It appears at least 4 bombs expolded simultaneously in New Delhi on the eve of Diwali celebrations. The latest CNN reports show the slain at 32. However I just spoke with my nephew in Delhi who said there are 200 killed at one site alone. The areas bombed that I knowof are, the gold market near CP, one on a bus and one near the Hilton. He also told me a bomb was defused in Chandi Chowk. I would say damn those who did this but such people are already w/o souls.

ttt

I saw the reports on CNN. I certainly hope our Indian friends on this forum and any of our fellow Fodorites there are out of harms way.

I guess this goes back to the question always asked on this forum about whether this place or that place is safe. The answer seems to be, no place is safe.

Very sad to hear this. It seems you have better information than I have been able to find on the news sites, Larry. Keep us posted.

As of noon ET, Times of India news is stating that 55 people are dead and scores are injured. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/

I just finished my pre-India typhoid prophylaxis this morning and talked with my traveling companion and we are still going in December. There is not a safe place on this planet anymore. You just need to be as careful as possible. You can't just not leave the house--you will die from being a boring person.

I do have a bit of a knot in my stomach, however, and I know my mother is going to have a fit when she hears about it. Oh, well...

How sad for those who have died, their families and the Indian people. How sad for all of us that we have to be so worried all the time.

Patricia, we had the same decision to make on whether or not to go to Bali in 2003 - we had booked our flights one month before the first (2002) bombing. We chose to go of course - I liked your comment about dieing from being a boring person - gotta live life to the fullest - we had a wonderful trip, by the way. I would not waste energy worrying about this - Delhi is a huge city.

BostonHarbor, same thing here. We are also going in December. If my mother were still alive, she would be hysterical that we were going. It's funny that is often my first thought in these situations...

It's true -- nowhere is "safe." It is astounding how much the world has changed in just a few decades.

Both American Airlines and Continental are starting the first-ever US-India non-stop flights to New Delhi in November. Bad timing...

rkkwan, where in the US are they flying from? Are they going east or west?

Craig and Marilyn, Thanks for your encouraging messages. I agree, I am just going to go. I can't imagine it is going to effect tourism that much, but who knows....

Marilyn, I happen to be on the Continental non stop from Newark. It goes east over the atlantic.

Coming from California, it's about the same either way for us. We are flying Lufthansa non-stop to Munich, 11 hours, with a 2 hour layover, and then another non-stop to Delhi, 7 hours. I am so NOT looking forward to these flights!

Marilyn - AA from Chicago ORD, CO from Newark EWR. Flying over north Atlantic and Russia.

My husband & I are leaving Thursday, Nov. 3rd for New Delhi! I was really sorry to hear the bad news this a.m. for lots of reasons. It will not stop me from going, though. My children may worry about us, but I want to go anyway.

I am going to India in Dec. Hope there will be no more bombs after last night.

Have a nice stay for those who are going soon. Enjoy Incredible India.

My husband and I are leaving for India on Nov. 19. We are also going to Pakistan, where he was born in 1943, and he hasn't been back since 1947 partition. I was nervous about going to Pakistan before today, now...

Thanks for pinpointing the actual locations, Larry. My daughter called this morning to say she was fine. Between the earthquake,floods and now the bombings and a derailed train, her college actually arranged for all the kids to have a call home.

They seem to be missing all these disasters by about 48 hours. Each time I have to figure out where the disaster has hit and where she is. CNN seems to think that "India Bombings" or "Terror in New Delhi" is specific enough.

Why do terrorists think that bombing working class citizens will have an effect on country politics?

We are leaving for India in a couple of days..Not Delhi, but Cochin...Still don't like it one bit..

Tracy, as I mentioned above, I have had a knot in my stomach as well. However, what are we going to do? Not go to NYC? Not go to London? Not go to Madrid?

I remember in the the early 80's my mom and dad sent my 21 year old sister, who was in remission from Leukemia, to Rome with my brother for a ultra-luxury trip through Italy where she had spent a year in school. They were staying at the Excelsior hotel on the Via Veneto. I was at home and heard that there had been an explosion on the Via Veneto and in a panic called the hotel. My sleepy sister answered and said she was OK, but when they went out into the street the next day, they discovered that explosion had happened exactly 30 minutes after they had left the street cafe where the bomb exploded and the table where they were seated was gone.

My magnificent sister died about 12 months later and one of the joyous memories we have is her unfettered, unstoppable, spending and laughter on this trip to Italy. It also taught me that you never know what is going to happen and you need to live every, single day of your life as if it mattered--even if it is just a trip to the grocery store or a regular day at work.

I have been so excited about my first trip to India. I'm going to take a couple days of a stomach knot and then get excited about it again.

BostonHarbor, you are absolutely correct imo. I hope you and everyone else traveling to India have a wonderful and safe trip.

My heart just feels heavy for all of the people effected by this! And yes, you are all correct NO place is safe. For anyone departing for India soon, I would say, just go.. my husband and I just returned from Egypt (we left about 3 weeks after the August bombings in Sharm el Sheik) and we had an absolutely wonderful time. .. statistically, you are far more likely to die in a car wreck then a terrorist act.. It is a shame that now happy trip anticipation is marred by trip anxiety.. but I wish you all a safe and wonderful experience.