Journal Entry – November 11, 1995 – New Delhi

The Aeroflot flight from Moscow must have arrived for crowds of badly-dressed Russians throng through the market buying cheap clothing to sell for a tidy profit back in the ex-Soviet Union. Finding large clothing isn't easy, but the Indian merchants of the cheap tourist hotel district know their market. It is now apparent from the swift collapse of the USSR that the CIA lied about Communist's hold on their regime, although the Russians freed Europe from the Nazis.

Throughout my stay in New Delhi Indians have asked why the USA sold F-16s to their subcontinental adversery Pakistan and I said, "The Pentagon does not win wars which are used to grind profit fromcivilians and solidiers to earn profit for the military-industrial complex.

No one mentioned Armistice Day.

The War to End All Wars.

I walked to the train station and bought a one-way ticket to Goa.

Peace reigned there.

Hippies love peace.

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

Published Jun 17, 2023

30,000 feet 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 to help kill the hours till boarding.

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

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.

Journal Entry - November 10, 1996 - New Delhi

After visiting Delhi's famed Red Fort I crossed the Yamuna river and wandered through narrow streets of a working neighborhood. A choking cloud of motorcycle exhaust overwhelmed my lungs. The workers of the small machine shops ignored my presence and the sun beat through my clothing to broil my skin. There was no refuge until I found myself standing before the Jain Bird Hospital I had read about the ancient religion's reverence of life and escaped the broiling sun,surprised how the chaos of India's capitol city had been vanquished by the hospital's inner calm. Thousands of birds were recovering from their injuries under the care of Jains, who respect for all things living to achieve the eternal circle birth life, life, death and reincarnation. I swiftly realized that I had added yet another holy site which might aid my young brother Michael's soul through eternity.

Back outside I caught a rickshaw to Connaught Circle, buying a Herald-Tribune before entering the calm of the Cellar. I ordered a Kingfisher beer and read the newspaper's reporting of the presidential election. The Democrats had beaten the GOP offering of Bob Dole, a good man, but deemed too stingy by the American public. Governor Bill Clinton had been reward for helping the CIA transport cocaine from Central America to Arkansas, but no one in America had sought prison for Colonel Oliver North. He was considered a hero, as was Bob Dole, but heroes weren't getting elected in 1996, because the message was simple.

It's the economy.