If you feel oddly bloated when flying – like a human helium balloon – that’s because you’ve got jet bloat. Beyond just gas, there’s a simple physics explanation for that: Boyle’s law. As the plane rises and air pressure drops, gas in your gut expands. That would explain the uncomfortable “gassy” feeling you get. So yes, you may find yourself wanting to fart more than usual. To avoid the makrooh (unless you fart privately!), take these four simple steps to beat jet bloat with adab:
1. Pop a probiotic. Or, get them from drinking kombucha, kefir and from foods like yoghurt, kimchi and tempeh. Probiotics can help reduce gas production and keep your gut feeling right.
2. Get moving. Get off your seat and walk off that gas before they build up. Staying seated for too long can add to severe bloating. Walking around, just for a few minutes throughout your flight can help relieve that gas.
3. Stay off the fizzy drinks. You really do not want to add more gas to an already gassed-up body.
4. Drink up. Drink more water. More toilet breaks will force you off your seat for a walkabout (see #2).
5. Watch your pre- and in-flight food. What you eat before your flight matters just as much as what you consume in-flight. Avoid complex carbs, greasy and gas-inducing foods (think beans, onions and broccoli) before a flight. These will not digest well and, with being sedentary for some time on the flight, the food will just sit in your gut and produce gas. When onboard, choose lean protein and go crazy on your salads and fruits.
Hyatt Regency Bangkok fits right in with the gentrification of Nana, one of Bangkok’s oldest neighbourhoods along the busy Sukhumvit road. Dispensing with the “big box hotel” image of the past, this new Hyatt Regency shines in the cool department. Its lobby, styled after a living room of a Thai home, has irresistible curved back chairs with colourful throw cushions, low-lying tables and wooden cabinets filled with curated artefacts, books and art pieces. Wooden panels with traditional Thai detailing pay homage to the Thai people’s skilled artistry in carving and basketry.
Rooms are tasteful and polished, with a bathtub in every room category. And,
chasing after technology and sustainable strategies, the hotel also brings an
edgier, 21st century vibe to the rooms. Automation is integrated to deliver a
superior guest experience with presence-detection sensors that make key card
slots unnecessary. Power shuts down when the room is unoccupied, but sets the
lights and air condition back to guests’ original setting once they return to
the room. An extensive pillow menu, including buckwheat, corrective and
anti-snore, ensures everyone gets a good slumber.
The desire to maintain Nana’s footprint and the local legacy is evident at the Market Café, the hotel’s restaurant. Enhancing the dining experience, and themselves conversation starters, are handmade local items decorating the shelves. Tiffin carriers, traditional coconut graters styled as wooden rabbits, copper pots and vases stand against a backdrop of warm wood and furniture to give the restaurant a residential feel.
With a buy-in from General Manager Sammy Coralus who champions authenticity and homegrown talents, the hotel sourced not only restaurant chefs, but talents from popular food stalls. While the hotel provides training on hygiene, the street vendor cooks brought their A-game to the scene, transporting diners right into the heart of Thailand’s culinary culture.
Frederik Farina, Executive Chef and Director of Food & Beverage, who heads the team of culinary artists says, “While we try to accommodate dietary and religious belief, we do not have a halal-certified kitchen at our hotel. We don’t have specific segregation besides the one required for Hygiene HACCP. ”
On halal requests from the guests, he says, “We buy halal-certified poultry, beef and lamb where certificates are available upon request, and we can use separate pans for the purpose once requested.” However, guests should know that there are no dedicated grills and ovens, service cutlery and chinaware for halal service. The kitchen also does not have separate fridges to separate halal from non-halal items.
Guests should dine here at their own discretion.
But, Hyatt Regency Bangkok was worth highlighting not just because of its beautiful people-centric backstory, also for its proximity to the Arab Quarter in Soi 3. It makes halal dining easy, with many eateries offering delivery to your doorstep.
The H Factor The Muslim Arab quarter, just 5 minutes walk away, is a haven for all things halal.
5 Priceless Touches *Our mini bar was re-stocked and made syariah-compliant! *The homely atmosphere that runs throughout the hotel. *The extensive pillow menu that had us experimenting with different pillows every night. *The keenness of the team that tried to look into our faith observances. *The property’s commitment to reduce single use plastics and swapping them with biodegradable packaging.
Forget all you ever knew of Bali. Here at Spa Village Resort Tembok, it’s Bali like you’ve never experienced before. Void of the usual crowds and commercialisation, this resort in Tembok, a tranquil corner in North Bali, remains culturally authentic, promising vacationers a glimpse of the “real” island life.
Credit: Spa Village Resort Tembok Bali
Though quiet,
that’s not to say you will lack things to see and do. Keeping things “genuine”
means the resort encourages their own staff to share their artisanal skills and
know-how with guests. In these mini show-and tell sessions, complimentary and
rotated daily, you can get your hands dirty making your own boreh (scrub) and jamu
(tonic), or pick up tips on making your own coconut oil.
You can also visit
a traditional sea salt farm, watch how palm sugar is made, or take up weaving
with a local village elder (a grandma in her 80s, no less!) though these remain
seasonal in keeping with the authentic ethos. Which makes these insights even
more rewarding.
Credit: Spa Village Resort Tembok Bali
Where
the resort truly excels is pairing its low-key luxury with authentic Balinese
healing tradition. Its Spa Village honours the local healing culture, where
treatments revive generation-old practices. One of my favourites is the
pre-wedding ritual, PengantenMelukat. This sublime experience just shy
of two hours celebrates the rituals that mothers would lovingly prepare for
their daughters in the homes. Beginning with mewangsul (traditional
Balinese massage) to help relax and soothe the body, the ritual continues with meodak (body
scrub) that amazingly turns skin soft and supple. This follows an empahan (fresh
milk) application that does wondrous things to the body, both moisturising and
nourishing it, before a warm soak in the tub, mersiram sekar (floral
bath), encourages the body to really relax and unwind. The effects after are
both physically and psychologically uplifting.
Credit: Spa Village Resort Tembok Bali
With just 31 rooms, the resort is both secluded and intimate. It’s a quiet resort that invites you to make full use of the bale (wooden pavilion) whether for a snooze, a read, or a head, foot and shoulder massage with their experienced therapists. Most days, the black sand beach makes a stunning entry into your morning routine; the waters begging to be explored. Some evenings, with the elements aligned and weather permitting, a float on their pool lounger, looking up at the clear blue skies in their signature Starlight Gazing experience, is worth a try. It may sound too New Age-y, but once you’ve done it, it really is one of the most peaceful and grounded experiences you’ll ever have.
Credit: Spa Village Resort Tembok Bali
The H Factor
When it comes to halal meals for Muslim guests, Mr Fauzi Abriansyah, Room Division Manager, says that guests are welcome to get in touch with him directly when making reservations to ensure a seamless halal dining experience. With the help of Chef Rizal, the resort can procure halal meats and meals for Muslim guests with preparation done in a separate area. Halal goods are also stored and refrigerated separately to ensure there is no cross-contamination. Guests are also advised to let the resort know ahead of time of their halal request.
Credit: Spa Village Resort Tembok Bali
5 Priceless Touches
*Attentive staff
will have Muslim prayer mats ready in the room upon arrival.
*Spa therapists are
attentive to female guests’ modesty. You will be helped into your own clothing
or covered modestly in spa attire as you make your way from the Segara Giri
pre-ritual treatment area to the spa treatment room.
*Similarly, your
spa therapist will discreetly draw down the curtains for absolute privacy when
you book a rubdown in the bale
by the pool.
*There’s a halal warung (stall) just outside the resort that serves delicious,
homemade nasi padang for a true taste of local cuisine. And the
resort won’t mind you skipping The Wantilan for just this once! ☺
*Tembok is a
Muslim-majority village. You will occasionally hear the soothing call of the
prayer and the resort is just next door to a mosque.
