My time in Arambol

My five days in Arambol

I woke at 0500; about an hour earlier than I had planned. It’s not too bad considering the 7.5h time difference that my body is on. I had a mango before going to my first yoga class here in Arambol. The yoga course consisted of five days of classes, starting at 0800 each day. Except for the first day, we also had to come in around 0715 each day to do some self-practice, including hanging upside down from a rope, which I really enjoy.

Classes are slow-moving with many poses held for an eternity, which means that classes go till around midday. A bunch of us would quickly make our way to the Arcan Bar/Café across the road straight after to re-nourish ourselves with a lassi and lunch, as we are not allowed to have breakfast beforehand (although I sometimes down a fresh mango at 0600).

Afternoons are spent recuperating in the room and going for a walk on the beach. I did do a drop-in hatha yoga class one afternoon and enjoy a massage on another evening. Some evenings were spent with my course-mates over dinner.

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More about Arambol

Arambol is a beachside village that’s been overtaken by the alternative hippie crowd, colourful people and downright weirdos. I feel like the only foreign man here without dreadlocks, tattoos, piercing or hair done up in a bun like Buddha. I also feel like the most straight-laced and wholesome guy around!

There’s plenty of activities / courses around to keep everyone amused, eg. yoga, hula hoop, juggling, dancing. There’s a lot of healing and self-help treatments too like singing bowl healing (using the humming sound of metal bowls), breathing workshops, self-love etc. I’m sure some of it is quackery.

The main street is full of cafes (serving probably the best western food in India), craft shops and guesthouse. The crowd here is mainly Russian, along with some other Europeans. Fashion sense is bad; there are many people who are too big for their swimwear, plus some in g-strings or loincloths. I did see one topless woman on the beach and that’s not supposed to be allowed; she is the reason locals come to the beach with cameras … some foreigners forget that it is a conservative society where movies can’t even show kissing.

The beach is a great place to people watch. Each evening, there is a drum circle where a small number of people will play drums and others will dance to it, some with trance-like serenity on their faces.