Massage phobia; On again, off again
After a few odd encounters, I vowed not to visit another massage therapist. Ahhh but alas! My feet led me down that path yet again. With strains from moving house and a sudden urge to get fit I jogged along the trails in our neighborhood and that's where my woes begun. My muscles locked in knots, my neck and back tensed up like a
tight fist; clamped like the lean meat of our Teso chicken in whose flesh one could lose a tooth. Only a massage could knead them loose however, I chose not to solicit in-house services.
I located the spa recommended by a friend but whose services I only now considered. Submerged in a busy shopping mall, one would need to be looking for it to find it: "SPA WORLD!" Its wall had pictures of fountains, steam baths and swimming pools - my nerves sensed the calming effect already.
A nice young male receptionist opened brochures of possibilities:
7 sauna options, poultice rooms, a swimming pool, a bade pool; Basher wall, dream bath, bench jet, wave jet... , a gym, Shiatsu massage; 30 minutes, 90 minutes, 1 hour, 2 hours ... A two hour massage? really?. Body scrub, foot scrub... I thought, "err...lets keep it simple!" This Ugandan girl can only do so much, let alone wrap her mind around this wealth of activities. I was welcome to stay for 24 hours at no extra charge - how cool?!
A cue begun to form behind me, so I stood aside to reexamine the brochures. Eventually I stepped up and declared my preferences. I was handed a key to a locker with space enough for one pair of shoes. I later found out the key would not unlock until one had payed their dues. One could attempt an escape without shoes but I doubt many people ever considered the option.
Then I was handed an orange uniform similar to Kazinda's prison outfit.
In the ladies locker room I considered this endeavor a possible mistake on my part. Ladies walked "freely"! Whatever had they done with the orange uniforms? Probably didn't like them either. I sheepishly traced my way to my second locker, which thankfully was in a corner. I wore my orange uniform and headed to the bade pool. The notice on the door could be summarized in one word "strip!". Oh well, enough of that.
A little Asian lady dressed in white led me to a dark room. Its walls whispered soft instrumental music. When she begun to walk and skate all over your back I concluded East Asians were rightly blessed with the massage art, I was silently thankful for her brief stature. She attempted to separated my neck from my head, my shoulders had snippets of life disassociated from their sockets. I thought my legs would be handed to me. *Note: Do not under estimate energy that comes in small packages!
Alarm bells sounded when she complimented my body. Was this my cue to make a speedy exit? The theory that massage therapists are payed to compliment their customers is quickly crystallizing in my mind.
Memories of my first massage at Fang fang hotel came rushing back. The lady's gaze was transfixed. She asked why I married so young. Uncomfortable with compliments from a female stranger, I begun to panic but I realized it was harmless, not that I returned to find out.
As I grow older, I realize the need to embrace these compliments, one day I will look for them and they may not be found.
Besides, the benefits of renewed energy and fluid muscles out weigh the risks, the trick is in visiting a different spa each time ;-)
I located the spa recommended by a friend but whose services I only now considered. Submerged in a busy shopping mall, one would need to be looking for it to find it: "SPA WORLD!" Its wall had pictures of fountains, steam baths and swimming pools - my nerves sensed the calming effect already.
A nice young male receptionist opened brochures of possibilities:
7 sauna options, poultice rooms, a swimming pool, a bade pool; Basher wall, dream bath, bench jet, wave jet... , a gym, Shiatsu massage; 30 minutes, 90 minutes, 1 hour, 2 hours ... A two hour massage? really?. Body scrub, foot scrub... I thought, "err...lets keep it simple!" This Ugandan girl can only do so much, let alone wrap her mind around this wealth of activities. I was welcome to stay for 24 hours at no extra charge - how cool?!
A cue begun to form behind me, so I stood aside to reexamine the brochures. Eventually I stepped up and declared my preferences. I was handed a key to a locker with space enough for one pair of shoes. I later found out the key would not unlock until one had payed their dues. One could attempt an escape without shoes but I doubt many people ever considered the option.
Then I was handed an orange uniform similar to Kazinda's prison outfit.
In the ladies locker room I considered this endeavor a possible mistake on my part. Ladies walked "freely"! Whatever had they done with the orange uniforms? Probably didn't like them either. I sheepishly traced my way to my second locker, which thankfully was in a corner. I wore my orange uniform and headed to the bade pool. The notice on the door could be summarized in one word "strip!". Oh well, enough of that.
A little Asian lady dressed in white led me to a dark room. Its walls whispered soft instrumental music. When she begun to walk and skate all over your back I concluded East Asians were rightly blessed with the massage art, I was silently thankful for her brief stature. She attempted to separated my neck from my head, my shoulders had snippets of life disassociated from their sockets. I thought my legs would be handed to me. *Note: Do not under estimate energy that comes in small packages!
Alarm bells sounded when she complimented my body. Was this my cue to make a speedy exit? The theory that massage therapists are payed to compliment their customers is quickly crystallizing in my mind.
Memories of my first massage at Fang fang hotel came rushing back. The lady's gaze was transfixed. She asked why I married so young. Uncomfortable with compliments from a female stranger, I begun to panic but I realized it was harmless, not that I returned to find out.
As I grow older, I realize the need to embrace these compliments, one day I will look for them and they may not be found.
Besides, the benefits of renewed energy and fluid muscles out weigh the risks, the trick is in visiting a different spa each time ;-)
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