From Borneo to Alitalia!

I was walking with my friend, Molly, on the Montreal 'mountain', when out of the clear blue sky, she blurted:

“Let’s go to Borneo! We’re a perfect match for traveling. You're a columnist.

You can write stories about the trip, which will be published.

And I can go to the airlines, offer free publicity,

and in return get tickets and everything else an airline can offer!”

"Husbands?", I asked.

"No trouble. We'll arrange to meet them every three months on a South Sea island!"

The idea... never went anywhere.

The only thing I could think about Borneo was a famous American's son was burnt alive in a big pot!

Not what I would call a 'tourist attraction!'

And besides, Molly’s husband nixed it. He wasn’t the South Sea Island type.

Being 5 years before she divorced her husband, Molly obeyed.

But I was smitten with the idea. Suddenly, in one fell swoop, an idea took shape …and wings!

I was zonked!

I had a column in the Toronto star.

Which meant I had connections to the Travel Editor.

I had a unique idea for travel.

To go to Italy, visit four different cities, and with the help of Experiment in International Living,

live with families and share their lives.

A winner!

And the Travel Editor thought so, too.

“Write the article and I will publish it… for free, of course!"

That’s all I needed!

I called the Montreal manager of the Alitalia Airlines and arranged a meeting.

He loved the idea of free publicity in the most highly read paper in Canada.

I walked out on wings:

Free: 1st class travel with Alitalia . Wow!

Free: Italian government pass for the Italian railroads. Wow!!

I got wings, will travel! Wow!!!

The rest followed easily.

Driven by a vision of me a la Audrey Hepburn in Roman Holiday

on the back of a motorcycle driven by Gregory Peck,

with her white scarf wrapped around her head flying in the wind,

I was now in a position to offer free advertising in a prestigious Canadian paper in return for......

I got on the phone.

Olympia offered me a laptop computer for the trip.

(Had to refuse, I didn't know how to use the computer! Besides I have a talent for losing things!).

Ciga Hotels, the most prestigious 5-star hotel chain in Italy, reserved first class suites for me

in their hotels in Florence, Rome and Venice;

and Donna Karen (Inc. of course) gave me a wardrobe ...Well, almost!

They did make wardrobes available but my trip didn't fall into the narrow category.

Once landed, I almost blew it. When I was shown around the Ciga suite in Florence,

the assistant proudly stated that Versace had stayed there.

I replied innocently, “Who is Versace?”

Part 2