Stepping out of the coolness of my air-conditioned car straight into a warm cocoon of peace at the Samahita Yoga Thailand, I feel my body instantly relax. The balmy evening air is laced with lingering spice and a hint of incense that lifts the weight of the world from my shoulders.
Emerging from the smoggy heat and chaos of Bangkok to the island escape of Koh Samui, destined for a week intriguingly entitled ‘Yoga & the Art of Healing’, I’m eager with the promise of shedding my winter skin.
Under the watchful eye of Claudia Jones, it doesn’t take long for me to surrender to a daily routine, all early rising, herbal tea, long breathing workshops and sandy beach Ashtanga yoga classes. Mouth-watering brunches give way to afternoons of slightly self-indulgent relaxation and contemplation, lounging in the salt-water pool to soothe away the yoga aches and, according to Claudia, refreshing my lymph system – a vital part of any detox regime.
I finish my days with some much needed pampering in the Wellness Centre, extra classes in shady indoor spots or tuition on all sorts of alternative therapies – think vibrational medicine, flower remedies, and chakra systems
Watching the sun set from the herbal steam room, and retiring to my suite after a divine evening buffet, I try to remember who I had even been before this most heavenly of routines had begun, twelve hours earlier.
I realise that my shy inner ‘yogi’ has finally surfaced from the recesses of my mind. It’s the end of the week and I’m entirely relaxed – and couldn’t feel further than the 14,000 miles I am from home. I’ve swapped my prized creature comforts for simple luxury, with a queen sized bed, air-conditioning and some seriously healthy meals for company, and let life go a little.
Though I know I can’t delay the inevitable, and will soon be making reluctant steps towards the long journey home, I know that I’ll travel soundly, safe in the knowledge that I’d be able to re-find my yogi back in London with more than a few simple tricks in my pocket.
I’ll be back next year.
