My flight itinerary was San Francisco to London Heathrow and onto New Delhi. SFO-LHR-DEL.
SFO is dominated by the tech ads, companies striving to make the world a better place... But sometimes, it seems like the efficiency comes from bypassing the human interaction. Just jump past the fuss of speaking to someone. It seems so insular. Whereas LHR is so polite, the last outpost of civility and manners. Where a polite 20-something old restaurant worker can make you feel dignified by saying, "I'm so sorry, but we don't take American Express." And after 24 hours, finally touching down at DEL. Delhi, the 3rd largest urban area on earth. Population: 22 million, not counting the cows. I can’t think of anything to say about it that hasn’t been said before. Amazing, chaotic, loud, indiscreet, warm, honest, affectionate, unfiltered, shy and in your face all at the same time… My 24 hours here has been mind boggling. I sat for an hour on a bench outside of arrivals just watching and taking it in. Hindu, Muslim, Buddhist, Christian, Sikh, Brahmain, young, old, honking horns, smells... It just felt like life.
When I think about SFO LHR DEL, I feel like it could be a metaphor for the world today. It's sort of a timeline and we're either advancing or declining. Is removing the human interaction really an advancement? Sitting there and watching the chaos, I think they might be onto something. It's a mess, but it works because it's based on acceptance, interaction and respect; I don't think there's an app for that.