Yoga on Paxos: 15 - 22 May 2012

Classes take place on a shady terrace that looks out over the sea. Paxos, the smallest of the Ionian islands, is an unflawed gem lying a short sea journey to the South of Corfu. Seven miles long by two miles wide, the island’s east coast is dotted with small coves and bays whose clear water is perfect for swimming and snorkelling. Inland, the hills are covered with olive trees, more than 200,000 of them, which produce one of the world’s finest olive oils. Walk among the olive groves in May, before it grows too hot, and discover the old Paxos, where goats wander among abandoned stone houses, and the ground is carpeted with wild flowers.

The word Yoga derives from the Sanskrit, meaning to join or union. It has the same root as the english word yoke. The union referred to is the union between one’s true self and the universal (being “at one with the world”), and also to a joining between one’s body, one’s thinking and one’s soul. When we practice on Paxos, touched by the clear water, clean air and simple life, this union becomes palpable.

Who is this holiday suitable for?

Those who have been attending Iyengar classes for a minimum of one year are welcome on this week.

Anybody – all ages, sizes and different levels of fitness can benefit from practising yoga. However, some conditions may be more safely taught in a medical class. Please discuss any health issues with Zoë prior to booking.

Class schedule for 2012 will be:

Tuesday: Unwind class 6.00 -7.00 pm (arrival day)

Morning classes:

Morning classes will be energetic and may become progressively more challenging towards the end of the week.

Wednesday, Thursday & Friday: 8.00 – 9.45 am
Saturday, Sunday & Monday: 8.00 – 10.00 am

Total: 22 hours of classes

Evening classes:

Evening classes will be restorative, breath-centric, meditative.

Wednesday – Monday: 5.00 – 6.30 pm

No classes departure day (Tuesday)

Where will I stay?

Loggos is the smallest of the three main villages on Paxos, an enchanting, graceful old fishing port on the northeast coast. With its pastel-shaded buildings huddled around the harbour, it combines relative remoteness with an adequate range of facilities. You will stay in traditional Greek villas and apartments shared with other yoga students – from The Manor House it is just a short walk down to the harbour in one direction and the beaches in the other.

The yoga takes place on a terrace at the Manor House – a large and once rather grand venetian house, now divided up into apartments. The Manor House and it’s terraces all have wonderful views directly onto the sea below and across to mainland Greece.

Generally, most students have dinner in one of the tavernas dotted around the harbour, but the village also has three small supermarkets and a bakery. All the apartments have kitchens and a living area – with somewhere outside with a view to gaze at as you eat your breakfast.

Holiday price and travel arrangements

Prices (per week):

(based on two sharing a twin room in a shared self catering villa):

Accommodation: £225 per person
Yoga course fee: £125 (not payable unless doing the yoga course)

How do I get there?

Flights

Easyjet fly daily from Gatwick and Manchester to Corfu. Thomsons and Thomas Cook have charterflights (on Mondays and Fridays only) from various airports.

To connect with the early afternoon hydrofoil it is necessary to get an early morning flight from the UK. Very early (6.00 am). In the past, some people have balked at this and have chosen instead to get a flight out late on Monday evening and stay overnight in Corfu Town before catching a hydrofoil the following day. There are various hotels near the port which cost in the region of €70-€80 for a twin room.

Flights tend to get more expensive the longer you leave it – early bookers get better deals.

www.easyjet.co.uk

You should expect to pay from £100 – £250 for your return flight (but it will depend when you book).

Travelling overland

Last year several students (and Zoë) travelled to Paxos by train and by sea. The easiest (and most beautiful) route is via Venice. It takes two or three days but its time well spent. Please do ask for more information if you’d like to avoid flying.

Transfers from Corfu to Paxos

From Corfu a €10 taxi will take you to the port for the hydrofoil.
The hydrofoil leaves Corfu around 2.30pm (times for 2012 yet to be confirmed) and costs around €17 per person. It takes about an hour to Paxos.
We can arrange for a taxi to meet you at the port in Gaois, Paxos and bring you to your accomodation in Loggos. This taxi will cost around €10.

For those wishing to transfer to Paxos independently we can help book hydrofoil tickets and arrange taxis on Paxos (getting a taxi at the airport is easy).

Alternatively, Travel a la Carte can arrange a meet and greet transfer service from Corfu airport from £75 return per person.

The holiday is organised in conjunction with Travel a la Carte, a small Anglo Greek family company who specialise in holidays to Corfu and Paxos. They have been running yoga holidays for 15 years.

For more information

www.travelalacarte.co.uk
Zoë Reason:
Phone: 07956 616 934 or 01273 472748
email: zoereason@btinternet.com

What happens on the holiday?

The day starts early before the sun gets too hot. The level of the asana class is tailored to meet the needs of the students we have (asana means posture). The class takes place on one of the shady terraces at the Manor House, looking over a helpful wall that faces straight out over the sea (not that yoga is about getting distracted by how beautiful the world is).

Our morning class sets us up for however we want to spend the day. There’s generally someone else whose idea of a perfect day is exactly the same as yours – but although Paxos is tiny it always seems big enough to make escaping in splendid isolation a complete delight.

The heat of the day can be idled away lazily on the beach, or exploring the island across the many footpaths and donkey tracks that link the pretty coves and beaches of the West Coast to the impressive white cliffs of the East Coast, or pottering from bay to bay in a little boat. Sometimes the larger group splits up into small groups, sometimes we all converge (a boat trip to the sandy beaches on the even tinier island of Anti-Paxos is always popular). Each group tends to have its own distinct quality – we remember years as “the one where we cleaned up the beaches”, or “the one Spiros and Barbara played the saxophone and the accordion all night”, or “the one with the synchronised swimming”. It all depends.

In the late afternoon the group comes together again for a quieter yoga practice. The afternoon session allows us to take time in restorative postures and to begin to pay close attention to the breath. It’s in these sessions that it makes perfect sense that Paxos means peace, and Loggos (the name of the village we stay in) means the word, or knowledge.

Zoë will be happy answer any questions you may have about whether this is the right yoga holiday for you. Specifically, if you have any medical conditions we would encourage you to contact us before booking to discuss whether the yoga holiday will be appropriate for you.

You can reach Zoë by email on zoereason@btinternet.com
or by phone on 07956 616 934 or 01273 472748

You will need to bring a sticky mat with you. Yoga equipment can be purchased from the following suppliers:

Yoga Mad
Yoga Matters