May 21, 1990 - Flight from Kathmandu to New Delhi - Journal Entry

Published Jun 17, 2023

30,000 feer over the Himalayas. Flight 205 Kathmandu to New Delhi. Mountains scrapping the sky to the north. The 727 landed in New Delhi. A six-hour lay-over in the transit lounge. Thankfully the bar had bottles of cold Kingfisher beer. Todd aka Dice gave me Newsweek, helping kill the wait.

When I originally set off from NYC I had John from PanExpress Travel add Dehli to my intinerary, I wanted to trek in the Kashmir, however the political situations heightened in the divided kingdom threatening war between Pakistan and India. Yesterday Indian security forces killed six Muslim militants outside Jummu. The Indian press are calling the dead 'terrorists' as is the practice for any nation seeking to legitimie their oppression of another culture. Doctors are on strike to protest the arrest of a compatriot who sympathized with the native inhabitants. A hypocritic President Bush who led the secret Iran-Contra war for Reagan, causing thousands of deaths of Mayans in neighboring countries has called for a truce. Each nation claims the high morale ground running into the Himalaya. They might not want a war, but they are spoiling for a fight. The monsoon season is over. It's all up to Ms. Bhutto. She is a good woman unlike her husband, and knows the risks, since her father was hung by the previous goverment.

LATER

$100 might last 10-30 days in Delhi. The temperature is 104F is in the shade. Plus there are too many people. 640 millions in total. The massive population of China is the reason why I didn't go to The Middle Kingdom.

Next year I will book another round-the-world ticket from John at PanExpress.

NYC-LA-Honolulu-Manila-Hong Kong-Nabgkok-Sri Lanka-Nepal-Paris-London-NYC.

We might have to return to Biak and Bali, although Sri Lanka might answer that itch to be in a Buddhist country as opposed to a Muslim land, since the religious strictures apply to everyone even infidels.

How and when I return depends on earning money this summer and fall. Over the phone Richie promised me a job in late August. A long time away and I only want to work three days a week now, while writing THE BEST IS YET TO COME. Then work like a dog in the fall to gather up $6000 enough to stay away from America for months.