www.katherinetimes.com.au KATHERINE TIMES, WEDNESDAY AUGUST 6 2014 19

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HOT DEALSFULL MONTETickets to one of the world'smost famous car races, theMonaco grand prix, and eightdays aboard the luxurious yachtWind Surf are included in thisglam package from CruiseExpress. Fly from Australia toRome with a two- night stay atthe Sofitel at the Villa Borghese,before boarding the yacht for acruise of the Italian and Frenchrivieras, with spectacular portcalls including a two- day visit toMonte Carlo for the grand prix.The price is $9999 a person twinshare. Departs Australia May 16.❑ www.cruiseexpress.com.au

SUITE DREAMSThe five- star Fraser Suites nearSydney's Town Hall is offeringtwo packages for cooler- weatherstays. The "Romance Getaway"package starts at $380 for twoand includes overnightaccommodation, breakfast, abottle of Moet, a box ofchocolates and Molton Browngift, plus noon checkout. The"Stay and Park" packageincludes overnight parking atthe Sydney CBD property, adeluxe studio and Wi- Fi. Thisone is $295 a night for two.Available until the end ofSeptember. ❑ www.sydney.frasershospitality.com

NORTH TO ALASKA2015 departures of Cosmos' 19-day "Canadian and AlaskanMasterpiece" tour are now at anearly- bird rate. The tour startsin Vancouver and includes atwo- day rail journey on theRocky Mountaineer and a seven-night Alaska cruise exploring theInside Passage and Glacier Bay.The early- bird rate is $4273 aperson twin share if bookedbefore September 30. ❑ www.cosmostours.com.au

THAR SHE BLOWSIt's already been an excellentwhale- watching season at PortStephens, north of Sydney, withthousands of humpbacksspotted. Now Oaks Hotelsand Resorts hasreleased a specialwhale- watchingpackage for itsproperty inNelson Bay.The deal atOaks Lure nearthe Nelson Baymarina offers aone- bedroomapartment from$242 a night for aminimum two- night stay.The price includes two whale-watching cruise tickets withMoonshadow Cruises.The deal is valid for sale andstays until September 19. ❑ www.oakshotelsresorts.com

Enlightening deprivationRobert Upe embarks on anunexpectedly rewarding journey ofdenial and depravation.

It’s 168 hours (and counting) since I’ve had acoffee, a glass of red wine, cheese, meat, ora chocolate eclair. It’s been one hell of a

week. Now I’m standing in the middle of

Queenstown’s Fergburger store, one of thefinest hamburger companies in NewZealand. The grass-fed beef patties that sizzleon the grill have people lining up all day andnight, even for breakfast.

The Mr Big Stuff burger is $NZ16 ($14),with the patty in a fluffy bun with meltedcheddar, bacon, red onion, aioli andbarbecue sauce.

I put my hands into my pockets to pay forone. But for the first time in my life there is araging battle in my mind. Do I hand over thecash and bite into all those calories or burymy fists deeper into the pockets and walkback into the cold, empty-handed?

I am on an amazing journey that goesbeyond the picture-postcard views of theSouthern Alps and the glacial-fed LakeWakatipu, the daredevil jetboat rides and thebungy jumps that define Queenstown.

It is a wellness adventure. A journey ofdenial. Of detoxification. Of deep breathing.

It all started seven days earlier when Ichecked into the luxe Aro Ha WellnessRetreat on a gloomy Sunday afternoon,welcomed with herbal tea and a snack ofmacadamia and beetroot paste dehydratedon a nori sheet.

Aro Ha is new, eco-friendly and perchedin the lonely rolling hills that stretch intosnowcapped mountains about 40 minutesfrom Queenstown, near Glenorchy.

The five and seven-day retreat programsare filled with raw vegan cuisine and aregimented program of Vinyasa yoga,meditation, massage, strength and circuittraining, cooking classes, andworkshops on everything fromnutrition to permaculture.

There’s even a personalhygiene talk that covers how toclean your nostrils and scrapeyour tongue.

Then there’s the daily hike.The sub-alpine walks are up to17 kilometres on steepmountain trails.

They sometimes cross rivers. Theysometimes have fallen logs across them,loose shale or snow. They sometimes requirekayaking. They are sometimes across wobblyswing bridges.

One of our jaunts is along the famousRouteburn Track that cuts through beechforest and alongside roaring rivers. There arered toadstools, waterfalls and rainbows thatstretch from the water to the mountain tops.

But it’s not so much about grabbing theproverbial collar and being dragged throughthe program.

There is, instead, a gentle nurturing by theleaders whether they are walking at the backof the pack with you, patching up hot spotson your feet before they metamorphose intoblisters, encouraging you to do one morepush-up at circuit class, or correcting yourdownward-dog yoga posture.

The twice-daily yoga sessions - at sunriseand sunset - take place in a studio with a big

picture window to the lake and mountains.The sessions end with shavasana, whichinvolves about 10 minutes of lying on yourback with eyes closed and relaxing the body.

It becomes the easiest part of the day andsome others like it, too, because I hear themsnoring. Despite my early resistance, I alsojoin in the “om” chants that go with the yoga.

“There is no doubt it is challenging forpeople,” says Damian Chaparro, theAmerican managing partner of the $NZ30million retreat that opened in December andwho formerly ran The Ashram in California.

“We are incorporating a number ofpractices that produce optimum health andhave taken out the bits and pieces that may

be seen as superficial - there areno facials or manicures oranything like that,” he says.

“We come at it from anutritional side and a physicalside with stretching, moving,breathing and sweating.

“It’s a high fibre and high-nutrition diet (limited to 1200calories a day). There’s no meat,

dairy, coffee, alcohol or refined sugar. “Then we sprinkle in a bit of mindfulness

and meditation.“We are bringing more nature into your

life, more connection with the environment,more awareness of where and how your foodcomes to the plate and what you are eating.

“In the end, you sleep better and youreyes are brighter, the skin becomes clearer,the tongue clears up, the body goes througha detox process.”

Not to mention the weight loss that resultsfrom just one week of healthy living.

Chaparro says the idea for Aro Ha was“kind of on the back of a napkin” when heran it past Chris Madison, also from the US,who owns a $2 billion hedge fund companyand has been a client - 12 times - at TheAshram.

“Chris was sold on it straight away,”Chaparro says.

“He is the type of guy that makes thingshappen, and here we are four years later.”

Good food that is delicious is a signature

of the place, especially in the hands ofBrazilian chef Ranieri Silva who sources asmuch of it as possible from the retreat’s owngardens, its hot house that is connected tothe kitchen, and from local suppliers.

The nutrient-packed meals taste as goodas they look.

The philosophy of the food is that it ispaleo-based, vegan, enzymatically active,raw, soaked, sprouted and fermented.

Among Silva’s dishes is a Moroccanvegetable curry with a spice mix thatincludes cumin seeds, tumeric, smokedpaprika, cardamom and dry kawakawaleaves (kawakawa is a traditional medicinalplant used by Maori). Each of our meals isaccompanied with such a description,outlining the benefits of the food we areabout to eat. One day is reserved for fastingand we have just five nutrient-packed juicesthat surprisingly suppress any severe hungerpangs.

Meals are taken at a long communal oaktable in a spacious dining area that has afarmhouse feel and killer views through thefloor-to-ceiling windows.

All the Aro Ha buildings are of recycledtimber, right down to the floorboards. In anod to zen, they are minimalist in theirfurnishings.

The property has a sustainable buildingmanagement system that includes solarpanels and a wood-fired boiler that convertsunlight and water into energy to give Aro Haoff-the-grid capability and a minimal carbonfootprint.

“A lot of people come here wanting to getback on track and to lose a bit of weight,”Chaparro says. “That is often the initial goal,but as they experience the program theyrecognise there is more depth to it.

“The goal for us is to create genuine deep-down health.”❑ The writer lost 5.4 kilograms during theretreat week and one month later has lost afurther two kilograms. He still hasn’t had acoffee, or even a chocolate eclair. He passedon the Fergburger and walked out empty-handed. He travelled courtesy of Aro Ha andDestination Queenstown.

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