With our enjoyable tour of Spain over, we parted in Madrid and went our separate ways. From a big group of 50, I proceeded to London by my lonesome, as my daughter Bunny stayed behind in Madrid for two more days to watch a bullfight, and feast on Mercado de San Miguel’s tapas and tequilas.
In London, I was met at the Heathrow airport by my bosom friend since college days, Jessy Bueno-Whitehead, whom I have not seen for a decade. While anticipating my arrival, she checked out my hotel, Wynham Chelsea Resort Hotel, to find out the best way to take us there, as some roads were closed for repairs for the Diamond Jubilee and the Olympics. She suggested that instead of taking a cab, it would be better to take the train from the airport to my hotel, as it was faster and cheaper. The hotel, she added, was just a street away from the train station where we were going down.
On my first night in the hotel, as I was stepping out, one of the guards asked, “Are you famous?” I was startled, and tongue-tied because I did not know exactly what he meant, until he went on to say, “You know, famous people stay here.” The following day, I learned some Hollywood celebs were there. Much later, I read Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie stayed in Chelsea, too. Admittedly, Chelsea Hotel is very impressive, and the location superb far from the madding crowd, very exclusive. Thanks to the generosity of my doctor brother, Rubio R. Punzalan, who made the booking. I did not even know it was an all-suite hotel until I got to my room. Hahaha!
For the first five days, Jessy so kindly accompanied me in my sightseeing tours of London’s famous landmarks. I was lucky the sun shone brightly while in London whose unpredictable weather is widely known. Jessy said it had been raining before my arrival. We had dinner with two former ADBians, Reggie and Emmie, whom I met there for the first time, and together we laughed as we happily reminisced our ADB days. Truly, “laughter paves the way to togetherness.” When they complimented me on my contagious-and-infectious laughter that helped them relaxed from their day’s grind, I told them Laughter Yoga teaches people to use laughter as a mechanism to cope with stress. Robert Provine, a pioneer researcher on laughter, said that most laughter in life is not due to anything funny or humorous; laughter comes out of casual conversations when we are with friends.
With their curiosity about LYoga aroused, they asked that I share it with them in the hotel. Jessy, who is married to a former British diplomat, cautioned us to observe proper decorum at the hotel restaurant, so we proceeded to my room. After the light dinner, we did some Laughter Yoga exercises, like the hearty laughter, aches and pain laughter, mango shake laughter, etc., and I taught them proper breathing from the diaphragm for well-being. Laugh out loud we did to our hearts’ delight, releasing all pent-up feelings and emotions till we felt relaxed, recharged, better!
I spent my last three days in the hotel to luxuriate in it. It is a huge place with private yachts marooned at its back secured by a gate that opens up to Putney River. Strolling by its private riverside gave me a blissful high. Its gym is the only one I saw where fruits were a-flowing all day long: red and green apples, grapes, bananas, oranges, dates, strawberries, and nuts! It even had a cozy restaurant that overlooked the vast open space, and where I had a relaxing farewell-cum-appreciation dinner for Jessy on my last night in lovable London.
Alone, but never lonely! My solo flight to London was a beautiful experience, a peaceful, relaxing, truly-connecting-to-my-inner-self time. It enabled me to nurture, pamper, and take-best-care-of-just myself.
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The next LYoga session is at Holy Spirit Elementary School, QC at the turnover ceremony of my water and sanitation project on August 10. E-mail me at mega_abundant_lv@yahoo.com. Visit: laughteryogaphls.com. To laugh, visit youtube: lycphohohahaha.