Hey, Hippy lady …
Posted on Sunday 30th December 2007
…. I’m ready to get out now!
The reference is here for those of you wondering what this is from. The reason for it is that we’ve just come back from a health retreat. I know this seems a bit incongruous as I am more neanderthal than metrosexual, but we did really go!
We chose carefully and our pick was not a commune full of whale-kissing Dukakis-hugging moon maidens. Instead, a quiet resort in the Adelaide Hills, only 45 minutes away from our house, that was fully licenced and didn’t go in for the wheat-juice palaver.
It was run by an interesting Swiss lady who promoted the European model of health spa that concentrates more on sweating out toxins rather than denying your body. So we had daily sauna and cold plunge pool sessions. I’m not a big fan of saunas normally – too many hairy bodies and sweat – but this was private and not unpleasant. Jumping in a cold pool after being in a 80 degree sauna was quite an experience. I know it wasn’t quite on the same scale as jumping into an icy lake, but still a sufficient shock to the system.
We also each had a Vichy shower, pedicure, facial, bodywrap and full-body massage. It’s quite a strange feeling being smeared in mud from the Dead Sea, wrapped in cling-film and being left to stew for an hour. In fact it was so relaxing that I fell asleep! The treatments were rounded off by early-morning walks, starting at half-past six. I’m normally a bad morning person, but the crisp morning air and some yogic stretches made it entirely bearable.
Another interesting touch was that there were no TVs and no internet access. The Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprisy were onto something, and I’m sure the whole thing would have been ruined by a night in front of the idiot box.
So now we’re back – refreshed and detoxed. I’m glad we went as I’ve always been a little sceptical about “hippy” stuff, but it was nice to try something different.
P.S: The rest of the piccies are here – with no racy ones of us in the spa bath.
That must of been nice to have a nice relax and massage dont think id fancy the plunge pool though
Hey Rick,
Sounds great, we wish you both a peeled, smoothed, relaxed, nourished, but still slightly toxic 2008!
Marie and Anthony
after all your yoga are you ready to join Regan in some body balance classes now?
Glad you enjoyed it, i had a similar experiance in Iceland, plastering myself with mineral rich effluent from the local Geothermal powerstation, whilst in a hot mineral spa…..i looked a prat but my skin and I felt great afterwards
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Have a great new year
Steve