I cannot emphasise the importance of the therapist – he/she is the key to any good treatment…and I have been very lucky to have experienced some amazing practitioners over the years. When Xuba sang to me it reminded of a sweet Thai woman at the Banyan Tree spa in Phuket. She was one of their most senior therapists and taught at the academy there, and she must have been one amazing teacher. When she had finished working on my muscles and joints – she taught me to dance using movements which would help stretch my body and makeit more supple.
And then there was the Thai master who was visiting the spa at the Oriental Hotel in Bangkok ( believe me one of the most beautiful spas in the world), who asked me to lie face down on the floor mattress to prepare myself for a true Thai experince. Some minutes later, nothing had happened and I was wondering when it was going to start – I coughed, moved a little, shifted my position until eventually I had to look over my shoulder to see if he had disappeared. He hadn’t, he was praying – I have to admit the only man who has ever done so before touching my body. I know it’s a temple…but this was special. I eventually had one of the best massages I have ever had!
(www.banyantree.com
www.mandarinoriental.com)
For those of you who think this blog is being written by a schizophrenic – it is not…the running component is provided by my friend and business partner, Sara P, who will provide the enthusiastic amateur approach to spas for those who are a tad intimidated or unsure of what a visit to such a place might be
