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Let’s turn the tables for a hot second. I’ve been helping you plan your dream trips for the last two years, so it’s about time you return the favor. 10 Days. 1 Girl. No Plan…. Here are my Top 5 options for a quick cross-continent hop. Take your pick.

Bali.
My thoughts: I’ve never been before, but will I get bored?
Serious hotel lovers across Asia think of this intimate refuge, in the shadow of holy Mount Agung, as a kind of secret handshake. Designed by Kerry Hill of Aman Resorts fame, two thatch-roofed Balinese wantilans (meeting hall–style buildings) house 55 sleek but homey guestrooms, all with bijou balconies or patios overlooking coconut groves and the Indian Ocean.

India.
My thoughts: It’s my favorite place on earth, but should I go somewhere I’ve never been before?
It’s easy to imagine yourself a maharaja or maharani when you stay at this elegant modern version of a Rajasthan palace. Overlooking the 14th century Lake Pichola in the fairytale city of Udaipur, it has to be one of the most romantic settings in India. Turrets, domes, elegant archways and expansive courtyards dot the 30 acres of manicured grounds, and the views of the famed lake — known for its two floating marble palaces in the center — add to the intoxicating mix of history and romance.

Morocco.
My thoughts: Is it cold? Is it safe solo? It certainly wins for foodie appeal…
Escape the commotion and chaos of downtown Marrakech at this chill hotel in a palm grove overlooking the golf course’s lake. You’ll see dates falling from the trees and the snowcapped Atlas Mountains looming in the distance as you walk through the manicured gardens en route to the spa or the on-site French restaurant. But at the end of the (bright, sunny) day, this 44-suite property is all about teeing off at the prestigious Palmeraie Golf Club nearby.

Hawaii.
My thoughts: Too much of a honeymoon aka too tame?
The Modern Honolulu is a midcentury Waikiki hotel completely re-imagined as an urban resort. The hotel has a new name and new Honolulu-based management team, but still rocks Ian Schrager’s mod take on surf culture, Iron Chef Masaharu Morimoto’s Japanese fusion culinary creations and three sceney bars (two of which are open-air, to make the most of the ocean breeze). 

Abu Dhabi.
My thoughts: My not be the safest solo but hey, let’s go for the gold?
Sand dunes, camels and breathtaking sunsets are all part of the decor at Qasr Al Sarab Desert Resort by Anantara. A two-hour drive deep into the Liwa Desert from Abu Dhabi, the resort has the secluded feel of a desert oasis, and the decadent extras of an Anantara property. Soak in the scenery from a private plunge pool or relax with a Thai massage — this retreat is all about doing nothing and experiencing everything. 

Thoughts?

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I woke up today feeling a bit stuck-behind-my-desk, so I dove into the archives. This is an article I wrote two years ago after traveling through Ladakh, India. It’s an OPED on artificial glacier technology. Disclaimer: I am not an expert, just an opinionated observer. 

Despite the rapid shrinking of glaciers worldwide, scientists have yet to seize the opportunity to use artificial glacier technology as a means to slow the process. With all the hype surrounding the issue, some new technologies have remained under the radar. While it is vital to understand the cause of glacial melting, it is equally as important to implement solutions that can alleviate the problem now.

 
Being environmentally friendly has become a fad, a reason for Barneys creative director Simon Doonan to deem “green as the new black” in a recent campaign. It has become a topic of conversation at $50,000 a head benefits where Leonardi DiCaprio and Al Gore express their concern over gentle applause. Unfortunately, they aren’t doing any of us a service by simply restating the issue. Hollywood made glaciers cool, yet despite their growing popularity, they remain imperiled, ten years after one solution was found. For the price of a single Prius, the quality of life for 7,500 people can be improved. Even Larry David can’t argue with that.
 
According to a study by Zurich University’s World Glacier Monitoring Service (WGMS) scientists confirmed rapid ice loss in 180 glaciers worldwide. A recent warning issued by the WGMS and the United Nations Environment Program, highlighted the issue of glacial melting in developing countries where there is a high risk of drought for millions of people. Wilfried Haeberli, the director of the WGMS, stated that the monitoring of glaciers and ice caps in remote regions of Asia has been relatively low. Unfortunately, it is these isolated populations that are most at risk for disease, agricultural depletion, and lack of water as the glaciers are vital to their way of life.

 
Haeberli emphatically states that the use of new technologies such as geoinformatics and remote sensing should be employed to solve this global dilemma. However, where Haeberli, the UN and other government programs have lacked vision and progress to come up with technological solutions, local engineers are stepping up to fix one of the major effects of ice loss. Although efforts have been devoted to solving the problem globally, one solution may already exists, a relatively simple one developed by a retired engineer in a remote region of India.
 
In Ladakh, located in the north of India between China and Pakistan, millions of villagers reside in green oases tucked away between the jagged Himalayan peaks. Ranging from 10,000 to over 18,000 feet above sea level, these villagers rely solely on natural products. The Ladakhi people, have found ways to survive for centuries, despite the barren terrain, crippling high altitude and increasing lack of rainfall, by depending heavily on glaciers as a source of water for irrigation and personal use. Now Ladakhi villagers fear that there will be no water to cultivate their crops.
 
Chewang Norphel has helped assuage that fear by developing artificial glaciers. His idea was spawned by a leaky frozen tap that eventually formed a mini-glacier in his backyard. Norphel noticed that a few yards below his house was a channel where the water flowed in large quantity and remained fluid. This image became the simplistic foundation for  the artificial glaciers which he designed in 1999.
 
Norphel explained that as the sun comes into contact with the glacier, the ice melts into a stream. This water is then diverted through a drilled channel that carries it through the mountain to the side of the valley in the shade. The change in temperature makes the water trickle out in an icy stream, allowing it to freeze within embankments on the incline of the mountains, thus creating artificial glaciers. So far, artificial glaciers are in six locations throughout Ladakh, with several more in development. As a result of the new glaciers, villages have increased water supplies, crops and a renewed sense of hope. For around $2,000 USD an artificial glacier supplies water to around 700 people.

Many of the effects of global warming are too complex to immediately solve.  Solutions such as— decreasing pollution, and carbon emissions — are important to stop this cycle, but those in need are searching for ways to fix the issues now. Many of the world’s poor need help adapting to climate change that has already occurred. The use of artificial glaciers for unreliable water sources in remote regions can be adopted easily and cheaply anywhere in the world. However, 10 ten years after its implementation in Ladakh, little has been done to spread the benefits of Norphel’s invention. Unfortunately, being able to drive to Wholefoods and stock up on water is not a luxury we all have. Mother Natures inventory is not as well stocked, and she is certainly not offering up any discounts.  

We know that Global warming is a problem; We know that the glaciers are melting, but it is time we focus our efforts toward a practical solution. With no background in engineering, environmental studies or physics, Chewang Norphel found a solution that can help save the people of Ladakh, at least for now. With millions of dollars being pumped into advanced scientific research, its ironic that the most effective solution for Ladakhis was found in their own backyard.

Put your money, where the drought is…

Sources: http://bitly.com/oajvXF
Personal Interview. Chewang Norphel. Ladakh, 2008.

R

ound-up of my favorite things this week. Follow it, don’t judge it. I’ve been waiting a year for us to feature India on Jetsetter, so today I’m dedicating Follow Friday to my favorite place on Earth. It’s is a land of maharajas and swamis, silk and saffron, jewels and jasmine, and expensive cars that share the road with sacred cows…and the cows have the right of way. In India they truly believe the Sanskrit saying Atithi Devo Bhava or “The guest is God.” And that’s exactly how you will be treated on the 10-day tour, during which you’ll see the country’s best — from the Jaipur Elephant Festival to the Taj Mahal to game drives in Ranthambore National Park — and stay exclusively in deluxe Oberoi resorts. So put on your Sari and say शुभकामनाएँ!  (ok it means good luck) as you depart for Marble to Sands India Tour on Jetsetter. 

For me of me and my soulmate….

nationalgeographicmagazine:

Rajasthan, India
Photograph by April Maciborka
“This portrait was taken in a city called Bundi in Rajasthan, India. This man shone in the setting sun, his skin glistening, his eyes vibrant and his turban matching the color of the old painted wall behind him. I just couldn’t let the photographic opportunity pass me by.”—April Maciborka

This picture reminds me why I do what I do. 

After seven long years, India’s richest man (Oh hey, namaste) can finally enjoy his new, 27-story home in Mumbai, India. It’s really a humble abode - with only three helipads and a very necessary air-traffic control station on the roof. 

Here are the facts: the 570-foot tall home has a swimming pool, salon, health club, garage (for his minimal 160 cars), lobby, nine elevators, full-size ballroom and 50-seat cinema. It’s larger than the Palace of Versailles at 173 meters high with 37,000 square meters of floor space.

In 2005 wife Nita Ambani was inspired by the modern-Asian interior at Mandarin Oriental in New York City. 

Named after a mythical island in the Atlantic, Antilla is in fact the world’s most expensive home to date. But seriously, don’t judge. Antilla boasts a staff of 600 people! Doesn’t job opportunity count for something?

R

oundup of my favorite things this week… follow it, don’t judge it. 

Music. @HoodieAllen.

Ok, I was a cheerleader in High School - I only lasted through the first football game. I mean, they asked me to smile and scream. I thought they were joking. But 21-year old New York based rapper and songwriter has made a Pep Rally I can cheer for. The not-your-typical-hip-hopper samples a diverse array of artists and sounds from UK pop singers (Marina & The Diamonds) to indie rock staples and upstarts (Two Door Cinema Club). Purveyor of summertime anthems, candid storyteller, provider of feel-good jams and witty punch line thrower… the only questions I need to ask – do you like Monkeys? And are you single? DM Me (wink)

Bounce to the beats – and channel your inner band geek with Pep Rally. 
#Nowplaying: Party at The Beach House & Look At What We Started 

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