Yoga Workshop Day 1

When I mentioned to my grandma that I would be attending yet another yoga retreat, she was confused. “So, when you go to all these workshops and retreats, will you be learning new yoga or is it the same yoga?”

Ha ha. Since yoga as a spiritual practice has been around in India for about 5,000 years, I guess it’s the same yoga. It’s kind of like asking someone who goes to church every Sunday if it’s new church every week or the same church. And it’s important to remember that yoga didn’t start as an hour long exercise class to stretch out tight muscles. It is a spiritual practice that consists more of lifestyle and meditation than of the poses—physical asana is only one of the eight limbs of yoga.

In our first day of workshop with Kino we talked about how true progress in yoga is measured by the internal work. The purpose of yoga is to reach a state of non-reactivity.

If you read my last post about going to breathwork trauma release class and thought, “What kind of trauma do you have to release?”, well, the answer is that we all have experienced trauma, even if we don’t realize it. Even if you had an easy upbringing, there are still childhood memories of feeling ashamed or abandoned that are stored in the body and remembered. Then, of course, there are the everyday activities of living in society and interacting with one another

We go about our days experiencing a constant stream of stimuli, seeking what we think will make us happy and avoiding what we don’t like. Or worrying about the future and reflecting on the past. Yoga tries to get us to break up these habitual thoughts and to create a little bit of space between the stimulus and our immediate reaction, so that we can breathe.

Yeah, it’s interesting and exciting to learn to bend the body into new shapes. And yeah, I have (and maybe you have) heard a lot of the yoga philosophy before today. But if you, like me, have spent quite a lot of time living in society and thinking the same thoughts, maybe you’ve found that it’s necessary to learn the same lessons and practice the same good habits over and over until they fully mix things up and create new patterns in our lives. They say that freedom is what lies in the space between stimulus and response. So, I’ll be here practicing the same old yoga to become a little more free.

Expanding Expectations

The last time I came to Ubud I stayed a little outside the center in the most wonderful hotel. This time I wanted to be close to the yoga studio, so I’m in a guest house very close to Ubud market. I was nervous about staying so close to the main street—because it’s really busy and crowded with foot and road traffic—but the house is actually tucked away from the craziness of the center. I’ve been waking up each morning to the sounds of roosters crowing down the street. Then I step out onto the patio to enjoy a breakfast of what has been pancakes every day so far and might continue to be pancakes every day that I’m here.

There is a lot more to Ubud than meets the eye. The obvious place to start is the main road where you can find the market, Ubud Palace, and the Saraswati temple. But if those are your only tastes of the city, you might leave underwhelmed. The magic is out in the rice fields with views of volcanoes and banana trees. And in the little side streets with local people living their regular lives, nearby waterfalls, Indonesian warungs (restaurants), and healthy new-age healing spots.

Simply being in Bali is healing on its own. However, during this visit I’m also opening up to trying some “out-there” healing methods. After the workshop on day one, I stayed for the next class on “Deep Psoas Release Exercises” and spent the hour and a half fatiguing my hip flexors to then allow them to shake uncontrollably in order to release whatever needed to be released in there. It was astonishing to feel how much they would shake and how the shaking would travel through my body—into the back of the legs and all the way up into the abdomen. The teacher was a mystical woman who had a safe and calming energy. When I saw that she was leading a “Breath Work Trauma Release” class the next day, I decided to return… to be continued…

Back to Bali

Surprise, I’m in Bali! If I didn’t tell you, it’s because I didn’t want you to think I was being too indulgent with my travels. But why shouldn’t I indulge in my travels, especially when it brings me back here?

A month ago, I made this whole life update video, and since then I updated everything again. Number one, I’m going back to the states a bit earlier than I expected. Number two, I’m going to have to save Japan for a later trip. Number three, I am going to El Salvador with Surf Sweat Serve (and there’s still room for you to come too!) And number four, I’m in Bali!

I moved my stuff out of my apartment and back into my friend Mike’s place (thanks, Mike!). My parents came back to Sydney for a couple more days, and we had a nice waterfront dinner together in the Rocks area down by the harbour bridge. I said goodbye to them so I could fly to Denpasar the next morning.

I’m in Ubud for the week taking a yoga workshop with Kino Macgregor, another inspiring teacher. I’d forgotten all of the magic of Ubud. Walking to dinner last night, I was reminded of the flower baskets that Balinese people place outside their doors in the mornings and evenings. They’re topped with incense sticks and leave the streets smelling wonderful.

Two years ago, I was only in Ubud for a couple of days, but this week I’ll have a bit more time for excursions. I’m looking forward to doing and seeing more beyond the busy markets humming with motorbikes. Glad to be here again!

Tasmania Day 3

Three days is the perfect amount of time to spend in Hobart, Tasmania. That is, unless it rains on the third day and cancels your planned activities and also your flight. Then you’re sort of stuck on an island with not that much to do, but I’m back in Sydney now so this story has a happy ending.

I said goodbye to my mom and Mike in the morning. They were departing in their rental car for a few days of golf in another part of Tassie. I was supposed to hitch a ride to the top of that mountain up there and spend some time at the summit exploring the hiking trails and gullies. Unfortunately on that day the cloud cover was too dense and there were thunderstorms in the forecast, so the tour company had to cancel the trip.

I went back to the bagel place, obviously, because decent Australian bagels are not something you find every day. And bagels with vegan jalapeno cheddar cream cheese and pickles on them are a delicious novelty.

I also took an excellent yoga class where the teacher/studio owner is from Texas and did her first yoga teacher training at the same studio where I did mine. Wild stuff!

The tour guide felt bad that the Mt. Wellington tour was canceled and that I would have a free afternoon, so he offered for me to join another trip to the nearby historic town of Richmond. It’s home of Australia’s oldest bridge and Catholic church, and I didn’t have anything else to do, so I agreed to go.

Richmond was a cute little town and, though it was a sleepy afternoon visit, I was happy to have somewhere to pass the time until my flight… or so I thought!

When I got back into town, I retrieved my bags from the hostel and grabbed a quick bite to eat before heading to the airport. BUT right after I ordered my food, I saw an email that my flight had been canceled. Totally canceled. Bummer. I was eating a super early dinner for nothing.

*Side note: this was my first time staying in a hostel at the ripe age of “over 30”. It was ok! I think I’m outgrowing the bunk beds and staying in a room with five other strangers. However, I’m still here for the affordable prices and you do find people of all ages staying at them. This one was a nice experience.

I booked a flight for early the next morning and had to search for a new place to stay, since my hostel was already full for the night. No matter, it was easy to find a solo room in a guesthouse—woo hoo, free from dorm life! Now I’m “home” and happy to have known another part of this beautiful country.

Tasmania Day 2

Our Tasmanian expedition continued on day two (i.e. the best day!) when we visited Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary. We saw the devils, which was only appropriate after being in their namesake.

Of the only two wildlife sanctuaries that I’ve visited in Oz, this one was my most favorite. We were lucky to see all sorts of rescue animals. We even watched a surgery being performed on a baby wallaby with burnt paws from the brushfires. This was a very special place.

Believe it or not, this was my first time seeing koalas and kangaroos since I came back to Australia. Bonorong really made up for it. There were more kangaroos than I ever could have imagined in one place! And there was an area where they could relax if they didn’t feel like being bothered by human contact, so it was different from other places where kids are touching them and tourists are bombarding them with handfuls of food.

Afterwards we stopped for a nice lunch along the river where we saw a platypus swimming in the WILD!

Then it was time for a short hike in Mt. Field National Park to Russell Falls. I’ve visited quite a few national parks in the US, so it was interesting to do a comparison in Australia. I found their trail maintenance and signage very impressive. The nature made me feel like we were walking into Jurrasic Park! And we spotted a few pademelons hopping around near the trails.

We saved up some energy to try another brewery when we got back to Hobart (Hobart Brewing Co.) There were enough food trucks, shipping containers, and fire pits to convince you that you were in Austin, TX or any other trendy US city.

We finished off our day with dinner at the Drunken Admiral where the service was a bit slow but the cocktails were quite tasty. Cheers!

Tasmania Day 1

I linked up with my parents again in Tasmania! This has been a fun little adventure, getting to see them for a bit, going our separate ways for a few days, then meeting up to hear about all the fun they’ve been having. My flight got into Hobart earlier in the day, so I had time to visit the very cool Museum of Old and New Art. I loved being so close to the water during the trip—you take a ferry from the city down the river to the museum. The ferries are part of the experience, so you can drink champagne and ride on sheep and whatnot.

This museum experience was unlike any other. After riding the ferry and passing through the entrance, you head underground to see the art. I spent about three curious hours down there, and there’s no way I could have seen everything.

I also had an actual good Australian bagel (not at the museum), which is definitely something worth writing home about (Bury Me Standing).

My parents flew in later, so we tried out Cascade Brewery and celebrated my mom’s 60th birthday at the wonderful Old Wharf Restaurant in their hotel. It was so nice to get to be a part of her extra special day!

Veganuary Update

This might be more of a lack of Veganuary update after a few slip-ups, but I’m doing my best! I like starting the new year off with a healthy challenge, so I’m trying to be meat and dairy free for these 31 days. I was finding it very easy during the first two weeks, because Sydney has a ton of vegan restaurant options, like this pancake place right down the street from my building:

And this coffee shop with cool graffiti in Marrickville:

I’m finding that I feel better eating vegan this January than last year. Last time, I think I was eating a lot of nut-based products, which were making me feel bloated and gassy (sorry TMI!) This year I’ve been sticking with veggies, beans, and some soy stuff from the grocery store. King Street in Newtown is my favorite strip in Sydney for plant-based eateries. I also like making my own stuff at home, like this vegan pizza or last week’s cauliflower tacos:

However, this past week proved more challenging! My friends from England hosted a Sunday roast, and I wanted to try new things like Yorkshire pudding and old favorites like stuffing. It was my version of a Thanksgiving since I missed the one at home. Then I really fell off the wagon since there were invitations to multiple sushi restaurants and a friend made me some amazing cheesy risotto.

As usual, I find eating vegan very easy when I’m on my own. But when I’m out with friends, I hate being the fussy one. It’s hard to stick to my guns because I’m not completely opposed to eating meat and dairy. I just don’t enjoy it on a regular basis. I don’t think I’ll ever be fully animal product-free, but it’s nice to do the challenge. I’ve been finding myself choosing vegan more often throughout the year, too, so never say never.

A Rainy Day in Sydney

Day two of my parents’ visit brought even more rain than day one! We kept our spirits up by checking out the aquarium down by the harbor. This one was a good one, even though I am not a huge aquarium fanatic— probably because the only times I go are when it’s raining and therefore full of three million rowdy young children. However, we did enjoy seeing the sharks, rays, sea pigs, and a few different styles of penguins!

More pub crawling was in store, but first we stopped at the local brunch spot for the best and fluffiest hotcakes I’ve ever had. Then my mom and I headed back to the Bondi Icebergs to start the Bondi to Coogee coastal walk. It’s one of my favorite things to do here! The views are so beautiful in any weather. Fortunately, it only rained on us at the very end of the trek. We were close enough to Coogee Pavilion to take shelter with some chips and a drink.

At night, we went down to The Rocks— a historic and touristy promenade area that’s close to the bridge— for dinner at a recommended Japanese restaurant. We enjoyed some sushi (I broke Veganuary again…) and bbq wagyu beef cooked at the table on a Himalayan pink salt block. Very fancy stuff!

My visitors are flying down to Melbourne today, but I’ll meet up with them again next week in Tasmania for a few more days.

Visitors in Sydney

My mom and stepdad were in town visiting for a couple days. It’s been rainy in Sydney, which is good for putting out fires, but not the best for hosting guests in such a sunny and outdoorsy city. We managed to get around anyway, during some breaks in the rain. On the first day we bar hopped via ferry at the Manly Wharf Bar and Watson’s Bay Hotel.

They weren’t too jet-lagged and were good sports about adventuring in the rain. Did you know they had this trip booked before I planned on moving here? They’ll be bouncing all over Australia and then to New Zealand. It made it easier to come this far abroad knowing that I would have some visitors a few months into the trip.

From Watson’s Bay, we took a short ride to Bondi and continued our hopping at the Icebergs Bar. It has the best view of surfers and the beach, even on a cloudy day. We enjoyed some Australian wine and a quick bite to eat in Bondi before they headed back to their hotel to get some rest.

First Week

I had to follow a sad fire post with a positive life post, because it really has been a fine first week of 2020! In spite of reading/worrying about the fires and feeling guilty about living a normal life while people are facing loss and disruption, I did some regular old fun things. I found a new yoga studio:

It’s in a neighborhood called Rosebery that is a little sleepy but sweet and reminds me a whole lot of California. There’s a market where you can order coffee and toasties and have yourself a pretty nice Saturday morning, if you so choose.

We had our first brewery and first beach day of 2020:

At the beach, there were announcements of rough currents and a SHARK SIGHTING so they kept closing the water to swimming. As someone who was not in the water at the time of the shark, I found this very exciting! And I’m glad to know they have a beach-wide announcement system to let you know about these important things.

My English friends introduced me to a game called beach cricket. I’m certain I didn’t follow all the rules, but I laughed a lot in the process of learning them.

And, wow, look at this view from the ferry on the ride back:

It was SO HOT on Saturday night, but it’s since turned into cooler weather and bits of drizzle here and there. Keep the rain coming please.

I went to my first show of the year on Sunday night! There will surely be more to come.

A New Year in Australia

Happy New Year friends and family. I’m just checking in to say that I’m not on fire, but much of Australia is. The beginnings of 2020 have been hectic and emotional around these parts, but I’m thankful to be alive and well.

There are a number of organizations accepting donations, including: Australian Red Cross Disaster Recovery & Relief.

Sydney has been hazy and smoke-filled for a lot of November and December, but life has been going on. There were beach days and New Year’s Eve celebrations, for better or for worse. This is the only picture I took of the fireworks:

The studio where I practice yoga held a four-day Urban Retreat. I spent mornings practicing and learning a lot with one of the best.

I’m attempting a vegan month in January (Veganuary, if you will) like I did last year. I find it helpful to constantly examine our habits and decide if there are any we’d like to adjust, whether it means eating less meat or whatever else feels right to you. I might not do it perfectly, mainly because my parents are coming this month and we may go out for sushi, but I’m going to try my best. And that’s really all we can ever do, isn’t it?

Happy Holidays from Down Under!

Merry (belated) Christmas everyone! I love this time between Christmas and New Year’s when everything seems to slow down and we have more time for what’s most important to us. I had to take a little break from blogging for most of December because I was working almost all day every day. Bauble painting life is serious, but loads of fun! I’m sad that it has come to an end.

For the past week, we worked some crazy hours and busy shifts. On the last night, Christmas Eve, we stayed after to pack up the whole store and have it ready for the stock team to pick up overnight. It felt like moving out of a college dormitory in about two hours, but knowing that it was the last shift made things a little easier.

I’m very happy with the progress I’ve made as an ornament personalizer, maybe it’ll be a good life skill for the future. Here’s week one versus my last week:

Looking back on week one is a little embarrassing and causes disbelief that they hired me, but I guess they trusted that we’d pick it up eventually. After the last shift, I came home and did a little decoration for Christmas. I’m on my own in the apartment, so it felt appropriate to make myself a little table of special things from “Santa”. My coworker even gave me a present and I thought that was so nice!

On Christmas Day, we headed to the beach. It was a very Australian Christmas, which didn’t actually feel like Christmas at all. But it was exciting to see all the Santa hats and outfits out on the beach.

My new friends prepared a bbq and we hung out until it got dark. It was definitely a celebration that I won’t soon forget!

The Big Smoke

Well, I did’t do many outdoor activities on this day off, because it’s been a bit smokey here in Sydney, if you haven’t heard. It’s actually been pretty scary and has left me and I’m sure many others not feeling so good! Today was worse than any of the smoke and fire days I experienced in LA. I’m thankful for having an inside job and feeling bad for anyone who has to be outside. Instead, I made it a day of acai bowl eating, resting, and getting my nails done— all indoors and all very rewarding.

However, yesterday when I got out a little early, I was able to make a small local getaway to Watson’s Bay on the ferry. Maybe it wasn’t the best idea since the ferries aren’t running today due to all of the smoke and low visibility, but yesterday the skies weren’t as bad and there were many more people out and about.

After riding the ferry, I found the hiking path that would lead me to this sweet sandy cove:

Past some wild rock formations:

And eventually to this striped lighthouse:

It’s the Horny Lighthouse in Sydney Harbour National Park, and I’m glad I included it as an after work adventure. Tomorrow I’m back to the “office” (kiosk) and I’ll be staying inside until the winds change direction!

New Towns

Wahoo! I just found out that tomorrow will be a day off after working twelve days in a row. The twelve days of Christmas for an ornament decorator are just a repetitive loop of me trying to maintain my sanity amidst never-ending queues and wild customer requests. Nope, your custom painted ornament won’t be ready and dry in under five minutes and I surely cannot write ten words on it. Try a greeting card, maybe? As you can tell, we’re very much in the Christmas spirit around here.

After a few fifty hour work weeks, I’m not sure what to do with myself tomorrow. Usually when I’m off work, I like to check out new parts of the city. One of my favorites is Newtown. Mike and I have gone a couple times, and I’ve ventured there on my own. There are so many tasty restaurants and cafes to try, I have to keep going back. It could be on the list again for tomorrow, if I don’t feel like going somewhere completely new.

Morning yoga is always on the table, but afterwards, I think I’ll let the day pull me where it wants to. My glue and glitter covered fingernails are looking like they could use some self-care, or maybe another trip to the cinema is in order? No matter what happens, I’ll be reveling in the rare feeling of being able to do what I want when I want to. I hope you find little bits of joy in your day, too.

Thankful

I didn’t think I would be missing out on Thanksgiving this year, because my family doesn’t always do something together at home every year. Everyone is usually traveling or in different places, and last year when I was living in LA, the flights were quite expensive to go home so soon before Christmas, so I stayed in California. But this year my mom decided to do fun stuff with family and my dad decided to do fun stuff with family. What the heck! And of course, everyone in the world was busy posting photos of their traditional meals while I painted ornaments and ate a lonely burrito at the shopping center’s food court since it was already Black Friday here:

Never fear, though! I do love the job, and I usually pack my meals from home instead of braving the mall’s options. On the night before Thanksgiving, Mike and I went out to a multi-course meal at one of the best restaurants in his neighborhood. We’ve definitely spent many a Friendsgiving together in college, so it was nice to have a reminder of the good old days—and the good now days! No turkey or cranberry sauce this year, but there was pumpkin! I may have to negotiate a green bean casserole the next time I get back to the states…

This year, I’m thankful for friends in all places, for my family who seem to reluctantly support my impromptu announcements to go far away, for my yoga practice, and for all the twists and turns in these wild life adventures. Here’s to having absolutely no idea where I’ll be on Thanksgiving next year.

Brush Strokes

Whoa! Hi! Hello, December. I hope that if you’re reading this, it’s December where you are, too. I’ve been quite busy working at my new job in Santa’s workshop. Somehow it’s happened that I’ve become a seasonal ornament decorator, and I certainly do not hate it. I’ve always wanted to learn hand lettering, and now I have the (paid) opportunity to practice brush script almost all day, every day for a whole month! Isn’t it funny how sometimes life delivers exactly the right goods?

That was our training view. I must have passed the trial, because on the first day I found myself setting up the booth and nervously taking orders by myself. Luckily, one of the trainers came to help me out so I could keep practicing. I’m still learning and I get frustrated when it doesn’t look perfectly how I want it to. After a few days, I didn’t think I was getting any better. But this was my second shift:

And here is my… maybe eighth shift:

I’m trying to think of it like crochet, where I felt clumsy and awkward when my grandma was teaching me, thinking I would never figure it out, and now I can do it with my eyes closed, watching a movie, and in all sorts of patterns. Hopefully the improvement continues over the next 24 days!

If this weekend was any indication, things at work are going to be rather hectic from Black Friday until Christmas Eve, but the shifts fly by and I’m enjoying myself. What more can you ask for from a job?

In the free hours, I’ve been treated to some perfect park sunrises on the walk to yoga. I’ve found more exotic birds—these pink ones in particular, neighborhood restaurants, and the yummy gelato place that’s juuust long enough of a walk away to give you some exercise on the way there and back.

I love seeing all the cockatoos around here!

Beach Dreams

Over the weekend, I went to the movies by myself, which I really don’t mind doing, because I love the movies and I love myself. I may have had one too many drinks beforehand with my new housemate— one in the most gorgeous garden wine bar that unfortunately didn’t get photographed. The theatre was artsy and tiny, but not so artsy that they wouldn’t be playing Hustlers ft. J-lo, because that’s all I wanted to see. I am here to recommend it, and I’m more in agreement with its 88% Rotten Tomatoes rating than the 6.6/10 on IMDb.

Then, of course, there were the trailers that made me want to see other movies, so I may have to go back again next weekend for this one that seems like a good tricky love story.

The next day, my Aussie friend met me in Bondi Beach (where else?) for a coastal walk. We were close to calling it off due to a light rain in the morning, but I’m glad we didn’t because it ended up turning into a gorgeous day.

I drank two lattes because I’m made of money and milk. This place puts koala stencils on theirs and I die every time:

They’ve taken down the sculptures, but I promise there’s plenty to see anyway. I purchased an umbrella because I knew if I bought one it wouldn’t rain, but if I didn’t have one it most certainly would. Amanda and I planned out our desired adventures for the upcoming weeks and generally had a lovely girls day out. We’re visualizing when we both move to Bondi and live at the beach.

On Monday, I woke up to more smoky skies and my room smelling like a BBQ. This week should bring cooler temperatures and some rain to hopefully settle all the nearby fires down. I’m practicing being grateful for every moment and every blue-skied day.

Sunrises & Swans

Having another week off from working (for better or for worse) meant extra time to explore this city. It comes complete with sunrise views at the park across the street:

Annnd I realized the other day that there are black swans in the park! I’ve never seen them before. Side note, I’ve never seen the movie before, either, and I think that someday I probably should. These swans didn’t seem to mind me creeping semi-close to take a photo.

I did a waitressing trial here last weekend. That seems to be a thing they do here when you want to work in hospitality— after the interview, they’ll offer an unpaid trial for a few hours to see how you do. I’ve enjoyed one and not enjoyed one, but at the moment I’m thinking I don’t really want to waitress while I’m in Sydney, because the main reason I’m here is to practice yoga at 6am, and the two lifestyles don’t blend very well.

The view from the restaurant was nice, anyway.

Mike came back from his work trip to Taipei/Korea/Japan so we went to the farmer’s market near his place:

I arrived a little early and was hungry, so I got this crumpet. And may I say what a treat it is to be able to order a crumpet!

Then Mike got there and we had breakfast, second breakfast, or maybe brunch?

Yum! As you can see, there’s no shortage of things to eat here. This week I’m back to work so that I can fund all the cafe and farmer’s market visits that my heart desires!

Koala Hunt

I took a little break from tourism for that one whole week that I was working full-time, but don’t worry, I haven’t made a complete character change, and I’m back to my usual romps. I visited the Royal Botanic Gardens on my first trip to Sydney, but I recently found out that, for a limited time, there is an exhibit/scavenger hunt of a bunch of painted koala statues. Obviously that is something I would be into!

Koalas, koalas everywhere:

I found about a dozen adorably painted statues. There were probably more, but I was also on a mission to trek all the way through the gardens to Mrs. Macquarie’s Chair, so I couldn’t get too sidetracked.

I did stumble upon an unexpected emu, though:

The chair is where Governor Macquarie’s (the fifth and last autocratic governor of New South Wales, thanks Wikipedia) wife used to sit because she thought it presented some of best views of Sydney Harbour.

I can’t disagree:

This city definitely has some amazing places for walking and running. It’s helping me get all my steps in and then some.

I found more koalas on the walk back:

I can’t say I’m missing the snowy weather back home. I’m feeling grateful for the greens and warm temperatures.

On the other hand, this week has been pretty smoky and hazy in Sydney due to the wildfires nearby. I’m having flashbacks to LA at this time last year (and this time every year). Hoping for safety and rain in this new country and the original!

A Room with a View

Sorry for the brief bout of silence. I moved! I’m about 2 km from Mike’s place now and close to a few big parks which are very good for running:

I’m getting some much needed nature time in:

And the neighborhood has yummy coffee shops and cafes where I get to eat things like this:

I have a comfy bed with a lot of nice, natural light. One of the housemates drove me around on Sunday to transport my bags and purchase bedding and other necessary room items. That helped a ton because, even when you only have four bags, moving can be tricky business!

The blinds are a bit broken, but it’s feeling like an otherwise good fit! And picking out bedding on the fly can be a bit stressful, but I’m pretty pleased with my decision.