05/04/2023 Ubud
Ubud
This has never happened before
Blake and I enjoyed the free breakfast, the pool and the one-hour-massage one last time before something was going to happen that hasn’t happened in the entire nine months we’ve been on the road: we’d split up!
My first yoga retreat
When we started this world trip, I made a list with things I would really like to see and do in this year (of course I made a list, I’m German after all 😉). One of the things I really wanted to do was going to a yoga and meditation retreat in Bali. So today was the day!
Going separate ways
It was really weird saying goodbye to Blake and driving off in separate taxis in opposite directions. Blake was going to Canggu where he was going to meet a good buddy of his from Canada, while I stayed in Ubud in a different hotel.
Expectations vs. reality
When I arrived at the B. Saya Hotel, I was very excited. My excitement turned pretty quickly into confusion as nobody really knew what to do with me and what I was here for.
But at least the welcoming drink and the view were fantastic! I was led to my spacious room and was given my “itinerary” for the next three days. Let’s become a yogi!
Starting with a yoga session
In the afternoon I had my first yoga session – as the only one. It looks like I was the only one that had booked this retreat (the others at the hotel were all normal vacationers). So I had a lot of private classes coming up. The yin yoga was good. But again, sadly, I had to admit how very inflexible I am.
A non-relaxing night in a relaxing setting
The dinner (fresh coconut, a glass of white wine, summer rolls and a salmon filet) was really tasty as well!
When I crawled into my bed, I was really excited for the next day. Unfortunately, this feeling was crushed again, as by 1 a.m. a girl next door was still skyping very loudly until I went over and said something. I guess that’s personal growth too 😉.
06/04/2023 Ubud
Little sleep and lots of yoga
After 3.45 hours of sleep, I was (not so) ready for my next yoga session at 7 a.m.. The yoga class (asana and pranayama) was great though.
I also really enjoyed the swim in the pool and the tasty breakfast overlooking the pool and rice fields afterwards.
Time to relax
At 11 a.m. a personal masseuse massaged me for one hour. Even though I was still tired from the previous night, I definitely felt more relaxed.
Did someone say gado gado?
Gado gado for lunch, which is a traditional Indonesian meal with veggies, tofu and peanut sauce, tasted great!
Breathwork session
In the afternoon I had my very first breathwork session with another personal instructor in a 1 on 1 session (I’m still the only one in this retreat).
Breathwork is a breathing exercise or technique in which you change your breathing pattern. People typically use breathwork to improve aspects of their mental, physical, and spiritual well-being, such as focusing or releasing negative thoughts. It may help provide relief from stress, pain, or feelings of anger.”
healthline.com
This two-hour-session absolutely blew my mind and I have never experienced anything like this.
Ice ice baby!
Afterwards I sat in an ice bath. The instructor told me the three key words for “making it” in the ice bath:
1. Acceptance
2. Surrender
3. Breathing
She also taught me the correct breathing technique. With that and with the right mindset, I sat in the ice bath surrounded by ice cubes for a bit over three minutes (even though it was really really cold)!
More yoga
In the afternoon I had a other yin yoga session, where I learnt a lot again (I guess your learning curve is always very high when you’re starting at zero 😉).
A relaxing evening at last
In the evening I decided to have my tofu wrap and my green juice in my room, where I had an early sleep after the previous short night and all these new impressions.
07/04/2023 From Ubud to Canggu
The last day in the yoga retreat
My last yoga session (asana and pranayama) at 7 a.m. went well! Again I went into the pool for a swim afterwards and then enjoyed my last smoothie bowl at the retreat.
Reunited again
After some more time at the pool, I was now really excited to see Blake again. Since we are normally together 24/7 on this trip, it felt like we had been apart for such a long time (even though it had only been less than three days).Â
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