Take a mud bath with me (Karen Courtney)

Well, hello, yes! This sounds amazing, right?  I've never even done a spa day before, so I was excited to try this out. My sister knew the place she wanted to go - Indian Springs Resort and Spa in Calistoga, CA. She gave me a quick run through of all the steps to the mud bath process. Thank you, Karen, for not letting me walk in blind!

What is it like?

1. Strip down in the locker room and get into your plush, green robe
2. Sip cucumber infused water
3. Enter the mud bath room and lose our robe
4. Climb into a giant tub of hot, black mud with the assistance of Maria
5. Since you don't sink in the mud, lay on top of the mud naked, while Maria scoops up mud and covers you up
6. Lay in the mud for 12-15 minutes
7. Briefly wash off
8. Enter a hot water tub for 12-15 minutes
9. Sip cucumber infused water
10. Enter the sauna for desired length
11. Sip cucumber infused water
12. Get wrapped in a sheet
13. Lay in a private room with cucumbers and a cool washcloth over my eyes
14. Take a final shower... still public
15. Return to locker room the change
16. Sip more cucumber water

What did I think? 

Um... positives first...

• The staff was awesome
• It was a completely calming environment

All right, what am I holding back...

• I might be claustrophobic. I might have been fighting back some panic as my head was slipping off the pillow and the pressure of the mud on my chest seemed overwhelming (think La Brea Tarpit). 
• Also, it was hot, hot, hot. At one point, I was able to wiggle my foot out of the mud because I was so hot, but then Maria came by and plopped a big splat of mud back on top (sigh). 
• I would have preferred to have a private shower at some point. Yes, ladies, there was mud everywhere! I just don't shower the same when there is a room of people milling about around me.  

It seems many of my family that have taken a mud bath share my claustrophobic feeling, but I am lucky that they did not share this with me until after my mud bath; I got to have my own, uninfluenced experience. I'm really happy that I got to try it and share the experience with my sister.

Thanks Karen!