Tuesday, September 15, 2009

    Everywhere...

    I know, I know......

    I know I never post any entries after I came back from the long holiday from Yoga Teacher Training at Byron Bay, Australia and also touring around. Forgive me, I am too sluggish to blog!


    The YTT was just AWESOME!!! I have the opportunity to explore my own, be it physically, mentally and spiritualty. I get to know a lot of new friends from all round the world! I truely am glad that I made a right choice to be there.

    Let me show you around what did I do in Byron Bay and surrounding, start from the very beginning.....

    Taking a plane is excited yet tiring! I flew from Singapore to Perth then from there to Brisbane.

    Then took a 2-hours-ride-bus from Brisbane city to my final destination, Byron Bay!

    The alley walk from my beach house to the store. It was too beautiful!

    And the lake!

    Went for the grocery shopping spree at Woolworths.

    Introducing my messy bedroom, gonna stay here for a month!

    Little TV,

    And little kitchen area attached.

    The bread and dairy product were so fresh and tasty, and I had the bread EVERDAY without fail in Byron Bay (equals to my one year bread consumption back in Sg or M'sia!)

    The cabin that shared with 3 other housemates.



    Morning simple breakfast, coffee + bun + banana + webcam with Yang.


    The Yoga Shala, the place where we practice asanas, lecturing and knowing each others.

    Our lunch, kuskus + tomato + dal + corn wrap. What do you notice?
    It was all vegetarian! And I was a devoted vegetarian for the whole month!

    Tallow beach.

    Just another sunny winter day!

    Sundown view in front of my cabin.
    And another day has just about to end but yet another day has just begun....

    Thursday, August 27, 2009

    Yoga accepts. Yoga gives.

    Finally, I'v graduated and becoming a certified yoga teacher. I'm so glad that I went for this YTT. It has been a great inner journey and life-changing experience for me! Thanks for everyone in the course and I will be good in the future journey on my own! Cheers!


    Update: I'm at Brisbane right now and just back from Gold Coast (went to Movie world and whale-watching cruise, it's just awesome!). Will be staying at Brisbane for a few days then travel to Sydney and Melbourne! How exciting! I will try to upload some beautiful pictures after I back to Sg. See ya!

    Friday, August 14, 2009

    Inspirational


    Before Enlightenment, chop wood, carry water.
    After Enlightenment, chop wood, carry water.
    Change your perspective on life....

    Saturday, August 1, 2009

    Day OFF


    This is the first day off that I have for my Yoga teacher's training and it's the 6th day staying at Byron Bay, Australia. I was so excited as I can really explore the main beach and town area of Byron Bay after 4 days of intensive classes. It was a beautiful Saturday and I managed to do some grocery shopping for the rest of the week.
    The training was hard. My brain was saturated by all those anatomy terms, asanas, meditation, yamas and niyamas. Lotsa homework and assignments due, and I can really feel the stressfulness as I'm staying with caucasian ladies. Well, I believe this would really be a life-changing experience and I will try my best to make it right.
    P/S: Will try to update more pictures later but the internet connection seems slow and limited. Just stay tune!

    Tuesday, July 14, 2009

    In search of yoga props

    The value of props as a tool for all kind of alignment in yoga poses (Asanas) is indeniably beneficial for yoga practitioners.

    During these 2 years of yoga practice, I know I need to get myself a pair of yoga blocks especially for my jump through and back poses. Whenever I pass by any sports or yoga store, I will peek at whatever accesories they have to gear up my yoga collections. But end up, I will just walk away with empty hand, and keep on delaying on buying one.

    Until one day, my instructor recommended a shop that she usually get yoga products from, exxe.


    There are 2 outlets in Singapore, one is at Velocity and the one that I went is located at the Orchard Central. At first, I have some doubt about the stuffs with Hello Kitty cartoon on it as it would be too girlish and pinkish for me (not my kind of style though).
    But, when I first laid my eyes on the endearing light pinko Hello Kitty blocks,
    I was yelling: " Sooooooo cute! You guys are coming home with me!"




    Awwwwww..... Aren't they cute?

    The Hello Kitty performing a Upward Facing Dog pose - Urdhva Mukha Svanasana.

    Once again, it's super ccccccuuuuttteeeeee....

    They even match with my Ikea's little pinky stool! (Sorry for the messy mussy room).

    I'm so going to bring over this Nike yoga mat and HelloKitty block for my up-coming YTT, Yaaayyyyaaa!

    Now what? I need to get a yoga strap to accessorize my yoga gear.

    Friday, July 10, 2009

    Just another week

    Just another one more week, I will be back to my beloved hometown, Kuantan for a week, and then starts my whole new exciting journey to Byron Bay, NSW for whole month!

    Imagining myself chanting Om (Pranayama-breathing exercise) every early morning at 6am, practising every single yoga poses and adjust my alignment with a bunch of yoga lovers, lunching and dining with full vegetarian at Tallow beach houses, taking a brisk walk along the coastline at the most easterly point in Australia. I can't pen it all down as I'm way too excited about the whole trip as this would be the very first time I would land in huge Oz's mainland!

    I think it's a time whereby I can really think deeply without any disturbance adn figure out what I really want for my future, explore my ownself, clear my mind and keep my brain from racing.

    "The most important things in life are invisible."

    Friday, July 3, 2009

    Call me the Wave Hunter!!!

    Right after the day of Mount Kinabalu trekking trip, we headed over to the Padas River Whitewater Rafting. Initially, we were a bit skeptical about whether we could make it all the way for another ultimate challenge after 2 continuous enervating hiking days. I was grumbling about my achy legs and it's hurt really bad for just walking up the staircases to the hotel room. They all even told me that we will be just using our hands to paddle, nothing to do with our legs.
    I was utterly speechlees!

    Then later at night, OTC got a call from the river guide, saying that we have to wait for his call in the morning at around 7 o'clock to confirm the rafting as it has to be determined by the weather and rapids on the day itself. Thus, if it's raining or raining the day before and cause a high turbulence rapids, we can't go for the whitewater rafting.

    Luckily (or unfortunately), he called early in the morning and we all packed up and carried our exhausted soul and physical body, hopped on the van at 8am sharp, proceed to out next destination, Tenom, a small town located in interior division of Sabah. It took us about one and a half hour to reach Tenom and towards the whole journey, I was dragging myself the whole journey until we reached a village near Pangi at 11am.

    I totally have no idea how much fun I was about to have!

    We were all geared up with helmet and life jacket, we were ready to go... So excited!!!

    From left to right: CCE a.k.a WILD BOAR, OTC, CLY, Ben Lai a.k.a MONKEY KING, Clovern & Yang.





    A series of hilarious jumping poses directed by the river guide.

    Could you notice the railway track on right hand side? Supposingly, there is an antique old train that takes passengers to Beaufort, but now is undergoing some sort of repair work that will take about 2 years time or even until the 10MP (10th Malaysian Plan) regarding to the river guide. He was so funny!
    They are so smart, the alternative way of channelling
    from place to place would be this.


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    The Flintstone style .
    7 of us plus our refreshment a.k.a watermelon were pushed by
    2 macho guys on a trolley up to Pangi.



    At the beginning, we were getting thrilled by scenic ride along the Padas river.
    After half an hour, our back and buttocks felt numb as we sitting cross-legs
    in such a packed area but we still managed to squeeze a smile.

    Finally we arrived at the starting point after 1 hour plus of trolley ride.

    Light refreshments served in the middle of the village.

    Again, we were asked to do some jumping poses prior to the real wave hunter began.

    Hoooraay...
    It's very important to have a safety briefing before the extreme excursion begins.
    Apparently, we would be carried by the raft, the inflatable boat that made from rubber and PVC containing pressurised gas. Neh, the kind of boat that use in Titanic movie to rescue people when the tragic accident really happened.
    The river guide then explained to us how to get balance by sitting down on the edge of the raft and paddle in the same time. Don't play play, water rafting can be quite a dangerous and high risk sport, we required to fill in the indemnity form in case anything happen to us.
    Bye! *sobbing* Daddy, jie, Billy, Arion, Jasmine and mummy, bless me!
    Then, something thrilled happened.....


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    Exhilarating adventure shooting through rapids started down the Padas River
    ( Level III to IV ). Level III to IV means experienced paddling skills needed for rafters as there maybe large waves, rocks, and a considerable drop and waves.



    7 of us were guided by 2 experience river guides, without them, we were doomed!

    Uh-hoo.... Attacked by the violent splash of whitewater.
    The 30km white water rafting journey, makes the longest in Borneo itself and it will take around 2 hours to reach the ending point.

    And it holds 7 exciting and tough rapids such as Merry-Go-Round Rapid, Break Point Rapid, Scooby Doo Rapid, Cobra Rapid, Curve Rapid, Lambada Rapid and Head Hunter Rapid.

    Keep on paddling! Don't ever stop propelling!

    Heading towards Cobra rapids.




    We made it through the level III rapid that require significant maneuvering.
    See the river guide (black shirt) behind me. He was trying to lift me up and throw me into the river. I quickly kneeled down and cried out loudly. LOL.
    Yet, another fast and furious ripple awaiting us.

    There was no turning back! Awww.....

    Can't even see me here!

    We pierced through the wave.

    Down!

    Most powerful wave ever!





    Yes! Yes! Yes!
    My adrenaline was pumping and rushing to the max even upon reaching the ending point, Rayoh. I want to do it AGAIN!

    We were famished after the whole mind-blowing extreme sport.
    Fingers-licking-good on the boat while transferring back to Beaufort town.

    Easy-breezy Pantene commercial break.

    Why my eyes closed again?

    Monkey king-1, Wild boar-0

    Counterattacked!
    Monkey king-1, Wild boar-1 (DRAW)
    We were indeed having way too much fun for the whole KK trip, thanks OTC and CLY for organizing this wonderful and eventful trip.
    When is our next trip?