Tomorrow I will take the early morning journey to the yoga centre one last time. This has become my ritual, and in a strange way I think I will miss it. I wanted to document it to preserve the memory so I might as well do it here! Let's start by saying there is no stopping for a Flat White at Starbucks on this journey...
Above is the view of the road ahead from right outside our gate (taken at 5:40am). It is the main road that goes through Pavones. I take this road for about 1 km, passing the odd neighbour...
I cross the Rio Claro bridge...
I wave 'Hola' to anyone at the bus stop, often a couple of locals presumably going to work, and a couple of surf loving backpackers moving onto the next town (but no one today).
I pass a field of horses...
And then I arrive at the only intersection in Pavones...
...where the supermarket is. This is the other end of Pavones from our house.
And then I turn up the road that takes me up the hill, where there are usually chickens and turkeys running wild...
And a field of cows, which are sometimes on the road as well...
This is "Rusty" (I don't know what his real name is). He likes to make friends to walk with.
Most days I ride a bike this far, and then I leave it on this property because the hill is too steep to bike up. This may be the part I look back on with the fondest memory. There is an old man who lives here with countless children and grandchildren. He has about 3 teeth and doesn't speak a word of English. I don't speak any Spanish, and somehow we have this agreement that I can leave my bike at his house all day while I'm at yoga, and I know he's happy to help, and he knows I'm grateful. He is always out working on some chore (or holding a baby), and each time he smiles and waves at me "Bueno, bueno, bueno!".
I stop once about half way up the hill to catch my breath and turn around to take in the view...
And eventually I arrive at the Pavones Yoga Center feeling ready for the day!
And I get to enjoy this view for the rest of the day.
Matt and the girls are planning to get up early tomorrow to walk me to yoga on my last day. Then they'll be back in the evening for the graduation ceremony!