Tag: floatation tanks

Floating

I spent an hour in a floatation tank and ticked another challenge off my list.

Last Wednesday I went to Floatworks near London Bridge for my floatation tank experience. I’d been at the Hockney Exhibition at the Royal Academy beforehand and had a bit of rush across London to get there in time so wasn’t feeling particularly relaxed when I arrived. The building looks like a warehouse and I wasn’t sure how to get in. The door, when I found it, looked like a tradesmen’s entrance on the side of the building and I had to ring the bell to get buzzed in.

I went down the not particularly enticing stairs to the dimly lit reception area. It had a fish tank and there was new age relaxation type music playing. Very cliched. As I sat waiting I thought about how depressing it would be to work down here in nice weather. I had to fill in a form and was given a pair of flip flops to wear.

After a few minutes I was called through. The rooms are private and each have a shower, a chair and a big egg shaped floatation tank in them. I was given instructions on how to use it – pretty simple really: button on right is emergency button; first button on left is for the light inside the tank; second button on left is to control the lid. There was also a spray bottle of fresh water on the inside of the tank in case I got salt water in my eyes. Luckily I didn’t need it.

I was told to have a quick shower and in five minutes music would start playing and the lights in the room would go out. The shower had gel, shampoo and conditioner and I was provided with a towel. There was also vaseline in case I had any cuts (it’s recommended to put vaseline over them to prevent stinging) and earplugs. These aren’t for noise prevention, but to prevent too much salty water getting in your ears.

I got undressed and showered pretty quickly so I was in the tank before the lights went out. I got myself stretched out in the water and put the neck pillow under my neck. I checked out that I knew where the buttons were and that I knew how to control the lights and lid of the tank itself.

The music started low and got slightly louder as the lights dimmed. It plays for the first 10 minutes. Then there are 45 minutes of silence before a final 5 minutes of music to let you know your time is almost up. I turned the light out in the tank and lay in complete darkness listening to the music and trying to get comfy. Although I was floating I wasn’t really letting all my muscles relax, particularly my neck muscles. I moved around a bit too. I’d only realise I’d moved when my head or feet would touch the end of the tank or I’d touch the sides.

I didn’t put the lid down at first as it was completely dark anyway. But then the part of my body that was above the water line started to feel a bit cold, so I lowered the lid and warmed up straight away. It was a bit stuffy, but better than being cold.

I did manage to relax and felt quite drowsy but didn’t actually nod off. When the music started to play again I was surprised that the 45 minutes were already over. I raised the lid and sat up. Then I lay down again, but this time without the neck pillow. It wasn’t any better. If I was to do this again I don’t know what I could do to help my neck feel comfortable.

I got out of the tank (easier said than done with such buoyant water) and back into the shower. As I was in the shower the tank lid closed and gurgling noises emanated from it – no doubt it was being cleaned ready for the next user. It took a while to feel that I’d got all the salt off my body and out of my hair. Once I was dry and dressed I went to another room where there are mirrors, hairdryers and spray deodorants. Then, apart from paying, my experience was over.

So what did I think of it and did it live up to my expectations? I think it was pretty much what I expected it to be. I enjoyed it as a one off experience but don’t think it was any more relaxing than a spa pool, jacuzzi or steam room. For less than the £45 this cost me, I could have spent several hours in one of the spas in Baden Baden in Germany and would have left feeling much more relaxed than I did from here. I’m glad I’ve done it and sated my curiosity and I would recommend it as a chance to experience something a bit different. However, it’s not something I’ll likely do again (not unless it was a lot cheaper!) and even if money wasn’t an issue it doesn’t appeal as something to do on a regular basis.

One plus though, is that for several days afterwards my skin felt really soft. Even after I’d had other showers the effect still lasted.

Planning

Lots of plans are starting to come together.

Having plans for fun things to do in the holidays or at weekends is what keeps me going through term time. Especially when I work 14 hour days like today. And know that I’ll be late again tomorrow. And even that won’t be enough; I’ll still be behind with everything I need to do. So the plans are really important.

This week my plans have really been coming together for half term. I’ll be going down to London to stay with a friend in Chesham for the first part of the week and then heading round the M25 to Kent to stay with different friends for a few days.

On the Monday I’m going to Wembley to do a tour of the new stadium. We’re then heading into town to have a late lunch at Jamie Oliver’s Fifteen restaurant. To finish off our day we have tickets for a Night of Adventure at the Vue Cinema in Leicester Square. This is a roll call of people who do interesting, adventurous and intrepid things. They each present a slide show of their ‘adventure’ but have only 20 slides and 20 seconds per slide to present it. I’m hoping for inspiration.

We also want to go to the Vertigo 42 bar on the 42nd floor of the Nat West Tower. This is the second tallest building in London and the bar is small and surrounded by windows with amazing views. It’s expensive so we’ll only be having one drink there. I don’t know if we’ll have time to fit it in on Monday between the restaurant and the show so may have to postpone it till another evening.

For the Tuesday and Wednesday I have my tickets for the Hajj exhibition at the British Museum and the floatation tank. I’ll have plenty of time on these days to do other things as well, like visiting some of my favourite shops: Stanford’s, the Algerian Coffee Stores, the bookshops on Charing Cross Road …

As well as plans for this half term, I also have the England game to look forward to in the June half term and Womad in the summer. A few weekends are getting booked up too, with friends coming to stay at the end of the January and a weekend in Nottingham planned so I can go to my first ever ice hockey game with a friend’s daughter (she’s a bit of an expert and so will be able to explain it all to me).

The 14 hour days don’t seem so bad when I think about all of this.

Lots going on

I seem to have an awful lot of exciting things going on at the moment.

There seems to be so much happening at the moment. We’re on day 9 of the year and already I feel that this is going to be a good year in which I’m going to achieve lots.

I signed up for the travel writing course with the London School of Journalism on Saturday night and by Sunday I had my first two lessons emailed to me. I really wasn’t expecting it to be that quick! Today I’ve had another email from them with a lot more information. I’ve skimmed through the two lessons to get an idea of what’s expected of me so I can start thinking about them. I’ll wait until the weekend to go through them properly though.

Still on the topic of writing, yesterday I was reading Wanderlust magazine and found a short book review that had been submitted by a reader. This is a regular column where readers can submit a review of a ‘must read book’ that they’ve ‘read on location’. There’s no payment involved, but it seems like a good way to start getting myself into print.

I made a quick study of the style of the already published article and then wrote one in a similar style and emailed it off to the magazine. I also used a few of the tips I’d picked up from my skim-reading of the two writing course lessons I’ve received to make the layout and presentation seem a bit more professional. I’ve already got a reply from ‘Tom’ thanking me and saying he’s looking forward to reading it. Reading what? My review? Or the book itself because he likes my review? Does this mean I’m going to be published? It’s all a bit ambiguous. But if I am published then that’s a good start on my 2012 twelve list.

On a completely different topic, today was my first day back at school and I was already discussing half-term plans with a colleague. We got onto summer holiday plans and she mentioned she has booked to go to Womad with a group of girlfriends. I had no plans to go to Womad over the next few years because it falls in the summer holidays when I’d rather be away somewhere for a month or more. I want to go to Womad, but thought it could wait a while. However, when my colleague mentioned it and then invited me along it seemed like fate. Another example of how keeping a list and focussing on the things I want to achieve helps to make them happen. So I’ve said I’ll go. It should be fun to be with a group of people as well.

I’ve just been online to book a ticket, but it’s all a bit confusing. I need to check with her tomorrow which type of ticket she’s got and for which days, then I can get mine booked. I’ll still have time to go to Scotland afterwards (or Japan if the free tickets thing happens), and I can explore Wiltshire or Somerset for a few days before the festival starts.

I’ve got the floatation tank booked in London for half-term and today they’ve emailed me to confirm two sessions. I’ve mailed back to correct it to one session! I’ve also got a ticket for the Hajj exhibition at the British Museum over half-term. During the rest of my time in London the friend I’m staying with suggested meeting up at lunch time one day to go to Jamie Oliver’s restaurant Fifteen. If we can’t get in there then we may go to the Ritz for afternoon tea instead. I’d like to go to Jamie’s restaurant, but the afternoon tea at the Ritz would mean another challenge ticked off. Choices, choices …

Whilst I was planning my half-term and thinking about the things I can achieve I thought I might as well check out England fixtures at Wembley. I got excited when I realised England are playing Holland on February 29th, until I realised that this is the week after half-term. I thought about trying to get down for the game, but I really don’t think I’d make it on time. I’ve looked at other fixtures and there’s a Belgium game I could go to in June. It’s on a Saturday, so the travelling time wouldn’t be a problem. I’d rather go to the Holland game, as The Netherlands is a country I go to most years and feel a bit of a connection to. Also, the only other game I’ve ever been to at Wembley was an international schoolboys’ game when I was at school myself. This game was England vs Holland, and so it seemed kind of meant to be that the game I see now should be England vs Holland. Except it’s not meant to be. Oh well, can’t have everything.

To apply for tickets for an England game I need a FAN (FA number). I’ve applied for one and now have it ready for when the tickets for the Belgium game go on sale. I’ll have to keep monitoring the FA’s site to make sure I do get a ticket.

I still have quite a few posts about Iceland in the draft stage as well which I’m trying to get finished, but now I’m getting distracted by all these other things. I’m certainly not complaining about having lots of good things going on in my life though!

I’m home

I’ve just got back from Iceland and I already have a huge to-do list.

I got home from Iceland this morning. It’s been a really long day as I had to get up at 3.30am for my flight. I have so many different things I want to blog about I don’t know where to start. It’s going to take a while for me to get everything out of my head and on to my computer. I met some amazing people, heard some amazing stories and saw the Northern Lights. Amazing.

I’ve been practising with my new camera and been taking loads of photos every day. I still have to take one for today to keep up with 2012 task of taking at least one photo every day. I ordered a video camera before I went away and it has arrived. I haven’t opened it yet, but learning how to use it will go towards my other 2012 task of learning how to use three new pieces of technology or software.

Over the coming week I need to book the floatation tank for half term and enrol on a writing course. I also need to sort out insurance for the two houses I currently own (my goal is five); sort out some repairs in the house I rent out; put together a fitness programme; return my new backpack as it’s already got a seam coming loose; get to Martin Mere to take a photo that will win me a trip to Antarctica; remember to take a photo each day; download (and upload) all my photos; try to get out on at least one walk; and get my blog updated. I don’t really have time to go back to school on Monday!