Failing Miserably on
my 'Room Checks'...
November 4, 2007

6:45pm

I truly can’t believe my odds. I really can’t.

When I was just in the taxi to get to the airport, I thought of something…

I don’t recall seeing my container of CDs (that I backed up all of my recent pictures to) when I was packing up today.

At this point, I opened my backpack where they should have been. Nothing. I opened up the smaller part of my backpack
(with small hopes as it is almost too small to hold it). Nothing.

CRAP!!!

At this point, my stomach was turning a bit and thinking ‘Oh my God! All of my pics are history. They are probably at some
hotel. Or
were at some hotel – now they are probably in a garbage can. Why am I so lousy at ‘room checks’ before leaving
hotels???’

But the Buddha in me told me to retain calm. Even though I almost always delete all of my pictures on my computer after
making my albums via the internet (to not use up all of the memory on my computer), I only just made my ‘Europe’ album the
other day. I was actually waiting for my sister to receive it in the mail before deleting those full-size pics. So they are still on
my computer. And so are all of the India ones as I have yet to do any albums for this trip. Ahhh. I could now relax. Even more
so because the really important pics in my eyes – Morocco and Tunisia – I did CDs for
before purchasing the big container of
CDs so they were in a different part of my backpack. And to think that I was going to put them into the container the other day
and swap out the blank CDs. All I can say is ‘Phew’!

I can’t believe how lucky I am. I really can’t. I even made a CD of Christine’s pics. I thought I could at least get some of those
pics if (I should really say ‘when’) we meet in Bali. But as luck would have it, I added those pics to my computer and the CD is
still in the docking station!

Lucky girl I am!

Now all I have to do is buy a new pack of CDs to make copies onto. Oh. And not lose them this time.

While I didn’t mention it in other journals, I have also managed to lose
both of the sports bras that I brought with me on this
trip. One I left at the Hyatt in Delhi (it was white (along with the tank top I left there), the sheets were white…honest mistake
– though I do admit to not really doing a ‘room check’). The other one I left the other day in Orchha – I assumed I did a room
check but I didn’t. I only learned this when I got to my next hotel with a gym and was sans sports bra (and shirt that I bought
for working out – I am starting to see a pattern here). So I did what any person in a random Indian city would do – I went to
one of the stands that sell everything from shampoo to bangles to toys to candy to underwear. I used to laugh that these places
sell underwear. Now I was grateful for it as their stash even consisted of sports bras! Though I probably won’t be running in
this baby (lacking a bit in support), it will be good enough for elliptical and weight workouts when the opportunity arises!

All I know is that I need to stop being such a space cadet…
Back to India.