First adjustment, first coconut

I got to the Shala just after 5, surprising, since there was about a 10 minute wait out front of the Green Hotel for a
rickshaw...then the one that came along had to head a bit further into the city, to drop off his mate, then wind out
to Gokulam. The trick of my rickshaw driver of the day before - double charging for a "night time" fare, I think was just that - a trick..live and learn...

I wasn't feeling too flash - a bit washed out from the stomach probs, which had seemed to subside, which turned out not
to be true, as I was to find out round lunch time. Not to go into too much detail, but that was the pattern yesterday as well.
Leah reckoned if it is the common, run of the mill type ailment it would probably subside after 2-3 days...and, not a bad thing
to get when first in a new country as the body adapts.

I was a bit earlier than the 530 self practise time that Saraswati had given me, but the shala was only about 3/5 full,
so, I went straight in, backpack into the changing room, then out to my spot from the day before, at the back, in the middle
...I was thinking about warming up, but the weather kind of takes care of that all of the time.

I'm quickly appreciating the structure of the practise here in Mysore. With a strong lead practise each Friday and Sunday,
the pace of the practise is set, getting you focussed on a good practise pace...this then spills over into your self practises,
we'll see.

I recognised Andrew and Jess, from when I started first practising Ashtanga with Simi, in Adelaide. I didn't get to say hello
though, I hope they're around for a while, would be nice to get some good catch ups with them.

Saraswati pretty much left me alone, which I think is the pattern for the first little while that you start at the Shala...or
with any teacher i suppose. I got my first adjustment in Baddha Konasana, very strong with one hand on my left thigh, a foot
on my right and pushing me forward with the other hand.

I was into shoulder stand when Saraswati told me we'd do drop backs together tomorrow.

I was out into the cool morning, with a couple of yogis milling and over to the coconut guy for a Rs 10 cocunut, sliced
open at the top for a refreshing start to the day.

I went over to my new abode, to drop off some clothes, remembering Shiva's warning about getting too friendly with anyone
on the street. Even though Gokulam seems to be an exceptionally affluent suburb, probably even by Western standards,
there are still bars on the windows and the doors to outside tend to be double dead locked

The place is real nice, heaps more room than I need, hoping that I'll happen upon someone needing accommodation and share,
maybe. I'm looking forward to settling my way into the place, but it had instant appeal when I checked it out for the first time
last Friday, which is a good sign...

I reckon I'll move up further into the room tomorrow...and be able to have a 5am get up, as I'll stay in the new place
tonight and check out from the Green Hotel tomorrow.

The Green Hotel's a good entry into India i think. It's comfortable and I feel secure here..yet it's on a main road, so
you can hear the honking of the traffic working itself along Vinoba Road...it's not ruled by the customer service models
of the large hotel chains, you kind of feel like things will get done, at a leisurely pace - for example, the wireless internet
connection's been down for a couple of days...asking the guys at the front desk, you'll get a vague assurance that it'll be
available....some time soon...though soon is as long as the proverbial piece of string