Surya Yoga

Here we go again. Alarm got us up as early as 4am. I was dragging my feet to the washroom and Pete rolled over from bed to floor. "I think I feel feverish. Don't think I can do yoga this morning. Can I be excused?"said Pete. "Not unless I'm excused too. Nice try. You're still coming." He mumbles something I can't hear. Maybe better I didn't know what he was mumbling under his breath.

Even my parents got themselves ready and dad was keen to cook his 'pisang goreng' for the students. "Dad, I did say 'wholesome' food." He looked at me puzzled,"But it is 'wholesome'. It's freshly fried bananas ." I couldn't argue with him. I have to reserve my energy for the rest of the morning.

In my head, I was praying the gatekeeper wouldn't have forgotten to open the barriers at 6am. We needed to drive in and prepare the area for the students.

The skies were still dark and Pete, for some odd reason was wide awake. I looked over and asked, "Are you okay?" Pete had a grin on his face,"I think it's going to rain. I think we might have to go back home." I looked up at the skies and it looked clear. "If it starts raining, I'll make you do the 'anti rain dance' on the beach." He mumbles under his breath again.

At 5.50am, we arrived at Berakas Beach Forest Reserve and the gates were OPENed. I was happy. We droved in, my mum and I walked down to the beach and starting burning stick incense and mosquito coils.

WHACK, WHACK, WHACK......My mum and I were already hitting ourselves silly. We were on the breakfast menu for the sandflies. Then mum started mumbling in chinese. "Ma, you okay?" I asked.

"As if being in child labour wasn't enough, I have to bitten by sandflies because you want to do beach yoga. Can you please choose air con next time leh?"

The sun was just rising up when the students started arriving at 6.15am and within half an hour, we had 29 students sitting cross legged on their mats. Brunei Times reporter Qistina Rangga watched from a distance while Saiful the reporter took several shots as we started off surya yoga with a bit of meditation and then proceeded on to sun salutations.

Shoosh, kwwwssssh, qssssssh, .....sands were sliding into the students mats each time they went into Downward Facing Dog. Decided not to give them any difficult twists.

The yoga session was a smooth flow of Warrior I, II and III. Every student flowed in and out of the pose with grace and focus.

We ended it in less than an hour and some of us went straight to the picnic table. There was so much food!!!! Lots of fruits (dragon fruits, watermelon, bananas, fruit cocktails), salad, mee hoon, chicken wings, satay, pisang goreng, kelupis, muffins, donuts, yam cake, egg sandwiches, fruit juices. And Candy made cupcakes with pretty decorations. She made cute little slippers and yoga mats out of icings on top of the cupcakes. Very nice!

We played some games after. Yee Man's little girl Hazel enjoyed the Blind Man's bluff game. I think Pete and Alan did too. They fought between themselves for the last pressie.

Just want to say, 'thank you' for being there at the beach and thank you again for all the donations and food. See you all again soon.