Another Flight — and Handheld Computer Found

oldchakra.com

Another Flight — and
Handheld Computer Found
By Vipramukhya Swami

Wednesday, May 8, 2002, somewhere over the Northeastern Seaboard– I'm on another boring flight across the Atlantic Ocean. I used to think this stuff was interesting, flying. Now I find it immensely boring. I mean, 22 times since January I've been through this — waiting in the airport lounge to get my seat row called, walking on the aircraft, stowing my carry-ons in the bin above, buckling my seat, watching the crew demonstrate the safety procedures which I hope I never have to use, taking off, watching the same boring movie or sleeping or chanting and finally landing. I've traveled more this year than any previous year in my life.

I like the life of traveling, but the flights are getting tedious. I wonder how Jayapataka Swami, famed for being not only the most frequent flyer in ISKCON but also one of the most frequent flyers of anyone in the world, tolerates it.

Anyway, it's not so bad. Somehow it's going on. I haven't figured out if it's financially viable. I mean, with my computer purchase this year, I'm down a lot of money so far. My last computer was purchased by Bhaktivedanta Manor. This one was purchased out of my own pocket, and because I do these strange things like update zillions of web pages, edit sound files for the Bhaktivedanta Players, write novels, store all of Srila Prabhupada's lectures in Mp3 format, make CDs, etcetera, I tend to need the latest technology. I know there are cheaper laptops, but why should I buy a cheaper laptop that is less of a machine than the one I am replacing? Anyway, the one I have now is a Dell Inspiron 8100. It has a 1.13 gigahertz Pentium III processor, 256 megabytes of RAM, and a 60 gigabyte hard drive. It's got a 15.2 inch TFT LCD screen with a resolution of 1400x1028. Dell actually makes a laptop with greater resolution, but I'm happy with the resolution of this one. The writing is small enough as it is.

I mentioned in my last Pilgrim's Diary entry that I had lost my Palm M505 handheld computer. Anyway, that's also become a bit of a necessity with me. I edit my novel on it, I keep all my records on it and all my appointments, flight details, etc. So I tried to purchase the latest version over the Internet the other day when I was still in Wales — the M515. However, even though I found the company with the best price, they were out of stock. I remember thinking at the time that it must be Krishna's plan they were out of stock. Perhaps my old one would turn up. But finally it came time to leave Chris and Rasa Parayani's house, and still I didn't have it.

So I left. Chris and I got in the car — Rasa Parayani stayed behind — and we headed out through the quaint Western Welsh single lane roads with their high embankments and hedges, and wound our way gradually to bigger and bigger roads heading toward Cardiff and the M4 Motorway.

Most of the time I noticed my mobile (cell) phone didn't have a signal. I think I mentioned before that Western Wales is pretty remote, and often there is not even a signal on the mobile phone. Anyway, as we got on to the bigger roads and were more than an hour from Chris's house, my mobile phone was fine and the signal was strong.

Then suddenly my phone rang. I answered it, "Hello?"

Someone on the other side said, "May I speak to Wayne Boyd, please?"

"This is Wayne Boyd," I replied.

"Mr. Boyd, my name is Mike. I found your handheld computer. I'd like to return it to you."

It turns out Mike found the computer in a cave by the beach that we had gone to. There was this remarkable cave. I definitely went in the cave. It went quite a ways back into the overhanging rock, with a sandy bottom, and eventually became too narrow to go any further. However, after being in the cave, I went for a walk on some sand dunes. There was a pathway, and I walked along it just before we left the beach. I distinctly remember using the handheld computer along that walk. An alarm went off in it telling me that someone's birthday was coming up the next day. That was the last time I remember seeing it. So I speculate that I must have dropped it there somehow, someone found it, took it to the cave, and for some reason abandoned it there. Mike found it. Who knows?

Anyway, Mike said that he had tried to find a name or address in the Palm telling him who the owner was, but was unable, but that morning, when he turned it on, he was presented with a password screen with my name and the Manor's phone number clearly on the screen. This was a security feature I set up. Once a day you have to enter the password or the thing will not work. Anyway, he called the Manor, who told him I was in Wales, and gave him my mobile phone number.

So Chris and I did a U-turn and went back to some government testing range where the guy apparently worked, and met up with the guy, and I'm happy to tell you that I now have my Palm handheld computer back in hand. I'm thankful I couldn't find someone with the latest model in stock for a decent price, otherwise I would have bought it needlessly to replace the one that showed up again.

So now I'm on a flight to Pittsburgh, USA. That's near New Vrindavan. Someone (a devotee) is supposed to be there to pick me up and drive me to New Vrindavan. They will want to charge me $25 for that ride, I'm told, but Vrindavan Lila, my disciple in New Vrindavan, told me not to pay it, though she will not be in the vehicle.

I'm supposed to say in New Vrindavan for five nights, then catch yet another overnight flight back to London. Flights to the USA from London come in the same day. Flights the other way are usually overnight affairs. I'm crossing the Atlantic Ocean as often as some people cross the sidewalk. At least I'm not paying for it!

So what am I doing going to New Vrindavan? I don't know, really. There's some kind of GBC meetings and some kind of seminars, and there are some kind of fees to pay, but I'm not going for any of these reasons, even though I'll probably have to pay the fees.

It's been 17 years since I was last in New Vrindavan. I have a disciple there I haven't seen in many years (she is originally from Seattle), and she is paying for the ticket as a birthday present.

I suppose I'll go to some of the seminars. I don't know. I actually wrote New Vrindavan and suggested I give a seminar, but someone wrote back to say that they were all booked up and didn't need anyone giving another seminar. So, if I'm lucky I'll keep to myself and work on writing my novel. If that doesn't happen, I guess I'll be content hanging out with the guys — and finding out what the thing in New Vrindavan is all about. In any case, I'm probably the only one going to this shindig that hasn't a clue what it's about and doesn't really care, though I'll probably enjoy the association while I'm there. Association with devotees is almost always pleasant. The unfortunate thing is that I had to take another boring flight across the Atlantic Ocean to get to it.

Ooops! Whoopie! Just felt the nose of the aircraft dip. That means we're on a descent, now. We were flying at 38,000 feet over the Atlantic. I can tell we are on the descent to Pittsburgh now.

I haven't eaten anything except some cheese that I brought along for the flight. I never eat anything the airlines prepare. It's my policy. Today was Ekadasi in England. I don't know if it's Ekadasi here on the East Coast of the USA. I'll find out when I arrive.

Okay. I'll sign out now. Hope I didn't bore you with my ramblings. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

3:40 PM Eastern Daylight Savings Time, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

I'm sitting in Malati's van, though she is not here. My driver is a Prabhupada disciple, Langaganesa dasa. It's raining, warm, and muggy. It's Ekadasi here. No grains or beans. Same as England. There's a plate of prasadam here, but not according to my diet, really, so I'm just skipping it, even though I'm feeling hungry.

I really don't like the Pittsburgh Airport. It's confusing, and weird. After picking up my check-in bag at the baggage claim area, customs decided to search my bags. I don't care. I had nothing to interest them. They didn't poke around with my Salagram Silas, so I didn't have to explain to them what They were about. Then, for reasons that escape me, I had to recheck my bag, and then go through another security screening just to get out of the airport. Then I had to take an airport train to another baggage claim and claim my bag a second time. Can you imagine? Two times claiming a bag in a single airport just to get out on the street. For what? Once is bad enough. Then a sign said "Ground Transport" this way and "Passenger Pickup" the other opposite way. I also found that disconcerting. Anyway, I figured it was Passenger Pickup, and after I wandered outside, within a couple of minutes Langaganesa found me.

Now we're sitting here in the rain, listening to a lecture by Radhanath Swami. Some other devotees are flying in and we have to wait and pick them up. Ramabhadra is arriving, so is my old Sankirtan traveling party from Henry Street, Brooklyn, Apurva Prabhu. It seems I was the first arrival.