Week 32 - My Sunday Photo. Petit Spa L'Occitane

This isn't a sponsored post for Petit Spa L'Occitane but I did win vouchers with The Beach, Dubai on Instagram with #HappyGatherings during Eid.

I've never been one for Spa days/treatments although I've had a few massage treatments over the years, but they've either been gifts or for reviewing purposes.

I'm letting the side down a little as an expat woman, I know you all think that's all I do now I'm living in Dubai, you're more likely to find me gardening, sewing, swimming or walking than finding me in a spa or even a hairdressers and yes, I do like to get my nails done, but after bad experience involving a nail file (my nails are still recovering) and with the gardening I now do, it seems a pointless exercise.

I arrived 10 minutes early at Petit Spa L'Occitane and was introduced to Tina the therapist who asked me a brief general history of what brought me there today, what my expectations were and asked me to complete a form with preferences and medical history.

After showing me into the therapy room, with scented candles and soft music, she pointed to a little box where I could leave my jewellery and asked me to undress and put the robe on. I was offered a pair of paper panties to protect my own, but seeing as mine were £1 from Primark I didn't see the need.

I had booked for a 45 minutes back and neck massage, which surprisingly started with a foot soak and massage. She then asked me to do a breathing exercise and said I wasn't to focus on my breathing and just relax. It took me a good 10 minutes to stop thinking about my breathing.

The back and neck massage were wonderful, I drifted in and out of sleep for the next 45 minutes, she focused on my shoulders where she could feel the tension and my lower back after I slipped 3 discs earlier this year. She also massaged down my legs and arms.

Unlike other massages I've had, Tina didn't make me jump or startle me at all, she kept one hand on my body at all times, even when moving from the neck to the legs and several times checked that the firm pressure was ok.

Finishing off with a foot massage or so I thought then asked me to turn onto my back for a head massage, which was simply divine.

After dressing Tina made me a cup of green tea and provided some dried fruit and nuts and advised I drank plenty of liquids for the rest of the day and to keep my shoulders warm from the air conditioning.

I had to add 50 AED to the 200 AED voucher and I was asked if I would be in again, but no pressure was put on me to make another appointment and I wasn't pressurised into buying anything either.

I will return in a couple of months as I thoroughly enjoyed the morning and I finished my morning off with Pancakes, fruit and tea at Big Chefs Cafe.

If in the meantime anyone else thinks their massage and customer service can top that, I'd be happy to  try them out.

The sponsored blog post and then what really happened

There are sponsored blog posts and there are the down right bloody hysterical.

OK so you've declared its a sponsored post...well done you are getting better, but we can spot the difference between a normal post about a day and a post written around the product you've begged for to review.

In the mind of the blogger:

After a good night, co-sharing with Mini and Moo. Dearest husband brought breakfast in bed as he does every morning before going to work as a environmentalist. The children's Nanny arrived and I luxuriated in my (insert name of latest bath product and price tag) which was sent to me by the lovely people at (name flowery online company) I dressed (insert picture, with photo credit link to catalogue page and name the wonderful people who sent todays outfit of choice) and joined the children for their organic breakfast (name company and price)

Using the twins new double buggy (again donated by.....you getting the drift yet?) we strolled to the (hideously overpriced location), where they children received education appropriate to the activity. More organic food for lunch from the (insert name of café)

We arrive home and are very excited to discover our Organic weekly fruit box from (insert name of company and price) and use a meal planner online to ensure we use the exotic vegetables with suitably named meals.

In the mind of the reader:

Kids up all bloody night, hubby doesn't quite match up to the wifes expectations and is in some lower paid job, he is happy but his job prevents the misses from climbing the social ladder.
The Nanny is totally made up and the blogger relies on the fact that she will hopefully never met anyone off twitter. Bath products from supermarket on offer, not sponsored but will write about them in hope of an offer in the future. Breakfast is white toast and jam and a mug of instant coffee, amongst last nights dishes, crying, snotty kids refusing to eat. Takes a further 2 hours to get ready to go out and you opt to stay in the jeans and baggy jumper.

Paid a fortune to go into a place that you know your kids won't enjoy just so you can tell the mums at the school gate how good you are planning educational activities. You didn't get asked to review it but will write about it anyway on the off chance they'll ask and it sounds better than the local park that everyone knows is full of druggies and my Boden skirt will be ruined)

Your kids eat sausage, egg and chips at the greasy spoon café for lunch after a day being filled with sweets and crisps and pop so they'll behave for the photo you take of them looking angelic (spaced out) for the blog post.

Arrived home to find a box of veg on your doorstep, sent by the local grocer, who like you is pretending to be something he isn't. It's free as you've told him you review products online and he wants a piece of the action, he's priced the box at £13 and you look at the 6 potatoes, half a swede, 5 carrots, 10 onions (all on the turn) a mixed salad bag and wonder how the hell you're going to get the kids to eat an avocado.