D-Empress

When travelling to new spaces, I never leave without experiencing how the 'other half' lives. I'm not talking about the champagne swillers in the tourist spots rapidly gulping bubbly dreams before reality back home pricks the bubble.

I'm talking about experiencing a city through the ways of seeing, being and doing - in short - the culture of the locals. As I flew back from a whirlwind trip to Dubai last week, I smiled, reflecting on the world of luxurious living that I'd just seen.

Of course, everyone goes to Dubai to luxury-shop! And yes, the shopping is great, but I was clear that mall-liming - a pastime borne out of a lack of entertainment options in the searing heat of the desert city, was not for me.

Whisked away

It was my penchant for body art, henna to be precise, that saved me (and my bank balance) from the bright lights and high-sheen veneer of the jewel city in The Gulf. In my quest to keep it local and maintain a grasp on reality, I was whisked away to enjoy luxury of another kind.

My Emirati host, Aisha, smiled as we stepped out of the lift into seventh heaven. Nothing could have prepared me for the Flora Spa beauty parlour. Stretching across 10,000 square feet, Flora Spa boasts a series of rooms dedicated to everything a woman could want - and more.

Picture a three-hour Moroccan bath treatment in a private suite. A room with three kickback leather chairs for eyebrow threading. Next door, two henna rooms lined with floor cushions and square bolsters. There were countless others in this beauty oasis.

Chatted gaily

Before I knew it, I was sitting with four henna designers, two at my feet and two at my hands, propped up on the bolster cushions poised for beautification of the ancients. They chatted gaily as they squeezed the ready-made henna on to my skin with deft artistry.

As I sat, women and young children streamed into the room for their henna styling. It was like any other salon, but different. Apart from the scale of this wondrous beauty parlour, women from all walks of life come to this pampering station on a mission.

Luxury in this space began on a soul level. As I spoke with my newly acquainted beauty companions, the layers of manufactured luxury peeled away to reveal a connection my spirit recognised. Through ancient beauty rituals, the women around me were tapping into a spirit within. They embraced a life energy their grandmothers held, as they too immersed themselves in life-giving luxury rituals.

I left, adorned and affirmed, feeling honoured to have experienced how the other half lives in ancient traditions of luxury.

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Henna pattern done at the Flora Spa. - Contributed