I thought I would write some of my general impressions of India through the lens of the senses. There are so many differences between this country and mine. Here are some of the things I have felt.
First, the heat. I know I am not very heat tolerant so I knew being in India where the low might get to 70 degrees F would be a challenge. There have been times I have been just dripping in sweat (which I am not a fan of) and other times so warm I just have had to sit. I’ve taken good care of myself during those times; listening to my body, hydrating like crazy, resting when necessary. It’s been good practice for many things besides self care. The whole trip has. But, I will save that for later.
Some ways I have gotten cool is to swim in the pools at the hotels on the tour. In the apartment each room has a ceiling fan and I use them regularly, as well as taking comfort from the cool floor. The cool water and air on my skin give some relief.
There have been a couple of times we have been out in the rain. One Friday night walking back from the restaurant it was sprinkling. That was a nice feeling on my skin. The time we got caught in a downpour in the auto rickshaw I ended up cold from being so wet. That was a nice (rare) feeling also.
This country is hard. The floors are hard, the yoga floors are hard, the sidewalks are hard and uneven, the beds in the flat are planklike. At least since we have moved out of hotel stays, it feels like every surface is rock hard. The local people seem to not mind. I don’t know if I could get accustom to that.
Another battle is with the mosquitos. Stories of yoga students who have come before us contracting some mosquito borne illness makes us on guard with repellent that is 50% DEET. It is oily and smelly and not always effective. There are also little electric mosquito repellent things plugged into the outlets in the bedrooms that we turn on at night. The first week in the flat I had at least a dozen bites and took Claritin to help the allergic reaction and put on anti itch cream to help my urge to scratch. I have figured out the window in my bedroom so it is less likely for them to enter at night. Still, I spotted one flying around in the bathroom this morning.
Since being here I have had two massages. The first was in the hotel in Varanasi at the beginning of the trip. It was just what I needed to help work out the kinks, help reduce some of the post flight swelling in my legs, and relax. The second was here in Pune at the apartment. I had never before had an Ayurvedic massage and the pressure was intense. During I thought The result would be a million thumb print bruises all over my body but, alas, I felt just fine. Like yoga, sometimes the best part is when it is over.
