As I did my yoga in the hotel room today (and 50 push-ups) I felt a dread come over me. For tomorrow is the fateful day (unless I insist we need a day to acclimate) that we find our way to the Ashtanga Institute and negotiate our way in the door. I have to prepare my mind for exactly the right approach and also I want to get a lay of the land. I’ve heard that the town of Mysore is no tourist destination, tho it is the incense capital of India and there is a famous temple worth seeing. So I have a lot on my mind. I am sitting at the Delhi airport. Because of thick fog our flight is delayed an hour and Allynn and I took turns finding snacks to tide us over for the 3 hr flight and the 3 hr cab ride to Mysore. I made a big purchase at the airport Benetton store- a long sleeved orange t-shirt of very soft cotton.($20). Oops- our flight is further delayed-2 more hours! Time for coffee! Funny how the price of an American coffee and a latte are almost the same here. So I am definitely getting addicted to lattes. Allynn has new flight info- our delay has gone from 1 to a 2 hr delay. Finally we are in a crowded and chaotic line for boarding! They are letting old people go ahead. – how about us? Outside are busses we’ll get on to ride to the plane. Made it- we’re on the plane-3:00 (original flight time 12:30). So we should arrive in Mysore after our taxi ride- 10:30-11:00.
We took off at 3:30 and now I am trying to sleep on the plane and formulate my plan for Mysore. We are getting in so late that I am giving myself the day off tomorrow. That means I will leisurely get up, do my yoga, have the free hotel breakfast and then figure out the lay of the land- where our hotel is in relation to the Ashanga Institute and also to The Yoga Mandala, the alternative yoga school (that comes highly recommended) at half the price.
Our original plan was to go to the Ashtanga Institute for the month of Feb. They let us know they received my application shortly after Allynn mailed it in . Our whole trip was designed around this school, which I have spent the past 10 years dreaming about- So imagine our surprise when, 2 weeks into our trip, we get an e-mail saying I had not been accepted in Feb. I could try for March. Ugh! We have our return booked for March 24. Our friend Sharon has arranged shows with Allynn in her school in Delhi Feb 6.
So Feb is out, and the schedule at the school is that you sign up only for 1-2 months at a time. And you begin only on the first day of the month.
So my approach is thus- when we show up, I say my application was received for Feb but our plans changed- I need to come in Jan. And I have my $500 in my hot little hand and see what transpires! Wish me luck!
Time to check out our itinerary to Rajhastan! Did that- it looks like the icing on the cake- a really exciting adventure and we will be in good hands.
Starting our descent. We Landed – 6:00pm. Driving now in a great taxi- thanks to Mr Gupta. Volvo- super clean and the driver is a little too aggressive- fast- for my taste. (he waited 3 hrs for us – we were late) and now we are driving in the dark and there is a lot of traffic. Should have stayed in Bangalore over night. Hope to make it on a nerve wracking 3 hr journey-never a dull moment. I feel like I am on a ride at Disney- twists and turns – lots of motorcycles and speed bumps. Silly me- I thought it was going to be boring highway driving. Good thing I stopped at the airport snack shop for water, chips and cookies to go with the sandwiches Allynn got in Delhi. Allynn suggested that the seats must go back and we could try to sleep- I don’t think so- can you imagine sleeping on an adventure ride in Disney? Well- thanks for being here with me. It calms me down to be writing this to You! The small town scene is getting more interesting!
Later we made it a third of the way and now we are on an expressway to Mysore!! Plus- I had the courage to ask the driver to Slow Down. (a bit) I am sure Allynn was cringing when I said that- he is a bigger whimp than I am and Never wants to upset the apple cart. On a smaller road now – the scene reminds me of Mexico- open shops, folks hangin out on street corners. We are passing lots of trucks, school buses, cement trucks, passing gas stations, I saw a church. Back on a highway. Bosch factory… Toyota factory. Almost there! I have been making lots of conversation with the driver – about being a Hindu. About the gods and goddesses- can you imagine growing up with all that wild stuff? Blue people and people with 8 arms and wild hair and cows that fly? Amazing stuff and they all have a thousand names!
So we arrived 10 minutes ago to the Green Hotel in Mysore! The hotel is gorgeous- bit of a splurge for us -$70 but hey- it’s Xmas. Used to be a palace. Behind the ornate white building where we registered is a large grassy courtyard with different elevations and white dining furniture sprinkled around. Casual and elegant-can’t Wait to eat dinner there tomorrow – odd that lots of folks are eating this late- 10:45pm! Catch up with you tomorrow!
Namaste Annie
PS forgot to tell you it is Warm here! 80 degrees! Feels wonderful .