Fiona Gratzer: A chance encounter on an island off Malaysia changed the trajectory of my life

Unislim CEO and author Fiona Gratzer tells Helen O’Callaghan about the many beautiful gifts her late husband, Uwe, brought to her life

Fiona Gratzer pictured at the launch of her new gut health cookbook,The 30-Day Diet. Picture: Brian McEvoy.

January 1991, my friend Meike and I were backpacking around the world. In Malaysia, on route to Australia, we decided to park ourselves for a week on Langkawi Island – just because we could. We were young, free, I was 24.

It’s a very naturally beautiful island, stunning beaches – lots of monkeys, spectacular. We booked into a remote beach hut, not knowing Langkawi had only two hours electricity a day, no hot water, no alcohol!