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26th August 07, 04:06 AM
#1
Blasts in Hyderabad
Sometimes things just work in your favor. For those who heard the news yesterday, there were two very large bomb blasts in Hyderabad yesterday (the city I am currently in) Both places that were targeted were places where we had either just decided not to stop or had just passed by minutes before. After the blasts, the local police found more than 15 other devices throughout the city.
The company I work for has suggested that we all stay in the hotel today and keep a low profile until things settle down. I think I will just sit here and play with my computer for a while!
Mike
(P.S. If you are interested, I am keeping a blog of my time in India. Please send me a PM to let me know if you are reading it. I can use all of the friendly voices I can hear right now. http://mckennon-blog.spaces.live.com/)
"A veteran, whether active duty, retired, national guard or reserve, is someone who, at one point in his life, wrote a blank check made payable to "The United States of America", for an amount of "up to and including my life." That is honor, and there are way too many people in this country who no longer understand it." anon
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26th August 07, 05:40 AM
#2
Mike good plan to stay in the hotel and pass time with the computer, I hope it settles down for you.
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26th August 07, 06:23 AM
#3
Hang in there Mike. You can always have pizza delivered...just pat down the delivery man before paying him Glad you're safe!
Your predicament gives me an idea for a kevlar kilt belt and sporran. I wonder if the thrift store sells 2nd hand body armor that I could use for a converted kilt jacket?
Hope that brought a chuckle for you Mike.
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26th August 07, 06:27 AM
#4
Mike,
You lie low and take care of yourself.
Cheers
Jamie
-See it there, a white plume
Over the battle - A diamond in the ash
Of the ultimate combustion-My panache
Edmond Rostand
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26th August 07, 09:17 AM
#5
I head about this on the news this morning and thought about you immediately. Glad you are safe and do plan to stay that way.
Computer and pizza sounds good to me.
Dee
Ferret ad astra virtus
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26th August 07, 09:47 AM
#6
Can you get good pizza in India?
Stay safe and well.
MrBill
Very Sir Lord MrBill the Essential of Happy Bottomshire
Listen to kpcw.org
Every other Saturday 1-4 PM
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26th August 07, 03:04 PM
#7
 Originally Posted by cavscout
Hang in there Mike. You can always have pizza delivered...just pat down the delivery man before paying him  Glad you're safe!
Your predicament gives me an idea for a kevlar kilt belt and sporran. I wonder if the thrift store sells 2nd hand body armor that I could use for a converted kilt jacket?
Hope that brought a chuckle for you Mike.
Why just the belt and sporran?
I think we should try and make kevlar KILTS and kilt jackets/vests!
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26th August 07, 04:03 PM
#8
Blog
I went to your blog, Mike, but found no entries there, Sunday afternoon, ET US time.
Other than the explosions, I hope you are enjoying yourself. Did you take Lonely Planet's guidebook to India? My 2005 edition has some 7 pages on Hyderabad, 22 pages on Andra Pradesh.
Just remember, the only 2 phrases you need to know are "Keetna hai?" (How much is it?) and "Gusalkana kahang hai?" (Where is the toilet?)
Started wearing a lunghi yet?
Is the monsoon waning?
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26th August 07, 07:55 PM
#9
Hi Guys, Yeah, you can find pizza anywhere you look. The pizza hut joint is pretty decent, but the pizza toppings are a little different than what I am used to! Funny thing though, I cannot find a pizza joint that delivers, but the McDonalds across the street does!
Things are settling down, however, the regional leadership still have the area under a state of emergency. They continue to find small explosive devices around the city. I expect in a day or two, it will be back to what is considered normal locally.
Gil, the guide book I am using is from Eyewitness Travel. Like the Lonely Planet book, it has 7 pages on Hyderabad and 22 on Andra Pradesh. Although I am finding that the hotel staff actually has better information.
Although I have not started to wear the lunghi yer, I can see the need for it during these last days of the monsoon. It only rains once or twice a week right now, but when it does, it comes at several inches at a time! And with the lack of drainage, the streets easily fill with water. I have taken to another local custom, and that is wearing sandals about everywhere.
Anyway, enough rambling for now. Is anyone else having trouble with the blog?
Mike
"A veteran, whether active duty, retired, national guard or reserve, is someone who, at one point in his life, wrote a blank check made payable to "The United States of America", for an amount of "up to and including my life." That is honor, and there are way too many people in this country who no longer understand it." anon
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26th August 07, 08:31 PM
#10
Explosions
Mike,
I wouldn't worry about the explosions too much. They rarely kill Westerners in that part of the world, and when they do they are very sorry.
Two years ago I was in Nepal when the troubles between the king and parliament were at their height. The Muab, the Maoist guerrillas, had declared a general strike and were shooting anyone who drove a vehicle with an engine, so I had to take a rickshaw for a trip of about 22 km. We came to a bridge that was blocked by a row of large stones. As I helped the driver lift the rikshaw over it, I noticed a bomb wrapped in red cloth with wires running from it, and a civilian nearby who was trying to look nonchalant. I remembered hearing that the army had a policy of leaving bomb in place, since they were likely to explode in the process of being removed, and they tied down at least a few of the guerillas who had to keep an eye on it.
The bomb peeking through the blockade of stones.

The guerilla declined to have his photo being taken with me, so I had to be content with a couple of pix of the lovely little river that the bridge crossed.
Looking toward the north:

and to the south:

Nonetheless, the lack of pollution, the quiet, the lack of traffic, screeching brakes and the usual cacophony of horns was wonderful. It could have been 1,000 years ago.
Last edited by gilmore; 26th August 07 at 09:45 PM.
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