Will you be cancelling your coming holidays to India?

CdnKimmer

Not a chance we will be cancelling our plans to go to India on Dec. 11th. We have been planning this trip for the last 6 months! I agree wholeheartedly that you cannot live your life in fear - if we do that, then they have won. I only have one other question, and that is, does anyone know about the state of the Mumbai Central Train Station(CSTM)? Travel safely, but travel!

xtemp

I will not be canceling, then again maybe I should. I was never one for superstition, but lately its been getting harder. I have a history of really bad luck, or really good luck depending on how you look at it. Essentially its really good luck that I have managed to survive my really bad luck.

In my life I have spent all of six hours in India, all of them in the Delhi airport on October 29th, 2005 on my way to Nepal and that was enough time for me to be in the same city at the same time as a major terrorist attack.

Looking back, maybe I should have taken that as a warning. A sign or omen that portended what was to come. But I brushed it off.

That was nowhere near my "closest call". Over the course of my time in Nepal, I watched as the world seem to collapse around me. I was chased through the streets by an angry mob that threw rocks at my head. I watched in horror as my village bus stop, the Thankot checkpost, was attacked by Maoists. I was there when it happened, when 11 people died and I was lucky enough to avoid damage by either of the two explosions or the gunfire. And I cowered in fear as bombs shook my hotel during the boycotted elections. When I left, I was the only one on my flight who made it to the airport without an armed guard.

Things have been pretty much peaceful in Nepal since the elections this spring, but last week for the valley was shut down by a bandha and then last night.... As one of my friends put it, "there was peace for months, then you start planning your return, and BOOM stuff starts to go down!" Of course I realize my actions have absolutely zero effect on world events, but now i'm worried I'm ignoring the signs again.

I don't know. I'm not canceling anything...but maybe that's a mistake. My thoughts and prayers go out to all affected by these events.

SteveK

I'm going to India in March 2009 and I'm not cancelling. In fact, I'm going to make a point of going to Leopold's in Mumbai to show solidarity with the owner, who's been on TV here in UK saying that this won't shut him down.

On a more pragmatic note, I think the likelihood of this type of thing happening in the same place again is quite remote.

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Ixion

Will be arriving for my three weeks in Tamil Nadu and Kerala as planned, and will make sure I spend more and haggle less. I've been in tears for the past two evenings watching and reading the news, not for a chance that a holiday will be cancelled but for the brave, honest and peace loving people who have been hit by this. Me staying away would add insult to injury.

ixion

Mary Poppins

A friend and I are leaving for India next Wednesday December 3rd. We are flying into Mumbai and taking a connecting flight to Delhi and doing Mumbai at the end of our trip rather than the beginning. I have connecting flights to Goa from Mumbai and I fly back out to Australia from there. There's no way I would miss seeing such a fascinating city, but I'd prefer to put a bit of time between experiencing it and these attacks - as much for the peace of mind of my friends and family as my own.

Mama Screech

I am leaving in less than 24 hours and really looking forward to my six week trip which begins and ends in Mumbai! After reading this thread I really feel as though it is the right decision to continue on as planned.

spitfire_sl

I am due to leave for Mumbai in less than 24 hours! My relatives are slightly concerned, but I am most deffinetly going. It will be my first time in India, alone as well, so the recent attacks will always be on the back of my mind. however, i will try to make the most of my time there. I will be going through CST station as well. but to be honest, I think it is safer to travel after a terrorist attack, since police will be out in force, and the chances of another attack in the near future are very slim.

Mellie

We are not cancelling. We hit Mumbai on NYE and will be staying at the Taj, if they'll have us!

I'm American and very, very pale. I have concerns but I think Mumbai will be one of the safest places on the planet by the end of December.

alotusgirl

We are leaving in 57 days and would not even think of cancelling our trip~ The only people I fear are God and my Mother!
Blessings to all those in India~~ may Peace be a reality very soon~ Shanti

Freereedsqueezer

Mellie hit the nail on the head. It will be quite safe now, similar to the safety of airlines after a major crash. My 11 year old son and I are going in January and we won't let a bunch of losers deter us. I was in Delhi last November and felt quite safe, lets support India by showing up. Also I don't have the figures but I think just by the numbers that you're still safer in India from terrorists than you would be in the US in the last decade? Think about it....

I think these people really crippled any cause they might have had by these atrocious actions (I mean a hospital WTF?) and that India will respond accordingly and the world will rally around them. My own hope is that moderate Muslims will step up and speak out against this blight on their religion much as others have had to do with their own minority of extremists.

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wabat

You are aware that Vietnam is in Asia and not Europe

Liss

My partner and I leave for India in about 4 weeks.
While I am a bit shaken by recent events, he is adamant that the trip will go on.
I am really keen to go, just a little scared.
Our thoughts are with everyone in Mumbai and those who have loved ones there.
Hopefully all this will have blown over by the time we arrive.

puchoo

to all those still coming , good for you , to those not , its perfectly understandable - hindsight is always 20/20 , but if you feel that one is getting into a set o equations which might not work out for you , its perfectly fine.

In my personal opinion , once this is over as well as the elections , i think it will be fine...

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Tdl

I live here and will not leave.
Also, I talked to my parents who are going to visit me soon and they wont cancel their trip..!
My Indian friends have told me that the city will be quiet for at least 6 months, so.. please don't cancel, India is an amazing country and Mumbai is still an amazing city.

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When I was 5 years old, my mom always told me that happiness was the key to life. When I went to school, they asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up. I wrote down “happy.” They told me I didn’t understand the assignment and I told them they didn’t understand life.

Khak

the positive responses so many people even first time travellers is making me feel good among all the bad news ......feels real good

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Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.