Talalla

It's 122 degrees with the humidity factored in at noon as I type. This has been the weather story for the last month and there's at least another month to go. I have gone for a couple 2-hour walks at 5:30 in the morning that have felt like death marches and wipe me out for the balance of the day. I don't even bother walking at night as the temperature at 11pm is still comparable to 95+ degrees. By the end of September the oppressive factor relents and one can resume enjoying some time outdoors. In the meantime, getting away is key.

I went to Sri Lanka in July for a multipurpose reprieve. When a planned long weekend in Muscat with friends looked improbable, I went online and searched "yoga, Sri Lanka" and the first result on the water was Talalla Retreat http://www.talallaretreat.com/. I phoned them, made a reservation and tried to get a straight answer about current sleeping conditions. The web site's accommodation description caused some alarm for this potential guest enduring furnace conditions in the Arabian Gulf:

The resort features eight two-storey villas each contain four spacious bedrooms with distinct tropical characters. All rooms are bright and airy, boasting generous open sky-marble bathrooms, and private balconies or patios with lush oasis views. There is no need for air conditioning as all rooms are cooled by natural sea breezes and ceiling fans.


I was thrilled to arrive and discover tolerable tropical weather and a gorgeous setting in which to unwind and enjoy 4+ hours daily of strengthening and rejuvenating yoga; a marvel to consider that Talalla Bay is on the Indian Ocean where the next land coordinate south is the Antarctic. I stayed in the top right room of this villa, with a view to the pool and the yoga shala. The open shower is built at the rear of the villa with total privacy and views upward to jack fruit trees and the monkeys.

It was a fantastic week tempered by the beautiful setting as well as the people. The resort is owned by a group of shareholders and my visit coincided with that of two shareholders with a fascinating story: Hayley and Jess are cousins from Australia and after the 2004 tsunami, they volunteered in Sri Lanka to help rebuild a devastated coastline. The cousins landed in Talalla Bay and after more than a year of hard work alongside the villagers, the cousins realized that rebuilding homes and cleaning up was only the beginning of the assistance that was needed. Together, they decided to create a sportswear collection inspired by their passion for a vibrant country with a social venture that could perpetuate their bond to the Talalla community, creating sustainable livelihoods for all stakeholders.

Please visit their web site and look for their label in Australia: http://www.kissincussin.com.au/.

Another charm of the resort is the cousins' dog, Strider. There are dogs everywhere in southern Sri Lanka and this one is a most special species. He joins every yoga class, sleeping on a cushion at the front of the shala. He has zero tolerance for the occasional pigeon that flies into the space whereupon he abruptly jumps from his cozy cushion and chases the offending bird out. Strider slept in my villa on my last night and his disposition was withdrawn the day I left with the other yogi travelers...he notices the packed bags and doesn't like departures.

I can't say enough about the magic of Sri Lanka. I will definitely return.