18 May: As if the morning commute weren’t laborious enough, suicide bombers detonate an explosive-filled vehicle. I was already in the office at the time. Reports say it killed 18 people, most on a public bus, and wounded dozens. The road was crowded with rush hour traffic.
Some claimed it was a rocket attack, but there was no sound of trajectory, and we discovered later on (per the media) that it was actually 1,650 pounds of explosives in a Toyota minivan, rammed into the ISAF convoy that we pass on the road. The damage in the office amounted to nothing more than broken windows and fallen light fixtures.
They kept us half-dozen foreigners in a safe room for a few hours. I don’t know what made that room different from the other rooms. Is it just the name? Perhaps they were going for a placebo effect.
Unfortunately they had just started re-paving the road down here. I don’t know what these suicide attackers have against a nice, newly paved road. It would also benefit their attacks. Do you really want to stop and change a tire on your way to an operation with more than 1,000 pounds of explosives in the back?
I only heard the attack; I didn’t really see anything except a plume of smoke and a gigantic helicopter. I wanted to use the bombing as an excuse to go have a coffee at my favorite cafe, but couldn’t drum up much support for the idea. I thought about calling my taxi service but then decided that the suicide attack prices were probably unaffordable.
Later in the day it hailed.
Damn, these posts get crazier and crazier. I just wanted to let you know that I'm reading your blog and think your travels are always very interesting. Stay safe out there. I may be in Russia in the fall, maybe we could meet up!
Oh Jess, I see a light at the end of the tunnel for our separation, and if you muck it up in some kind of hokey terrorist plot, i'll be more than mildly upset. get yer buns to ithaca, missy!
Hey Kate! Yeah, sounds good, just let me know where and when.
Ha ha, Bonnie, I'm en route.