Leaps of Consciousness

Could structured water be the fountain of youth?

There are many places famous for their healing waters and for longevity, like the Hunza in Pakistan, Baden-Baden in Germany and Vilcabamba in Ecuador. I stayed in Vilcabamba on my round-the-world motorcycle trip.

Vilcabamba lies in a hidden valley. Just as I rode over the crest, a gentle voice whispered:

'Welcome, come, stay and rest a while.'

I felt a loving, warm embrace and rode slowly down into the valley. Time went more slowly there. It's also known as the Valley of Longevity. I usually only stayed one night in each place, but I stayed for a week.

It was idyllic, and I felt a strong urge to settle - as had the owner of the Izhcayluma Eco Resort. He’d backpacked into the valley and never left. The valley view from Izhcayluma Hostal has been my computer desktop image ever since.

Could Vilcabamba's longevity come from the water?