Members Speak Out: London - Will You Still Go?

[mrsred]

Over the years I have concluded that fear is a wasted emotion IMHO.

 

I cannot control what someone is going to do, but I can control my reaction to what someone does.

 

Life is very, very precious and I refuse to waste even a moment of it hiding, or changing my plans.

 

Our hearts go out to those who have been victimized by such cruel and heartless people, and traveling to London is one way we can show my support.

 

~e

 

 

 

Will we still go? Absolutely!

[Sheihallion]

On Sunday, after the bombings, two friends from Northampton and three of us from Surrey met and sang the Carmina Burana in the Albert Hall with the Really Big Chorus, who are going on a Baltic Cruise later this year. I said to my husband before I left, that what with all the Royalty up at the Senotaph for the WW2 anniversary, it was a particularly risky thing to do to stand with 2500 people from all over the country and Europe singing rude medieval songs, but I wouldn't mind if we were targetted then, because it was what I wanted to do in defiance of religious evil. We've all got to go sometime, and being in London, eating sandwiches in Hyde Park, with our backs to the horrible Albert Memorial, watching skateboarders and singing "We'll meet again" knowing 20 minutes walk away they are washing bits of people off the buildings and trying to get other bits of people out of tunnels, I remembered that it is panic that kills most people in emergencies, and there is nothing to fear but fear itself.

London doesn't panic, it shines. Even when it's raining! It is good to read of the fellowship around the world, there are good brave hearts out there. XL

[Stacky]

We're scheduled to fly to London on the 23rd of July for a two night pre-cruise on the Jewel of the Seas. After waiting all these months we're surely not going to cancel now. We have enough brutality with all the crime in the USA to use common sense wherever we go. We still live our lives as closely to normal in our everday life, so we'll do the same at vacation time. We've worked hard for many years to reap the benefits, we're not going to have them taken from us.

[BigDogMom]

Absolutely, we would go! No reason to give in to fear. We had a Disney vacation planned for Sep 15, right after 9/11. Our only concern was how we were going to get from Philly to Orlando since all the airlines were grounded. When they stared to fly again, we went. We felt that security would be so high, it would be the safest time to go. We don't throw caution to the wind but we both feel that if it's your time, it's your time. Luckly my time has not come yet so I am enjoying life to the fullest!We also went to Paris for the Millenium in 2000. Life as we knew it did not stop then either!

[bibb]

Of course. The same with Madrid and New York City.

[NYDee]

We are leaving for London on August 15. We will be spending 2 days there prior to our cruise. We will not let these murderers keep us from our travel plans to London anymore than they caused us to change any of our travel plans post 9/11.

[bloom]

We would like to thank all you guys for your support of London. being strong in the face of these inhuman thugs is support for all the cities in the west they attack, not just our London, we must stand firm and strong for the people of N.Y. Madrid, Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, and yesterday in Netanya, and where ever they deem to strike next.

 

We will remain strong and hope our leaders will have the strength to remain strong

 

We travelled to the U.S. 6 weeks after 9/11, we did not cancel, we were amazed in Disney Orlando when at a show we were asked were we came from, our reply was London, UK, everybody stood and applauded.

 

Again Thank you for your support, together we are strong, divided we are weak.

[spongerob]

Terrorism only works if it can, in fact, instill terror. The response of Londoners has been inspiring. We'll be seeing you in just a few short weeks, and wouldn't dream of changing our plans.

[dutchess43]

We are leaving from NY & connecting through the Uk for our cruise next weekend & never once thought of cancelling. If the cruise was departing from any port in the UK we still would not cancell! Living in NY & not far from the horrible attack on 9/11 I will never give into their crowdly deeds!

Our heartfelt wishes & prayer's go out to all of our friends across the sea's.

Dutchess

[denali1]

We are cruising from Dover Sept 10. Before that, we will spend 5 days in the great city of London.

 

There is no way terroists will scare us away. That would just be giving in to them. The British people stood with us after 9/11 and in other ways as well. We need to support them and their economy. London and her people are the finest, and they deserve the best.

[jbettlam]

We now leave for London in 9 days, never been over there before. If I let them scare me away now, I may never get another chance.

We've been planning this for too long to back out now, my mom is nervous as my sister is coming along. Both her children over there at the same time, but the idea to cancel hasn't come up.

I'm also bringing my mother-in-law, & they won't want to mess with her.

jim

[Sail With Me]

We would never consider cancelling our August British Isles voyage on the Prinsendam. In fact, we are thrilled that Holland America has added an all day shore excursion to London and could not wait to book it. We are cautious, but will never live in fear. Too many wonderful places in the world to see to allow terrorists to keep us hidden at home.

 

A safe and happy voyage to all who are sailing to or near London!

 

Karen and Bob

[momofmeg]

This is my feeling about this. We can go to extremes to protect ourselves but how do we know where the terrorist will strike next? Who is to say the next attack might not be at the local mall or grocery store or a car bomb at the gas station?

 

I guess I could just stay home and lock myself in and then hope my burgular alarm system keeps out the thief with the gun who will just as soon kill me as look at me.

 

Get my point? If we give into all our fears we are better off dead because that is the only place in this world we are really "safe"-our graves.

 

I believe in going on with my life and still enjoying it. The only thing I now do differant now is if I do keep my eye out for anyone suspicous. But I am ont obsessive about it.

[Nliedel]

I would go with a moments notice. There are not too many places in the world I would not travel. You never know and, as we found out, they can strike anywhere, even home.

[phelina]

We will definitely go to London again soon. Not to go would give the terrorists the victory. We loved London when we visited and cannot wait to go back for several more trips. We already have a cruise planned for this year, London would be great for next year though!

[momofmeg]

We will definitely go to London again soon. Not to go would give the terrorists the victory. We loved London when we visited and cannot wait to go back for several more trips. We already have a cruise planned for this year, London would be great for next year though!

 

 

Yes I feel that way also. We were in London back in 99 and used the tube to get around. I remember us going through that King's Cross several times.

 

I would go back with a drop of a hat. But as I and others have already said-whose to say where the next terrorist attack will be-could be right out our back door.

[not Cozumel again cruiser]

London is truly a world city. We just returned from there on July 3rd after a cruise on the Sea Princess. We went to Kew Gardens on the tube and used the train to go to and from Southhampton. We took a great "Pub Walk" along the Thames and drank some great beers. We travelers have A LIFE unlike people who only live to hurt others. They are brainwashed into some psycho cause and have wasted their lives and have hurt their own people. Most of the time we worry about the wrong things in life, we are afraid of flying but 50,000 americans die in car crashes each year! Keep travelling but always watch out for unusual things not in a paranoid way but with a heightened sense of awareness of your surroundings. Enjoy your life

[AMPM]

We will be doing a 5 day pre-cruise in London in Sept. It didn't even enter our minds to cancel. In fact I think we will be safer now. I've never been to London and we are really excited to go!

[nybumpkin]

I've visited London three times; DH lived in London for a year back in 81-82 (and he's been back more times than I have been). We both travelled extensively by Tube, and DH introduced our eldest to the Tube on a trip in 2001. Son has my Underground t-shirt with a map of the central tube system and the phrase, "I'd be lost without it." We'd go back in a heartbeat! (I also take the subway in NYC fairly frequently; since 9/11, the thought of a terrorist attack has not been lost on me....)

[momofmeg]

We will be doing a 5 day pre-cruise in London in Sept. It didn't even enter our minds to cancel. In fact I think we will be safer now. I've never been to London and we are really excited to go!

 

We bought this "heritage pass" which got us in to a lot of places either free or half price. (Kensington Palace, Tower of London, Hampton court etc.) We went everywhere by tube. Our two taxi rides was to and from the airport.

 

Be sure and vist Abby Road. We loved that. We also loved the pubs-the food was louzy- pretty flat tasting- but the atmosphere was great. We went to the Sherlock Homes pub also that one that is close to Harrods which Charles Dickens liked. (forget the name of it) I had "bubbles and squeek" several times. Sometimes it was good sometimes not- I could not figure out why until a local told me that Bubbles and Squeek was a dish made from leftovers.

 

There is also a Hard Rock Cafe there with American food. I loved that just for the chance to get some food that tasted like home. Oh yes- down in the tube stations you find vending machines with Cadbury's chocolate-which is absolutely great-their Cadbury's is not the same recipe as the American kind and is much better.

You will also notice the Coca-cola tastes different-differant recipe but the Sprite tastes pretty much the same.

[AMPM]

Thanks for the info Momofmeg......we have been doing alot of research and were considering the pass. I'm not looking forward to the food but I will live for a few days. My daughters were there last summer and my youngest one who is a very picky eater actually loved the fish & chips. They also said they had better Italian food there than in Italy where they been the week before. And we are Italian!!!! Also I hear the Indian food is very good, I have to admit, I'm not too familiar with that though.

[momofmeg]

Thanks for the info Momofmeg......we have been doing alot of research and were considering the pass. I'm not looking forward to the food but I will live for a few days. My daughters were there last summer and my youngest one who is a very picky eater actually loved the fish & chips. They also said they had better Italian food there than in Italy where they been the week before. And we are Italian!!!! Also I hear the Indian food is very good, I have to admit, I'm not too familiar with that though.

 

Yes we ate at several Italian places and enjoyed it with the exception of this little restuarant that was in the village where Shakespeare's birthplace is. (we had to take a train there as it is around 70-80 miles from London) They put fresh PEPPERMINT leaves on the pizza. Not good as far as I was concerned. (now if it had been fresh basil or spinash I would have loved it.)

 

I hate fish but hubby usually ordered the fish and chips at the pubs. My daughter at the time absolutely HATED the food as she loves spicy stuff-with the exception of the Italian places and Hard Rock cafe-she did like the Italian places and actually had nauchos at the Hard Rock cafe. As soon as we were cleared through customs when we returned to the US the first thing that girl did was hit a Taco Bell in the airport-normally she does not like Taco Bell but she was that starved for something spicy she was willing to even eat there.

 

Now we learned from friends after returning that if you go to the immigrant section of London you can get some great Chinese and Indian food really reasonable too. If I ever do return there (we plan to in about 2 years) I will be visitng that section of London.

[SuziClue]

We just heard about the explosions today in London -- either a copycat affair or not...fortunately this time no one was killed. I've been reading this thread and admiring everyone's courage -- and would like to say that even now there's no way I wouldn't still go!

 

The only bummer is we don't have plans for a cruise in Europe this summer!

 

Suzi

[NYDee]

We are leaving for London on 8/15. Of course we will still go. But we are updating our Last Will & Testament.

[Wanderluster]

We are leaving for London on 8/15. Of course we will still go. But we are updating our Last Will & Testament.

 

I, previously, had my London pre-cruise cancelled - at which time I advertised for someone to buy my London travel cards on this cruise critic web page. Well - since then - the cancellation was cancelled and - we are going, after all. I have contacted American Express Travel with whom I have a huge insurance policy and updated my beneficiaries. My boyfriend has mixed emotions as I am leaving him $575,000.00 - God forbid - he should ever get a penny of it! We plan to take taxis for getting around (4 of us will split the cost) and stay indoors during peak traffic times. What more can we do? Noone's in a big hurry to be blown up by terrorists - we've all got a lot more living to do and we all love life, but I do think that avoiding public transportation is a wise thing to do.

 

Carol - (spending 8/4,5,6 in Westminster, London.) Maybe we'll just hang out in Harrod's - they wouldn't dare!