Hi Gram,
My internal clock must be adjusting because I was able to sleep in today, even if I didn’t intend to do so. I woke up late and within seconds I had a text invitation to have tea with Dash down in the kitchen. We chatted about our plans for the day, then I headed up to the living room to do a little writing. Ashley headed to the beach with some of our friends who’d just gotten to town, and our friends Stacey and Samantha invited me to join them at the yoga barn. David joined me to walk over to meet them. One thing I love about everything being tight and compact here is that we’re able to walk almost everywhere that we need to go. We save fuel and pollution, get some exercise, and arrive feeling good. A healthy walk and conversation later, David and I split ways. He went for a massage while I headed to the studio to meet Stacey and Samantha for some challenging aerial fun.

All of the classes that I’ve taken here so far have been a great mix of challenging, fun, and informative and this one was no different. The teacher made sure everyone had their swings adjusted to the right height as people trickled in, then started us with an introduction and explanation of what we would be doing. The class seamlessly transitioned from sitting on the yoga mat starting to do traditional yoga stretches, through some exercises where we used the swing to stretch an arm or leg, until we found ourselves suspended upside down like spiderman. With the base of the swing nestled against our sacrum, our legs wrapped around the ropes, and hands grabbing the opposite elbow, we swung from side to side. The instructor walked around, checking our form and helping us overcome our fears as she helped us transition from yogi to acrobat and back again. At one point, we were all hanging upside down holding hands with one another, gently swinging ourselves back and forth as we laughed. The class progressed smoothly until she had led us to return to our mats in shivasana, feeling peaceful and proud. We stuck around a little after class to get our pictures taken all hanging together, then headed down to the cafe to order a juice and smile.

David looked serene and half asleep, the product of a wonderful massage, as he walked up and joined us. We shared stories of our aerial yoga class and his massage experience, then all headed north to find our next adventure. Stacey heard the pool at her compound calling her name, so she headed home for some R&R while the rest of us continued on to a raw vegan restaurant in the heart of the “9”. We had another delightful experience wherein Samantha apologized to David and I about the weird and unusual food while the two of us marveled at the tempting and curious menu options. Our food arrived and blew us away with flavor, presentation, and texture. We each sampled from each other’s plates and compared our notes. Samantha got a banana curry plate with some flavorful and colorful delicacies. David ordered a bagel with vegan cream cheese and vegetables that was much more akin to a bread salad – we could barely see the “bagel” underneath – and a rice pudding bowl thing that was delicious. I ate coconut empanadas and a healing fruit smoothie, all of which was delicious and wonderful.

After lunch, we parted ways to wander on our own. I headed back to the house to grab my scooter, then headed to the print shop to pick up some materials for Amy. The printer did an amazing job with everything, and I vowed to come back and get some personal business cards made up. Curious about the Alila resort where some friends would be staying, I continued on down the road. It feels so good to get out of the congestion of the city and just drive past rice paddies and people living their lives. The roadside shops thinned out until I was just out in the middle of nowhere. Winding roads and fun turns and switchbacks led me past homes and flora until I found myself at a massive gate. I talked my way past the guard, then followed the driveway down to the concierge desk. We discussed the options for renting scooters for my friends who would be here in a few days, then I wandered around a little to see the grounds. I sent the scooter information to the group, then grabbed my scooter and headed back to town. Dash and I each cleaned up, then took a Grab car to Zest, an upscale vegan restaurant where we met Christine, Susan, and Ashley. We all talked about our experiences from the day, a mix of stories from the beach, drinks, meals, pool, massages, and aerial yoga while we sampled all variety of cuisine and desserts. It felt great to chat with new friends and share this experience together. After dinner, a group of us grabbed a taxi back to town. Dash and I got out and walked the last little bit while the car continued on with our friends. We walked in the door, said goodnight, and I think I was asleep maybe 10 minutes later.