It was one of those times, I'm sure everybody can relate, when something comes out of your mouth; without hesitation; like some overpowering force takes over and blocks all rational thinking for less than 10 seconds; yes, that's all it took for me to say on a Facebook live that I was going to post for 30 days, 30 yoga practices from Australia. Holy shit!! I guess my confidence was on high from getting off the plane in New Zealand and driving a rental car on the Auckland freeway on the opposite side of the road - no problem lol - minus the contrary roundabouts & gear shift of course (and Dolores thinking I was going to veer too far left and put her in the ditch!!) And like sitting in the driver's seat but on the opposite side, I learned on the fly and found out probably more than I was prepared to learn about myself over those next 30 days.

This was my dream destination. One of those bucket list items I had talked about since my early 30's, 31 to be exact. Many conversations of longing for a piece of my friend Dolores's travels as she spent many of winters in Australia with her family. Enthralled with the thought of exploring the Syndey Opera House, I had tunnel vision and focus on that city alone. I can now say similar to my yoga training, I was once solely focused on the pose & the breath. Funny what experience will bring whether you're prepared for it or not. Australia brought me a new love of the great outdoors, the sunsets, the rose gardens, wildlife (minus the snakes) and the euphoric scents of eucalyptus and lavender around every corner.  My yoga path brought me a new love of community and connection, sharing and learning, and laughing at myself figuring out how to say right leg from left on a live video when there was nothing to mirror. And while the experience of exploring the Sydney Opera House remains in a league of its own, and the traditional yoga poses continue to guide my teaching, there is so much more depth to the full experience. 

As I made my way through the yoga challenge, it was the comments from each woman that brought the richness to the experience. The mention of their favorite sequence, hearing the magpies in the background, how we were still able to breath together; to slow down, to find time to connect, and the excitement of what the next post would bring. "It's a standing sequence today as there is no way in hell I'm laying down in the grass in this area" - a whole new level of what adapting your body to the pose means lol. The richness of my travels through New Zealand and Australia with my friend holds place in my heart. The most delicious of meals made by Dolores singing in the kitchen as the sauces she created are from memory, the local wine we enjoyed in sips surrounded in conversation of the day's events, laughter, stories, and friendship. The new sights and sounds of an environment so different, yet similar in the many ways that count. Yoga is a way of life, a community, a place of love you can take anywhere.

In this time, You only live once. 

Karen, Yoga Coach & Founder of YOLO Wellness.

Snippets from the D&K Chronicles:

Top ten learnings in New Zealand:

1. I’m now ambidextrous. Right hand turn ticker, left hand gear shift.
2. Google maps does work offline.
3. Renting a car in 2024 doesn’t mean GPS available.
4. When you say you’re an old lady who was up for 36 hours, you get hotel check in 3 hours early and an upgrade.
5. Sulfur smells like poop 💩 a kind of smell that stays with you.
6. Having a friend with a walker gets you through customs, lines, and planes quickly.
7. A walker gets better customer service than a cane.
8. Great catch phrases of the day include  “faaaauuuck ” or “now we’re cooking with gas”.
9. I’ll never be able to say what I did on Thursday Sept 19 as it didn’t exist.
10. Dolores doesn’t like pineapple on pizza.

Dolores approved 😜