Kalilandia

After a few days of hiking and just being in the mountain, I head to a place, for which I don't even assume how special it is. This ashram is a hidden magic, and should perhaps remain such. I am going to follow two consecutive yoga and meditation retreats. Both experiences are extremely unique and intimate. Therefore, I will not talk about any individuals in particular, neither will I describe very practical details, as they can be largely misinterpreted, while they can only be understood, if experienced.  I will however, try to explain my reflections and learnings in a non-fluent, non-chronological way. "Woman of Joy" , a kundalini yoga retreat for women to connect with their feminine power Around twenty women, of any age, get together to explore themselves, support themselves and help each other grow while overcoming one main challenge, which perhaps every woman faces - "the fear to let go of control".  Disturbing and discomforting it may ...

What Julia Roberts does not convey in the movie is that one actually does not need to pass by Italy and India, but can get a complete package and "eat, pray and love" all in Bali. Well I did not encounter Javier Bardem (not even anyone nearly as charming, cute and attractive as him) but I did find many things to love there (including Macaques, Geckos and other living beings). So here I am in Ubud, just arrived from my cute little Canggu village and I am in complete culture shock. The central streets are overcrowded with tourists, scooters, taxi scooters and taxi drivers literally pulling me to get on their taxi scooter (at some point I even get offered a coffee, just to get on the scooter - sweet people...) - I am a little intimidated and the crowd is stressing me out. But it does have its charm, people are pushy but not too much, it is busy but not too much, it is chaotic but not too much. Everything is just at my good level of tolerance. Anyway, I am eager to get away ...

One thing I am crazy about when traveling on my own is to ask people various questions. It is fantastic, you just need to ask and you get all answers and all different perspectives. In Bali there is basically no public transport, the only way to move between places is to arrange with some local people to drive you here and there. For many households, this is indeed the main source of income. You just find some number from somewhere, call someone, give some vague directions and voila - you have a personal driver in minutes. In the beginning it is a little intimidating, I wonder if they are cheating me with the money, if they will kidnap me and I will never come back, if we will understand each other at all, but by day 2 only I am already experienced, having a few numbers "from somewhere" and skillfully arranging tariffs and prices. I even arrange some trips for some strangers in Serenity and I am having a lot of fun.  I meet Johan at the airport, he picks me up and we qu...

Early in the morning I get on a tour to Agra, where the Taj Mahal is situated, 3 hours away from Delhi. I only see Agra through the car, so my impressions are not complete... I find that there are more cows on the streets than in Delhi. There are more barracks and nylon shelters. There is a hair-dresser by the street: a chair in the middle of the mud with a mirror in front & a sign "hair-dresser". We reach Taj Mahal, there is a huge amount of people, camels, horses in front. Everything is organized separately for Indian passport holders and foreigners. Indians pay 20R, foreigners 750R. This is totally fine by me, as I think that nationals of any country should have the right to visit their national monuments at low cost. There are different queues, the one for foreigners goes much faster, as we are much less. We go through scanning again....and here we are in front of the Taj Mahal. I am suffering a bit as I can understand 1 of 5 words of what our guide is saying and...

I board the plane from Brussels to Dubai. I find myself traveling next to a cute blond 2-year girl and her mom. The little girl is happy, she sings songs to me, interferes with my dinner, I am in love with her, I want to keep her for my next trip. Occasionally, I help her mom take care of her on the seat and we become "flight-friends" by the end of the journey. A few days later I will learn that such friends are precious and it does bring good karma to help people on the plane. We part in Dubai and off I am to Delhi...my heart is full of panic - what the heck am I doing when I arrive?... At Immigration there are 2 separate queues for foreigners and for Indian passport holders. Numerous guiches for Indians, and just 2 for a whole crowd of foreigners...both of them are stuck and don't move due to officers discussing in groups of 4 or 5 whether to let the person in or not. 40 minutes later, here I am, good news, my luggage is waiting for me. "Very good start"...