Thailand - Yoga Retreat - April 2012 --- LIFE Changing
2011 was an interesting year for me. I found and lost love, and almost my job. I needed to test my strength and love at the same time. A yoga retreat in Thailand sounded perrrrrfect.
I arrived around 9am local time. A boat took us to our resort, I checked in and had 3 hours to kill before yoga 5pm that evening. Pool here I come!!
Around 3:30 I headed in to get ready. When I got out of the shower I turned on the news, like the dorkamus that I am. I found an international news channel and immediately saw a reporter and a huge red banner at the bottom of the screen that read "8.7 earthquake off Indonesia, Tsunami warning for the Andaman Sea. My first thought was, "are they showing footage from the bad Tsunami years ago?" I sat there puzzled for a minute and realized this was NOW........OH. MY. GOD. I AM ON THE ANDAMAN SEA!!!!
I ran downstairs and asked my roommate Carrie if there was an earthquake?? She was on her iPad and said HUH like she barely heard me. I decided to open up the front door. What I saw was like a scene out of a movie. More so a scene from the Tsunami footage from years ago. There was an employee running across the lawn in front of me, followed by a woman and child, right as I hear TSUNAMIIIII. It was a woman's voice. I'll never forget it. It was faint, but clear enough to make sense of everything that was going on. I could not believe what I was seeing, and hearing. I turned around and said CARRIE, WE HAVE TO GO. I ran upstairs, grabbed my camera, phone, wallet and passport and we were out the door following the FEW people we saw.
We were heading towards the tennis courts, that was the closest "higher ground." We got there and no one was there. Another employee showed up right after us carrying a huge weird sized black bag. You could tell he was having a difficult time carrying this thing. Right as I was staring him down four or five life jackets toppled out of his bag. <--- THAT was the exact moment when things got real for me. I immediately said "let me help you with that, let me get a couple." I grabbed two and gave one to who I would later find out was my yoga teacher. LOL. I was not playing though. I put my life jacket on and snapped all the snaps. This was not coming off me without a fight.
The employees told us we had to keep going, to even higher ground. That's actually where everyone was. Below is a picture of us going up the mountain.
People seemed relaxed. Talking in disbelief, just hanging out as we really had other options. I ended up being near some folks that were on the same yoga retreat. What a nice way to meet folks for the 1st time!! LOL. I was trying to stay calm. I was trying to downplay the situation in my head, but with the reality of everything I was trying not to freak out. I was actually planning SURVIVAL while smiling in everyone's faces. I made the phone calls... to my mom, dad and brothers. Even posted a status on Facebook. I wonder if they saved those voice mails.... Talk about NO jet lag, I was shocked into the moment forever.
The resort workers were amazing though. They were passing out bug spray, bananas, bottled water, panchos, and bread. Have you ever had to think about stashing a loaf of bread (versus sharing with others) because you didn't know if you were only minutes away from a natural disaster, or fighting for your life? Weird thoughts. I thought hard and passed the bread...
Do you see the people way up in the mountain tops? They are up there..
Hours later, we're allowed down the mountain, and dinner is on the house. Nice.
The killer Tsunami in 2004 was a 9.2. Thank God this was a horizontal earthquake and not vertical. I don't even want to imagine...
Days 2-7 were nothing short of amazing. I huffed every day at yoga. We did yoga 4 hours a day, 7-9am and 5-7pm. I do yoga 2 hours a week normally, so doing about 30 hours of yoga in one week really jolted me, and my body. By the last day I could barely do downward dog. My elbows hurt SO much. Dang head stands! GRRR! My elbows still hurt to this day actually. I'm going to ask my doctor about this soon.
Our beautiful yoga room..
The snorkel excursion was my MOST favorite memory of the trip. Turquoise water so clear and beautiful I couldn't even cry, and I tried. Below is the picture of us on the boat heading out for the snorkel trip. I wish I would have taken more pictures from this angle.
Our first stop was a popular snorkel island. There were quite a few boats out and people were feeding the fish! The fish were everywhere! I want to smack myself for not having an underwater camera!!!! :( The fish were so brave though, they were swimming all around us. I just held my arms out and watched them swirl around, although they never touched me.
The snorkeling was so cool. We were in 2-20 feet of water. We snorkeled around this one large rock where at one part it was only 2 feet deep. I saw beautiful orange and purple coral, and neon vibrantly colored fish. The pictures don't do it any justice.
That full hour of snorkeling filled me SO deeply with happiness.
After snorkeling we went around to a few other islands.
Can you believe the color of this water!!! I need to ask God how he did this!!!!!!!!
Our final stop was lunch on Bamboo Island. This was my next favorite memory. We got to relax in the water while they prepared lunch for us on the beach. The water at this island was indescribable, literally. I've never seen a place so beautiful.
Next excursion, ELEPHANT RIDING!! This was on my to-do list as soon as I saw it was an option!!! I actually almost didn't go on the snorkel excursion, but was defiant on elephant riding! LOL.
We took a 30/45 minute bus ride into town, or the jungle. Not really sure which one. The elephant camp was actually quite private and serene, but of course in third world conditions. :(
Do you think some storms have been through here? Look how warped the trees are! So beautiful though!!
They even let us ride on the elephant's head! It was weird, it literally felt like you were sitting on someones shoulders, but it was an elephant. You could feel their shoulder blades switch with each step. Their hair is also very fine but bristly, and their coarse skin feels thick and leathery.
After this trip, I had a new found love for elephants. They are such gentle giants. They are beautiful serene creatures that I feel are underrated and unappreciated. There is a God-like presence with them that I love.
Namaste.
I would fly back over there tomorrow. #seetheworld
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