Relax - The one with the sunset yacht cruise

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JOANNE'S JOURNEYS: day 7
Straits Times Online Editor Joanne Lee shares about her 'grueling' one-week detox holiday in Koh Samui in this exclusive blog feature.

IT'S our last full day at Absolute Sanctuary (http://absolutesanctuary.com) and we're determined to make the most of it.

Despite a little drizzle last night, the weather is perfect today and we're looking forward to the programme Claire, the resort's executive director, has planned for us today.

When she tells us what she has in store, we get super excited. It's a private yacht cruise around the bay of Samui at sunset. So after my morning massage and subsequent ablutions are over, Claire drives us down to the stretch of beach where a Belgian sea captain, Gerry, runs his two yachts for private charter.

It's a bright, sunshiney day.
[Photo: Janice Lee Fang]

Gerry points out his yacht.
[Photo: Janice Lee Fang]

Boat for hire.
[Photo: Joanne Lee]

Gerry's yacht (private-yacht.com) is an Atkinson 35 and could easily accomodate 10 passengers and two crew members. We took a little dinghy out to the yacht itself and we set off for a two-hour cruise around the northernmost end of Koh Samui.

Honestly, we were very happy Claire arranged it for us because it's not something that we would normally set aside holiday time for. The reason: Janice's husband gets sea-sick very easily. So, since he wasn't around, we could kick back and enjoy the dipping and lurching of the yacht as the winds buffeted around our vessel.

A bit of sun and a can of Chang.
[Photo: Joanne Lee]

Stretching out in the sea breeze.
[Photo: Janice Lee Fang]

One of the first things Gerry did when we settled down was to offer us a drink. Naturally Janice took him up on the beer offer. I passed.

I must say this passing on alcoholic drinks thing is pretty nouveau to me. Usually the mix of tangy sea breeze and yeasty beer is too delicious to pass up. Since starting the detox six days ago, however, the yearning to imbibe is far less urgent.

It's one of the reasons, I'm convinced, that I'm shedding the kilogrammes. No alcohol means no water retention, and I'm quite pleased with my discipline.

The real test is one hour into the yacht cruise. Gerry pops a bottle of sparkling wine and my longing must have shown plain on my face. I relent finally and allow him to pour me a glass since it's not every day I get to enjoy a lovely sunset cruise with my little sister.

Miraculously, I stick to one glass and didn't really feel the need for a top-up. Perhaps it's the breathtaking sunset; perhaps it's my sister's company; perhaps it's the detox kicking in. Whatever it is, I'm happy. Knowing you don't need the drink to have a good time is liberating!

At sea with Captain Gerry.
[Photo: Joanne Lee]

By the time the sun set, we circled back to our stretch of beach and we rushed back to Absolute Sanctuary where a media party is underway to introduce the resort's new organic dishes.

Oddly, even with free flow wine all around me, I don't feel the need to pounce on a glass to quench my thirst. Instead, I calmly order a detox drink from the pool bar. If this keeps up when I go home, it could well be the start of a new Joanne - one who won't suffer from alcohol-induced dehydration and bloat! The thought makes me really happy I decided to take up Claire's Ultimate Detox challenge.

With Claire at the Absolute Sanctuary media party.
[Photo: Joanne Lee]

So, before we check out on the morrow, I'll be undergoing one last colonic therapy session then it's evaluation time with Dr Alister Bredee to see how much I've benefitted from the seven-day treatment.

How much weight have I lost? Is it maintainable? What will I have to do to keep it up?

I can hardly sleep I'm so nervous!

- Missed the earlier blog entries, read them here:
Day 1 - The one about the last hurrah
Day 2 - The one about "absolut" of a very different kind
Day 3 - The one with the Ménage à Trois
Day 4 - The one about resort etiquette
Day 5 - The one about turtle island
Day 6 - The one about living the simple life