London Blasts

[Blinky (cow girls get the blues)]

If you are concerned, I am fine.

As usual, I caught the train to Moorgate via Bank
(and Kings Cross) to be at work before 9, but this
time with my sister and her friend as they came over
for holiday and some English education. They planned
 to go to Russell Square to check out the language
school near by on the day.

But no body knew what happened. After my sister and
 her friend got off, our train continued. Then we were
advised that Angel station was closed, so was Old
Street, Moorgate, Bank due to a power surge. I finally
got off at London Bridge and phoned the office. The
 reception wasn't't aware of the closure of many stations
- also to other lines but there were only 5 people in the
 office. I phoned Ting. The stations were functioning
well from for his branch. So I took the bus to Moorgate
 and arrived the office about 9:40. Our office is between
Liverpool Street Station and Moorgate but I got off at
 Moorgate because we travelled on Northern Line. When I arrived,

the reception told me that there was an explosion in
Liverpool Street (250 meters from the office!) and
some injured and said it happened about 8:50.  It
was 9:40 when I heard this. I phoned Ting again and
 then tried to contact my sister. Ting heard from my
sister near 10 o'clock and she said they were evacuated
from the station whilst she saw a lady covered in soot.
 Men are not very good enquirers nor sometimes giving
instructions to the young.

We started to find out more and more information as
very quarter goes by. By 10:30 we realised that 5 stations
 had been attacked and one bus blown off at Russell Square.
Knowing that how un-alert my sister is, I started phoning
her for two hours. Though I knew she is out of the station,
but I didn't know how mad the crowds would be or how
many people - I don't really want to lose her in the chaos.
Undoubted, the telecommunications network was jammed
and we couldn't get through. When it was confirmed to be
a terrorist attack, I was really worried because they might
strike anytime again.


And you know how my sister and her friend had been
doing during all this time?

9:00 onwards - shopping at Kings Cross and then asked
to leave the station completely (originally just closure
of the platforms)

9:30 - 10:00 - ordered a "Happy Meal" in the McDonalds
near the station - with helicopter flying above, tapes, and
police patrolling

11:00 - 11:30 - Finally got in contact and I told her to avoid
going to major buildings and stay safe.

12:00 - 2:00 - Check out the language school and found out
 the bus explosion were across the corner. I also phoned
her again - told her to go to Ting's office "immediately"
the nearest point to her.

2:30   - I phoned her wondering "where art thou, my sister?"
 when she was overjoyed by a bargain over the phone.
That was the last draw! She said, "but you are not leaving
work right?"  "Well, we have to plan and it's better for you
 to be with either me or Ting!!"

We knew the tube was disabled, and there's no bus in zone 1 阊what else can do you if you don't want to sleep in the office?
Better start walking!!!"

Then she met up with Ting and the three of them left. When
we got home, she thought it was like "After tomorrow" a movie
something with people walking to the same direction.

I started walking with a colleague after 3:30 and didn't get to
North London (with combination of walk and changing buses)
until 7. I know next time what to put in my drawer - a pair of trainers.

We have been watching the news till late. We actually realised
that it was a narrow escape for my sister and her friend because
the train between Kings Cross and Russell Square blasted at
8:56 when they were near. Luckily, we were 5 min late compared
to usual because we forgot to put the garbage can away for collection.
We went back - which took us a couple minutes. When we arrived
the Woodside Park station in North London, we also missed one train 阊early morning, didn't want to run. Again, perhaps these small things
save her life, or at least, from the soot.

My sister's comment was that the English were too calm for her to
believe that there's a disaster. Quoted from my supervisor's email:
"I understand your sister's reaction, but Londoners have seen
this all before - in WW2 and later with the IRA, who bombed
the city for 25 years trying to drive the Brits out of Northern
Ireland. The Islamic terrorists are clever but not smart - they
can master mind a coordinated attack but they don't read
history very well, or they'd realise how futile is. Then again,
they probably don't care - this is about making deadlines and
 creating fear, not about any serious political ambition."




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