In Hot Water at Big Sur

Note: After all the news from the super-luxurious, super-expensive Queen Mary 2, I thought you might enjoy hearing about a spa experience in one of the world's most beautiful places -- for $0 a night. Here's a report from my West coast correspondent (and sister), G.A. Brown.

Camping out is truly roughing it. No showers, no hot water, but millions of stars. So when my boyfriend booked a campsite in Big Sur, California, I booked a massage for both of us at the Esalen Institute.

Surrounded by pine trees, Esalen sits high on a bluff overlooking the Pacific ocean in Big Sur, California. It was created in the early 70's as a place of peace, love and self-awareness. Today it offers workshops in everything from dance to philosophical inquiry.

All my life I've heard the legends of the hot springs, with curative sulphur waters in rugged tubs perched on a cliff overlooking the Pacific. They were destroyed in a storm in 1998, but have reopened after a multi-million dollar overhaul. You can use the hot springs by signing up for a workshop, or you can book a massage at the spa.

But calling the spa a spa doesn't quite describe it. It's closer to a magical, outdoor experience. (click here to read more)