Her favorite part of the exercise? The fact that a wide-body is one of the few places where you are consistently productive (moving from a to b) while doing absolutely nothing.
Of course, my daughter is still a teenager. She has yet to learn that when older people say “arriving is half the fun” they fully anticipate that the other half will entail finding out how many times you get to call ‘bingo’ as your body runs down the list of possible jet lag symptoms. Puffiness, sore muscles, constipation, diarrhea, headaches, confusion…
Bodies crave routine.
And when you mess with their routine, they want compensation. There are various ways to pay your body to behave. Stay hydrated. Get more sleep. Don’t drink alcohol and caffeine. These tricks might all get the job done. But every once in a while life simply does not want to run on rails and on those occasions, a savvy traveler needs an ace card in their Tumi travel wallet.
This blog is that Ace card.
For when your flight arrives in Cape Town before your Safari:
Abalone House & Spa, Paternoster, South Africa
An elegant spa attached to an intimate, boutique hotel, 90 minutes out of Cape Town. The Abalone Spa features a holistic salt therapy room and crystal and rose quartz facial therapy. Therapies and products are all inspired by Africa and carried out in four calm treatment rooms.
Indigenous ingredients infuse an enticing menu of face and body treatments with African joie de vivre and your body will be thanking you for bringing it to the African continent. There will be no hard feelings about small matters like time differences etc.
The treatment we suggest:
RADIANT GLOW 150 min
A body polish, body wrap, detox bath in luxurious oils, crystals and candles… followed by a healing and relaxing full body massage. Prioritise from the following pure African rituals:
Kalahari Melon for Hydration
African Ginger for Fit & Firm
African Potato to Heal & Repair
Mongongo Nut to Detox
Marula & Neroli for Relaxation
Coffee Cinnamon & Orange to Define & Sculpt
For when you have just arrived in Australia:
SpaQ, Sydney, Australia
QTHotels want to tell a story with their Spa. They have set the stage in a space that is quirky and inhabited by an army of red-bobbed beings. You are the hero in search of peace and transformation and (spoiler alert) in the end you will conquer the land of bliss.
Every one of the specially curated series of harmonious treatments begins with a euphoria-inducing footbath ritual. From there, your journey depends merely on how much time you have for dawdling.
The treatment we suggest:
WEEKEND WARRIOR 150 min
A fatigue fighting sequence that starts with a coffee and sea kelp scrub followed by a massage and finished with a nourishing, balancing and cell regenerating facial.METAMORPHOSIS 360 min
Take a day. Begin in the Hammam-inspired steam room, be wrapped in coffee and sea kelp contour wrap, followed by a mastery massage. Lunch is delivered in the relaxation lounge before your journey continues with a 90 minute Kerstin Florian Signature Caviar Facial to brighten and energize. Enjoy a glass of bubbles before you venture forth.
For when you land in New York:
AIRE Ancient Baths, New York, USA
The heart of TriBeCa beats with the ancient wisdom of Roman, Greek and Ottoman traditions. In a historical textile factory, several baths with different temperatures of water will transport you on an unforgettable journey through the ages. Long haul travel? Your body will exclaim. A mere trifle!
The treatment we suggest:
THE WINE BATH EXPERIENCE FOR TWO (OR ONE) 150 min
Take the opportunity to submerge yourself entirely within the antioxidant properties of the Spanish Ribera del Duero red grapes in an antique Venetian well from the XVII century for 30 min. Then take a circuit through the Ancient Thermal Baths moving from hot to cold to warm to ice, enjoy a jet bat, a Laconicum and a Flotarium before resting on warm marble while you enjoy a 15-minute craniofacial massage. Finish with an hour-long grapeseed oil massage to purify and invigorate.
For when you arrive home in California:
The Golden Door, San Diego, USA
The world’s most famous destination spa is tucked away in San Diego on 600 acres in the hills of Escondido. Every week forty guests enjoy a customized program designed to address the entire mind, body, and spirit. A range of treatments from a luxurious menu of beauty and body indulgences are included in every guest’s program.
The treatment we suggest:
DESERT SEA MUD DETOXIFIER 60-90 min
Combine the best of desert and ocean with dry brushing to open pores and clear dry skin, before being covered with a Desert Sea Clay rich in algae, minerals, and anti-oxidant nutrients from an ancient inland sea. Relax in the steam room while the clay draws out the toxins and provide natural minerals. Rinse and finish with a full-body rehydration massage using a rich lotion of algal extracts to help skin retain moisture through organic grapefruit, juniper, and thyme essential oils to tone and detoxify.
For whenever you find yourself in Indonesia:
Prana Spa at The Villas, Bali, Indonesia
The regal architecture combines exotic Moroccan and Indian influences at The Villas. The hotel spa taps into the city’s sacred Eastern techniques and traditions that are renowned for rejuvenation and the rituals of ancient kings and queens. Inspired by the legendary Moguls of Rajasthan, but charmed by Moroccan simplicity your treatments are offered in exquisite therapy rooms including details like tented ceilings and hand-painted canvas.
The treatment we suggest:
THE JET LAG REMEDY 120 min
Rejuvenate body, mind, and soul by soaking your swollen feet in a peppermint footbath before enjoying a full body massage to improve blood circulation. Then, a moisturizing facial is performed at the same time as your feet are massaged with a hot towel compress
Before you attempt Macchu Picchu (or Hayuna Picchu)
Tambo del Inka, Sacred Valley, Peru
In the mystical Sacred Valley, traditional Incan ingredients and techniques from around the world come together. Andean cocoa, quinoa, and mud from Mount Misti combine with traditional massage and relaxation techniques in the well-appointed space. Water is also a significant component in the treatments offered, with a heated indoor/outdoor pool, whirlpools, Vichy showers and sub-aquatic beds all available in the myriad of healing and relaxing experiences.
The treatment we suggest:
Yucamani Stones Massage
The purpose of this 120-minute treatment is to bring the client to a state of extreme relaxation and incredible calmness, which will have profound effects on the body’s general wellness.24K Gold From The Gods Facial
Incan princesses would use gold to maintain a flawless complexion. Now it’s your turn to experience the power of gold on your skin. Rosehip, green tea and a variety of Peruvian nutrients and oils combine with actual gold for this anti-aging treatment.
Image via Jason Blackeye, Erol Ahmed
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