ON THE ROAD TO INDIA 1987

We arrived at the Los Angeles Airport around 8:15 p.m., which meant that I had 15 minutes to check in at the international terminal at Singapore Airlines, “a great way to fly." I caught the L.A. Terminal Shuttle Bus to the international terminal.  I promptly mailed by travel insurance and proceeded to the Singapore Airline ticket counter. (When I return from my trip, the travel insurance had been returned; I forgot to put a stamp on it!) It was par for the course thus far.  As I stepped up to the counter, I notice that the agents were handing out leaflets to the waiting passengers.  When I checked in, I was given a seat assignment and handed one of the leaflets.

The leaflet read as follows, in part: "The flight number 47 from Singapore was delayed due to bad weather conditions in Taiwan." I thought to myself that this would probably be only a short delay. Wrong!  The plane would not arrive until the next day.  So much for optimism!

We were given hotel accommodations at the Airport Hilton, and they paid for dinner and breakfast.  There was also an agent at the hotel to answer all of our questions and to send messages to our destinations or other concerned parties. She was incredible.  She acted like a spaced out junky, but at the same time being very cool about it. She had a vague, bland answer for all possible probabilities and the unpredictable.  Too much!

I called Marie in San Francisco and told her what had happened.  We discussed my next course of action.  She is good at damage control.  After we finish talking, I went to dinner which wasn't too bad, and then promptly headed for my room with a nice glass of white wine and retired for the evening. I was in pretty good spirits and the room was comfortable.

The next morning I was up around 8:00 a.m. I showered, shaved and shampooed and then went down for breakfast.  The waiter tried to charge me more than the voucher provided for but I got him straighten out in a hurry.  The breakfast was ok but certainly not the quality the price indicated.

Well, I had to wait unti1 12:30 p.m. to return to the airport for a 3 p.m. flight to Honolulu, then to Taipei and on to Singapore.  So I went for a Jacuzzi and a swim.  The water was hot but nice in the Jacuzzi, and the swimming pool was only a little cool.  It felt wonderful!

Later, I returned to my room.  My San Francisco Travel agent had returned my call so I called them back collect. There was Maria on the line, trying to keep me up to date in damage control.  She is a strange women, probably should not be in the travel business because she does not convey very much confidence in foreign travel.  She has probably never been to these places she sends clients and lacks the confidence to speak with authority on the various issues that will pop up.

After arriving at the airport, I went to the duty free shop to get a couple of traveling companions, scotch and vodka. Not to my surprise, further complications. It turns out that because the plane is landing in Honolulu (another American State), I could not buy booze unless it was shipped all the way to Taipei.  So what else was new!  Everything that had happened up to that point was simply a comedy of nonsense but predictable.  So I went to the airport bar and paid highway robbery prices for cheap booze.  I only had a couple of drinks before going to the boarding area and reading my book.

We boarded the plane around 2:50 p.m. It was a very orderly process.  The service on board was efficient and pleasant.  Yes, the Singapore girls live up to the expectations created in the airline commercial for Singapore Airlines.  They were extremely attractive and petit. Smooth looking skin, small features and adequately curved bodies.  Well, time for dinner.  I am having duck, no trout left, only beef and duck.  It's now two thirty-five Honolulu time and four thirty-five San Francisco time.

We arrived in Honolulu at 6:40 p.m. local Lime, 8:40 p.m. California time. We were in the air for about five hours and forty-five minutes. I had read my book, listen to music, and drank white wine most of the way.  The service by the crew was outstanding.  As we landed, I glanced out the window to see the skyline of Honolulu. It was all lit up like a Christmas tree. The fountainhead of American capitalist dream.  The plane landed very smoothly, Captain Chow was on his job!

We were permitted to go inside of the airport for about twenty-five minutes.  I went to one of the small shops to find something to read.  Not much to select from, so I bought a candy bar, a Butterfinger, some peanuts, m&ms, a pen and a newspaper (Honolulu Times?).  I then went next door and bought a box of chocolate covered Macadamia nuts, don't know why, it sounded good.  I hurried back to gate 25 with my little green transit pass and re-entered the loading area.  I had a few minutes, so I called Marie in San Francisco.  It was good to hear her voice. I didn't have long to talk because the plane was preparing to leave.

We left Honolulu at 8:25 p.m. The plane was delayed because of late arriving cargo.  We were now on our way to Taipei, somewhere in the Pacific. I didn't have the foggiest idea where but we were on our way.  Around 9:30 p.m., I felt that it was time to go to bed, so I made a sign that read, "no dinner", and placed it on my window shade.  I then put my earplugs in, covered myself with two blankets, position my pillow and tried to sleep.  I must have slept for a long time because when I woke up, my watch read 4:30 a.m. Honolulu time or 630 a.m. San Francisco time, Tuesday morning.