Deja Vu....... (Dec 7)

Sitting at breakfast, planning our departure to Rishikesh and in walk Sarah and Nick, the couple we met in Bodh Gaya. They had been here a couple of days and were heading to Rishikesh for a ten day meditation retreat at one of the ashrams. Since we were all going to the same general area, we agreed to split a rickshaw. Grit and Sten joined us as well for some more travel conversation.

Back to the room, pack up and meet Nick and Sarah at the gate. As we strolled toward the road, the drivers saw us coming and were ready to pounce on us when we reached them. We agreed on our price and loaded up into one of the vehicles. It was fairly slow going since our rickshaw laboured massively over even the smallest incline. Half way there we pulled over and our driver waved down another vehicle. The two drivers had a very animated conversation in Hindi and then informed us we had to change vehicles. We had to pay the original driver half and half to the new driver when we reached our destination. I guess our rickshaw just wasn't up to the task.

We transferred vehicles and were on our way again. We had the driver drip us in front of the Sivananda ashram. This is the original ashram and very different from the one we saw in Haridwar. It is just up the road from Yoga Niketan and not far from the staircase down to the footbridge so Nick and Sarah can cross over to Parmarth (where they are staying).

We bid our farewell and head to our guest house. Our room has a balcony that looks out over the Ganges and we can see the footbridge and Swarg Ashram on the other side. There is a nightly candle ceremony at the ghat at Parmarth Ashram, directly across from our guest house that we should be able to watch from our balcony.

We strolled around a bit more after checking in and decided to take the evening yoga class at the ashram (since its included in the price of our room). Class, according to the schedule at the front desk, is at 5 pm. We walked up the hill early in order to look around a bit. the guard told us that the class actually started at 4:30 pm - which was now! Damn! I hate being late! We hurried to the yoga hall and slipped quietly into the back of the class.

The hall is a large square room with very high ceilings lined with rows of ceiling fans. The bare cement floor is covered in thick burgundy carpeting and rows of yoga mats. You could probably fit 50 or so students in here if you lined them up right but there are only 15 or so tonight. The teacher is on a raised platform in the front right corner of the room. Next to him, in the centre, is a glass door leading to a small lit chamber that holds a life size statue of the ashram's guru. Class is already going but they've just started the sun salutations so we're not too late.

The class was great and the teacher, while serious, had a hilarious, very dry sense of humour that had me giggling. It was also interesting, the class had a good flow but between each pose, he had us take tadasana (if standing) or dandasana (if seated) until our breath returned to normal. It really ensured you maintained your focus on the breath for the entire class. After class we were sooooo relaxed, we grabbed some quick dinner and went to bed.