INDIA

We are going to postpone our trip to India. In light of what has happened in Mumbai we have had a long discussion about recent events. We spent all day yesterday deciding whether to go ahead or not, especially because of where we were intending to travel ie the North, West & Mumbai ....and up by Pakistan border.

We are so shocked, saddened and worried by what has happened to Mumbai and have been glued to the news following these horrific events and cannot believe to what depths these terrorists have gone to this time. It seems they have stepped up to a very different level of terrorism and has unfortunately affected our decision to go now.

The bombs in Jaipur in May and other attacks in Delhi and Gujarat during September almost stopped us, but we decided to go ahead.
This attack in Mumbai has put a new fear into us, we were due to be at the Taj hotel in January, our friends live nearby, we have spent many happy hours there eating and talking.

We were due to leave here on Sunday for Delhi then Jaipur and eventually Mumbai and feel very concerned it would be an unnecessary risk to visit India this time, this is the 8th and worst terrorist attack India has had this year and all in the places we were going to visit. The Foreign Office has advised against all travel to Mumbai and to think very hard before coming to India for the time being.
We are very very sad we are not going and for India and its people, but we do have a choice. So, until we see how things develop we are putting our plans on hold, we love India and enjoy our trips very much and hope that it will not be long before we have the confidence to return.

Lilly

A great shame Lilly and I guess the only good thing is that you had not just arrived in India when this terrible event happened.

Do you have any alternative plans :

Very much so Hyram, the thought that we might have just arrived is very chilling, out of respect for all those people that have lost thier lives - we would not have been able to enjoy our trip. No plans till perhaps springtime.

What a shame.

The impact these monsters have is incalculable.

A wise decision to postpone the trip Lilly. In no way could it be enjoyable now.

It seems a very sad but correct decision to make right now. I see you say the trip is postponed, not cancelled so I hope you get to India before long.
best wishes, David.

Thats a bit of a bummer Lilly but your personal safety should come before anything.

I've not heard the news for a few days so dont really know whats going on (been away myself) but could you not visit another area? at least to show the Indian people some form of support by way of showing this event/s? has not put people off visiting India?

The goal of these attacks is to get India to mobilize troops along the India/Pakistan border. Which in turn would prompt Pakistan to move troops from the Pakistan/Afganistan Border to match the buildup along the India border... opening up the floodgates for militants and supplies to get from Pakistan to Afganistan.

So I'd say there won't be much more terrorist activities there until they see if thier efforts get any results.

Well that is really just hellish, a tough decision to make. I was supposed to have been working there but the 6 month job was cancelled.

I flew out to Cairo the day after 9/11 to work and friends and family were horrified that I was going to a 'Muslim' country on the verge of what was thought to be a world war - everything was fine of course and hardly a mention on Egyptian TV of the NY atrocity compared with the UK coverage.

Buying vegetables last night, our local greengrocer (Zuchinni on Nithsdale Road is a fantastic shop), a Pakistani, was at pains to point out to all his customers that these terrorists had nothing to do with Islam and should all be exterminated!

Given the vastness of India I'm inclined to agree with impotentspider that there must be other areas to visit since you are emotionally and, I would guess, finacially committed to the trip. However its not my life!

Ken

I'm gutted for you Lilly, I know you were really looking forward to the trip.

It's difficult to know what to do in a situation like this; on the one hand nobody but a fool would fly into an area knowing there was a very real threat to life and limb, however, atrocities like this are designed to put people off travelling to a country so there's something to be said for continuing as normal and not letting them have their "victory".

I'm quite bloody-minded so I would probably go anyway if it were me, but I can fully sympathise with others who would take the "better-safe-than-sorry" course of action. I'm grateful it's not a choice I've had to make personally...

I'm sorry for you, Lilly (though not as sorry as for all the poor people having been hurt or lost relatives or friends).

When I followed the news I was thinking of you. As I didn't know when you were planning to travel (only that it was within this weekly competition period) I am now relieved to hear that you have not been harmed.

A tough decision you had to take; I think under the circumstances it is best to postpone (but not to cancel altogether).

Now we have to wait a bit longer for the Lilly photos from India. I'm sure it will be worth the wait.

Prieni

I, too, wondered if you were already in country when I heard of the whole terrible mess. Glad to know that you weren't and the only thing you lost is a vacation.

Lilly, I had actually assumed you were already there and when it was all happening had thought about you and how good it was that you were up in Rajastan not Maharashtra. And also about how you would be feeling about being in India at a time such as this. It's a shame for you - but Hyram's right that it's just as well it happened prior to your visit.

It's true that terrorist attacks are probably designed - in part - to put people off visiting places. But I'm not sure I'd want to be there now. As you said Lilly, this wasn't an isolated incident, and India's pretty disorderly at the best of times.

My wife was saying to me the other day how fortunate we were to do our serious travelling when we did - ie. before 9/11. While cholera, meningitis, and malaria etc. were all potential hazards when we were backpacking in Asia in the mid-90s, terrorism wasn't an issue (unless you went to the northwest India, that is). We even spent three months in Pakistan. I cannot imagine any tourism occurring there now. One of the places we visited, the Swat valley (a popular destination for Pakistani and foreign tourists, not that far from Islamabad), was taken over by Taliban-sympathisers last year. It's tragic, what's unfolding in the country.

I'm with Gartmore's grocer - the vast majority of Pakistanis would find what's happened in Mumbai abhorrent (notwithsanding Indo-Pakistani enmity). We encountered wonderful hospitality in Pakistan (and have also in most other Muslim countries we've visited). It was an amazing place to visit and it is very sad to see the situation there apparently going from bad to worse - not helped by these latest atrocities. Moreover, the rest of the world is getting a completely distorted view of Pakistan and other Muslim societies thanks to the activities of a deranged minority.

Lilly,

It is always a personal decision in a case like this.

On 11 September 2001 I was in Brisbane and had to fly back to London a week or so later - security was a nightmare.

For the next few months people were scared of flying and a large number did not want to fly - but I was on the other side of the fence and wanted to show the terrorists that they could not win. In the following few months I visited New York, Washington, Chicago, Los Angeles, Singapore, Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur and several other major cities. Yes, I wondered if it could happen again but made teh decision to fly.

Hi

Thanks for your thoughts and sympathy everyone.

I have just received this email from my Mumbai friend who I was going to visit and thought you might be interested to read a first hand opinion on living in Mumbai after this horrendous attack and the frustration they are feeling. Not often one gets the chance to see such an opinion.

We shall be back, hopefully soon.

Lilly


"Dear Friends,

I seldom air my views but today I feel like sharing them. Last week I spent three days and nights listening to sounds
of bomb blasts and gunfire and looking out of my window at the beautiful edifice of the Taj Mahal Hotel in flames. It left
me in tears and feeling angry, sad and depressed. Post this tragic scenario I have been bombarded with the views of well-
meaning individuals on my cell and my comp and of every "Celebrity" the media can lay its cameras on, in the press and on
TV. This continous barrage has evoked strong reactions within me. Very few of those opinions have contained anything
pragmatic or cogent to say, besides:
- " I am very angry with our corrupt and inept government."

To this I say: " This the government that we have elected. These are the very same officials whose inefficiency
we have conveniently ignored while we enjoyed our creature comforts in the good times. These are the same officials
which some of us may have wined and dined and even bribed to get some project through or some job done.
- " Let us start a movement to show that we will no longer tolerate this situation."
To this I say: "What movement.? Has any corporate leader, leading citizen or highly educated or well-
connected individual who has eagerly waxed eloquent come forth with any concrete steps or plan in the execution
of which he has beckoned society at large to join him? By our gathering in large numbers at public places, apart from
assuaging the anguish within us and offering the media with many photo ops, we achieve precious little in ameliorating
the current situation."
- "Let the Government of India take strong action against Pakistan."
To this I say: What Actions? Pakistan is almost a failed state. Internally, we are sitting on the time bomb of various
discontented elements and terror cells in known and unknown locations, Tamil Tiger sympathisers, Naxalites (now called Maoists} the underworld and rogues elements in our establishments and international sponsors of terror all now working together -- not to mention the possible
retaliatory actions of "Hindu Terror". So, while India masses troups along the border with Pakistan,[ a nuclear state] or
launches pre-emptive strikes against the training camps on its soil, will all these malvolent elements just sit by and
watch?. Are we, AT THIS PRESENT MOMENT, equipped to deal with the mayhem they will unleash? Have we just recently not
seen enought of it?
SO WHAT CAN WE DO? I don't see any quick fixes for this problem. We urgently need to look inward and make our
country strong within before we think of and speak about taking on the powers without. Let us, ASAP,

- each one of us become more honest, vigilant and socially responsible citizens - AT ALL TIMES - and spare whatever
time and resources we can for nation building,
- put aside our various prejudices and not vote on the basis of cast and religion, so that we elect truly honest,
sincere and efficient public servants to govern us and then let us actively monitor their performance and hold
them accountable in whatever way an individual can. This will bring an end to vote-bank politics and the resulting mess.
- apply our minds individually and collectively to chart out concrete steps to clean out the cancer of corruption,
even if it involves some personal inconvenience or sacrifice.
- try and educate the uneducated populace around us in any way we can and redress the grievances of the under-privileged
and empower them so that they can participate in the growth of our nation.
- While we are, through all these endevours, improving our strength and security , let us call on all our friends and friendly governments around the world
to use our joint military and economic clout for strong diplomacy and if unavoidable, for military intervention to
rid this world once and for all of this scourge called terrorism.
Let each man's conduct inspire another so that together we can make this country and the world a better and more
peaceful place to live in.
Whether you agree or disagree with me, do let me have your views ( AND YOUR FLAK FOR WHICH I AM PREPARED!) and
maybe we can start something truly meaningful.
May the coming year bring peace and goodwill to all!

V.
P.S. I don't mind you passing this on, if you so wish."

I agree with all you have said, we were very fortunate also to have travelled freely without worry or care for our personal safety wandering around Gujarat independently inthe mid-late 90's without ever seeing a white face. In fact I used to say I felt safer in India than parts of England.
We have had a few near misses though a few years back with protests and once for breaking a curfew (which was our drivers fault and had a mad man coming at the windscreen brandishing a golf club!) but it never put us off, but this is terrorism of an extreme 'fedayeen'. I do not regret taking the decision not to go, only disappointment.

Lilly