Travel - A Working Cruise to the Western Mediterranean - Chair Fit and Yin Yoga

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Working Cruise - Chair Fit and Yoga

I have been really looking forward to this cruise. I feel very prepared with my own YouTube channel, which means that the classes I am teaching onboard will hopefully continue for the passengers once they are home. I have always given handouts to passengers but videos are far more motivational with a higher probability that they will continue to exercise and gain greater results.

There are 3 days at sea before we dock in the first port of call, so it is important for me to get the passengers interest on day 1. The cruise company is very supportive and make sure that everything is prepared on the first day. All the chairs are placed in a semi circle and the music and microphone are set up 30 minutes before the class begins.


I was delighted to see that all the seats were taken 10 minutes before the start time of the class and some of the passengers were seated on the easy chairs in the outer area of the stage. This is so pleasing as the passengers are eager to keep fit during the cruise. I started with a full body strength workout with resistance bands. There is an assumption that exercising from a chair is easy, but this is not the case. Strength training will activate and work the muscles and I know the passengers felt this from day 1. 

I try to add a variety of equipment and workouts to keep the interest going during a cruise. This cruise is port intense with a week of port days in a row. On day 2, I decided a movement class with Pilates balls would keep passengers on a healthy journey with their chair exercise routine. I was so pleased to see twice as many passengers arriving for today's class. It was a lot of fun, with lots of movement and coordination. Sometimes it is a good idea to test coordination, something we lose as we age. We can be quite unaware of the deterioration of our motor skills and different exercises can enhance our coordination skills to help improve and maintain a healthy functional body. On day 3 the class was really full and the passengers very enthusiastic to continue with their exercises and I am extremely pleased with all the effort that the passengers were throwing into their workout. My Little Book of Chair Fitness


I also walk with the passengers for a mile around the decks twice a day. The morning of our first day at sea was very misty and dull and the walk begins at 8am......a steady paced walk after breakfast to start the day. However due to the weather and being the first day at sea, I think everyone was resting. In the afternoon the sun came out and the temperature was mild and warm. I had 12 passengers with me and we enjoyed the outdoors and the warmth of the sun on our skin. We were sailing through the Bay of Biscay and it was very pleasant in an area that is notorious for being a bit bumpy. This is a great activity to keep your steps up for the day and a daily boost for your cardio health.


In the afternoon I teach a 45 minute Yin yoga class. A lot of the passengers are unfamiliar with Yin yoga and this is ideal for older adults. It's a passive, slow-paced practice, allowing time in each pose to settle. Yin allows us to take our time between poses and find comfort, both physically and mentally. Yin yoga helps us to clear the mind, be mindful in our movements and strengthen and lengthen our muscles. The passengers enjoy this practice and feel peace and calm after each of the sequences. Passengers have a chance to practice meditation and release stress and tension. Ideal during a busy and active cruising holiday.

By the 3rd day at sea all my mats were taken and the class was full. I had to add 3 long beach towels to accommodate extra passengers. I am so pleased that this style of yoga is bringing many benefits to the passengers and they are considering continuing the practice when they return home. I have written a downloadable e-book containing information on the holistic health benefits of Yin including several sequences and links for video sequences and meditations.

A Working Cruise - Ports of Call

Whilst at sea my duties are all about fitness and yoga, plus hosting tables and socialising with passengers. I thoroughly enjoy co-hosting Officers tables on formal nights and socialising with passengers, officers and crew during the Cocktail and Deck parties. 

Port days are totally different and my duty is to escort tours, so that the passengers have a representative from the ship when they are exploring ashore. As an escort you make sure that the passengers are happy, that they understand all the instructions given by the tour guide and have acknowledged the times they are required to return to meeting points. An escort must be a first aider and expected to help passengers on and off vehicles and make sure that a headcount is completed every time passengers return to the coaches. 

A selection of my favourite moments on this cruise:

Mahon, Menorca


This is one of the most beautiful 'sail ins' in the Mediterranean and worth setting your alarm clock to go up to the top decks and watch the approach and sailing in to Mahon, especially as the sun rises over the island. This is the capital of Menorca, the second largest city and part of the Balearic Islands. 

Mahon sits on a cliff rising above the inlet that surrounds its harbour, the largest unspoiled natural harbour in the Mediterranean. From the fortress of Isabel II at the entrance of the inlet to the natural harbour of Mahon takes approximately 30 minutes, enough time to admire the sail in whilst enjoying a cup of warm coffee or a glass of Buck's Fizz.


The city itself is elevated high above the port and there are over 100 steps to negotiate to reach the shops and sites. There is an alternative if you continue past the steps to a windy road. Approximately 50m uphill there is a free lift that will take you all the way up to the city saving the steep climb and steps. There are lots of small local shops selling goods, as well as cafes and restaurants. There is a fish market close to the steps and Santa Maria Church both make an interesting visit. The views from the city are magnificent with plenty of photo opportunities once you arrive here.

Palamos


I am not always required to escort tours and I do have some free days which I relish. I found I had another free day when I arrived in Palamos. I always like to explore new ports and I listen to the Destinations lecturer prior to arriving into our port of call. I walked along the coast, around the bay and to Torre dels Perpinya. There is a natural path that leads up to the Tower with super views of the port and the coastline. I walked 14,799 steps from the ship and back again so it is a good walk of around 2 hours. On my return walk I decided to take a walk along the white sandy beach, feet in the sea. It was wonderful.

Barcelona - Sitges


I was on escorting duties in Barcelona and went on a tour to Sitges, located 38km from the city itself. Sitges is a municipality on the Catalan coast and has a beautiful Old Town, a vibrant promenade with an array of coffee shops, cafes and some interesting art work and sculptures. 


Once we arrived in Sitges, we had a guided walk to the Old Town, walking through some windy, cobbled streets and past little local shops and coffee cafes. At the top of the Old Town is St Bartomeu, a Baroque style church. From here you have some amazing views of the coast, the Mediterranean sea and St Sebastia beach.
 
                     


There are some fabulous sculptures along the Promenade. There is a life size monument of two great painters of Catalan, Santiago Rusinol and Ramon Casas together with easel, both one-time residents of Sitges and from the modernist period.

There is also the mythical and symbolic sculpture of the mermaid, La Sirena a work by Pere Jou and completed in 1965. The sculpture is located along the coast beneath St Bartomeu Church.

Mallorca - Santa Maria Del Cami

A visit to Ramanya Winery was a delight. There is so much to see here. They have the most beautiful gardens with some very tropical and colourful plants as well as beautiful succulents and cacti. The gardens are well displayed and cared for with love.

There is a wonderful museum with a display of tools, transportation and instruments used through the generations of this family run winery. There is a fantastic collection in such a small area, displaying so much history. It's absolutely delightful. One of the family members guides the tour with many tales told to keep the attention of an already captivated audience. I don't think I have ever taken so many photographs in a museum before. 
There is an extra building located a little distance from the main museum with some incredible and varied transportation. From carriages and motorbikes to pedal bikes and mobility scooters. The tour took approximately an hour and then we had a taste of their rather delicious wines accompanied with tapas. This was served by the family and we were made to feel so welcome.
The family winery began back in 2003 dedicated to making wines and sparkling wines from the local grape varieties. The Ramanya ethnographic collection of tools, crafts and transportation dates back to the late eighteenth, nineteenth and early twentieth century. 

The Sunrise and Sunsets of the Mediterranean


How do we feel when we watch the beautiful and vibrant colours of a sunrise? We feel happy, our mood improves and we 'live in the moment' as we watch the colours of the sky.

In this world of fast pace and chaos, we forget to appreciate the things that nature provides for us. A sunrise can take our minds off our troubles, boost our mood and improve our immune system. This is natures medicine!! It draws our attention to beauty and awe and away from our phones and social media.

A sunrise is so good for our health. To walk to a place of beauty and watch the sunrise not only makes us feel happy but also re-aligns our circadian rhythm, our 24 hour internal clock. This is especially helpful if you have trouble sleeping or relaxing.

This has been an amazing cruise with many highlights, beautiful ports and wonderful tours. The passengers have been a lot of fun and have worked very hard in my classes. It is so good for me to hear passengers say they have felt the benefits of the exercises and the yoga practice.

I am now looking forward to my next cruise in June.                                

©HealthyForeverFitnessMotivation

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