Credibility of online reviews through Travel Guides.....

I had just submitted a review of my Ayurvedic experience in India entitled 'An Exhilarating Experience' to TripAdvisor upon persistent requests, which read as follows: 

Strongly recommended for health conscious, leisure holiday makers who relish full body massages and great yoga workouts!  

For those striving to shed extra pounds or kilos, look no further, for, at Chamundi Hill Palace Ayurvedic Resort, you'll realize your DREAMS effortlessly!! 

Best experienced with loved ones and friends in big groups! 

Those who have read my earlier posts may find my comment slightly exaggerated and contradictory but do allow me to enlighten you...it is not. It carries every ounce of truth! 

Firstly, it is indeed exhilarating albeit an embarrassing experience for me to have to BARE IT ALL for the Ayurvedic sessions under the scrutiny of two strangers!  

Secondly, I got to indulge in the pampering massage sessions and yoga workouts not just once but TWICE daily! 

And, about weight loss, I shed 1 kilo within the five days as I couldn't adapt to ingesting the blandly, for heatth reasons, prepared vegetarian meals! It is good to know though that all the table dishes from cabbage to pumpkin to bitter gourd to bananas to......come from within the resort ground!   

Lastly, as most time is spent within the resort with pretty much no entertainment saved for free wifi internet connection, our passing moments greatly depends on the company we mingle with!! It would be an opportunity to make up for loss time sharing what we had always wanted to but never did because of work commitment or another. 

Frankly, my initial reservation about the resort was replaced with enthusiasm as days went by, largely due to the cordiality of the service staff and the group I went with!!

http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g297634-d729986-r147443197-Chamundi_Hill_Palace_Ayurvedic_Resort-Kottayam_Kerala.html

Can you write in English?......

This was asked of me by the Yoga Guru in Kerala! "Why?...." I had questioned, puzzled.... Guess there might be some who speak but do not write English???

"Oh, so you want an evaluation of your sessions? Then you gotta prepare yourself for constructive criticisms, ya?" I complied with, jestingly!  

But why me? I wondered..... Gosh, what am I gonna do? Only anyone who dares seek honest truth about himself may come to me for MY OPINION, otherwise, NO, for I'd REALLY give it all...GOOD or BAD!! 

I would expect the same from whosoever, when seeking assessment of myself, not that I ever did though! The least I would welcome, is to be flattered to my face and be stabbed behind my back!!!

My ever so kind, sister-in-law Siew Hian, afraid, that I may be too outspoken about my sentiments, cautioned me about being too harsh, for after all, he is just, but, an aged man seeking to keep his job...... 

Shouldn't this be enough reason for me to be honest so that he would realize his shortcomings and take corrective measures to cater to the demands and expectations of his students??

Incidentally, this Guru is a temporary replacement for the previous experienced instructor who chose to work abroad, away from home in India!! 

Whatever, within half an hour, I had my response read as follows....... 

Mr Santhos 

Comments expressed herewith may not necessarily represent my fellow mates' opinions..... 

I had expected more physical yoga exercises and therefore was pretty disappointed to find myself attending lectures instead. 

I personally feel that my stay here is too brief for in-depth teachings. 

Emphasis on the breathing techniques which you have covered, and benefits of the various yoga poses as we move along with the exercises are what I had expected to learn. 

However, setting aside my demand of the more vigorous workout, I'm pretty glad that, for the first time in my 5 months' exposure to yoga, I learnt how to perform the sun salutation and warming up exercises on my own!! 

Thank you too, for imparting knowledge on the do's and don'ts exercises for ladies. 

A general comment from all is that they have difficulty grasping your sharing because of your accent and low voice which is hardly audible to those seated further away from you. 

All the same, we truly appreciate the time you shared with us and wish you all the best! 

Cheerio! Leena Wong 

Unlike the evaluation I had passed on services of the crew members of the houseboat, which won the unanimous support of all the travel mates, this was received with mixed reactions! 

To the few not agreeable, I suggested they put in their own commendations!! 

As far as I'm concerned, my ever deeply ingrained frankness prioritized truthfulness whatever the situation!

The Ayurvedic Experience.....

"Ma'am, this way please...." and, gently holding on to my hand, this sweet teenager led me to the massage room with a knowingly shy smile. 

I was greeted by another young girl in her early twenties and together, they stripped me naked!

While I kept gesturing to cover up in embarrassment, the teenager watched with amusement. 

What she offered to cover the genital served no purpose as it was soon thrust aside as the two masseurs simultaneously worked deftly on me! 

Throughout the session, I was conscious of my exposed body. It struck me that they had seen more of me, than me of myself in my lifetime! 






And, OUCH! How it had hurt on my knees against the hard wooden surface of the bed when made to lie in certain positions to facilitate the massages! 



As they massaged, I found myself literally soaked in oil meant to seep into our layers of skin by way of therapy treatment? 




I was then led to a cubicle where they made me sit and had my entire body rubbed with chick pea, supposedly to remove traces of oil administered!
  

Seated there, while others may feel pampered, I felt awkward and helpless like a spastic as the teenager finished washing my hair and bathing me off with a mere bucket full of warm water! 

Under normal circumstances, it would have driven me crazy feeling still somewhat not thoroughly cleansed.......but as it was, I had accepted everything in good spirit and ended smelling like most Indians........of OIL and all....... 

I came to realize that the Ayurvedic massage which differs greatly from the traditional Thai massage I'm accustomed to, inclines towards treatment of the skin and thus benefited me in the rejuvenation of my much neglected body! 

Heated poultice hammered over my entire body!

Depending on treatment, poultice of herbs heated over
a slow fire differs.... 

 With a two hourly sessions twice daily for five consecutive days, my thoroughly moisturized skin is so smooth now that I would be least surprised if a mosquito SLIPS on it!!

Yoga Retreat @ Kerala, India - November 10 - 20, 2012

Photo shot on the last day at the resort which sits on a 250 acres piece of land!
Myself, feeling and looking great with a nose ring on like the Indians! 

"WHAT? Merely 2 hourly sessions of yoga exercises and Ayurvedic massages twice daily with NO OTHER ACTIVITIES for the next 5 days?" 

An arrangement I was oblivious of, and had felt somewhat dispirited especially after having had the first taste of BLAND vegetarian food served upon arrival!  

My first yoga session too, with the aged Guru, a temporary replacement, I learnt later, who "lectured" more, than getting us involved in physical yoga exercises dissipated further my high spirits!  

Oh no.....to think that I  had visualized returning home with a more toned up and flexible body prior to setting off for this trip!! 

However, with my adaptability, I soon found myself cherishing every moment spent at the  Ayurvedic Resort, relaxing on the hammock typing out my thoughts on my iPad, surfing the internet and mingling with my fellow mates....

My favorite spot - on the hammock with the cool gentle breeze kissing my face and exposed limbs
.....heavenly.....
Haha! From nose ring to toe ring, don't I look every inch an Indian?

Bland food? So what? Consume less and work towards my weight loss success! As for lectures from the Guru? Honestly, he imparted fruitful knowledge as a professor should!