After no apparent escapes by our spider friend from the bathroom overnight we sampled the continental breakfast at Karang Sari which consists of fruit and toast (warm bread) with a local jam/preserve, tea and coffee.

More training was needed for our Himalayan trek in a couple of weeks so we loaded up a rucksack and headed for the local waterfalls a few KM out of Munduk. It seems that most accommodation will provide a map which was hand drawn and not the clearest, but you can also get a guide, we opted to explore on our own. It was pretty easy finding the paths but staying on them and getting to the waterfalls wasn’t quite so, but we did make it to the biggest in the area and we also stopped off at Rizka & Indra’s Coffee Corner, along the way which was a lovely place to sit drink tea and enjoy the views. They also provide Balinese cake which came in the form of deep fried banana and palm honey…nice cake!

Further along the trail we came out onto the main road and passed by homestays, warrungs and a few shops. We enjoyed a good meal of noodles and vegetables at one of the local warrungs on the main street with the bill coming to about $3. As we continued to walk we bumped into our hosts from Nirwa, a little random but a nice surprise, they were taking some of the other guests out on a similar trip as we did the day before. We walked out towards some views across the rice fields and mountainous valleys and then decided to head back, it was extremely muggy. On our way back to the guesthouse we booked a drive for the next day to take us to Padangbai via a route heading north first and south, we managed to bargain him down to 400,000 IRPS for the day.

On our last evening in Munduk we once again enjoyed dinner looking out across to the moutons ahead of us. We were happy we’d spent the time we did in Munduk, it’s a very charming place, with not too many tourists around within a community who are happy to welcome us.

(Leica M9, Summicron-M 50mm f2.0, 18mm f4, 90mm Tele-Elmarit f2.8, processed in Lightroom 3)

After Zoe (good friend and yoga teacher from the UK) mentioned Erich Schiffmann’s name to me when we were originally organising the USA part of our trip, it always stuck with me…’Make sure if we go to LA to do a yoga session with Erich Schiffmann‘. And so I looked into Erich and his goings on in the world and became very impressed. Upon the second time round for us to leave again on our travels I noticed that Erich had a 10 day yoga teacher training course starting on the 12 August and it was very convenient for us that flight prices from the UK drop on the 11th. So I checked to see if Dave would be up for coming out with me and staying in Venice whilst I would do the course and as soon as he said yes I paid my deposit.

In all honesty it was the best decision I have ever made. The group were just lovely and very welcoming and Erich Schiffmann is a truely captivating Yogi with SOOOO much love to give it is unreal. (I think I may have picked up a few Americanisms here!!) I have learned so much from Erich and others taking the course, it’s not only given me further motivation to one day teach Yoga but also to be creative in my approach and personal practice. Erich’s wife Leslie also took us for a few afternoons bringing in her experience in Vini-yoga and how to approach level one classes.

We covered so much in a short space of time my mind is still taking it all in, but I do feel very thankful to the whole experience and to have made such good friends along the way. Erich gives the best hugs going and I will definiltey be returning to this side of the Ocean again and again to work with him and join in with his Freedom Style Yoga.

Below are a few images taken while completing the course at Exhale in Venice, Los Angeles as well as a lovely social gathering towards the end of the course.

(Leica M9, Summicron-M 50mm f/2.0, Leica 90mm f/2.8, Zeiss 18mm f/4 ZM & Olympus PEN EP-1, 17mm f/2.8 & 100mm f/2.8, processed in Lightroom 3)