The Universe In A Grain Of Sand
We are at Phuket airport... In Bangkok airways lounge which is very nice, they have given us a code each for the Internet and a limitless supply of coffee... Everything we could need!
We are 'between homes'... We checked out of our hotel at midday and put all we own 'in storage' and then headed for the beach to find some breakfast....
Much needed! I was up at 5.30 this morning and sitting on our balcony in the dark at 6am; I watched dawn slowly creep up over the palm trees.
At one point a man came bouncing out onto a balcony above me to greet the day, he was 'stark 'B' naked' and so I looked away realising he would notice me any minute.
When I looked up again he had vanished ...!
A Chinese man sat X legged on his balcony below me watching dawn break too and then suddenly leapt up and engaged in a series of calisthenics, soon he was joined by his wife who also went through the routine.
At one point she looked up, saw me and waved....
Anadi joined me at about 7.30 and we stayed there chatting and working until we decided it was time to pack up our things, and go the the gym before checking out...
Was we observed later, we have very different gym routines; Anadi goes into his old Kung Fu stretching and I do whatever it is I do... It varies!
Anadi ran easily for a bit on the treadmill, we are both only just truly finding our real energy after Thai Tum...
I rowed on the Concept 2 for just for 3 kilometres but practiced my sister Rosy's advice and kept the stroke rate absolutely down to a rate of 21 per minute...
It was hard work, both concentrating on it and because it made me row faster...!
To go faster I had needed to slow down...
This mirrors my running path at the moment and often throughout my career...!
Three and a half years ago I ran a fast marathon and then hurt my knee a month later...
I returned to the running road six months a later but ever since my inner voice has been saying since that I need to 'go back to basics' re build right from the bottom up, stretching, strength and conditioning, a lot of which I did with Matt Shore who helped me hugely, but my achilles has given me a real rest and a real chance to re group and re- build and recognise that there is no rush...
You cannot rush a dawn breaking and in the same way I cannot rush my body returning to full fitness, and as was evident today on the rowing machine; going at an optimum steady rhythm with any process, means we travel faster...
And so, by the time Anadi and I had trained, showered and 'checked out' we were very hungry....
'We really have no where to go' I said to Anadi as we sat together enjoying our soup and bread! Maybe it was brunch not breakfast..!
'All we own is over there in the hotel and we are here, the beach our home...'
'I know' Anadi said, 'I love it..'
We decided to have a foot massage before we went for a swim, in part because we both come from families where there was an hour rule before swimming after food!!
We went over to the little hut in the shade, all masseurs were busy so we sat cross legged under a palm tree.
Anadi picked up a grain of sand and held it in his palm and said to me...
'What meaning do you have for seeing the universe in a grain of sand...'
Our massage ladies were ready and so we lay down side by side and had a very extensive foot massage...
It was a foot massage with a difference....
We were the only people there by now and no one was waiting and the foot massage extended to all of 
our legs, our arms, our neck and back and our faces...
And then our ladies put us through a series of deep stretches and twists and turns....
They giggled infectiously while chatting amongst themselves....
The massages here cost around £6 - £8 for an hour.... And this one cost £7.... We gave them each a tip equivalent to around £3; their delight was very evident and giggled a lot more!!
They had given us so much more than a foot massage...
