Interview with Rhys & Elaine (Part 2)

Continuing from where we left off, we now go into the People and Pleasure parts of the interview with Rhys and Elaine!

People

Q. A huge part of visiting a new country is getting to know its people. What was it like interacting with the locals?

R: Due to linguistic barriers, we didn't really have an opportunity to interact much with the locals. Most were polite and kind to us. The people living near the Colca Canyon really stood out for me though - when we met them during our canyon trek, we would be greeted with a "buenos dias!" or a "hola!" about 80% of the time.

One peeve for me was the fact that many of the vendors we dealt with did not, or pretended not to, have change for "big notes". At times, they claim not to even have change for 10 soles notes! In many instances, these were attempts to get us to waive the change. This was a major cause of inconvenience for us because each time we withdrew soles from the ATM, they came in 100 soles denominations which we would have to very quickly break into smaller denominations in order to buy anything small in value!

Q: Traveling with other tourists can be either an enjoyable or trying experience. Will you be keeping in touch with anybody you met on the trip?

E: Absolutely!! Apart from Dan & Yilin :p, we also met other really wonderful people on the Inca Trail.

R: We really enjoyed the company of our fellow trekkers on the Inca trail. As one of them put it, it's too much to expect to get along with a bunch of strangers on a guided tour, much less actually liking these people enough to want to hang out! We were really blessed in this regard.

We of course met up with our old friend Yilin, and made a new friend in Dan. Always nice to meet Singaporeans overseas, even more so when they have been travelling extensively with many a good story to share!

I was extremely curious about meeting Dan for the first time because the impression I got from this blog is that he is one goofy and (ahem) licentious boy! My verdict after meeting him? Still goofy and licentious! He does however have a good head (his hair is another story) on his shoulders and is extremely protective and sweet towards his Missus, so I guess I will keep in touch with him!

Q. Any nasty encounters with fellow tourists to relate? (Skirmishes with other people always make for good reading!)

R: On the final day of our Inca trek, our group woke up extremely early (3.45am) so that we could be one of the first at the final checkpoint for the final 7km trek into Machu Picchu. The whole idea was that we wanted to be the first group that arrived at Machu Picchu for better pictures (without too many people in the background).

About a quarter way through the trek, this Australian couple appeared behind us, having overtaken a number of people from our group. E and I were in no mood to let anyone overtake us (not after we had woken up at 3.45am for a headstart in the queue!) and hence quickened our steps. As the path was rather narrow (one side's the mountain face and the other a cliff), it was not easy for them to overtake us unless we stopped, moved aside and let them.

After many a failed overtaking manoeuvre, the classy lady actually referred us as "These fuckers" to her boyfriend! Incredulous, E spun around and demanded "What did you say?!"

From their dumbfounded expressions and silence, they had obviously not realised that we understood English! They sank even lower in our esteem when we overheard them bragging about how they always take half the time their guides quoted for each section of the trek. This made us more determined than ever not to let them pass us and unknowingly, they provided us with the balm for our fatigued muscles from the exertions of the past 3 days.

View of Machu Picchu from the Sun Gate

Machu Picchu

Q. DanYilin have been stuck with each other for every minute of the past 6 months. What was it like traveling as a couple 24/7 these past few weeks? Was it stressful? Got into any arguments?

E: It was never stressful. I think we complement each other. This might sound really icky but I think if we could, we would spend every minute together, 24/7 all the time! We've always travelled well together and couldn't imagine travelling alone with anyone else.

It definitely helps that we share similar interests (love for food and the outdoors - not necessarily in that order, but usually is...) and do generally agree on what appeals to each of us on a holiday - like what we want to see/do. Although we have sometimes disagreed - and this usually happens only when we are tired and cranky from a long day of travel - I don't think we actually got into a single argument on this trip. :)

R: I've always thought very highly of my wife but after this trip, her approval ratings have shot through the roof! I thought that she was going to struggle during the Inca Trek, not so much with the physical side of things but more with the camping, lack of amenities, not bathing etc. She did not however complain a single time during the trek, was a real trooper and more than held her own. I was amazed, and extremely proud.

Q: Do you think Dan and Yi Lin could do with more wonderful company from home? (better say yes!)

Definitely. Being away from home and from family and friends for so long, it always helps to have a familiar face come along.


Pleasures

Q. Did you indulge in any culinary pleasures in Peru?

E: We went to 2 nice restaurants in Lima - Astrid y Gaston and La Rosa Nautica. Astrid y Gaston is owned by celebrity chef Gaston Acurio, and serves up interesting modern/fusion Peruvian fare. La Rosa Nautica is a seafood restaurant situated right over the Pacific ocean, on a pier along the beach in the Miraflores neighbourhood, you can hear (and feel!) the waves lapping against the stilts on which the dining room is laid out... lovely!

Q: Ate anything interesting?

E: We tried cuy chactao (fried guinea pig) and alpaca.

Cuy tastes like a gamier version of rabbit. It's not awful, but I don't think I would have it again. The presentation of head, tail, and paws (complete with claws) just did not make for a very appetising experience. That said, the taste was ok.

Alpaca has the taste of pork liver, with the texture of beef. Most of the alpaca we tried was rather dry and tough, but Ukuku's in Puno served a very good alpaca steak in wine sauce and mashed apples which was really tender, juicy and tasty. You've tried it too and can vouch for it! :)

Ceviche is another typical Peruvian dish, but it's not really too earth-shattering an experience since we are all used to Japanese sushi/sashimi.

We also loved chicha morada (purple corn drink) and quinoa soup.

Grilled alpaca steak

Q: Any dishes or restaurants to recommend?

R: Definitely try Astrid y Gaston. They have an excellent tasting menu for only approximately US$50. Its modern Peruvian, with subtle asian-fusion touches. My favourites were the Tiradito, a peruvian sashimi of tuna and grouper in a tangy, spicy asian-inspired dressing, and Asado de Tira, thin flank steak stewed in red wine and purple corn.

Tiradito

E: In Cusco, T'oqokachi!!! Ok so maybe it's not entirely fair that it was the ONLY restaurant we dined at when we were there, but the food was honestly tasty and the set menus very reasonably priced. Dan + Yilin took us there the night before we left for the Inca Trail and we loved the cosy atmosphere and the warm and friendly service. We headed back there on the night we returned to Cusco from the Trail, eager to tuck into another bowl of their yummy, comforting, quinoa soup and it didn't disappoint. We bumped into two of our trek mates from the Inca Trail, who were also satisfied, repeat customers - so you should definitely try it!

R: For typical local food, we loved rocoto relleno - it's a red/green pepper stuffed with minced beef, onions and cheese. It tastes a little Mediterranean and rather similar to something we had in Greece, except much more spicy (at least the authentic local version).

Chupe de camarones, a hearty red shrimp soup that's very tasty and comes with a poached egg, assorted grains and and highland cheese. The soup was a meal in itself. And how can we forget quinoa soup!

Chupe de camarones

E: Our best meals were also the ones served on our Inca Trail, lovingly prepared by our cook, Jesus. Not sure the dishes can be replicated elsewhere, but he makes really yummy chicken pies, comforting soups and hearty chicken and fish dishes. We were served dessert too, like apple crumble and rice pudding with purple corn compote. Made the camping almost luxurious! It's luck of the draw, but if your cook on the Peru Treks trip is Jesus, you'll definitely be well taken care of ;)

Jesus putting on the finishing touches

Avocado Salad on the Inca Trail

Q: Dan and Yi Lin passed you a tube of Forever Living Heat Rub when your own supply of heat rub spilled. Did you get a chance to use it? Liked it?

E: Back in Singapore, we usually use a light gel/emulsion of essential oils, going by the name Perskindol, which we brought along for the trek. When that spilled, we were eternally grateful for the Forever Living Heat Rub passed to us. We did not use it during the trek, as it was rather gross to be rubbing our own grime around, but we used it liberally after returning from the trek. Forever Living Heat Rub was creamy and much more moisturising, which I liked - it was very suitable for the dry climate. It also came in really useful when R tripped on a step (not on the trek! but on Rodeo Dr! tsk...) and strained his bad ankle.

Q: What was your most memorable experience during this trip?

Both: Definitely the Inca trek!

Forever Heat Rub

Best heat lotion... ever!

In addition to the Aloe Vera Gelly, Artic Sea Omega-3 and Aloe Lips with jojoba, we have one other sponsored item from Forever Living in our arsenal.

We had specially requested for this back when we were first planning to do the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu. Even though our plans changed to a more comfortable means of visiting the Incan ruins, we still had plenty of opportunity to use Forever Living's Aloe Heat Lotion.

The Aloe Heat Lotion is a fast-acting muscle rub, similar (but better!) to Deep Heat or Yoko Yoko. In fact, based on my experience with it, it seems to take effect even faster than any of the other muscle rubs I've used before. And believe me, I've used plenty during my 2.5 years in the Singapore Armed Forces.

During this trip, we have applied Forever Living's Aloe Heat Lotion after our more strenuous excursions, like the 2km hike a mountain in Otavalo, our long, long walk around a lake in Cuenca, the Santa Cruz trek in Huaraz, after pulling my back as we sandboarded in Huacachina, and after even after scaling Wayna Picchu to get a condor's eye view of Machu Picchu!

Impressively, each time we used Forever Living's Aloe Heat Lotion, we were up and ready to go the next day, with no muscle aches at all. I can still remember the times when I applied other heat rubs for days before the aches disappeared. And it's not fun to see others wrinkle their noses at you when they smell what you have on for days and days...

The reason why Forever Living's Aloe Heat Lotion seems to work so well is because of the main ingredient, aloe vera. Aloe vera contains a chemical called lignin, which helps the heat lotion penetrate your skin better to work on the muscles quickly and more effectively.

In the times that we have used it, we have also noticed that the more you ache, the hotter the cream becomes. For example, after the walk round the lake in Cuenca, we had applied the lotion on our thighs and calves. There was a warm tingly feeling, comfortable and soothing. But after I pulled my back falling off the sandboard in Huacachina, the lotion seemed to seep right into my skin and cause a furious burning that really sped up the healing process. It was actually painful for awhile, but it felt so good after that! :)

We strongly recommend using Forever Living's Aloe Heat Lotion if you are engaged in any strenuous physical activity. Use it after your tennis sessions, or after your marathons. Believe us, you will not regret it!

To get your hands on Forever Living's Aloe Heat Lotion, please contact my friend Jasmine by clicking here or emailing her at jasjas.ng@gmail.com today!

Heat relief comes cheap at USD 12.29 per tube. Check with Jasmine for possible discounts!

Forever - Taking Care of Us

This is my good friend Jasmine.


She recently tied the knot on 20.09.2009, and the world of bachelors suffers for it.

When we left Singapore for our year-long trip on 28th March, Jasmine met us at the airport because she happened to have a flight to catch a few hours later. As we bade fond farewells to each other, she handed me a red packet with 2 sticks of lip balm and a love note.

It was a note that said that she would miss us. It was a note that said good luck, and enjoy yourselves! It was a note that said "The United States of America - One Hundred Dollars".


Good stuff.

Of course, after the initial wave of shock at such generosity, I had to revert to type and crack a joke about the two sticks of lip balm. "One for the mouth, one for the ass, is it?"

Jasmine surprised us by nodding seriously.
"Look at the note inside."

"I looked at the note already! But if you're telling me that I need to stick this somewhere to earn the USD 100... Oh. Oh... there IS another note.


Jasmine earnestly explained to me,"See, if you get haemorrhoids, you can use the second stick. Don't use the same stick!"

Duh.

Thing is, when I first received the gift, I really had no idea what to make of it. I don't wear lip balm! But since then, I have had a 180-degree change in attitude.

Forever Living's Aloe Lips with jojoba is probably one of the more versatile gifts that we have received.

As a lip balm, it has been absolutely essential since we set foot in South America. Why? Because the only other alternative to moisturising our lips is by drinking. And there are just times where we would not want to drink more than necessary. Long 8-hour bus rides, for example. Or even long rambles nature parks where we have to conserve what water we have. Alternative? Lip balm, of course.

But why Aloe Lips?

Simply because the first ingredient in Aloe Lips is the highest grade aloe vera suitable for human consumption, and this aloe vera soothes the chapped lips so well, bringing instant relief.

The second ingredient in Aloe Lips is jojoba oil. Now, jojoba oil has properties that allow it to be used as a moisturiser, lip balm and countless other skin products. This is because jojoba oil is the one naturally occurring compound that is the most similar to human skin oil. So what your body is unable to produce, jojoba can be used as a supplement!

Since we are both relatively healthy individuals with no signs of hemorrhoids, we also tested Aloe Lips on insect bites. Now, as far as anti-itching is concerned, it does not seem to work that well. When we suffered insect bites in Florida and the Bahamas, the wife eventually caved in and bought calamine lotion, because she needed some relief from the itchiness.

I was able to use my latent Jedi powers to trick my mind into ignoring the itches, and just applied a bit of Aloe Lips on the bites. And we did observe that the icky little bumps disappeared faster on me! Amazing!

So, get your Forever Aloe Lips if you are planning to travel. Heck, get it even if you are not traveling. As the 2nd note said, this is a great secret weapon in your pocket. Contact Jasmine by clicking here or emailing her at jasjas.ng@gmail.com today!

Dubious Dhobis

While I can be like any other slob at home, I do have some remnants of my army days still programmed in me. I remember those days when we would return from a mission or exercise, and the first thing we would do (despite being up all night, moving swiftly through the jungle brush to our objective, then striking hard and fast) would be to clean our equipment. Rifles, signal sets, all equipment was cleaned up even with camouflage still on our faces. Next would come a hastily cooked packet of instant noodles over a bunsen stove. Then the shower, then finally, blissful rest.

I'm no longer in the army now. Haven't been back for the past few years now (sweet taste of freedom! Yeah!) and the programming seems to have slipped a bit.

Two full days of the Santa Cruz trek saw us stepping on small piles of poop while avoiding the big ones. The skies that opened up on our return journey had us all soaking wet, from head down to muddy shoes. Our ride back to civilisation was in a truck filled with chicken coops, thankfully with no chickens, but I had telltale white stains all over my jacket and backpack, not to mention having to hold the icky cages back to keep them from falling on me whenever the truck went over a bump!

Perhaps it is a sign of having returned back to civilian life, in mind and in body. But when we returned to Huaraz, the first order of business was to shower, then eat, then sleep. Washing of equipment was relegated to "have thought about it, and decided when to do it" status!

The next day was nice and sunny, and after a quick breakfast, we proceeded to the rooftop of our hostel for some serious cleaning. The rooftop was a nice location because:

1) There were a couple of heavy-duty sinks there that could take sediment being washed down.
2) The clotheslines were already strung up by the hostel owners.
3) It was relatively secluded, and Ching Ching can make all the noise her petite frame could conjure up

Ching doing the underwear while I did the footwear

And what a washup we had! The staff of the hostel lent us some basins which we made full use of. Rinsed off the muddy stuff. Soaked the sweat-stained stuff. Removed insect legs and the remainder of clingy plants from our socks and gloves. Scrubbed the shoes till they looked almost brand new. Even the alpaca sweater/jackets we bought from Otavalo got a good washing!

Ebony and Ivory

We spent about three whole hours scrubbing and cleaning everything with detergent that we bought earlier. And frankly, it was really quite fun because our spirits were high from the good rest we had. It was great basking in the warmth of the sun, and sniggering at the thought of the other poor angmohs up in the snowy mountains with wet socks and underwear from the previous day. Nya nya nya nya nya!

Lending a few sets of helping fingers

What really struck me was also how well the three of us worked together. Other than stopping to wow at the scenery from the roof, none of us slacked for the entire time we were up there. When the two sinks were being used, the 3rd person would be scrubbing at another basin, or helping hang up the clothes, or even just getting drinking water. We reveled in being totally Singaporean after being among foreigners for so long. Even a bad case of finger cramps couldn't dampen our spirits!

Proud of their handiwork!

By the time we were done, almost all the clotheslines were taken up by our clothes and gear. But the potent combination of the sun and breeze meant that some of the clothes could already be kept. Which caused me to ponder - in conditions like this, is it better to wash the thicker clothes that are harder to dry so that they get more exposure to the sun before dusk, or is it better to wash the quick-dry clothes so that you can keep them first?

A bond that's hard to sunder

Little did I know that I should have pondered more deeply on another question. In the event where most of my clean clothes were still with the donkeys accompanying the rest of the group, and I had only one clean t-shirt with me, is it really wise to take it off while washing in the hot sun for three hours?

Ouch ouch ouch ouch ouch!

Seriously, it's such a good thing we have a sponsor for aloe vera products! Thank goodness for good friends like Ching Ching (who came to South America to join us) and Jasmine (who mailed the lifesaving aloe vera gelly to us. It was too late to prevent the peeling, but it sure soothed the raging heat in my back!

How To Not Eat Your Heart Out When Eating Your Heart Out

As mentioned before, for the first 3 months of our trip, we ate our way through all the fast food chains (MacD's, KFC, Taco Bell, Wendy's, Arby's, Domino's), IHOPs and Ben & Jerry freezers throughout the United States. The good thing is - fast food is the cheapest meal option The bad (very very bad) thing? All those burgers, pizzas, fries and ice-cream flooded our bodies with fat, thousands of calories and icky bad cholesterol.

Our health situation isn't much better here in Colombia. Alot of the food we eat is deep fried - roadside snacks, fried plantains (similar to goreng pisang) and grilled meats.

Shaping Up

"You guys should try getting some exercise!" I hear you say. Except for the daily exertion on our lungs from plodding uphill back to our hostel at this high altitude, and short of signing up for a membership at a home gym (no big California Fitness and Fitness First chains here), going for a jog in Bogota is simply not an option. The air is severely polluted and blackened from the toxic fumes spewed out from collectivos and buses, and ever-rampant cigarette smoke. I fear for my lungs every time we step out onto the street. The pavements are crowded with mime artists (yes, irritating clowns who insist on trailing you and imitating your every action, and expect you to pay them for it), vendors spreading their wares on the ground, spray-paint artists, touts shoving everything from thumb drives to menus in your face and the alluring combo of potholes, spittle and pigeon poop. We are looking forward very much to moving into the countryside once our Spanish lessons end.

Looking Inwards

That said, regular exercise can only target one of the problems brought upon by an unhealthy diet - it only burns excess calories. What about all the bad cholesterol that's trapped inside your body? How do you get that damned evil stuff out?

To recap, how is bad cholesterol harmful to our health? While moving through your body via your bloodstream, the cholesterol decides that it likes the snug environment of your arteries and happily makes itself a permanent home on your artery walls. With the intake of more fatty foods, this spot of prime real estate attracts more fat neighbours. Unlike the traffic situation in Singapore, there's no equivalent of Electronic Road Pricing strategies in your body to regulate the speed at which the fatty deposits are building up. As a result, your arteries start to get dangerously narrow. This is what increases your risk of getting a heart attack.

So, just like how you take care of your car - by giving it a good scrub on the outside and cleaning out the interior (all those errant chips and cookie crumbs) - you not only need to care for your body by showering everyday (even if it means freezing your toes off in chilly Bogota), you also need to flush out those toxic residents that are throwing a weekly neighbourhood party in your arteries.

Cleaning On The Go

How do we take care of our insides while on the go, without (1) starving ourselves silly on a self-imposed detox diet (and missing out on all the great local food); and (2) signing up for expensive and time-consuming professional detox treatments?

We take Forever Living Arctic-Sea Omega-3 capsules as a dietary supplement.

Forever Living Arctic-Sea Omega-3 capsules - your Heart's best friend

Omega-3 is a fatty acid present in the layer of oil that lies under the skin of certain types of fish, namely salmon and mackerel. Also known as "good cholesterol", these fatty acids play a part in reducing the risk of contracting heart disease by countering the influx of bad cholesterol. In the case of Forever Living Arctic-Sea Omega-3 capsules, each 1000 mg capsule comprises 75% pure fish oil and 25% olive oil.

Why olive oil too? Olive oil contains Omega-9, which enhances the rate at which Omega-3 works to reduce cholesterol levels. Our friend Jasmine demonstrated this fact to us through an interesting experiment involving some Styrofoam. Styrofoam has a chemical structure similar to that of bad cholesterol. When oil from an Arctic-Sea capsule was added to the Styrofoam, the Styrofoam immediately started to dissolve. The conclusion is quite clear: the rare combination of Omega-3 and Omega-9 in a single capsule helps to dissolve solid fat deposits in the arteries. Liquid toxins are more easily flushed out of the body than chunks of fat. Regular intake of Arctic-Sea thus helps to keep the arteries clear and open, which optimises the flow of blood - and thus oxygen - to the heart.

There's Lots of Fish in the Sea

Exactomento. Omega-3 supplements are a dime a dozen in pharmacies. But where is the fish oil coming from? The polluted sea near you? Or unhealthy farm-reared fish, all packed fin-to-fin in grimy tanks? As you can imagine, the quality of the oil extracted from fishes living in such poor conditions can't be very good.

As clearly stated in the product name, Forever Living's Omega-3 is harvested from fish living in the Arctic Sea, whose remote location and severe icy temperatures work together to keep human activity at bay and its waters unpolluted. The Arctic waters are partially covered in ice throughout the year, and almost completely so in winter. To survive in such harsh conditions, its fishy residents need to store substantial layers of oil under their skin to insulate themselves against the cold. Healthy fish roaming freely in unpolluted waters, all warm and cosy under their thick oily coats? Paints a pretty picture indeed! So, in order to harvest their bounty of plentiful high-quality oil, we... kill them? Uh-huh. No fishes are harmed in the oil extraction process. Forever Living simply extracts the oil from under their skin and releases the fish back into the ocean, unharmed. To avid divers like us (and all you nice, kindhearted people out there!) who believe in the motto "Fish Are Friends, Not Food", that is good news indeed.

The Comparison With Brand X

Yeah, but how do we know for sure that Forever Living Arctic-Sea capsules work better than aaallllll the other brands of Omega-3 dietary supplements out on the market? Well, to be honest, we don't. Simply because we haven't eaten Omega-3 from aaalllll the other brands and we don't know anyone who is crazy enough to do so.

But take my dad's word for it. Prof Tan is The Ultimate Hypochondriac who indulges in an occasional serving of char kway teow, durian pengat, cereal prawns, chendol and buttery goodies that my mum churns out from her oven. He has been taking Omega-3 capsules since ... forever. We gave him a bottle of Artic-Sea capsules to try. After a month, he excitedly reported that he preferred Forever Living's capsules over his Brand X ones because:

(1) Forever Living's soft gel capsules were easier to swallow than Brand X's hard, plasticky rugby balls that stabbed at his throat on their way down;

(2) they helped him poop better (sorry Dad, you were so excited about this - I just had to say it);

(3) as a result of point (2), he felt lighter, cleaner and more energetic; and

(4) ever since he started taking Arctic-Sea, he has not fallen ill (my dad's very prone to the sniffles and sore throats) even though a recent bout of the dreaded Office Flu wiped out his entire department.

Don't Miss The Boat!

It's never too early to start taking care of your heart and keeping heart disease at bay. If anyone is interested in getting on track to a healthy heart, drop our friend Jasmine a note by clicking here or emailing her at jasjas.ng@gmail.com. Don't just stop at the heart though - Jas knows some professional nutritionists who can help do a thorough check of your insides too!

Forever fans of Forever Aloe Gelly

Way back in 2007, the wife and I organised a dive trip to Mabul/Sipadan with our friends (miss you guys and gals!).

A few of the pals who were diving with us. L to R: Sue-Anne, Wifey, Nick, Jasmine, Randy. I'm in front.

After spending days in the very hot sun, you could smell the crispiness of charred flesh whenever you walked past us. Our skins were so inflamed that no amount of soaking in the pool could cool us off. Except for Jasmine, that is.

Sue-Anne, a pained, tortured wreck of the woman she once was, begged Jasmine to let her in on her secret. And within a few hours, Sue-Anne was smiling as serenely as Jasmine.

Clued in to something incredible, the rest of us found that Jasmine was using Forever Aloe Vera Gelly to soothe her skin, and prevent it from burning in the sun. We all shamelessly used it as well, and before you knew it, we were a bunch of happy divers again!

Since then, Forever Aloe Vera Gelly has featured in our cache of items to standby whenever we go swimming, diving, wakeboarding or chilling at Sentosa. It is therefore no surprise that Forever Aloe Vera Gelly now features prominently in our trip. After all, we did spend 4 consecutive days on the beaches of Miami, before going down to Key Largo for another 2 days on another beach! (As I'm writing this post, I've already spent the past week on the beaches of the Bahamas! And we still have no sunburns or peeling skin! Power!)

What makes this Aloe Vera Gelly different from all the rest we've tried before is probably the type and concentration of aloe vera in it. Like coffee, aloe vera comes in many different sub-species and grades. Forever uses Aloe barbadensis Miller, which is the best of the aloe vera that is approved for use by the FDA and USDA.

Forever Aloe Vera Gelly = Forever Lifesaver

You could go around the resorts that you're staying in and chop off the leaves of the aloe vera plants here to get your aloe vera, but then you'd need to lop off new leaves every 48 hours as the nutrients dissipate.

Yilin really chopped this off at our resort in the Bahamas!

Forever has the nutrients of the plant locked down in a stabilising transparent gel using their patented technology.

The value you get in Forever Aloe Vera Gelly is made obvious by looking at the list of ingredients. Under the Fair Packaging and Labelling Act, ingredients have to be listed in order of highest to lowest concentrations. Most other aloe vera products seem to have water or oil as the ingredient with highest concentration, whereas Forever Aloe Vera Gelly has aloe vera as the first product, so you really get what you pay for!


How to use Forever Aloe Vera Gelly

Preparation:
While the Gelly can be used as is, we have found that relief is a dish best served cold. So, chuck it in the fridge!

Instructions:
1) You've just spent a day in the sun. Go take a shower first!
2) Remove tube of Forever Aloe Vera from fridge (if you did not place in fridge, skip to step 3)
3) Apply on parts of body that have had longer exposure to the sun. This probably means your forehead, face, shoulders and forearms.

♪ Metro, metro man... I wanna be, a metro man! ♪

4) Find someone who loves you enough to rubba you.
5) That someone should help you spread and apply the Gelly all over your back, or any other hard-to-reach parts. It's much better when your special someone has a knack for massage. Yes, Yi Lin is a very lucky woman. Sigh. :)

Wei.... spread it properly lahh....

6) Breathe out a contented sigh of relief. Ahhhhhhhhhhh..........
7) Say "Shiok-a-doo-doo"

The Gelly does leave a slightly sticky feeling, but it disappears after awhile. Small price to pay for not shedding little skin-flakes at work over the next few days!

If anyone is interested in getting some Aloe Vera Gelly for yourself, please feel free to contact my friend Jasmine by clicking here or emailing her at jasjas.ng@gmail.com. She's a skincare specialist, and will treat you right if you let her know that Dannie sent you.


p.s: Jasmine assures me that the Gelly is also good for diminishing inflammations, burns, cuts, insect bites, itchiness, rashes, haemorrhoid, eczema, mouth ulcers and pimples/acne. Haven't tried out on these situations yet, but I trust her. :)