Cleansing on Samui - One Couple’s Story
Andrea and Carl–young travelers from London, England–stop by Samui for some kite boarding but instead find themselves on a 3 and a half day cleansing-fasting retreat.
An overnight bus journey from Bangkok to Suratthani on the mainland then an overly air-conditioned boat trip to Ko Samui. Got settled in then went to explore the island by moped - personally I was pretty terrified hanging on to Carl for dear life as we negotiated traffic but managed to relax after a while and found it a pretty good way to get around.
Carl’s hunt for kitesurfing activity was fruitless - it seems that the wind goes elsewhere at this time of year so we opted for plan B: the spa treatment. I’d first heard of this via a friend of a friend who said she’d done the cleansing fast in thailand replete with colonic irrigation. She was a fan, I thought it sounded like something to very definitely stear clear of. However, the thought of recovering that star wars figure you swallowed when you were six years old along with other less pleasant memorabilia was intriguing and, after months of pizza, burger and coffee, the idea of a cleanse was definitely appealing so we signed up for a 3 and a half day cleansing fast. Not without trepidation, however.
You’ll be glad to know we don’t have a photo-journal for our time there but the days went by pretty pleasantly. First up was the psyllium drink at 7am (congeals quickly so you have to neck it but tastes pleasantly enough of the pineapple juice it’s mixed with) followed by meditation on the beach and then some herbal supplements before yoga. The four classes we did there were the best I’ve been to. Really great teachers and very focused on beginners like us with lots of individual attention. I have never hurt so much or in so many places at once. Breathe, she said. eesh.
After yoga was the dreaded (in my case) Liver Flush drink. Lime and orange with garlic and cayenne and I don’t know what else. Carl found them tasty, I struggled to keep them down. The rest of the day’s consumption consisted of two vegetable broth soups, a coconut water drink, another wretched Liver Flush and some yummy carrot juice.
Oh. and yes, the colema in the early evening. Not something to go into in detail. And after 4 days not a single star wars figure, nor even a marble. Go figure.
The time not spent taking in coffee enemas or the drinks above was filled with delightful lounging by the pool or walking on the beach or reading. A lovely spot.
Feeling very thin (but mostly psychosomatically), we left shortly after we’d got back on solid food and although we’re still trying to eat healthily, temptation can be a little too strong. Especially here where the food is so delicious….
admin on March 21st 2007 in Travel, Travel Stories
On April 15th, Malaysian airline Firefly will begin daily service between Penang Malaysia and Koh Samui Thailand.