IN ALL my years as a journalist, I had never been on a junket.
Junkets are basically sponsored trips to review products or services. Having covered mostly politics and business news all my reporting career, all my work-related trips have been all work, no play and definitely no junkets.
So when a friend extended an invitation to stay at a year-old resort in Koh Samui that she's working at, I jumped at the chance. Called Absolute Sanctuary, it promised peace, tranquility and an opportunity to jumpstart my system with a detox programme.
Claire Bostock, the Executive Director of the resort, said there'd be yoga classes, Pilates classes and various detox plans. So Joanne, being Joanne, replied: Bring it on! Sure, I'll do the Ultimate Detox programme. Too many late nights, drinking and no exercise has slowed my metabolic rate down considerably over the years, and this was my chance to get my aging system going again.
After all, Absolute Sanctuary is the place one of Thailand's princesses goes to for yoga classes and where supermodel Elle "The Body" McPherson goes to for detox when they are in Koh Samui. How could I turn such an amazing opportunity down?
My first junket!
Photo source: Janice Lee Fang
So after flying over on the evening Bangkok Airways flight with my sister Janice for company, we had one last hurrah at Chaweng in downtown Koh Samui with a couple of drinks and it was early to bed.
Well, if I was looking to jumpstart my system, the week proved to be a complete shock-and-awe: Shock to my system and awe at the results.
At 7am on the first day, there was a knock on the door. It was the first of my four detox juice drinks for the day, accompanied by health supplements packed in five little ziplock bags. Oh boy.
By the time I actually woke up and went for my morning consultation with the Wellness Consultant, Dr Alister Bredee, I was quite horrified to learn that the Ultimate Detox programme meant a seven-day fast with only vegetable broth allowed and colonic irrigation every day!
Honestly, as ready for the first press junket of my journalistic career as I was, even I had to stop and wonder if I would survive such a gruelling seven-day programme. I've never been the dieting or exercise type, so would I be able to accept the Ultimate Detox challenge?
Bets, anyone?
Follow Joanne's seven-day experience courtesy of Absolute Sanctuary and Bangkok Airways at AsiaOne's new Relax travel website here.