We're VaisnavasMonday, 19 April 1976Srila Prabhupada, accompanied by his secretary, Pusta Krsna Swami, and his servant Hari-sauri, had left Bombay the day before on their long journey to Melbourne, via Colombo and Singapore. On the Bombay-Colombo leg, Prabhupada took prasadam from his multi-tiered stainless steel tiffin and chanted japa. The plane touched down in Singapore at 5pm for a four-hour transit stop. Prabhupada wanted to rest in the first-class lounge at Singapore airport. It was situated, however, inside the airport proper, and to get to it Prabhupada's party would have to pass through Immigration. Officials, reasoning that they had had "difficulties" with Hare Krsna devotees in the past, refused entry to Srila Prabhupada and his entourage.Pusta Krsna Swami became angry. "Let me see the top man," he demanded. Prabhupada suggested to him that he should not bother arguing, but Pusta Krsna insisted, since he wanted Srila Prabhupada to have lunch in the lounge and to rest. "Please let me try, Srila Prabhupada," he said. Pusta Krsna Swami reasoned with the head immigration official. "We're not Hare Krsna devotees," he argued. "We're Vaisnavas." Somehow the immigration official accepted his argument and, after holding their passports in the lobby, allowed them entry.Srila Prabhupada was therefore able to take some prasadam and rest a little in a small room before boarding the Qantas flight for the last part of their journey to Melbourne via Sydney. Srila Prabhupada tolerated the flight without complaint, although the unbroken seven-hour trip to Melbourne, plus the long delay in Singapore, had been very difficult for him. He mentioned to Hari-sauri that any trip longer than three to four hours was a strain.The plane arrived mid-morning in Sydney -- three hours late. Prabhupada and his retinue were met in the transit lounge by Jayadharma, the temple president of Sydney, and young Geoffrey Fletcher. Prabhupada was offered a flower garland and a large silver plate of fruits and sweets. After a one-hour transit, Prabhupada flew to Melbourne -- twenty-two hours after leaving Bombay.- From "The Great Transcendental Adventure" by HG Kurma Prabhu
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