I can’t wait to see this beautiful monument as my clients and I visit it during our 2011 Silver Legends Himalayan Tour next month.

Emperor Shah Jehan commissioned the building of the Taj Mahal, a final resting place and mausoleum for his beloved bride and wife Mumtaz Mahal, starting one year after she died. The building started in 1632, took twenty-two years to build and twenty thousand laborers. It is spread over forty-two acres on the banks of the River Yamuna near the city of Agra and was designed in such a way that no further addition or alteration to it would be possible.

On my Himalayan tours, I can go from a very hot to a very cold climate in a matter of hours and being from North America I am used to thinking of temperatures in Fahrenheit.

However Fahrenheit is becoming obsolete in many parts of the world, so I have learned to understand Celsius and be comfortable with conversions.

So I thought it might be useful to do a short little blog post on temperature conversions so you know exactly how comfortable you will be once you step into your new surroundings.

I am starting first with the actual temperature conversion formulas, just in case you want to know how the numbers came about (although there are tons of apps you can download to do this for you in a jiffy).  I will also be providing my favorite app later in this post.

To convert from Fahrenheit to Celsius use (F – 32) x 5/9 = C

Example: If it is 100 degrees Fahrenheit in Bali, Indonesia, (100 – 32) x 5/9, it is 37.7 degrees Celsius.

To convert from Celsius to Fahrenheit use (C x 1.8) + 32 = F

Example: If it is 20 degrees Celsius in Kathmandu, Nepal, (20 X 1.8) + 32, it is 68 degrees Fahrenheit.

The ConvertMe App is my personal favorite for temperature conversions without having to do the math.

What are some of your experiences?  Is there a process or conversion app that you use and like very much that you can share?

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This nutritious recipe includes power greens such as Kale and Swiss Chard. Did you know that one cup of Kale provides over 300% of Vitamin A and 80% of your Vitamin C daily needs,  while Swiss Chard provides 374% of your Vitamin K daily needs.

Other ingredients include bell peppers – high in antioxidants, phytochemicals and lycopene, known to fight heart disease, stroke and cancer while  Cilantro is a powerful cleansing agent, good for the digestion and full of antibacterial qualities.

Click here to view the embedded video.

The ingredients make for a filling, wonderful meal by itself or with some grilled chicken, sliced and layered over the top. It is also featured as one of recipes in The New GreenGrocer Cookbook that Pete Carcioni re-published in honor of his father Joe Carcioni the original “Greengrocer”.

Do you have a favorite recipe you would like to share? Or perhaps a healthy nutritious one that has been a big hit with your kids?  Do share so we can all benefit and enjoy.

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My husband and I went on an amazing adventure a couple of years ago…

It started deep in the rain forests of the Northeastern Himalayan foothills when we decided to visit some local living root bridges.

Talk about ecological consciousness…

Contrary to bridges constructed with man-made materials, these natural “living” bridges are made from the roots of the Ficus Elastica, also known as the the Indian Rubber Tree, and most are over 500 years while continuing to get stronger over time.

In an era of growing environmental consciousness, it is so refreshing to find a place where man has harnessed nature to survive and live in such harmony together for hundreds of years.

The start of the trek…

Together with a few friends, we traveled about 50 miles away from the city of Shillong. After a long drive through windy mountain roads, we finally met our local guide who would take us on our hike. As we left the paved road behind, we started descending further into the mountain and pretty soon the stone path disappeared completely and we were hiking down a sturdy but sometimes slippery forest trail.

Our survival instincts took over as we picked up some wooden branches to help us keep our balance because our legs were starting to feel like Jello at this point. I was also getting a little concerned about our return journey going back “up”  this trail.

The set of Avatar?

Onward we descended as we trekked deeper into the forest with the bizarre feeling that we had just stepped into the set of Avatar, into a quiet magical jungle of deep green, lush foliage where any moment we would see Neytiri and the Na’vi people coming out to greet us.

In my next post (Part 2),  I will share the unexpected scene we saw when we got there.  Stay tuned.

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Whether you are planning to book a Himalayan adventure or simply fly across the state you live in, did you know that internet airline tickets are usually discounted between 15% and 25% by Monday night?

By  Tuesday, competitors match or exceed these prices so you may be able to purchase them for an even lower price – so Tuesdays and Wednesdays are usually the best days to purchase your online tickets.

For example, according to Smart Money dated Jan 28, 2011, a Chicago-Atlanta round-trip ticket for April travel dates cost $209 on Tuesday and Wednesday on American and Delta, but then $301 for the next four days.

When Tuesday rolled around last week, the fare dropped to $219 at both airlines for the April 8-15 itinerary. By Friday it was up to $307 at both American and Delta. Come Tuesday this week, the fare was down to $229”. This is a 33% savings.

And what are worst days to buy airline tickets?

Well, it looks like Saturdays and Sundays are the worst times to purchase because airlines don’t manage their inventory as actively until they come back to work on Mondays.

Although Social Media may change this trend as it appears some airlines are tweeting special fares that are only valid for an hour, or they send messages on their discounts to customers who sign up for fare alerts. By the way, you can get alerted on fares by signing up with AirfareWatchdog.com

On any alerts for online airfares you are thinking of purchasing, you might want to first go to that airline’s website and check – they might have discounted that exact flight for even less.

How do you get the best price for your airline tickets? Do you have any special programs or tools that you use to save money? I would love to hear back from you.

In this blog post, I want to focus on some positive things that have happened to me lately and all the people who helped or are helping to make something wonderful happen with their kindness and compassionate spirit.

The back burner

Some of you may be aware that I live in the bay area but originally come from the Himalayan foothills of Northeastern India, but just in case you didn’t know, I grew up precisely in that area of the world for about 16 years and love this community of my childhood years very, very dearly. Additionally, I have wanted for many years to go back and do something meaningful for some of these people who struggle very hard just to make a living and to help underpriviledged children in the region, however my busy life, career and family responsibilities have kept this as a future “to do” project.

Getting started

Well, about 8 months ago I joined the Reading Between The Wines book club, which is part of a larger group of the South Bay Women’s Social Group and it just happened that Yoke, the organizer of this Social Group was part of the 8 women in this book club. In December of last year, I asked Yoke if I can approach her group to see if there are any women who might want to participate in getting some warm clothing and other essential needs for the people in the region I wanted to help.

Kindness and compassion

After I talked at length to Yoke about my vision and what I hoped to accomplish, she and her group ADOPTED MY PROJECT as their Giving Back activity for 2011! Then she scheduled me to give a presentation about this at their bi-annual “Meet and Greet” on Jan 20, 2011.

A friend in another country

It also so happened that a couple of years ago, a friend of our family in India came to visit us here in the US with a couple of his friends, one of who was the Commissioner of the state of Meghalaya. This friend (the Commissioner) is now playing an integral part as my contact in India who is helping me in getting this project implemented

Photographs that were meant to be

On top of that, my sister and her family who live here in California happened to be in India in December for the holidays, and were able to visit the actual village and getting pictures of the people and place we will actually be helping this year. And she got back just in time (Jan 14) for me to get the photographs so I could include them in my presentation.

The kindness of strangers

So last week at the “Meet and Greet”, I did my presentation on my Adopt a Himalayan Village project and the feedback and response was amazing! Some of the ladies who attended offered donations of clothing, some offered their time and expertise, while others offered both, to get this project implemented.  Some even thanked me for reminding them of how much we all have.  I was overwhelmed by kindness. That is part of the reason I feel so strongly about creating Himalayan tours, to help connect others with the place that has such a big area of my heart.

Another amazing person I met who was also a presenter at the Meet and Greet was Dr. Rafael Lopez of Chiropractic from the Heart.  Dr. Rafael goes to El Salvador and Nicaragua every year with a group of chiropractors and donates his services to the people there who need help. He gave a great presentation of his services and offered his initial services for an unbelievable price of $197 AND then he said he would donate $100 of it to my village project! That really touched me.

Goodness surrounds us…

I believe I am surrounded by givers – certainly all the people I mentioned above are givers… I have also found that Americans on the whole are the kindest, most compassionate people I have ever seen. I am so grateful to live here. Furthermore, my friend in India is also taking time out of his busy schedule to further this cause and help others. What a wonderful world we live in – filled with amazing, caring individuals. The evening broadcast does not focus enough on good news, but we can.

What about you?

What are your experiences with giving back? Do you have a vision or idea on how you would like to give back? What is YOUR good news today?

Statistics indicate more and more of us women are vacationing or taking business trips alone. You may or may not be heading off on a Himalayan tour, but you may indeed find yourself traveling alone in a new and unknown place. I myself have been on many trips by myself in unfamiliar cities when I was still working in the corporate world. This led me to write my travel ebook on information, tips and tricks that I have either researched or personally come up with that I have found useful.  So I decided to post a few of them here and hope they come in handy for you ladies out there when you go on your next trip – be it to the wilds of Kenya, a Himalayan adventure, or to your client meeting in Toronto.

Some of these tips were added to the travel checklists through the years.

• Pack some toothache medicine. Depending on where you are, you may not want a local dentist as instruments may not be properly sterilized.
• Take a small container of Vaseline. It is a great anti-friction ointment and can be used on feet to prevent calluses and blisters, or as lip balm.
• Carry some baby wipes to freshen up your face and any other parts of your body when you do not have access to water.
• Depending on where you are, flowing skirts conveniently cover your legs when you are sightseeing in churches and temples, and are a perfect coverage for emergency bathroom breaks out in nature.
• To counteract jet lag, once you get to your destination, expose yourself to as much sunlight as possible as natural sunshine will sync your circadian rhythm to your new environment.
• Take a door stopper to lodge under your hotel room door for extra safety. This is very handy for hotels without safety latches.
• Looping your money belt around the belt loops of your pants make it harder for thieves to run off with it.
• Hotel reception should not say your room name aloud. If they do, ask for a different room.
• Take a pedometer and track how many miles you walk during your vacation. You may log thousands of miles as you are sightseeing and give you a great sense of accomplishment you can brag about when you get back and it will motivate you to walk more, which is good for your health.

Happy Travels and Stay Healthy and Safe!

The holiday season is a very stressful time for many people. I am especially conscious of how much we spend, both in time and money.

So I thought I would take a few moments to focus on a couple of memories of a simpler time. I also hope you share some of your memories so we can all benefit from the pleasure of reading them during this time of hectic activity.

I grew up with my grandparents  in Meghalaya, India – a State that is primarily Christian. The Christmas season was very exciting for me as a child and I could not wait for it to arrive. There were never any presents under the tree but that was not what it was all about.

One of my favorite memories every year was a beautiful little cake with royal icing that my grandmother would bring out for us to enjoy – a slice with our tea at midnight on Christmas eve  (I would always get the roses from the cake as a special treat). We only bought a cake with icing at Christmas time so you can imagine how special that was.

The rest of the cake would be carefully put away to share with our extended family members who would be paying their respects to my grandparents on Christmas day. Although we celebrated modestly, we were rich with the loving presence of our family and friends.

The music of angels, or so I thought…

Another special memory was waking up in the middle of the night and hearing carols. I was raised in the Himalayan foothills of India and the nights were very cold but some folks were out there caroling! Can you imagine being snug inside warm blankets listening to this beautiful music on a cold dark night?

You see, there are a group of tribal people in the town I lived in known as the Mizos who were blessed with some of the most wonderful voices and certainly to me as a child they sounded like a choir of angels, similar to what the shepherds heard a long long time ago when Jesus was born.

I hope you enjoy the video below sung by these tribal people – the singers are different but the style and beauty of the music is the same.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Although my grandparents and aunt have long passed away, these treasured moments and memories are a beautiful part of my life that I would not trade for all the toys in the world. Although gifts are nice, one does not need very much to enjoy the beauty of this season – loved ones, music, a little desert, it was enough.

What memories do you have of this special season that were meaningful to you? Please share and let us help each other be aware of the simpler pleasures and values amidst the commercialization that surrounds us.

I look forward to your comments.

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All types of tea contain flavonoids, which are powerful antioxidants. These flavonoids in tea also help maintain bone mineral density, reducing osteoporosis and preventing fractures as we age. Green tea flavonoids stimulate the body’s ability to burn calories by increasing fat oxidation and raising the metabolism.

Dr. Jack Bukowski of Harvard Medical School concludes that the flavonoids and antioxidants found in tea may inhibit the formation of cancer cells, and protect the cardiovascular system by decreasing free radicals.

Flavonoids also work as anti-clotting agents, enhance the body’s immune functions, lower LDL cholesterol levels while raising HDL, boost longevity, assist digestion, and lower blood pressure.

So bottoms up to a nice cup of tea!

You can read more about teas, tips on making a perfect cup, as well as my yummy chai recipe in my book, The Deity Diet.

In my last blog post I discussed the withering process of tea after the leaves are initially plucked.

In this 2nd part of my three part blog post, I will discuss fermentation and oxidation process, and the differences between green tea, oohlong, black and white teas.

Once the withering process is completed and the essential oils and enzymes are released, the next stage is the fermentation process, which involves oxidization of the leaves in a humid atmosphere for up to four hours. During the fermentation process oxidation takes place, and the leaves change from dark green to a rusty brown color. After this, the tea is ready for drying and hot air is again passed over the leaves.

The black tea is marked and ready for testing by an expert tea taster, who describes the tea, documents it, and issues a certificate of release. The manufacturing process for black tea is now complete: it is ready for storage and transportation to the marketplace.

Green tea does NOT go through the fermentation process however. The veins in the leaves are not broken; instead, the leaves are steamed to destroy the enzymes that would otherwise lead to oxidation. This is why green tea retains its green color and delicate flavor.

Oolong (which means “black dragon” in Chinese) tea, manufactured in the Fujian province of China, is fermented for a much shorter span of time than black tea, ending at about the halfway point. Oolong teas are a cross between black and green teas, with a shorter fermentation process than black, but longer than the green.

White tea is a relatively new type of tea. It is the rarest of teas, as there is only a small window of time when the leaves can be picked – just a few weeks each year. The processing method for white tea involves raising the small silvery hairs on the leaves and buds. White tea is known for its anti-oxidant and detoxifying properties.

In my next blog post I will conclude with Part 3 which highlights different studies and research into the health benefits of the different types of teas.