From Julie Palmer »
What an excellent trip this was. Kerry is a great leader. This is the way to go for nervous first-timers to India as you get a little bit of everything and your hand held through everything and by the end you know how to do India on your own.
We had yoga most mornings led by either Kerry, her assistant Kabir or master yogi Gopalakrishna who spent two whole weeks with our group. We travelled way way off the beaten track to the real India where locals where amazed to see white skinned folks and were as eager to take our picture as we were to take theirs. We got to really connect with them even through a language barrier. This part was a real cross-cultural experience where we visited schools and did yoga with children (Kerry's passion), attended a neighbourhood festival day and even stayed at an ayurvedic hospital, which despite the hospital like setting, was my favourite part as we were so well looked after - given a royal welcome and fed very well, experienced ayurvedic massages and other treatments and given lectures on ayurveda by one of the doctors there. We had yoga every morning and pranayama classes in the afternoon. We also had traditional flute-tabla music performed just for us.
We also had a meal put on by Gopalakrishna's whole family and neighbourhood of friends - a very special and traditional meal served on banana leaves, eaten sitting on the ground and cooked by the women but served by the men. Yum!
But it is not all learning - there was a lot of fun time. We were given "how to" sessions with Kerry, as in how to bargain and shop in India, to get appropriate clothing (to cover shoulders and thighs but still keep you cool in this hot climate), how to use squat toilets and a hilarious session on how to do Indian dancing (screw in a lightbult, put out a cigarette, a little hip and shoulder thrust and you're there), how to use the post office, the phone etc.
Another great thing was always having Kerry's Indian contacts meet us at airports and rail stations with taxis so we never had to figure out how to get from here to there. The amount of work Kerry puts in ahead of time and during the trip behind the scenes to book guesthouses, buses, outings etc. is enormous and well worth what we pay her. Another fun thing was getting around part of the time by minibus with the bollywood tunes blaring. I felt like I was in a movie and it made the heart attack experience of road trips in India bearable. (You wouldn't believe how they drive here - horns blaring, passing unsafely ALL the TIME, and believe it or not you eventually get used to it and just trust that you will arrive safely).
We had some luxury events with meals at fine hotels and even got to swim and eat at the "exclusive club" in Calicut. The most relaxing and fun time was a kind of re-entry experience at the beaches of Goa for the last week. Where we saw more tourists than we did the whole trip, of the European variety, as this is like our Caribbean resort for them. So were finally able to wear tank tops and shorts and swimsuits and just float on the Arabian sea and eat all manner of western food from Mexican to Italian and even British fish 'n chips.
This cross-cultural yoga experience is very unusual and Kerry has built up a host of contacts and friends that support the trip in numerous ways. Because of its unique nature our group was photographed several times by local media and we had articles written about us both in English and Mallayallan the local dialect of Kerala State. We also photographed ourselves and each other a lot and were dubbed the papparazzi group! Too much fun.
Despite getting sick a couple of times I thoroughly enjoyed this outing and this group and now feel ready (but still nervous) to take on the next 3 weeks where my husband and I travel solo without our leader and group.
From Lisa Turpin »
A few years ago I became curious about Yoga and learned that it is a great compliment to Pilates which is my full-time job as a studio owner and Certified Stott Pilates Instructor. This curiosity led me to India, where I expanded my interests to Indian culture and customs. Learning about the spirituality of Indian customs such as yoga and meditation, the idea of going to India became very appealing yet I was nervous to take this voyage on my own.
During this time, I learned about the annual customized Yoga and Ayurveda trips coordinate by my sister’s friend, Kerry Lawson. After researching the details I decided this was exactly what I was looking for and in February 2008 I was one of the participants of the most unique and wonderful voyages I have ever taken. The trip allowed me to practice Yoga with an authentic Yogi master (Guru) and several other teachers. I lived the healthy balanced life of ayurveda (Yoga is a part of ayurveda) practiced daily meditation and literally felt the teachings and wisdom of the culture seeping into my own psyche.
We began with a few days in Chennai, a large Indian city. This was obviously a bit of a shock but I loved every minute of it. The noise, high population and traffic were crazy. However, the energy from the people and the hustle of the city seemed familiar to me. Everyone seemed to be smiling and enjoying the simple things. I found myself laughing and feeling very calm amidst the chaos.
While in India, we integrated into Indian culture by staying in guest accommodations at the homes of Kerry’s contacts. The families were very welcoming and eager to share India traditions, customs and recipies. We lived in the rain forest amongst the locals, ate delicious, fresh and healthy home prepared meals. We took day trips including a wildlife safari. There we saw wild elephants, bison, peacocks and monkeys. We visited the ancient city of Mysore, had lunch and went swimming at an ancient palace, enjoyed the markets and live music. We had weekly ayurveda massages, pedicures, manicures, facials and traditional mendhi painted on our hands and feet. The temples we visited were beautiful and the spirituality was a truly amazing experience.
We explored India in auto rickshaws, taxis, train, and private hired vehicles with drivers, and short flights within the country. Kerry took care of all the detailed arrangements so we had time to enjoy the experience.
The trip ended with a bohemian type week spent on the beaches of Goa. The trip was very diverse allowing us to sample many different aspects of Indian culture, climates, music, food and shopping. At the same time, it was all based on observing and practicing the yogic way of life. Traveling in a small group felt very safe and reassuring with plenty of space both physical and mental.
The experience was fascinating, energizing and exhilarating. I highly recommend it to anyone who is considering going to India. The trip was life changing for me in deep and subtle ways and some not so subtle such as the Bollywood dance classes that I am now taking in Ottawa, Ontario. I enjoyed the trip so much that I am hoping to go again and have asked (begged!) to be put on the India Trip 2009 list.
“If you see the soul in every living being, you see truly.”
The Bhagavad Gita
Feel free to contact me and view pictures of the trip at my website www.inbalancepilates.ca
Please click on the India Trip circle above if you would like to see more pictures or would like information on the next trip.
In health,
Lisa Turpin
From Jennifer Surette »
Hi from India!!! I'm here in Mysore with Kerry's Yoga-Adventure group and I just wanted to say to anyone who is even slightly considering signing up for this trip...upgrad it on your priority list. Its a once in a life time experience. Can't believe all of the amazing things we've seen and done. And the yoga in the exo...tic locales is truly amazing and enlightening! A simply incredible experience creating lifelong friends and wonderful memories. Hope all is well in Yarmouth!! Namaste
From Donna Rubenstein »
Thank you Kerry for a fabulous trip to India. I returned home feeling strengthened, stretched and invigorated. It was a wonderful smorgasbord of life, all packed into a month. The people, smells, sites and sounds awakened my spirit and reminded what life is about. As you heard me often say it was like being in Oz. I learned a lot and made new friends- thank you for making it all happen. There were some tough moments and I thank for your support. Your talents are many and your willingness to share your passion is much appreciated. Anyone taking this trip is a lucky soul.
Namaste,
Donna Rubenstein
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