointed out all the subtleties of colours to be seen in the rock faces, purple, pink, ochre… After the hike, our guide, Bernard, brought us to a local bar, Maria’s Bar. The place is covered in massive pictures of Elvis and guitars hanging on the walls. It was a tiny pub and reminded me of Ireland’s wee country pubs. We were quite an attraction: six beautiful women accompanied by one man. The locals (or foreign American local with a few too many beers in his belly) got talking to us about politics and cultural diversity (Obama had just won the presidency). Well, one thing led to another, and suddenly I found myself upside down doing a headstand in my hiking boots in this wee bar. Orla told me after that the bar maid said she could do that too without any classes, but when asked to demonstrate she claimed her jeans skirt wasn’t appropriate. The group filled the bar with much much laughter and a breath of fresh air (the same words the American used for Obama). The headstand and Elvis. The beautiful yoginis and our hike guide, Bernardm, at the Elvis bar! Just before we set off on a beautiful boat trip around Comino Island.

Lunch on Comino. A glass of wine, sunshine and many smiles...

Sunset yoga...always inspirational.

Fungus rock at sunset yoga.

Much peace and happiness to you all,
Erinbell.