THE SOUND OF silence
Need quiet time amid the Christmas madness? Woman’s Day’s EMMA TOCCHET discovers serenity in the Gold Coast Hinterland
As we drove through the quiet, bush roads of Currumbin Valley and pulled into Eden Health Retr Retreat, my partner Chris and I did didn’t know what to expect. Yogi Yogis? Campfire singalongs? Stres Stressed 9-5 workers? I checked my p phone for a quick Instagram upda update… NO RECEPTION?! OK, now I was nervous. But it turns out I didn’t realise how fulfilling a digi digital break could be!
We were greeted upon arrival with a refresher drink from Barry who s showed us around part of the 400 40 acres of tropical rainforest and walking w tracks. Then it was time to meet our lovely therapist Sam at a the spa to discuss a plan and wh what we hoped to get out of our tim time there. Recommended massag massages? Sign me up.
Chris and I then hiked up the 600m path p to the top of the retreat to our five-star luxury villa. The little breath we had left was taken away by the suite! Two queen beds covered in fluffy feather down pillows. Floor-toceiling windows with a balcony overlooking the mountains. And the piece de resistance – a plunge bath overlooking the valley with masses of Epsom salts waiting to be bathed in. Alright Eden, since you twisted my arm!
We filled the afternoon with a “Stretch and let go” class before freshening up for the evening. At 6.30pm a bell rang through the valley signalling dinner, which was Vietnamese pho with mushroom fritters. The dining hall and its cosy fireplace had panoramic views of the valley.
After dinner we gathered in the common area – or what our group liked to call “tribal council” – for orientation and to meet the other 20 guests. We learned very quickly how motivational, encouraging, kind and hilarious our fellow “survivors” and the staff were.
Each night, we would return to our villa to find a personalised program for the following day. The reason for this? So control freaks like myself can focus more on the present without stressing about tomorrow!
‘With no tech there seemed to be many more hours in the day’
Each morning, we were either woken by a gentle bell or with the sun and birdsong. For some, days entailed morning qigong, a bushwalk or spa treatment and relaxing by the heated pool. Others might need a bit of everything from nutritional talks
to boxing to the flying fox (the longest in the southern hemisphere), and for some, the thrill of climbing and jumping off an eight-metre power pole might be in order, or lathering themselves in New Zealand mud. We soon realised that with no access to technology, there seemed to be many more hours in the day.
All this activity helped work up our appetites. We were fed nourishing, delicious food designed by the kitchen chefs and nutritionist – everything was local and organic and made from wholefood ingredients with no sugar or caffeine. We left Eden feeling refreshed, full of energy, nourished inside and out and with a healthy new perspective. Forget Instagram – drop and give me zen!