Yippie... finally I am going on a much deserved break. It is the first time I am going out with my childhood friends J & D whom I have known almost all my life. We used to study together in school and then got busy with our individual lives so all of us are collectively looking forward to this outing. I wake up early. The girls are going to pin me up enroute. The late night and an early morning coupled together gives me very little sleep and makes my head hurt.
No time to make a juice for myself so I drink a glass of Orange juice straight from the can. I toss some stuff I remember last minute in my bag and rush to meet my friends. We are going to Wellness Retreat called “The Arc” but have to stopover at Lonavala where J has some work. J & D have breakfast there and I munch on some elaichi bananas and an orange. We have crossed Pune and it is extremely hot. So on the way we stop for some fresh cool Sugarcane juice. I feel satiated after a tall glass. I know I can guzzle down a barrel but feel full. My headache subsides after this. I am happy I didn’t pop in a Saridon.
We reach The Arc at around 12 pm. It looks like a nice place, surrounded by trees laden with fruits and flowers. Nature has immense power to heal if only we let it. This is a wellness retreat so we decide to pamper ourselves. But first all of us are famished.
I had informed the staff that I am on a raw diet and they can give me a bowl full of anything raw, but the concept is so difficult to sink in. When I reach the dining table, the salad is not ready, so I decide to make do with the sliced greens that are available. I serve myself a big helping of carrots, onions and cucumber, put some salt and pepper and a drizzle if lemon juice and just as I am halfway through, my salad walks in!! Now I have a bowlful of Zucchini salad to finish as well.
Zucchini and Apple Salad
Green & Yellow Zucchini diced
Carrot diced
Tomatoes diced
Apple diced
Pineapple diced
For dressing:
Mixed herbs
Olive oil
Chilli flakes
Salt
Honey
The salad tastes quite good but I am partly full with the veggie slices I have to I push some into J & D’s plate. Both happily give me company.
After lunch we treat ourselves to some assorted massages (I go in for a Shirodhara & Foot reflexology) and roam around the property. I soak in the beauty of Jacarandas (another summer favourite), magnolias (sonchafa), Kamini; which collectively make the surrounding so fragrant, it soothes my nerves. This is better than any aromatherapy in some spa I think. By the time I come back, D & J are in the pool. It is tea – time already. I request the staff to give me fresh juice. The churn out some orange juice with I wolf down and realise I am super hungry. I request them to give me some soaked poha with some fresh coconut, salt and sugar. They make it exactly per my specifications and I happy wolf that down too. Now I am sorted for the night.
After this we take a walk along the periphery of a small man-made pond. I let the grass tickle my feet as I walk bare foot on it. The breeze, the fragrant air, the soft grass, chirping birds and sunset, all rejuvenates me.
We have a lot of catching up to do. It’s been years we have sat down and talked without anything to rush us, so that is what we do exactly. In between a bottle of Red Berries flavoured Ciroc, Dia Sparkling Wine we talk and talk and listen to music of yesteryears and get nostalgic. They knock twice on our door to tell us they have served dinner. When I reach the dinner table, the salad is again not there, so I serve myself some marinated onion rings with some mint chutney... After I finish my dinner, the chef walks in with the salad. It is a mixture of shaved fruits and veggies which I fail to identify, in vinaigrette. I am full and am barely able to push half the salad in. I hate wasting food. With a heavy heart, I leave the rest uneaten. I request them to serve me whatever they have made for me along with the meal they serve my friends.
We come back to the room and drink some more and talk some more and play some cards and then crash out. Day 25 ends amidst nature’s beauty on a high note.