The Peshawar bombing & the risk of travel

Last updated on: May 7, 2013 at 6:47 pm by Svend White

The Peshawar bombing & the risk of travel 2013-05-07T18:47:15-05:00 Svend White

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A hotel in Peshawar was bombed in Pakistan and many innocent people sadly lost their lives two days ago. This senseless savagery happened as if on cue to welcome my wife and daughter, who are currently visiting family in Lahore while I live the "swinging" (read: unlimited access to the SciFi Channel) but very culinarily-deprived life (one word: tuna) of the temporary bachelor.

I tend to be very conscious of probability in life and, thus, rarely give much thought to chilling but exceedingly remote possibilities that preoccupy many thanks to sensationalistic media coverage. I don’t get nervous about swimming at the beach after watching "Jaws". Just as I’d be utterly untempted even if it weren’t haram to invest time and money in lottery tickets–which I once heard a math prof refer to as a "tax on the mathematically challenged"–I don’t fret over hugely unlikely dire outcomes resulting from sensible decisions. While many people immediately cancel travel plans in such situations, my second thought–after mourning loss of life–upon hearing of a bombing or other headline-grabbing tragedy in a remote corner of the world is, "A perfect time to visit! Prices will be rock bottom, security super-tight and businesses and government eager to receive tourists."

But when a loved one is abroad and communication isn’t so hot, such news becomes a lot more real and worrisome, even if you’re a Vulcan like me about such things.

BBC NEWS | South Asia | Many killed in Pakistan bombing

A powerful bomb blast in a hotel in the centre of the north-western Pakistani city of Peshawar has killed at least 24 people, police and officials say.
The ground-floor blast demolished parts of the four-storey Marhaba hotel near a busy market, trapping people inside.
Up to 30 people were injured, officials said. Ambulances and hand-pushed carts were used to ferry them to hospital.
The motive for the attack is not known. Peshawar has seen many recent attacks, some causing serious loss of life.

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