Yes, only in New York do long-haired hipsters balance fat volumes of Borges on boxes of Raisin Bran. Only in New York might you see a woman on the underground with a copy of William Burroughs' Naked Lunch in front of a public health poster promoting breastfeeding.
There are two areas where British mobile phone customers are silenced, the London Underground 'tube' network and on planes. The London Underground has many tunnels that are far too deep for a signal at ground level to penetrate and though the Mayor of London wanted to try getting a signal on the network before the London Olympic games, this plan was found to be too ambitious.
My father has never left the tiny corner of Mumbai in which he lives. He was born deaf, at a time when being disabled meant you were condemned to a limited formal education. His trip, stressful and unforgettable, helped me see London - and my father - differently. With Father's Day coming up, it helped us look at my dad through clear, unsentimental eyes of grown up adults.