I didn’t mean to ask for a yoga mat at 6.41am the day after I arrived at Avana Retreat, a discrete luxury destination tucked away high in the mountains of north Vietnam, about four hours drive from the capital, Hanoi.

I had lost track of time (always a good sign) and after a magnificent night’s sleep was enthusiastic about a bit of gentle exercise on my spacious verandah with its picture-perfect views across to terraced rice paddies.