And breathe …
WELLNESS WELLNESSWILL WILL BE AT THE TOP OF MANY PEOPLE’S LISTS WHEN WE CAN TRAVEL AGAIN. ELLIE ROSS SUBMITS TO SOME RATHER UNUSUAL PRACTICES IN THAILAND, GUARANTEED TO MAKE YOU RELAX
IN THE early hours of the morning on a small Thai island, I find myself straddling a man named Kom. This is outside lockdown, of course, and our hands are gripped together, our eyes locked: we’re so close I can make out individual beads of sweat on his brow. We have literally just met but are hoping to be perfect partners…
‘Ready?’ Kom asks. I gulp, nod and brace myself – then he launches me energetically up into the air. My body hovers above him as I balance on his hands and feet, doing my best Superman impression. For a moment I’m flying, with a giddy grin on my face.
Then I lose my form – a plank is a tough core workout on the ground, let alone in the air – and topple back down, spluttering with laughter.
This is my first experience of acroyoga, a combination of yoga and acrobatics. It’s not exactly what I had in mind when I signed up for a nine-day, TailorMade Thailand Wellness tour with G Adventures. As a keen yoga practitioner, I’d been hoping for some lovely, calming classes in the sunshine. What I was getting was a much more unusual – and fun –
take on a traditional healthy holiday. Unlike the usual retreats where you stay in one location, this trip includes plenty of travel. From Bangkok, my group of seven travels to Chiang Mai and Pai, in the north of the country, and Koh Samui, with tours of lively markets and gilded temples by Moh, our excellent guide, along the way.
Then there’s the yoga. We’re treated to five classes, including the classic sunrise and sunset yoga by the sea, where the soothing sound of waves is enough to make even the most frazzled traveller find their
Zen. But it’s the more unusual varieties that I enjoy most. As well as acroyoga, I try ‘wheel yoga’. Imagine a vinyasa-based class, with all its flowing movements, then throw in a circular prop that’s meant to intensify your stretches.
In Thailand, having massages is not seen as pampering – it’s a way to maintain health
As I attempt to copy instructor Kai, who leads us through the routines, I burn with exertion. I never imagined holding a plastic circle above my head could make my arms throb quite so much. But it’s bliss for backbends, supporting my spine and allowing me to go deeper into the pose than I would in a regular class. I make a mental note to buy my own yoga wheel as soon as I’m back on the hotel wi-fi.
With all that exercise, I’m glad there’s some muscle-soothing in store. In Bangkok, we spend two hours at the renowned Chetawan Wat Pho Thai Traditional Massage School, located within the magnificent temple itself (watpomassage.com). But we’re not simply going to lie back and receive the treatment from the pros (though