Mumbai terror attacks: The aftermath and travel information

by Abha Malpani on


It’s always been hard for anything to get in the way of the normal functioning of Mumbai. But the recent terror attacks paralyzed South Mumbai for about 3 days, and left the rest of the city home bound, shocked, and glued to news channels.

I was there when the attacks happened, but luckily not in South Mumbai. As schools, colleges, and many companies remained closed, the city was relatively quiet. The mess was over Saturday morning (29th November), after which everything has been back to normal. Trains, buses and taxis are back to their usual frequency, offices have opened, the airport is functioning as usual but with tightened security.

Some of the hotels are back to normal as well, others are not taking new guests until things are clearer. Many of the South Mumbai hotels are not allowing people to enter the restaurants and cafes unless they are staying at the respective hotel.

Especially since tourists were the target in Mumbai, most countries have issued travel warnings and even bans for people to fly to India. Post attacks, a British report has named India one of the top 20 most dangerous places to visit. There are currently many rumors floating around that the next attacks are being planned along India’s west coast, specifically Goa and Cochin. All of India’s big cities are on high alert.
But really, who knows? There were no concrete official terror warnings or alerts with regards to Mumbai before the attacks happened. Sometimes, as stupid as this may sound, when places are officially on “red alert”, I think they are probably the safest places to visit. Terrorists know that those places have heightened security, so attacks are difficult.

So what should you do to assure your safety as much as possible when you are in a foreign city?

Here are my thoughts:
1) Awareness and vigilance: Be aware of the socio-political situation, and have background on previous dangerous occurrences in the place you are going to. Keep track of local news and what’s generally happening by looking through the local newspapers everyday.
2) Register yourself at your Embassy: If you are going to be somewhere for at least 4-5 days, it’s worth the effort to take a trip to the local embassy of your country and inform them of your travel plans in the country. Should something drastic happen, finding you may be less difficult.
3) Stay away from large crowds during religious festivals: The pretext of much terror is religion, especially in India. Although it may be a great cultural experience to attend these festivals, when in doubt of safety, avoid being at the prominent spots.
4) Change your routine: If you are a foreigner in India, staying at the same place for more than a few days, it might be safer to vary your route when you go about daily activities (groceries, walk, etc).
5) Talk to locals: When in doubt about going somewhere in the city, talk to locals you can trust, for example your hotel/hostel staff and friends, they should be able to give you a reasonable idea of the situation and will help you make further travel decisions.
6) Take a taxi/rent a car: If the city you have been in has recently suffered attacks, it might be better to take a taxi or rent a car rather than take pubic transport in and out of the city.

If you choose to travel to Mumbai any time soon, you will feel the tremendous anger of the locals, and a general air of sadness and anguish. It seems that there will be a large demonstration tomorrow at the Gateway of India in Mumbai, where people will gather to express how let down they are and demand action.

FYI: The only place in India under consistent and official travel warning is Jammu and Kashmir.

The State of American Tourism: Thailand, India, and Cuba

by Brenda Yun on

The internet is abuzz with news from abroad right now. Thailand’s Suvarnabhumi International Airport in Bangkok remains closed; India is reeling from a devastating terrorist attack aimed at British and American tourists in Mumbai; Raúl Castro is open to ending Cuba’s 40-year feud with Washington, thereby allowing Americans to travel there more “freely.” The last thing most Americans want to do right now is travel to a place where they are not welcome. We no longer want to travel because there is a greater fear of it. The state of things as we knew them is suddenly turning on its head.

Fear exists even in the most intrepid travelers. As a solo, female traveler stepping off the plane in Vanuatu, Myanmar and Colombia last year, I had little knowledge of exactly what I was walking into. However, the one thing I have going for me every time I travel to some less-trodden destination is that, although I carry a U.S. passport, I don’t look American and I’m from a state that sits in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, thousands of miles from the mainland.So, when people ask where I’m from, I tell them I’m from Hawaii. Sometimes they don’t know where that is. Sometimes they think it’s a country in itself. Only rarely do they know that it is part of the United States. There’s an advantage to looking the way I do and being from where I am: They don’t have to know I’m American. But plenty of Americans cannot hide behind their fair skin, accent, or residence, so most stay at home for fear of the unknown.

As of late, I have become increasingly interested in news from Cuba. My friend and I are planning a trip there early next year and quickly discovered a lack of resources and general antipathy for American tourism in Castro country. We hope to help out for a week in Cuba with hurricane relief, but even a complex Google search for “volunteer in Cuba” came up empty. The message coming from Cuba is clear: “We don’t want help from Americans. Stay out of our country.” This message is increasingly resounding around the globe, and the state of American tourism is, I would say, grim right now — and the hope that Obama can turn things around come January just isn’t enough to quell our fears.

Instead of boycotting Utah, here’s an opposite idea. If you’re gay, head there in droves

by Jamie Rhein on

Although the boycott of Utah could cost the state a bundle in tourism dollars if it’s a success–and if it’s happening–here’s another idea to make an impact. Scott McCoy, an openly gay senator in Utah, has suggested that people who are gay should head to Utah in droves. I read about McCoy’s views in this Seattle Times article.

The idea McCoy had when he heard about the ban is to show folks in Utah that gay people and gay families are genuine and wonderful people. By showing up in Utah and doing vacation like things, these families would in essence be educating people about the need gay families have for equal rights under the law just like other families.

Reading McCoy’s take on the boycott reminded me about my experience at Kings Island this past August during Gay Pride Night. I went with my brother, his friend and my daughter. As I stood in line to ride the Firehawk, the roller coaster you ride mostly on your stomach, and looked at the other people in line, I thought how utterly common a scene it was. Shorts, T-shirts, sneakers, middle-aged paunches on some, better haircuts on others, talking, laughing, smiling, and visiting. When it stopped raining and all the rides were a go, the joy felt exactly the same on any other day when I’ve been to an amusement park in the rain. For some reason, give me a summer and I’ll go on the rainy day. It’s not planned that way, it just happens.

If I hadn’t known we were there on Gay Pride Night, I really wouldn’t have been able to tell. Maybe McCoy has a point. On the other hand, Colorado lost millions of dollars in the 80s when there was a similar boycott.

Peter Greenburg , the Today show’s travel guru, pointed out earlier this year before Prop 8 passed [see article] that with gay people being allowed to tie the knot in California, that state was going to be able to pull in serious bucks. I imagine these days, it’s good-bye dough to some extent.

Regardless of ones political or religious opinions, tourism is a powerful playmate when it comes to a state’s financial health.

Trouble in Hawaiian Paradise: A Realist’s Point of View

by Brenda Yun on

My initial post on “Trouble in Hawaiian Paradise” might have painted an unrealistic picture of my island home. I think it’s worth clarifying the real picture versus what my idealistic traveler self sees in Hawaii. So, being “real” for a moment, I must admit that Hawaii, just like other expensive and desirable travel destinations on the globe, certainly feels the effects of a decline in tourism. One particular Gadling reader brought specific issues to my attention that I’d like to discuss in greater detail in order to illustrate Hawaii’s predicament more accurately and clearly.

Newer, more exotic, less expensive destinations are changing the landscape of options for travelers. These new destinations (like Laos, Slovenia, and Mongolia) have changed people’s approach to travel. In most cases, it is not only more cost effective but also better to go elsewhere. Hawaii has always been expensive. That has not changed. What has is that tourists who don’t necessarily want or have to come to Hawaii choose other destinations with similar climate, like Mexico and Costa Rica. These places are certainly more affordable, but the cultural experience is quite different. Many travelers will still pay the extra cost so they can experience “Hawaii.” Others will not.Hawaii is also slow to update touristic sites and accommodate for modern tourists’ needs. Waikiki and most tourist-related buildings were built between about 1950 and 1975, and most of these buildings still stand today with just minor renovations to the exterior or interior. Updates take a lot of time, of course, and there is progress being made — primarily toward the western end of Waikiki with a new Trump hotel and new condos being built where older, smaller apartments once existed.

While Hawaii’s appeal still exists, the condition of the ocean and diversity of life have worsened significantly. Fishing, diving, and snorkeling are simply not as rewarding as they used to be. I know this because my free diving experiences in Fiji starkly contrasted to diving here in Hawaii. It made me realize how other waters are far better preserved — partly because fewer people explore them, but also because there are specific efforts to preserve the biodiversity that we do not have in place here or do not enforce.

Which brings me to the heart of the matter: a realistic solution. There is much that needs to be done to supply the islands with a healthy economy led by tourism. Residents and visitors must be more proactive about preserving the Hawaiian brand and the state’s unique ecosystem. Making local sites more accessible is a step in the direction and, with the addition of the Superferry and the rail system that was just passed, locals and tourists can travel with greater ease.

I am an idealist. I always have been. There is no realist in me, so I will likely never admit this beautiful state is suffering even if we’re right in the thick of a recession. I would rather not feed the negative view of Hawaii, as the WSJ article does.

Is There Trouble in Hawaiian Paradise?

by Brenda Yun on

A recent article in the Wall Street Journal might just be over-exaggerating the tourist slump that is taking place here on the Hawaiian islands. As the article puts it, “dozens of pool chairs and canopied cabanas sat empty… restaurants had plenty of free tables… In town, “50% Off!” signs hung in the windows of many souvenir shops.” I’m pretty sure this can be the case if you’re walking around anywhere on the Big Island on a Saturday afternoon because people aren’t interested in relaxing by a pool, eating at a restaurant, or shopping. I would hope they are doing more productive things like visiting the Volcano National Park, enjoying one of the island’s many gorgeous black sand beaches, or hiking around waterfalls near Hilo.

Although I don’t want to believe the article’s proclamation, “There’s trouble in Polynesian paradise,” I’m sure the tourist industry is feeling some effects from a poor economy and the closure of ATA and Aloha Airlines – two of Hawaii’s biggest airline carriers – earlier this year. My own observations of the state of Hawaii’s tourism is far more optimistic and maybe even idealistic. I like to believe that vacationers are taking advantage of some of the great money-saving deals and discounts on accommodations and travel packages. If there’s a silver lining to a cloud, it’s that this state, my home, has always been a paradise and will remain so to many visitors in the coming year.

The WSJ article does point out that the neighbor islands – namely Maui and the Big Island – are being hit the hardest right now. If it’s any indication on my island of residence, Oahu, a decrease in tourists remains to be seen. If tourists are willing to make it out to Honolulu and stay in Waikiki, a good portion of them would make the journey to at least one outer island during even a week-long visit to the islands.

Additionally, the winter time sees an increase of vacationers to the islands to witness some of the state’s most popular events, like the Triple Crown of Surfing (on the North Shore of Oahu, Nov. 12 – Dec. 20), the Honolulu Marathon (on Oahu, Dec. 14), the Maui Whale Festival (on Maui, February), the Waimea Town Celebration (on Kauai, Feb. 20-2), and the Merrie Monarch Festival (on the Big Island, April 12-18).