Mumbai

"And Tommy doesn't know what day it is"

They upgraded me to first class. That's right, I checked in and was walking towards the plane and the clerk stopped me and asked me if I was traveling alone, and she gave me a new ticket. And the paranoid person I am wondered if it would be an aisle, alone, like I had in business class.

In this case I got a whole room.

Once again, it's not like it looks in the pictures. You've got a compartment, with a thirty inch screen, with more movies and TV shows than you could watch in a year, with British series that haven't made it across the pond yet, along with flowers and a desk lamp and a vanity mirror and room to stretch out and I only wish it was longer than a three hour flight. You press a button and the doors close and you've got your own private area, your own private Idaho, but on this A-380, not a B-52, the service is so attentive that for a long time you don't want to close the doors. The food was Indian and scrumptious! What did Americans add to cuisine, hamburgers? Well the assorted dips, and the chutneys to go along with the curry, were extremely savory.

Now back to Dubai, I forgot to tell you that they had free Wi-Fi, fast enough for video, that's what the banners said. And free ice cream. I chose chocolate chocolate chip, it was better than Haagen-Dazs. That's right, for everyone, right in the concourse, courtesy of Emirates.

And there were more of those white-robed gentlemen on my flight. How do they keep the robes so clean? If it were me, one meal and it'd be toast. And I'd like to tell you the derivation of the attire, but I'm an American, and we know nothing. That's right, been nowhere, done little, but convinced we're the experts, like the blowhard at the party you can't wait to get away from. That's one thing about life, there's always someone who knows more, who's seen more, and once you realize this you're a citizen of the world, then again statistics tell us Americans don't even move to a different state anymore, they can't afford it. As for all this bashing of the U.S.A., that's one thing that's great about our country, the ability to question, to stand up, the thing that Trump is trying to eviscerate. Every day people tell me I'm an idiot online, why can't the President handle it. If you play to your naysayers you're missing the point. You've got to stay the course. Then again, do the masses agree with your course? We're gonna find out in November, then again, on the flight over I read a story about a southern city decreasing the number of polling places in African-American neighborhoods, makes me wonder if the game is rigged. Actually, it is. Which is why you should have voted for Hillary so we didn't end up with the right wing Supreme Court we've got now, it was always about the Supreme Court, and you blew your chance because Hillary was phony. She was, she turned me off by saying her favorite book was the Bible, but people are complicated and if you can't accept them warts and all, if you can't look past the gotcha points, you're gonna have a lot of trouble in this world. And I could rant further about politics, but you don't want to hear it, but it's the story of our age. Musicians used to be concerned, before they weren't whored out to corporations, when the draft had everybody on the same side. It comes down to whether you believe in a welfare state, if you don't...you're not on my team. Bye!

So it's hot in Mumbai and rainy too. It's the monsoon season. Vishal told me there are three seasons: summer, winter and monsoon. That it's humid during the day yet temperate at night. And he spoke perfect English, I know no Hindi or any other dialect/language used here. But Vishal did tell me sixty percent of the people speak English.

And I landed after three in the morning, but just driving to the hotel I got the vibe, why westerners are entranced by the country. It's different, yet inviting. And although Vishal told me it was perfectly safe, they did check under the hook and inside the trunk before letting us through the gate, which reminded me about terrorism in the past, but if you go through life afraid, you don't live, why are Americans now so afraid?

And my room is very nice with a view over the water but sans a desk. You don't find a hotel room in America without a desk. And the free Wi-Fi...I think I'm gonna have to pay for faster speed. And supposedly Uber is readily available. And I heard prices are cheap, but I do little research before I travel, I always Google once I arrive, once I'm excited.

And I'm excited and happy now. I'm twelve and a half hours from Los Angeles, a full day of travel. I'm literally halfway around the world, and already my eyes have been opened.

P.S. The above lyric is from the song "Christmas," from the Who's rock opera "Tommy," does anybody under thirty know that? The double album was not released to great fanfare, the song "Pinball Wizard" came out a few months before, but did not run up the chart. But "Tommy" built over time and became a landmark to the point the band played the Metropolitan Opera House. I saw them perform it at the Fillmore East. Watching Keith Moon was stunning, it was like he was two drummers. And I feel that "Tommy" is fading away, younger people prefer "Quadrophenia," just like some prefer the White Album or "Abbey Road" to "Sgt. Pepper." But "Tommy," like "Sgt. Pepper," was the breakthrough, it was a quantum leap forward, it was beyond conception. Anybody can follow in the footsteps, but can you jump ahead and be a leader, go where the people want to even though they are unaware? Then you're truly an artist.

P.P.S. And that's right, my Mac says it's Tuesday August 21st, 4:46 AM, but I left on Sunday and although I slept some on the flight to Dubai I'm not exactly tired and it's the middle of the night, thank you Billy Joel, and I'm gonna read and try to fall asleep, but I wonder how long it will take to adjust. Usually going east is hell, whereas going west is not. But going to India...you can go either way, since it's right smack dab in the middle, how's the jet lag gonna be? I'm gonna find out!

P.P.P.S. The toilet seats in Dubai were heated, so your tushy would feel all warm and fuzzy!

P.P.P.P.S. I drank from the water fountain in the Mumbai airport and I've been freaked out about it ever since. That's what everybody tells you, don't drink the water! And I was rationalizing it was the airport, but then they told me not to drink the water from the tap in my hotel room and...I've been OCD'ing about it ever since. I came with a full complement of medication, but I don't want to use it!

P.P.P.P.P.S. I forgot to tell you about the bathroom in first class! I know, this P.S. thing is getting kinda ridiculous, but my brain is somewhere over the ocean despite my body being here and I forgot to tell you this, and so much more that hasn't occurred to me yet. Anyway, the first class Emirates bathroom even has a shower! It is literally bigger than my bathroom at home!

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