STRANDED IN LONDON

Your blogger is trapped in the United Kingdom because of another "terror plot".

I came in last night from Amsterdam, intending to spend the morning and early afternoon in London and the second part of the day in Luton, from where I intended to catch a night flight back to Amsterdam. I was hoping to be at work on Friday morning.

But it was not to be. Having finished my business in London, I took the train to Luton to meet a member of my family. I had been warned by my interlocutors in London that flights were likely to be delayed on account of some security upheaval, but I did not pay much attention to what they were saying.

The scale of the problem only became apparent to me when I checked the news.

But I'm a stubborn soul, and I decided to go to the airport anyway, in the hope that my flight would not be cancelled.

Vain hope! I use a certain low-cost airline which I shall not name because there is too much advertising in the world already. This airline had cancelled all its flights. I queued up meekly to move my flight to another day, and made up for my docility by going to another desk and trying to harass a poor harried employee into admitting that there was no real, useful arrangement for stranded passengers. I was not, of course, stranded. It is a lonely African indeed who comes to Europe and cannot find a brother, sister or friend to stay with, in the event they cannot afford paid accomodation.

The "terrorists" have struck again, or at least failed to do so by a very narrow margin, from what I hear.

I was not at risk at any point. I'm glad. I do not find it remotely interesting to be blown up in the air by anyone, even if I feel they have some right to be angry enough that innocent (though who in this world of ours can really be called innocent except babies?) lives are merely canon fodder for their war.

It has been one of those trips.

To start with, my flight out of Amsterdam was late. Then I got lost. I must admit that I have developed the craft of getting lost into a fine art.

I took the wrong entrance out of Gatwick airport (a place I should know well - I've been lost there before) and ended up in a deserted back lot, being eyed with suspicion by a limping security employee. I tried to get back into the terminal by the same route, and realised that the doors only opened outwards. I tried to look as if it is perfectly normal to go up to doors which bear a sign that they cannot be opened and try to open them. Having failed in that attempt, I tried not to look sheepish, and slunk away. I sneaked round a corner and located a lift.

I went back upstairs to where I should have been if I'd paud any attention to the signs. After wandering round the airport for many precious minutes, I finally located an exit. I headed straight for the taxi rank, because I could not face the possbility of taking the wrong train at eleven p.m.

The cab driver did not help me with my bags, so I did not give him a tip.

When I'm tired, I can be very pernickety.

The first part of the day was fine, even though I failed to meet someone I really wanted to see. I don't even mind getting lost. I do it all the time. Even otherwise painfully polite people have called me hopeless on account of my making them walk four tram stops in the cold because I mistook a strange building for a place I know. When I was in university, each time I moved to a new room, I went back to the old room for weeks afterward. It made for interesting situations, I can tell you.

It was the terror alert that ruined everything. I have given up on going into the office tomorrow, and have decided to make a realxed weekend of it here in the UK. But I prefer my own bed, and pots and pans, and online scrabble games in a computer in my own house, and my own coffee, and being there to ensure that my rubbish is taken out on Thursday night.

The truth is that while I agree that terrorist is not the right way to describe these people who are, in a way, fighting for their sovereignty, their culture and their lives in some cases, the methods they use to achieve their aims can disrupt and ruin countless lives.

The question is this: is this the right way for them to fight their fight? I do not doubt for a moment that they must fight it. But is this th right way?

On the other hand, should we place personal convenience above such concerns ( perhaps that is too weak a word, but I'll leave it) as are expressed by the people who blow up aeroplanes to make a point?

What should be our response to this thing they call terorism?

Comments

[Chief Whip]

What an ordeal, mum.
I hate to 'hear'you larment like this.

You know what? Next time simply avoid that RYANAIR. Low cost, though it is, it often places unncessary burden on its customers.

I wish you a safe journey back to Amsterdam.

Whip.

[Franklin Ndum]

I beg to differ. What sovereignty do you think these are these boys fighting for? They are citizens of UK, a sovereign country, and of Pakistani origin, another sovereign country. Do they have the right to spread their religion by force? I do not think you should be supporting that, because these boys have embraced a backward philosophy which will shut you down, put you in a black chador and lock you behind the house, if they had the run of the world. If they hate their adoptive country so much that they want to blow it up, perhaps they should migrate to Saudi where they can practice their beliefs in its ultimate form. Their beliefs are unacceptable to anyone who wants to be free. If they really intended to do this crime, they should be locked up for life.

[jonas]

Just visited your site after doing a search on the happenings in Zimbabwe - a real tradegy.

About your "stranded in London":
Rosemary, in the UK at least the Government is taking responsibility for protecting citizens.
Come to my home country, South Africa where the 'ostrich' technique prevails. Approx 1500 people murdered per month! Unbelievable.

I think it better to experience a bit of inconvenience at UK airports etc, than experience a personal disaster.

Rather be patient and say 'thanks'.

Franklin Ndum - Saudi does not tolerate these types of anti-social 'activities'. There is 'zero' tolerance, man. So why tolerate it at all.

[vito]

1500 per month;by jove that's rather monstrous.Never mind these incompetent rulers of today.By the way what was the take per day during apartheid?OOps sorry i forgot the purported victims were'nt even humans.

[jonas]

The full extant of murders during apartheid, were reported during the 'Truth & Reconciliation Hearings'.

The official murder statistics in South Africa for year 2003/2004 is given as 19 824.
While rape statistics for this same period is 52 733.
Assault (Grieviously Body Harm) is 260 082 incidents for this period.
Hijackings statistics are 14 694 incidents, also for the 2003/2004 period.

Remember 'Vito', crime knows no boundaries. (This includes 'skin tone').

[vito]

Why do we always try to show its worse in our "home countries"?Why cant we accept a testimony of incompetence out here?why try so hard to make a point about things being worse off at "home"?Well, i guess its called bolstering the image oand tourism industry of your "home country"?Thanks

[jonas]

If the doors of perception were cleansed everything would appear to man as it is, infinite. For man has closed himself up, till he sees all things thru' chinks of his cavern.

[Ma Mary]

Crime was probably very low in Nazi Germany too, particularly when the wanton acts committed by the government were not counted as crimes.

[Ma Mary]

Jonas, are you nostalgic for apartheid?

[vito]

Bra, refusing to acknowledge and address the root causes of terrorism;which i must say we all know is really applying the 'Ostrich technique'.Acknowledge, address and solve the cause(s) then you wont have to bother about airport security and most importantly you wont have to ask poeple to be thankful for inconviniences resulting from your incompetence.I mean here in my home country,ENGLAND.Thanks