Leela Palace New Delhi

1. I knew I was a Princess, switched at birth.

2. All cars checked for bombs on arrival to hotel, luggage put through X-ray. What happened at the Taj Hotel will not happen here.

3. An all glass pool on the roof is amazing! Pool attendants arrive to your chaise with a basket filled with ice cold cloths, rolled into a glass filled with rose petals, in a cooler on ice, organic sunscreen, fresh lemonade with mint in a crystal glass with a sterling lid. Fashion magazines, bottles of water and a pool snack menu!

4. Staying on Executive Club floor has its perks. Breakfast, lunch, high tea, cocktail hour, and cordials after dinner. Tim mentions he likes some obscure snack mix and it magically appears next day!

5. I HAVE A BUTLER!! His name is Supratik. He will fill your bathtub with rose petals. When you return to the room after a meal, swim or excursion, it is as clean and orderly as when you checked in! I wonder if I can keep him?

6. I now know that I have no clue about how to cook Indian Food! Maybe a cooking class with the head chef here. Have learned that all you have to do is ask and your any wish is fulfilled.

7. Did not know you could even get 2000 thread count sheets!!!

8. My butler, Supratik, calls me mum, i hope that means madame!

9. Tim is making me leave hotel today on tour of Delhi with a driver, shopping in Connaught Place promised. The hotel has a Rolls Royce Phantom that you can hire to take you on these excursions. Tim is springing for the taxi, thank you very much!

10. Leaving here for Kathmandu, tea houses and 20 days in the Himalayas is going to be very difficult. Maybe we can bring Supratik along to tend to our comforts!

Amsterdam first

1. I am biased but Delta Airlines rocks!
2. Watching Bridesmaids for the 3 rd time is as funny as the first. Laughed until I was crying.
3. Tim getting a cold as we walked out the Door assures I will get it the day we arrive in Kathmandu


4. The Dutch uniform for the under 30, black tights, short boot, verrrrry short black mini, shrunken leather jacket, scarf wrapped 3 times around neck! converse to replace boots OK. All riding bikes, of course
5. Candy and tea w coca leaves make your heart beat really fast. Is this stuff legal to bring back to the USA?
6. I think my brother Michael, and my cousin Anne would have loved Amsterdam!! Glad I brought what few remains I have of them along on the trip. Everest is their final destination, but maybe a bit left here in " the Prince's" canal for good measure!
7.Heineken bike to die for !
8. Leffe ale with the BVM

Countdown

Countdown  4 days...

1.  Bring lot's of drugs.

2. We are going to have temperature extremes from 97 degrees in India, to 5 degrees at Base Camp..Packing is a challenge to say the least.

3. Two nine hour flights, One 1.5 hour flight and One 1 hour flight to get there..

4. Haircut or no haircut? That is the question of the day.

5. We will not be sleeping at Advanced Base Camps under seracs that break free in the night, causing catastrophic avalanches.

6. Being grateful for Xanax. Long flights, third world cultures, heat, cold, suspension bridges over massive rivers, no sleep above 15K feet, extreme fatigue, strange foods, dangerous water....Let the fun begin.

7. Being grateful as well for Technical clothing..

8. I am planning on smuggling in a hairdryer and mascara..come on honey, be reasonable:)

9. Amsterdam for 3 days on way will cut down on some of the jet lag..

10. Most grateful for World Business Class..Thank You darling husband of mine:)

Mark Twain's wisdom

Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did do.  So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the harbor.  Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.     -Mark Twain.

Gearing up

As I prepare for the upcoming trip to Everest Base Camp (1 month from today), I realize that
www.rei.com,
www.backcountry.com
www.rab.uk.com
www.sierratradingpost.com
and
www.patagonia.com

Have replaced my usual sites
www.ruelala.com
www.netaporter.com
www.outnet.com
www.nordstrom.com
www.neimanmarcus.com
and
www.gilt.com

I also realize that I have now spent the equivalent of an Hermes Kelly Bag on Mountaineering gear!
http://www.rei.com/product/832232/scarpa-mont-blanc-gtx-mountaineering-boots-womens, and that these new boots are almost as stylish as my favorite Jimmy Choos!!!!

Mag speak

1. Recognizing my high school principal Sister Mary Walters in the World Club. She is the General Advisor for the American nuns in Rome. Wow, the sis can get under the hair dryer and Joe, you never fooled her.

2. Babies whining on an 8 hour flight is only accepted when they are cute, chubby, and JoAnne and I kept the wine coming.

3. Said I would never ride a bike in Amsterdam; Katy proved me wrong. 9 am to 5pm and had the time of my life.
I even had Nea for a time on the back of my bike.

4. Standing in 100 degrees waiting for the bus to get us to our rental cars. The only thing that kept me going was the possible FIAT 500 in the end. BINGO!!

5. Realize in some other life I was Italian, born to drive the on the A1 and narrow steep cliffs, with speed.

6. No words can describe Tuscany and our villa. I feel like I am in Fellini movie...wait I am!

7. Katy and JoAnne prepared our first dinner and it was fungi perfecti.

8. Skinny dipping at night with the smell of rosemary, wisteria, and oleander.

9. Did I tell you how much I love driving the FIAT in Cortona?

10. Thank god we are here when Porcini mushrooms are in season! Mooto bella!!!

(typed by Linnea, verbatim by Maggie.)

JoAnne chimes in!

1. Totally in touch with the Amsterdam casual fashion style. Don't know if it is because of the pot in the air or the strawberries I ate.

2. Grooving at the gay pride street party. Was it the naked chaps or the gorgeous queens? No it was the spontaneous bookending by two fun guys who jumped into Denise and I's Gay pride picture.

3. Now to the driving part; Florence to Cortona in the back seat of a FIAT 500 with two crazy woman in front. I thought when Maggie was talking about going 80 or 120 she was talking about MPH but she was refering to KPH.

4. I closed my eyes and prayed to Jesus and I am not even sure about Jesus.

5. It was worth it! Going on a vertical road on a ridge to La Certosa at 80 KPH was a thrill I think, but my eyes were closed.

6. La Cielo, I am little more sure about Jesus.