Glimplses of Royal Land – Journey Begins

I love the architecture of forts, places and temples. I always wanted to visit in my lifetime and see the gigantic forts and beautiful palaces. To do this in India, I could not have chosen a better place than Rajasthan. To fulfill this dream along with my other 2 friends, we booked hotels, vehicle for a total period of 13 days in December 2004.

Totally 7 (3 families) of us started on this journey from Bangalore. We reached Delhi by flight as late as 1:00 p.m. We would have reached Delhi by 9:00 a.m if not for the fog. When we landed in Delhi the pre-booked Qualis was waiting for us. We got into the vehicle and stared moving towards Shekawati region in Rajasthan. On the way we had lunch at the road side Dhaba and reached Mandwa by 8:00 p.m. We could not see any place on the way, as it was getting late and dark. We checked-in to the Mandwa Haweli, and after refreshing we had good dinner. This is our first taste of Rajasthani food, and it was really good. After dinner we strode through the village and it was full moon day. There was no electric power in the village at that point, but from what little we could see that night, we knew next day morning will be exciting.

The Haveli had the electricity and we had good sleep to finish our first day on the trip. Next we will explore the Shekawati region.

Distance: Delhi ---> Mandwa is 257 kms

P.S: December is the month when lot of tourists land in Rajasthan. So if you really want all the arrangements to be done properly this has to be done before October end.

MAXjet Files Chapter 11 Bankruptcy

On Christmas Eve, MAXjet—the all business class airline—filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy and halted all flights. Here's the announcement directly from MAXjet president William Stockbridge.

Dear Friends of MAXjet:

It is with deep regret that I must inform you that MAXjet filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy on 24 December 2007. With today’s fuel prices and the resulting impact on the credit climate for airlines, we are forced to take this drastic measure. Our top priority is to assist our customers, particularly those who already have begun their travel with us, in securing alternative flight accommodations.

MAXjet has contracted with Eos Airlines for seats on Eos’ scheduled all-Premium service to accommodate passengers awaiting a return flight between New York and London. Passengers needing return travel between London, Los Angeles and Las Vegas will be contacted regarding their flight re-accommodations. Any customers who choose to make flight accommodations directly should seek a refund from their point of purchase (credit card or travel agency) for the unused leg of their journey.

We have also secured hotel rooms in London, New York, Las Vegas and Los Angeles through early January 2008 which we will provide to affected passengers whose travel plans have been disrupted.

On behalf of the entire MAXjet family, we extend our apologies to you for the inconvenience. We are extremely saddened to discontinue a service that we so passionately believe in, and we thank our loyal flyers who helped build MAXjet since our start in 2005.


Sincerely,

William D. Stockbridge
President and CEO

For MAXjet customers who have started travel...
MAXjet is contacting customers with their new travel itineraries in priority order based on date of departure. Please contact MAXjet Customer Care at 1-866-837-9880 or intransit@maxjet.com

Any customers who choose to make flight accommodations directly should seek a refund from their point of purchase (credit card or travel agency) for the unused leg of their journey.


For MAXjet customers who have not yet begun their travel, but have booked tickets...
Seek a refund directly from your point of purchase (credit card or travel agency).

For further information, passengers who have not yet begun travel may contact 1-888-435-9629 or info@maxjet.com

2008 Alaskan Cruise Season—Luxury Style

Want to cruise Alaska in 2008? If you wish to do so aboard a luxury vessel, now is the time to snag a deal before the premium suites and discount deals are snatched up. Yes, it's only the beginning of winter and Alaska is the last place you may want to visit right now—you're probably counting down to your winter Caribbean cruise instead—but the allure of glaciers and whale watching is too much to ignore during the summer months. Even early fall can be a fantastic time to visit our northwest neighbors.

There are only two luxury lines heading to this area in 2008: Regent Seven Seas and Silversea. If you want to sail with a high-end line, don't delay in booking. Otherwise, you may need to look toward a premium line instead. Holland America, Celebrity, and Princess are much more entrenched in Alaska than the luxury cruise lines. Small ship vendors Cruise West and American Safari Cruises may also pique your interest.

Here's a look at what Regent and Silversea are offering for the 2008 Alaska cruise season.

Regent Seven Seas
Regent's 700-guest Seven Seas Mariner plies the Alaskan waters between mid May and early September 2008. The seven-day itinerary between Seward, Alaska and Vancouver, B.C. (or vice versa) hits the following ports and/or sights of interest:

• Hubbard Glacier
• Sitka, Alaska
• Tracy Arm
• Juneau, Alaska
• Skagway, Alaska
• Ketchikan, Alaska
  
  
  If you book certain dates, you'll receive free economy air or $500 off the rack rate. Dates include May 27; June 11, 18, and 25; July 2; August 13, 20, and 27; and September 3. Rates start at $3,895 per person.
  

Silversea
Silversea's Alaska season begins on May 31st this year and ends with its Vancouver to Los Angeles itinerary on September 5. Nine-, 10- and 12-day itineraries are offered aboard the more intimate 382-passenger Silver Shadow. Rates start at $4,956 per person.

9-Day Vancouver to Vancouver

• The Inside Passage
• Ketchikan, Alaska
• Juneau, Alaska
• Skagway, Alaska
• Sawyer Glacier
• Wrangell, Alaska

10-Day Vancouver to San Francisco (or vice versa)

• Sitka, Alaska
• Haines, Alaska
• Sawyer Glacier
• Juneau, Alaska
• Ketchikan, Alaska
• Prince Rupert, B.C.

12-Day Los Angeles to Vancouver (or vice versa)*

• San Francisco, CA
• Victoria, B.C.
• Ketchikan, Alaska
• Sitka, Alaska
• Sawyer Glacier
• Skagway, Alaska
• Wrangell, Alaska
• The Inside Passage

*There is also one 12-day roundtrip intinerary out of San Francisco.

When sailing Alaska, I personally prefer booking a balcony cabin. There's something magical about sitting on your private balcony—in a very warm bathrobe, of course—as you keep your eyes peeled for whales and exotic birds and other creatures you rarely see at home. The Silver Suite would be my pick aboard the Silversea Silver Shadow. On Regent's Mariner, the Master Suite can't be beat since you get a very spacious forward balcony—727 square feet—plus a smaller 71-square-foot side balcony. I also like the Horizon Suites at the aft for their very spacious balconies.

Visiting Alaska is an exhilarating experience! So, enjoy your planned winter getaway and then start thinking about your summertime holiday. Alaska may be just the refreshing change you'll need when the lazy dog days of July roll around. Happy cruising! —Andrea M. Rotondo

Photo of Regent Mariner in Alaska courtesy of Regent Seven Seas.