Year 2016 – Travel and Yoga!

January 13, 2017 by nikirath 54 Comments

2016 has been a great year for me in terms of travel and yoga. I am so proud to say that I have practiced yoga almost every day throughout the year. I always set some time apart to return to my mat and grace my practice. I also traveled to so many different places through out the year for which I am very grateful. Travel and Yoga are the two things I have been in love with lately and I hope our bond only grows stronger in 2017. Here are a few trips where I tried to make both meet each other.

Santa Barbara, California

I made my first road trip of 2016 in California driving through Pacific Coast Highway from San Fransisco to Los Angeles. Here is a picture of me in Wheel Pose (Chakrasana). The pose is very good for strengthening of the both upper and lower body. It is also a great chest opener.

Wheel Pose( Chakrasana)

Washington, DC

I was in Washington for the Cherry Blossoms in April. Here is a picture of me in Tree pose(Vikrasana) at the Library of Congress. The tree pose is a balancing pose good for both mind and body. Its practice strengthens the body and calms the mind.

Tree Pose(Vikrasana)

Florence, Italy

I traveled to Italy with my family over the summer. On international yoga day I was in Florence. Here is a picture of me trying to do Camel pose (Ustrasana). I am so terrible at it and I hope to improve. This pose is a huge chest and heart opener. It also strengthens the thigh muscles.

Camel Pose(Utkarasana)

Devil’s Lake, Wisconsin

Late summer, I and my friends made a fun road trip to the Devil’s Lake State Park in Wisconsin. Below is a picture of me doing the Reverse Warrior(Viparita Virabhadrasana). The pose strengthens the lower body at the same time stretches the upper body. It is also a very good balancing pose.

Reverse Warrior( Viparita Virabhadrasana)

Palm Springs, California

I spent my birthday at Palm Springs doing an amazing yoga hike by the Santa Rosa mountains.The sun shined through my sun salutations at the top of the hill. Sun Salutation(Surya Namaskar) offers body a complete rejuvenation and gets the blood flowing from head to toe. Below is a picture of me in Cobra pose(Bhujangasana) as a part of sun salutations which is again a great chest opener and arm strengthener.

Cobra Pose(Bhujangasana)

St Pete’s Beach, Florida

My last trip of the year to Florida over Christmas, we stayed at this really nice resort in St Petes Beach. The Don Ceaser resort offered yoga classes in the morning at their private beach and I loved practicing yoga at the beach by the waves. Below is a picture of me doing Boat pose(Navasana). It helps in strengthening of core muscles.

Boat Pose(Navasana)

As the new year begins, new resolutions and opportunities await. Let us all welcome the year and promise each other positivity and gratefulness. No matter what we all should promise ourselves to return to things that we love to do. Blessings and good wishes to you all. Happy 2017 🙂

What are your passions? Please post your comments. I would love to read.