If you're looking for a good reason to head to the East End again think sheer indulgence in a softly scented candlelight setting. Tucked away on Water Street in the old Moonglow building is the blue and very cool, Cool Waters Spa Salon, owned by Bersalon.

Now for the magic touch, Cool Waters beauty and massage therapist Nichola Buchan who's work over the past 18 years has taken her around the world to places in England, Germany, Dubai, Oman, Thailand - and now Bermuda. I recently spoke to the bubbly and magic-handed Ms Buchan about her work which she very clearly loves.

Q: What first interested you in massage?

A: I used to be a roadie for comedian Freddie Starr during my school summer holidays. Before shows he used to have a massage, and one night the masseuse didn't show up. So, he asked me if I would rub his neck. Anyway, he told me I was a natural and the next day his PR person gave me some information on massage. I'd always been interested in looking after people and their well-being.

Q: What was your first job out of school?

A: I worked at a Gym for three months but I wanted to go to London, where I 'd been offered a job at Chrysalis Health and Beauty in Chiswick. Then one day I got a phone call offering me a job in Dubai. The company offered me a training course of my choice- and I chose to do Holistic Aromatherapy with Shirley Price. The course took almost two years of part-time study and I learned aromatherapy and reflexology. We did posture correction, reflexology as a diagnostic (to find out which oils clients needed) and massage -treatments lasted about two hours. Clients were given oils to take home to further their treatments.

Q: I understand you worked for sometime in the middle East. Did you enjoy working in Dubai?

A: Yes. When I arrived, I worked in the only European salon. I was very busy because I was the only qualified therapist then. Dubai changed a lot after the Gulf war though, everything became very commercialised. I was offered a job in Thailand then, to help set up a new spa in Phuket, so I took it. Coming from a desert going to the green of Thailand was breathtaking. Thai food was great and the night life was very interesting!

Q: When you went back to London, you worked for yourself, how was that?

A: It was hard work but interesting. I felt like I worked 24 hours a day, seven days a week. I'd often get called out late at night to hotels like The Berkley or the Lainsborough to work on celebrities. I'd also get picked up and taken to locations for film and fashion sets.

Q: Anybody we know?

A: Some celebrities have you sign privacy contracts, so I'm not at liberty to discuss, but I can say I've worked for Sean Connery, and Brad Pitt and Robert Redford during the making of Spy Games. I worked for Vidal Sassoon. He told me the reason he looks as good as he does is that he gets a massage every morning, swims daily, takes supplements and he doesn't drink too much.

Q: What made you decide to come to Bermuda?

A: I had seen ads for Bermuda in magazines before and I was intrigued. Something just told me, why not inquire, so I did and here I am.

Q: What treatment do you most like to do.

A: Aromatherapy and I like to do pregnancy massage too.

Q: Any all-purpose oil you would recommend?

A: Lavender is a good all rounder. It soothes sunburns, it's healing and regenerative, and it's calming and helps you sleep.

Q: How do you find your Bermuda cliental?

A: They're great. Very warm and friendly. But there's Bermudian time and then there's real time and I mean that in the nicest possible way!

Q: Any advice for people wishing to pursue massage as a career.

A: You've got to love what you do. Its hard work and can take at least two years training. But, it's different every day and it's very rewarding and it provides you with the opportunity to travel if you wish.

To book call Cool Waters on 297-1528.

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