Bark, bark, bark bark bark .... BARK. ok so that's what my night sounded like, I'm assuming the neighbours have a dog that or a recording as their choice of security.

Up bright and early today for our first yoga session of the week... I was feeling a little nervous and most other house mates seem rather in tune with the spiritual side of this whole thing. I was right! The class was... Interesting... Being told to clench and release various obscure parts of the body. I'm stil not quite sure how I was supposed to clench my anus, but there we go... I was obviously missing a trick as everyone else went on with the routine as Laura and I exchanged bewildered glances.

After all that stretching and tummy breathing... A beautiful big breakfast awaited us including foods such as dried fruit, yoghurts, bread, nuts, fruit and cumin eggs (cumin seems to be added to dishes here the way we would use salt and pepper).

By 11.30 and after a music fuelled bus ride we were on '17km beach' with the other 'surf pros'. Our instructors Red and Yosef are fantastic! Such a good laugh. After some basic practice on the beach we headed into the sea. A few failed attempts later... I pushed up from my board and before I realised what I was doing... I was standing! A surfing pro may be made of me yet! This thought came to a sudden jolted end when I realised I had no idea how to steer the board ( steer... Do you even steer a surfboard?) Any who, we both saw it coming and neither of us could stop it... Neither were willing to jump off the board and admit defeat do with a bump and dramatic splash Richard and I collided. Collided after our best rides of the day! It's ok we laughed it off, even have him a paracetamol later in the day... Surfing pro buds.

Surfing and falling was exhausting so some laying in the sun was in order, the result of which has left me resembling a tomato.... A very painful tomato.

Cake had been prepared for us on our arrival back to the villa so after munching on a slice, I had a bit of a de sanding session before the evening yoga. More stretches and anus clenches.

Once again the dinner was fantastic... I am an avid meat eater and if I haven't mentioned it before, this is a vegetarian retreat... That's being said, I do not feel I am missing out... There are so many different flavours and textures in the food that it really doesn't seem as though anything is missing. Don't get me wrong, I'm not turning vegetarian anytime soon... I like steak too much!

As per usual I am sat in bed writing this after a long day. Our week if going to be following a pretty similar routine to today so I shan't keep recreating myself and shall update you when I have some new stories.

I am enjoying the retreat, but have decided I like more freedom to my holidays... I can do routine, but I like it to be my routine... Not that decided by someone else. I am loving the surfing and weather and the yoga is relaxing however I don't think I am quite suited to the spiritual level of it. To each their own :)

Quite a long entry there... Hope I haven't waffled too much!

A la perchoine