Gaia

It took us over 30 hours to get home...Such a long haul, the other side of the world, literally and figuratively.

No problems getting out of India although there was a bit of "stepped up" security at the airport in Bangalore. Heathrow had police greating us as we got off the plane. They made an announcement, "if anyone has witnessed any of the terrorist attacks or knows anything about the terrorist attacks in Mumbai, please speak with the police as you get off the plane." And sure enough, there were about 6-10 police standing there. It's so freaky..The fear that is put into people to cause them to do such horrific acts and then the fear that they put into people by committing these acts. It's such a select few radical fundamentalists, but they catch the attention and create the fear in so many of us. which is then escalated by the media. I'm not saying what just happened in Mumbai was not a big deal, of course it was a big deal. Indian CNN kept saying, this is India's 911...I'm just saying, I wish, whatever happened to cause people to do this, (a system of fear) would stop and we would focus on helping rather than hating...

I've traveled a lot in this world and met thousands of beautiful people. I wish, they could make the news by the lives they are improving or the smiles they put on peoples faces everyday.

I started writing this at 3:49am, as I could not sleep anymore...Now I must start preparing for the day.. We must get right back into life here... I have to make my claim with BA to hopefully get some compensation for the items they stole.

I have to order all new tools and supplies to make up for what BA stole and get them delivered asap so I can start working on making new jewels for my holiday season which starts (NOW)... organize my new beautiful pieces and deliver them to their new owners...do the wash, etc.. all the things we must do when we get back from a large journey.. I already miss India, but we'll be back sooner than we can even think about it.

As i sit here, safe in my room in Mysore, I am preparing for our departure, back to the states tomorrow... I am thinking, will we actually fly? Are the airports safe, at this moment? The day after one of the biggest seiges in India's history. Here we are a day after, but in reality in the midst of chaos that has not yet ended. We just heard, another explosion at the Taj.

What is this? there are no answers yet? There are still hostages at the Oberoi and the Taj. Huge beautiful hotels, usually the places people go for refuge. Their choices for the bombings are very interesting and places that most tourists to Mumbai will go. Leopold's, the Taj Hotel, Victoria Terminus, all places I have been, many times.

I sit here, in "safe" Mysore, and am confused beyond believe of all the daily tragedy we see in India and now this in your face out in the open terrorist operation aimed at the wealthy, the travelers, the police. It's scary and it's real. I'm sad...