Bit of a random entry for ya'll today...

Yesterday in the quest to incorportate more exercise into my life, and re-start my 'will try anything once' attitude, I went to bikram yoga. For the uninitiated, bikram is pretty standard yoga poses-nothing too strenuous or tricky apart from the fact that it is done in a room heated to 40degrees (!). Quite pleasant to lie in and relax on a cold winters day but once you start trying to hold poses more of a challenge!

The yoga studio is a zen-kinda place housed in a red brick building. Take your shoes off at the door, notices about meditation, nutrition groups, energy-balancing therapy etc, mellow lighting and neutral colours. After changing, spreading out a mat and a towel (to catch all the sweaty drips that are inevitable in a 40deg room!) we all lay down in wait. The session started with a breathing exercise where we were told to 'breathe in making a sound like darth vader' and out making a dragon-like whooshing sound. cool. Then it was onto the poses. Lots of bending & stretching & pulling, each of which was repeated several times with a few breaks to drink, breathe like a dragon etc. Felt rather inflexible compared to the super-bendy woman next to me. But I reckon i did pretty well just staying in the room.

Came out dripping with sweat but feeling surprisingly clear-headed and refreshed. Wandered out feeling relaxed, said goodbye to the instructor & her baby bull-dog (very cute!) and off into the evening. Might even go again.