Having wandered into dangerous territory in my previous post by questioning why so many of those that populate spas are women and how come they can afford it both in terms of money and time, I shall stick with what I do know. How did I find my spa break and was it worth it? Having arrived on Tuesday afternoon, later than expected and feeling slightly stressed from taking time away from work and study, I had no real confidence that merely two half days with a full day between would unwind me sufficiently well. My bags were whisked away by the porter as I was welcomed on my 'return'. They knew the name of my companion without prompting and advised me that she had already arrived. I felt some grudging respect begin to build. Grudging, because as I said, I fully expected to leave as stressed as I had arrived. My mind was still on business, my email still being checked, my iphone whisked out at the sound of a text coming in. I sat and drummed my finger tips on the table in the café as my complimentary latte arrived and I was taken through the arrival details and the programme for my stay. It was four o'clock in the afternoon and I was thinking about what I should really be doing. Important work. Work which really shouldn't wait. As soon as politely possible, I made my excuses, checked my programme and wondered what I might do with the hour I had to kill before my first treatment. I found my room (cases already delivered, lovely view of the garden and countryside, interesting herbal teas) and spent a few minutes studying the map of Ragdale World. As mentioned before, this time I would not be found aimlessly wandering the corridors, only to be gently rotated and pointed in the right direction by some helpful member of staff that recognised the rising panic in my eyes.
An hour later, post scalp massage, I was to be found curled into a ball on the sofa in the colonial room. Muttering quietly to myself. My scalp tingled, the smell of essential oils was gently but persuasively permeating my senses and I was fighting the desperate desire to drift away into sleep. Relax. Chill out. No way. I was determined to fight it all the way.