Unsettling events

The last two days in the UK gave me a strange feeling in the stomach, even though I know that London and the UK in general has always been one of the main terrorist targets since 9/11.

First the two car bombs in Haymarket and Park Lane on Thursday/Friday and then the incident of the blazing jeep at Glasgow Airport.

When I watch the news on TV and see the pictures, it was just pure luck that no one was harmed and I know all the places in London so well that it nearly made me cry. Why do people do that? Of course, there is no real answer to that question and I will never understand the motifs of terrorists. The security level has been set on "critical" which is the highest you can get and therefore security at airports, tube stations, public buildings and so on has tightened.

I am not really scared and I believe that life has to go on as if nothing has happened to make sure that you do not give the attackers the satisfaction of disrupting your daily affairs, but on the other hand I decided to go to Watford instead of Central London yesterday. There were also long delays on the Tube because of tightened security and therefore it was much less hussle to take a bus to Watford and do my shopping there.

There are also some very big events ahead which will take place in London on the next 2 or 3 weekends and thousands of extra policemen will be on duty around the city. Today there is the "Concert of Lady Diana" at Wembley Stadium (which I have to pass in order to get into the city), next week there is the prologue of the "Tour de France" to be held and of course there is the Wimbledon Grand Slam at the moment. The holidays are also about to start and I was already informed by British Airways to expect long queues at Heathrow on my flight back (even though this is going to be in a fortnight!). There are also further restrictions on handluggage which will also affect me quite a bit.

I was here on 9/11 and I remember this day quite vividly. One of the girls collapsed when she saw the pictures because her parents were working in the towers. Fortunately her mother was sick and therefore at home and her father attended a business meeting elsewhere. Still, I will never forget that day as none of us ever will. I have been to talking to the current Gappers about how they experienced that day and for the first time I really felt that I was a lot older than them, as I see things a bit different to them. This might sound funny, but they were only 11 to 14, we were 19 or older and this makes a difference. We were troubled of course, but somehow it did not stop Dana and me going into the city centre the day after 9/11, because it was our first day off. I love to be in London and I know that it can happen everywhere else in the world, but this time it was so close! Nothing happened of course, but it makes a difference somehow. It is hard to put it into words. One thing that has some effect on me is that all school trips into central London have been cancelled so I will not go to the theatre on Tuesday which is really a pity!

Sorry for this kind of gloomy entry but I felt that I had to put it into words somehow as I know people at home are anxious of me beeing here (mainly my family) and I can understand them. It might be better to avoid such events that gather thousands of people in one place - as I might have anyhow :-) and enjoy the last two weeks in London as much as possible!