Katie Abbott's Inspiration Retreat in Kerala, India
With its mountainous peaks, sedate backwaters, timeless tea plantations and exotic wildlife, Kerala is a magical pocket of southwest India that will captivate you from the moment you arrive.
This 9-day retreat has been created to offer you a true taste of India, away from the tourist traps of the north, so you will have plenty of time to slow down, explore and relax.
Your experience will also be an exploration of your own wellbeing, as we will discover together where our experience of life comes from and how we function as human beings. The insights and discoveries you will have on this retreat will be grounding, heart warming and life enriching. You will also have the opportunity to balance mind and body, with gentle yoga, stretching and massage.
Katie Abbott is running this retreat in partnership with Frui (www.frui.co.uk). As always with Frui, everything is organised for you and your every need is catered for. Everything from shopping trips, personal guides, excursions, restaurants, accommodation and transfers - it's like having your very own butler with you on holiday! You can relax completely, allowing you to focus on experiencing and discovering at your own pace.
Itinerary
A typical itinerary for Katie Abbott's retreat in Kerala.
Day 1
Arrive in Cochin and transfer to the Kumarakom backwaters
(This first day depends on flight times, however, we endeavour to arrive on AM flights)
After landing at Cochin City Airport we'll be greeted by our local guide. From here it's a short journey south to the small town of Kumarakom, in the heart of Kerala's enchanting backwaters.
After checking into our lovely first hotel we'll enjoy a spot of lunch and welcome drink, all against the backdrop of exotic tropical birds native to this part of India. Following an introduction to your retreat, there's a chance for an afternoon rest or a stroll around a nearby village. Dinner tonight will be a welcoming feast at the hotel.
Day 2
A morning exploration into innate wellbeing and exploring the backwaters
During the morning we will explore how we create our own experience of life and you will discover some profound truths about your own innate well-being. We will do this as we relax by the hotel's pool before we head out to explore Kumarakom and the surrounding backwaters. Here life exists at a slower pace and we're free to reflect on the morning's discussions as we absorb the day to day life on the water and along the riverbanks, which are dotted with fishing nets and villages.
We will then stop for a leisurely lunch at a charming local home-stay where we have a chance to relax and soak up the atmosphere.
It's then time to stroll back to the hotel stopping on the way to meet the local people who live in this part of India, who, with the help of our guide, will be able to offer us an insight into day-to-day life in the backwaters.
A chance to relax by the pool and experience a gently yoga class and/or Indian massage.
After a day of exploring it's time for a drink and lie-down by the hotel's pool. For those who want to there is also a chance to have a traditional Indian massage and/or yoga class.
As the sun sets, we gather outside on the terrace. It's then time for yet another mouthwatering southern Indian dinner followed by a chance to explore the local area.
Day 3
All aboard our houseboats and a once in a lifetime adventure into the backwaters
The morning's workshop will focus on how we can live with more peace of mind, less stress and better relationships. Following this we leave our hotel and journey down to the water's edge and to our stunning fleet of traditional houseboats. There's no better way to explore this network of waterways than by boat and today and tonight we'll be taken deep into the untouched backwaters of Kerala. We'll have the chance to stop along the way to enjoy all the exotic flora, fauna and remote villages that line the miles of riverbanks.
Following lunch on the boats, we'll sedately cruise further into the backwaters. Our boats will then take us to Alleppey, a town with picturesque canals, backwaters, beaches and lagoons, described as 'the Venice of the East' by Marco Polo.
Late afternoon stroll around Alleppey, reflection session and dinner on the boats
Here we'll moor up the houseboats and have time for a reflection session with Katie. As you begin to understand the principles underlying your state of mind you will have insights into the nature and working of your own life. These insights will lead to greater clarity and more ease.
As the sun sets over the backwaters we'll gather on deck. Our chef will then cook us up a selection of local curries for us to sample on the boat - a mouthwatering introduction into gastronomy in Kerala!
Day 4
Munnar and the tea plantations
Today we journey further into the heart of Kerala and to the majestic tea plantations surrounding the town of Munnar. After settling into our stunning hillside hotel with inspiring views across the surrounding landscape we can watch the sun go down before enjoying a massage and or/yoga. Dinner tonight will introduce us to a variety of different flavours traditional to inland Kerala.
Day 5
Tea plantations and your own personal coaching sessions
Today it is time to pause, rest and relax. Katie will share the very heart of her work with you one-on-one. She works with many people whose lives are touched and changed and this is your opportunity to explore what is most important to you and continue your own journey into experiencing peace of mind- regardless of situation or circumstance. When you are not working with Katie directly you will be able to enjoy relaxation and rejuvenating treatments along side your own resting time.
Day 6
Early morning Jeep ride into the hills of Kulukmalai
Just before sunrise we are picked up at the hotel by a convoy of jeeps! These jeeps take us on a journey through the plantations and into the hills of Kulukmalai. Put simply, the scenery here is awe inspiring and best seen early in the morning, as the mist slowly rises off the tea leaves. After breakfast in the hills, we visit a secluded tea factory, which has not changed since the 1930s.
Spa and Relaxation
On returning to our hotel for lunch we then relax and enjoy a traditional Indian wellness experience of Ayurveda, Yoga and Vedanta combined with the sharing of Katie's work into health and well-being to bring the union of mind, body and soul.
Day 7
Journey back to the coast and to Cochin
After breakfast we'll head west and back down to the coastal town of Cochin. After settling into our lovely hotel in the heart of the old town known as Fort Cochin, we'll enjoy a spot of lunch and then head out to explore the town. Most of Fort Cochin is over one thousand years old and has an unusual, and extremely photogenic, blend of Portuguese, Dutch, English and, of course, Indian architecture.
Fort Cochin beach at sunset
As evening draws in we'll wander down to the beach for more group learning and reflection and to absorb the hustle and bustle, including fishing boats being loaded up and heading out to sea, local children playing games in the sand and old timers chewing the cud. Dinner tonight will be at a local waterside restaurant.
Day 8
A morning of shopping or a walking tour of Fort Cochin and afternoon of coaching sessions
This morning there is the chance to go shopping with a local guide or you can have a guided walking tour of some of the other many highlights of Fort Cochin.
After we all meet for a leisurely lunch you'll be able to have more pampering including massage and/or yoga and continued sessions into your own well-being. This may include gaining greater perspective on what is happening around you, the ability to be more in the moment and enjoy life and to have richer and more fulfilling relationships with other people.
Tonight we'll all be sitting down to our final feast and what will surly be an evening or sharing and celebration.
Day 9
Leisurely breakfast and depart for Airport
This morning depends very much on flight times, however, usually we'll enjoy an early breakfast and head to the airport. Depending on flight times, there may also be the opportunity to get in some final shopping!
Dates and Prices:
11 -1 9th February 2012
£3499 (All inclusive, except flights)
Early bird offer if booked before September 2011 is £2999
Flights with Emirates via Dubai departing 10 Feb. Before booking your flights please contact henry@frui.co.uk for recommended flights so you can benefit from airport transfers.
Places are limited to only six so to book your place either contact Katie directly at info@thepersonalcoach.co.uk or Henry at Frui - henry@frui.co.uk.
About Katie Abbott:
Katie Abbott is a Wellbeing Expert and Personal Coach working from London's Harley Street. She has written for The Guardian and The Observer, and is a regularly contributor to Psychologies Magazine.
Please contact:
Katie Abbott
Email: info@thepersonalcoach.co.uk
Tel: 07725 691 303
Website: www.thepersonalcoach.co.uk
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