The slow crawl home: Dalyan & Iztuzu Beach: My body is a temple (again).

I'd like to say that I'm now completely 'enlightened' after spending last week on a Ashtanga Yoga retreat at Grenadine Lodge in Dalyan (I'm still in Turkey).

But I think that would take a few years (and a few yoga retreats) for myself to ever feel that way.

Tucked away from the picture menus and badly burnt tourists (Ahem... mainly Brits but you have to admire them for it as they are masters in sporting great tan lines) wandering the streets of Dalyan town, Grenadine Lodge is a mini haven to get some R&R.

It's surrounded by fields of pomegranate and orange trees, all the rooms overlooking a large pool shaded by a few palm trees. The staff go out of there way to make you feel at home. So much that you don't ever want to leave, and after each trip into town you realise how much nicer it is at the lodge.

Our group of 'retreaters' consisted of a team of 8, plus our wonderful teacher, Jana who originally hails from Austria. At 07:30 each morning the day would begin in the thatched hut with a hour and half yoga session. A series of sweaty asana sequences would soon wipe away any bleary, sleepy eyes and you'd immediately feel wide awake.

Jana was a fantastic teacher who was able to share her 20 years of knowledge with positivity and encouragement.

After that, breakfast. Followed by pool time. Another evening hour and half yoga session and then the day ending in a delicious vegetarian Turkish dinner.

The week wasn't all sweaty gym gear and chlorine stinking swimwear.

Iztuzu is a short Dolmus ride away where you can chill at the beach and visit the local turtle hospital. Run on donations from the public, turtles who have been beaten and bashed by boats or local fisherman are often taken to this sanctuary to recoup with the hope of a full recovery. Shells missing and huge chunks taken out of their heads, it's a sad reality to see what mankind can do to these harmless creatures. A tank filled with water and baby turtles is the small part of hope for these creatures that they will survive and continue on. I take my hat off to the locals and English volunteers working there over Summer who answered our questions and do such an amazing job.

Back onto the theme of body cleansing... the mud baths are a famous spot to visit in Dalyan. The locals believe that a few trips to the mud baths will help you looks 10 years younger. I can't guarantee this but I can promise you that you will walk away with baby soft skin and stinking of sulphur from the thermal pools.

I won't bore you for too much longer. This week wasn't about 'being a traveller.' I wasn't on any massive adventure (unless you count a few bike rides into town that ended in getting lost down some side street surrounded by fields and stray dogs). So I don't have juicy stories to tell about life on the road whilst you tuck into your M&S sanga for lunch (I hope you treated yourself to the meal deal) or are stuck in traffic on the drive home from work.

But this was a great pit stop in the slow crawl home and I can say that I do feel like my body is a temple again. I'm sure this will have changed after a week of living like a backpacker again, not knowing when your next meal will be and enjoying each sunset with a cold beer or cocktail in hand.

Toodle pip x