Spa's are, I feel, something of a contradiction in terms. They're billed as the ultimate in relaxation getaways; places to be mindful and zen-like, to be pampered and allow the everyday stresses to dissipate into nothingness amongst the calming music, multiple pools, massages, steam rooms, mud treatments and near endless supply of inexplicably watermelon infused drinking water...
In other words; the very definition of calm serenity. A blissful environment to wile away the hours (and the wallet) in calm and soothing surroundings.
And, for some, I'm sure they are.
But for others, and I'm very much placing myself firmly in *this* camp; they're also among the horniest places it's possible to find yourself.
Because in addition to being veritable bastions of inner peace, they're filled to the brim with frequently beautiful examples of the human form, all of whom are largely resplendent in only their swimwear, are often found either bobbing around in seemingly handsome-enhancing water, or alternately parading around still enjoyably moist and dripping having only recently emerged.
And far from merely being granted to the opportunity to passively ogle these individuals, you find yourselves frequently in exceptionally close confines with them; sat near side by side watching the sweat glisten as it drips down their torso in a steam room, or occasionally wedged into gloriously skin-on-skin contact in a hot tub, while jets do their best to get you feeling fizzy in every sense of the word.
All of this is without even throwing in the possibility of having received a massage at some point during the experience; though you can be assured that being pummelled with magic fingers while you can do nothing but daydream about the glorious specimens you've encountered does equally little to lower the libido.
Am I exaggerating? Perhaps a little. I've certainly been at Spa's where almost none of the above applies and, instead, I've been surrounded largely by leathery pensioners wherein I've been dragging the average age of the clientele down by a quarter of a century. Or where the establishment has been populated almost entirely by self aggrandising wankers whose bespoke monogrammed towelling robe cost more than all of the treatment packages combined; the type of guy who says 'Yah' instead of yeah - a guaranteed means of making my sex drive switch immediately into hibernation mode.
But - old folk and unbearable wankers aside - Spa's are sexy.
They don't flaunt themselves as such, of course. Indeed more often than not, quite the opposite. The vast majority of spa retreats impose rules not entirely dissimilar to those of the 1990's public swimming baths of Britain; No heavy petting. I.e. let the watermelon water extinguish your burning loins, or find yourself getting kicked out. And, let me tell you, there is absolutely *no* way of saving your dignity when you are KICKED OUT of a relaxation retreat. But that is, quite literally, another story.
Because the thing is, while it's true to say that no Spa will actively lean in to its sexy undertones, there are certainly a few that are more than willing to be more (irony alert;) *relaxed* at the prospect. Content to simply look the other way in the face of exciting shenanigans.
And, for clarity, I'm not talking about the decidedly dodgy sort that offer happy ending massages, or that host secret sex parties on off peak days. Instead they tend to be the more remote 'countryside getaway' hotels and spas that might attract couples for romantic getaways and are understanding that, providing it's not making anyone else present uncomfortable, the 'sensual' atmosphere can have an effect, and are happy to allow things to become romantic as and when the desire takes hold. The variety who, instead of a 'No Heavy Petting' sign, may instead display the polite yet knowing instruction; 'Please ensure water is the only fluid present in our hot-tub. Thank you'.
It was at one such spa where I found myself earlier this year. Not for a romantic getaway, but instead accompanied by my friend Charlie who had purchased the experience for me as a Christmas present in order to (very kindly) 'help ease the stresses of December' (a long and entirely unrelated story which, like the pantomime it is associated with, is now mercifully 'BEHIND ME').
In her defence, Charlie hadn't realised it was an experience largely targeted at couples. Though she was delighted to lean into the notion when we were welcomed by a receptionist who clearly believed us to be a lesbian duo.
"I'm afraid it's a little... boisterous in there at the moment," warned the receptionist after running us through the usual pleasantries, her pause before the word 'boisterous' being such that she was clearly worried that utilising a derivative of the male signifier may upset our clearly feminist-only sensibilities. "There's a male group in I think celebrating a significant birthday. If they're any trouble *at all* please don't hesitate to let us know. They should only be in for the first hour of your experience before their allotted time is up. If you'd like I can see if we could push your start time back so there's not as much overlap?"
Charlie and I eyed each other knowingly, declined the very generous offer, and hurried off to change into our swimwear.
Boisterous lads of a certain age, you say? Maybe it could be Christmas again after all!
As it turned out, the definition of 'Boisterous' turned out to be more of an indicator as to the sheer entrenched middle-class-ness of the establishment than of the gentlemen themselves. What it actually meant in this instance was 'four guys in their thirties with voices naturally a little louder than that you'd find on a typical golf course.'
Which I suppose would make them 'FORE' guys. (There it is. The worst joke I'll ever write. Remember me fondly.)
While none of the quartet were inherently natural Adonises (Adoni? Adoneese? I digress), they adequately fulfilled the usual variety of characteristics you'd fine in any group of men. There was the tall, sensible one; Nick, the slightly larger funny one; Aaron, the lanky, handsome quiet one; Nick and the 'other' one; Dougie.
Reader, I know what you're thinking. But no, this is no sleight on poor Dougie. Dougie was wonderful (as you'll eventually learn), but he was also, by any definition, the 'other' one. There's one in every group. He was neither the tallest, shortest, fattest, thinnest, funniest, loudest, quietest... He was the median man. So it's not just me being mean. (Second worst joke I'll ever write. Don't worry, I'm sure I'll actually mention something sexual eventually. Stick around.)
Secondly, you're thinking; "She's lost the plot and is clearly making this up ; two guys are called Nick! Gotcha!" Reader, I wish that were true. But, in fact, TWO guys in this group of FOUR were called Nick. Neither went by Nicholas or Nicky or any other variation. The group was 50% Nick. I suggested this should be their band name. Aaron suggested this was less a band name and more of a nickname. As I said; he was the funny one.
For ease I'll refer to them here as Tall Nick and Quiet Nick. I was incredibly tempted to call them PaNICKing and sNICKering, but I've saved you the ordeal of reading that typographical mess if nothing else.
I'll save on arduous detail as to the spa layout and contents - it occurs to me I've now written over 1200 words and not a single one of them could be considered even remotely 'arousing' as yet, which is pushing it even by my glacial anecdotal standards. All you need know is that there were several Sauna/Steam room setups (dry heat/wet heat and a third which i can only assume is a form of heat hitherto undiscovered by man) and three 'hot tubs' - one a jacuzzi style as part of the pool, one a standalone and one outdoor.
Charlie and I were in the outdoor hot-tub when we first encountered the quartet. Far from the loutish thugs they'd been unfairly painted, they'd headed outside for a bracing dip among the elements and discovered the two of us happily stewing away. Instead of leaping straight in, they'd assumed we perhaps didn't want any male company and so were instead awkwardly loitering in a manner that only British men can as they weighed up which was worse; politely asking to join two women in a hot tub, or retreating inside after presumably spending dozens of minutes summoning the willpower to head out into the cold in the first place.
I saved them the effort:
"Don't stand there freezing. There's plenty of room if you want in?"