Tales from the Spa.

Well now, I am firmly wrapped up in my lovely fluffy bath robe writing this to you, yes I know Sunday was supposed to be my 'day off' but I am feeling so chilled out that I decided to let you know how its going.

I'm at a hotel/spa resort that I first came to as a wedding guest for the reception of a 'Bad Seed' a few years ago.

So after arriving yesterday morning  ( glass of champagne waiting), I got changed into my swimsuit and went for a dip in the pool.

Coffee and cake was served at 11.00am and then I went for the first of my treatments, an aromatherapy massage.

Over the years I have had a lot of these and love them so much I usually fall asleep, which, true to form, I did!

Lunch was served and was smoked salmon quiche with avocado salad. truly wonderful.

Fruit 'melange' followed and I was ready for another sleep, but no I was off for a full facial and also had my eyebrows tamed ( no one should walk around looking like Denis Healey).

By now I was ready for a nap so went back to my fabulous room, and had 40 winks.

I decided to have a swim before dinner , and then sat down to a fabulous 3 course meal with wine.

I chatted to some other of the 'inmates' who seemed a very friendly bunch.

I decided not to prop the bar up all evening and was heading back to my room when the Spa manager asked me if I was interested in 'thalassa therapies'.

OH MY DOG!!!

time stood still  and then I was transported back to 2002.

Just before I got married, my bridesmaid and I decided to have a holiday at a Spa hotel in North Africa, we were going for 10 days peace and quiet, sun and spa treatments.

So settle down because this short blog just got considerably longer!

We arrived in the early hours of the morning, only to be informed that our rooms were still occupied by holiday makers who had been delayed.

We had travelled from the airport with another couple who had been on our plane. 

We were then told that we were being given a suite for the remainder of the night...................and sharing with the other couple!!!!!

Few hours later we found ourselves in reception asking about our real room, when the Rep came in, over hearing the whole thing. He was appalled that we had been sharing with another couple and as a result we were upgraded ( pool side room with private garden, fresh flowers, fruit and wine everyday).

We eventually got settled and headed out for a morning perusing the treatments and soaking up the sun by the pool.

It was a very relaxing day and involved some seaweed wraps and mud facials in the Spa.

We went back to our room drank the wine and went to sample the fabulous food.....................which turned out to be the only food that we ate in the restaurant for the next 9 days.

Heading off to the nightclub at the hotel, we booked a couple of massages the next day and then danced the night away.

Fast forward to 4am.

We had a fabulously large bathroom.................which came in very handy as we were both lying on the floor in agony, in between bouts of 'unwellness'.

8am,we both look like death, but we are on holiday so decide the only thing to do is get on with it.

We take a taxi to town, head to the 'Magasin Generale ' buy 6 bottles of bleach and cleaning cloths, 20 packets of Ritz crackers and 8 bottle of water Safia and Ain Garci ( to replace minerals).

This was to be the order of our holiday, we cleaned our room and bathroom top to bottom,  we only used our bathroom, no public ones ( which we had the day before).

We eat Ritz crackers and drink water.

We found out that a stomach bug was going round the hotel like wild fire, so avoided as many people as possible.

Massages were cancelled until further notice.

Our pre wedding girlie holiday with  fresh  dates and Haut Mornag , boukha and pistachios,  chakchouka and harissa, not to mention spa treats everyday,was never going to happen.

Fast forward  7 days.

Holiday is  nearly over  and we are looking very svelte!!

We have been sunbathing in our private garden ( close to our own bathroom) so at least have a bit of colour, but not made full use of the spa.

So we decide, as we were feeling much better, to go and see what they had on  offer.
'OOOHHH!' said Bridesmaid Lynn,
'Lets have the thalassa  seawater cellulite treatment'
The chance of either of us having cellulite having lost half our body weight in just over a week made us laugh but we decided to do it.

We were positioned in two separate white tiled 'corridors'.
the therapists facing us with what looked like hosepipes.

I motioned to mine that I wasn't quite ready, and then I heard the sound of water spraying............lots of water spraying at high pressure.

I then hear screaming and someone slapping around on a tiled floor like a fish out of water.

I was in tears with laughing, which was not quite what gave Lynn tears in her eyes!

So back to last night.......................did I fancy trying some thalassa therapy.

No thanks!