Champney's - Day 2

Woke at 7.30 a.m. today and went down for a swim in the relatively quiet pool. Breakfast at 9.00 am consisted of Champney's "soaked museli", cinnamon bagel with marmite and fresh fruit. Ha coffee as I had already drunk two cups of tea already this morning. Read the Times at breakfast and in the Piano Lounge. Decided that I needed some exercise but didn't fancy the gym. Instead went for a walk in the grounds. Originally it was to be a mile of so but as I somehow ended up on the wrong side of the lake by following a path through the forest it was almost two. I was beginning to worry that I would miss my 12.30 p.m. lunch. Needn't have worried as I met a few lady guests coming in the opposite direction so knew I would get back to Champneys at some point even if it was via the Hospital for Poorly Horses (the Equine Hospital) - I have visions of lots of dobbins lying in large beds discussing the merits of their various friends' chances in the 2.30 at Chepstow or the 3.45 at Newmarket - all with thermometers in their mouths or their legs in plaster! Made lunch on the terrace okay - outside for the first time on a visit here. Lunch consisted of a type of waldorf salad with chicken instead of waldorfs, smoked mackerel, a seafood concoction with bits of squid in it, beetroot, couscous and new potatoes. This was followed by a peach panacotta - absolutely delicious. Read more of Adrian Plass's book this afternoon and then had my treatment at 4 p.m. - thalassotherapy (hope I've spelt it right as the spellchecker can't cope with it!) Comes from the Greek word for sea so in simple terms it is seawater treatment which is supposed to get rid of all my toxins and rejuvenate me - some hope I hear Sara cry! Anyway it does seem to have the effect of making me want to drink a lot of water and go to the loo so I guess something works. Dinner tonight was salmon gravelax (more lax than gravel or salmon) but it was strangely filling. This was followed by pink lamb on a bed of couscous (I don't normally like the stuff but I've had two doses today) with frsh vegetables followed by a gooseberry ice cream/sorbet thingy with almond biscuits. Unusual but nice. Went this evening to talk about reading faces - how the different features of a face can disclose a person's personality and health. Fascinating even if one is sceptical. Apparently this is a form of diagnosis used in Ancient China and can be remarkably accurate. Can't wait to try it out - so please forgive me if I stare at you the next time I see you. Just trying to find out the state of your liver or your sex life!