Rubbed, Scrubbed and Covered in Mud

When Tierra Atacama first offered to host me at their resort the thing that intrigued me most was the spa.

You see one thing that no one factors into their travel expenses is the maintenance needed not to feel like a filthy backpacker.

Here in the desert you can literally feel the moisture escaping and dry cracked skin moving in.

You could age ten years in just a few days.

No one tells you that you’ll need pedicures and facials to combat the stresses of 20 hour bus rides where you cannot drink water because there is no bathroom and you cannot bear to pee into a bottle.

The last time I properly addressed this was when my family came to visit me in Ecuador in August – 7 months ago! I got a body scrub which involved me laying on plastic sheet, being scrubbed down and then bathed by a woman in a bathtub filled with rose petals – yes it was weird.

I wasn’t sure what to expect at Tierra Atacama but once I was at the resort the first place I wanted to head was the spa.

Body Scrub: Exfoliation with desert salts and hydrating massage with hazelnut cream

I’ll warn you that any body scrub is not for the modest. You need to be completely naked for most of it. But Maca, the esthetician was amazing. I never felt uncomfortable and she didn’t put me in some weird rose petal bath.

I like it here.

Body Wrap Mud herbal detox wrap

I was happy to see Maca again as we had already passed the getting to know you while I’m completely naked phase. I’ve never had a mud wrap before but I liked it so much I considered changing the site name to mud is magic.

Facial: Deep hydration desert facial

Ecstatic to see Maca yet again and happier that this time I could wear some clothing. I’ve had facials before but this was different and they weren’t kidding about deep hydration.

Just when I thought I was done with the moisturizer she put on more. This was also a first for the Silence of the Lambs like mask – I should get brownie points for posting this photo.

Is it possible to live here?

Tours and food aside, I love the spa facilities. You could go for treatments but also just lounge around the outdoor pool, indoor heated pool or sauna. And for some crazy reason if you were hungry there were apples and pitchers of water flavoured with citrus fruit.

I may not be able to continue traveling. How can I possibly continue life without Maca?

 

Full disclosure: Tierra Atacama hosted me at the hotel and spa at no charge. They did not request that I write about the spa or that I fall in love with Maca.