fredag 28 november 2008

When I thought that everything basically was going to be nice and peaceful...


I was at a internet cafe in the Colaba area, where the terror attacks happened. I needed to go to the internet cafe to print out my bus tickets to Goa. I decided to go to this one since I had problems printing out at the internet cafe down the street from my hostel. I had also told people and friends on internet that things were calm right now. But only a minute from coming out of the cafe I heard heavy gunfire from the Taj Mahal hotel. .. and then an explosion, then some more gunfire... and another explosion. The Hotel is just a hundred meters or so from the internet cafe, and you can see it well. But there are lower buildings in between.

They had extended the road blocks further than before... and after the shootings people started to back off, but went back again. Towards the end of my stay down in Colaba they extended the road blocks (for civilians) so that the Taj was out of view almost completely. One could only see the top of the taller one of the buildings (that one had been secured I was told). Irritated policemen were backing of curious crowds with bamboo sticks. Not hitting, just waving them.

I reported again to the Swedish newspaper and once again my info got published. With a more serious photo of me this time. I even got interviewed by an Indian TV channel (NBTV) ....surrounded by a tight ring of 50 curious Indians. That was actually a little intimidating ...and I tried not to think about the crowd listening to me (...or maybe they were just enchanted by the TV-camera?). I tried to give some honest and smart answers. I was also interviewed by a Korean newspaper reporter.

Then there were rumours that there were shootings again in other parts of town... and people were worried, but it seemed to be false, because when I was by the CST station the police drove around saying in their speakers not to listen to the rumours and continue s usual.

Well... I am on my way to Goa now. ..and hopefully I will actually get there.

http://www.aftonbladet.se/nyheter/article3874281.ab

1 kommentar:

Anonym sa...

Thank you very much for posting this info! All it's really dramatic. I'm glad you're ok! Man, when you left, the only thing I told you is to be carefull with the food, I didn't see all this coming! Carlos