Alice in Wonderland

The thing I love about the story Alice in Wonderland, is the choice Alice makes to go down the rabbit hole. Knowing she will find something different, she goes anyway to embark on adventure that is filled with crazy characters and strange experiences. The characters she meets along the way are weird and wonderful, but all have a likeness to her life back home. Talking rabbits, mad hatters and the infamous Queen of Hearts, are all a bit left of centre, but they are people and animals that simply act and behave a little, ok maybe a lot, differently to what she was accustom.

For me, arriving into London felt a little bit like I was Alice and I had gone down the rabbit hole. Things looked familiar and “normal” but all a little bit strange. I can’t quite put my finger on what I found so odd, but it felt like I had been transported to another world, and I guess in a way I had. Whilst it really has only been 5 months since I left Australia, it feels in some ways much longer. I was quite comfortable in India and Nepal, I liked the craziness and the chaos, and now London is of course a big bustling city, it is incredibly different to what I had become accustom to. I have heard of reverse culture shock, and perhaps that is really what I was experiencing. I was in awe of the clean, fast train (albeit expensive), the fact that I was not the only white face and that everything was in English.  Arriving at my friends place I was not disappointed, a glass of fresh crisp white wine, a pizza and comfy sofa were adding to my wide eyed, feeling like I am floating experience. Add in a hot running shower and the piece de resistance, a double bed with fresh sheets and big fluffy pillows. Where was I? Was this Wonderland?

None of this things like trains and sheets sound particularly strange to you I am sure, this is normal life right? Nothing fancy or flash, just normal everyday life. My life in Sydney was no different, maybe a few less English accents, but public transport, white wine and fluffy pillows are normal. Well they had been in my world, and here I was, feeling a stranger in my own world. And I had to keep telling myself, it really was only 5 months, and it is not like I was completely roughing it? Surely it was not just the linen that was causing me to feel so out of place? I really only had 2 days in London with the lovely hospitality of Sarah and Justin, but I have to admit I didn’t really leave the apartment that much, it really did feel that strange. I knew this was simply a transition, this was a pattern in my travels, so ride the wave and enjoy the strange sense of wonderment that comes from feeling a little out of place. Observe it. Play witness to it, and simply allow the feelings to pass.

Even the drinks are big in Wonderland

 I am now in a different part of Wonderland, I am staying with my beautiful friend Ulla in Poland. I am blessed with such lovely and generous people in my life that welcome me into their homes. Here I have found the feeling of oddness has passed somewhat, Eastern Europe is not as bright and shiny as Western, so I feel a little less confronted. I am experiencing everyday life in Poznan, I have been lucky enough to practice yoga with Ulla (I am trying to keep up with her busy schedule as a teacher!)  assist some classes and yesterday I even taught a small group of teenage girls. It is lovely to be here with my yogi friend and have the chance to do some solid practice as I have not been in a studio since I left home. From here I am still unsure of my plans, the joys of being in the moment and going with whatever comes up I guess. No plans, flexibility, being open – funnily enough 6 months ago, that type of world would’ve been my version on Wonderland, how things have changed.