KEY POINTS:
I didn't know it, but the fact that I was stressed made it the ideal time to experience Pujjis, the boutique Nelson accommodation nestled in a hidden-away spot on the banks of the Maitai River.
The owners Arvind and Jane Pujji are in their element when hosting life-weary and stressed-out people.
Jane Pujji describes the location as "in a small valley, outside a small town, at the top of the southern island of a small country at the bottom of the South Pacific Ocean".
Their two-storeyed home was carefully chosen and centred in front of deep, clear swimming holes. Arvind and Jane have brought the house and the river even closer together by building expansive timber decks and steps running the length of the house.
Guests have the choice of four double bedrooms with ensuites, the morning or afternoon sun, and views into the crystal-clear river to its pebbled bed, where the trout can sometimes be seen lazing in the warm pools.
This is truly a haven for those who need to unwind. Guests can decide how much they see of the Pujjis, although reading about the couple's expertise in assessing and realigning out-of-sorts bodies with massage is too tempting to resist.
Jane says many guests are travellers who have had years of staying in plush, bustling city hotels and have lost the enthusiasm for that sort of accommodation.
They prefer a bit of outdoor adventure - such as the walking tracks and kayaking spots around the Abel Tasman National Park - plus and the chance to take care of their bodies with the massages she and Arvind offer.
With a limit to the number of guests Pujjis can host at one time, there's plenty of room for the guest who relishes the idea of doing absolutely nothing.
The list of luxuries can include sleeping in a tranquil bedroom or cocooned in a hammock on the deck. One guest arrived at Pujjis intending to rest, go power walking, have daily massages, and generally re-charge his batteries.
"He knew he needed to get some help for his body - and his mind," says Arvind. "He was a successful businessman, but at the cost of his health, his marriage and everyone in his private life.
"He was here for four days and all he did was sleep."
Arvind is extensively trained in teaching yoga, and he and Jane are trained in Hellerwork, the study of body alignment, which addresses flexibility, movement, balance and postural alignment, and finds and eases the causes of pain and tension.
So Pujjis is fast being acknowledged as a wellness retreat.
That also extends to the food. My breakfast was an unforgettable smoothie, whisked up by Jane.
Thick with banana whipped to a cream, the healthy variety of yoghurt, the "good oil" of avocado, some spirulina and extra dollops from a list of other ingredients. The flavour was sublime. There was also delicious muesli, all the more special for also being homemade.
The couple have had years of providing and teaching therapeutic massage, yoga, meditation, fasting and assisting people to reconnect.
They met in 1992 while furthering their own studies and built up their client-base for Bodywork and yoga in Nelson, travelling regularly around New Zealand to teach others.
They married in 1997 and discovered the riverside home, but each year they still spend several weeks teaching yoga and fasting in Japan, when winter is at its coldest in Maitai Valley.
"The whole wellness industry is no longer on the fringe," says Jane. "The people coming here are mainstream people who want more out of a holiday.
"They're people who have realised they need to keep their bodies in good health if they want to continue going on adventures like tramping and kayaking when they're 65."
* Victoria Bartle stayed (and unwound completely) at Pujjis, compliments of Arvind and Jane Pujji, arranged by House of Travel.
Where to find it
Pujjis is an 8km drive out of Nelson City. The address is CM Box 36 on Maitai Valley Rd, Nelson. Phone (03) 546 9551, fax (03) 546 9581, email jane@pujjis.com
Food
Breakfasts are included, as are snacks and non-alcoholic drinks, plus use of the kitchen. Lunches at $20 and dinners at $25 a person are available on request. Pujjis also caters to vegetarians and/or vegans.
What it costs
Usually $140-$200 a night single or $190-$250 a night for a couple depending on room choice.
Pujjis has teamed with House of Travel to offer special package deals including two nights' accommodation in a standard room, breakfast daily, snacks and non alcoholic drinks, plus one complimentary massage a room, for from $189 a person, double share. Please contact House of Travel on 0800 838 747 or visit www.houseoftravel.co.nz (link below) for more information and the best available airfare.
See www.pujjis.com or www.NelsonNZ.com
