Sri Lankan Cricket team ambushed in pakistan!

[ZA-289]

http://www.news.com.au/story/0,27574,25133386-2,00.html

Glad we cancelled our tour there!!

[Hords]

Looks like all their international cricket will be played on neutral territory from now on.

[vztrt]

Lucky all the players survived.

[Yellow_Festiva]

I'm hoping this will all settle down soon. I'm off to Pakistan 2nd week of April for a few weeks.

Although I probably have been to worse places... I will be extra careful..

All of the Police escort were killed... just goes to show how brazen and determined they are.

[SM1DY]

I thought I'd heard wrong when this was annouced on the radio, I really thought that this was a joke. I couldn't believe that something like this could happen.

[Lion Slayer]

I can't understand why these people do things like this, it's just so wrong. I wonder how long it will take for the Sri Lankan cricket team to recover.

[schnoods]

Unbelievable.


Its one thing to love your countries team, but another to sabotage with intent to Injure/kill in that sorta fashion.

As said, I doubt any team will tour over there for along time, if ever....

[Falcon4L]

I know you can be passionate for your team and sport but this is ridiculous. I hope this sort of behaviour doesnt ever start up over here

[fordomatic]

yellow festiva, are you going to pakistan for business? because if it wasnt for business there is no way i would go there, so much corruptness and on the pashtun tribe border you have all the taliban being inserted into afghanistan.

[Fordman1]

This has NOTHING to do with being passionate about 'your team', it's political and an attack that would have occured against ANY visiting team to make headlines.

re: Al Qaeda or some other radical anarchist group...

[XR8putts]

It's shocking news indeed. An ODI was in progress here, NZ vs. India - as news started filtering through.

The players returned with black arm bands in the second innings, India won . Preity Zinta (co-owner of the Kings XI IPL team) who is here with the team was bubly and jumping up and down on the sideline with glee as Sehwag and Tendulkar were smashing the ball all around the park suddenl fell quiet. They showed her and her entourage all on their cellphones with looks of shock on their faces. They were no where to be seen in the second innings.

Sad day for cricket.

[Yellow_Festiva]

Originally Posted by fordomatic

yellow festiva, are you going to pakistan for business? because if it wasnt for business there is no way i would go there, so much corruptness and on the pashtun tribe border you have all the taliban being inserted into afghanistan.

Not business... I need to go up north to brush up on my training...

No, it is just for fun.

I have been to far worse places.. I have a few 'friends of friends' there so it shouldn't be a problem.

If I get word that it is not safe to venture inland, I will just lay low and hang out in Karachi for the 2 weeks.

PS.. the training comment was a joke. I don't want men in ray bans and black suits talking into their cuffs at my front door tomorrow morning...

[Yellow_Festiva]

Originally Posted by fordomatic

yellow festiva, are you going to pakistan for business? because if it wasnt for business there is no way i would go there, so much corruptness and on the pashtun tribe border you have all the taliban being inserted into afghanistan.

Not business... I need to go up north to brush up on my training...

No, it is just for fun.

I have been to far worse places.. I have a few 'friends of friends' there so it shouldn't be a problem.

If I get word that it is not safe to venture inland, I will just lay low and hang out in Karachi for the 2 weeks.

PS.. the training comment was a joke. I don't want men in ray bans and black suits talking into their cuffs at my front door tomorrow morning...

[prydey]

Originally Posted by Barraxr8

This has NOTHING to do with being passionate about 'your team', it's political and an attack that would have occured against ANY visiting team to make headlines.

re: Al Qaeda or some other radical anarchist group...

yep, apparently there is early speculation it could be the same or similar group that attacked in mumbai not long ago.

unfortunately for pakistan, this will spell the end of international sport in their country for a long time.

[AUIIForte]

I don't believe it, AK47's, rockets, grenades! That is absolutely horrific.

They are all jerks!

[fordomatic]

absolutely horrific, mate this happens all the time in pakistan just the media don't show it. pakistan and iran are the main places where the taliban are trained in, then sent into afghan. a huge political stunt to get worlwide coverage of the incident. had nothing to do with being a cricket team. if only i could say more..........

[vandrsxr6]

Bad start for Sri Lanka in the cricket yeaterday.


They are 5 down before lunch.

[Fev]

horrible news, and sad that 5 people died..

Maybe if the escort had listened to the police and changed their route they'd still be alive though..

[prydey]

Originally Posted by vandrsxr6

Bad start for Sri Lanka in the cricket yeaterday.


They are 5 down before lunch.

that is poor taste mate

[vandrsxr6]

Just a joke. I didn't make it up.

[Hords]

Originally Posted by Yellow_Festiva

I have been to far worse places..

And they would be ???

[Jason[98.EL]]

this is from a news artical http://news.ninemsn.com.au/national/...ve-he-survived

Australian umpire Simon Taufel says he can't understand why he is still alive after surviving the terrorist attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team and match officials in Pakistan.

Taufel arrived home in Sydney this morning, two days after being caught in the attack on the way to the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore for the third day of the second Test.

The world's No.1 umpire said he was still unsure how he and colleagues Chris Broad and Steve Davis survived the incident unhurt while their driver was killed and reserve umpire Ahsan Rasa seriously injured. (View photos: Bloody attack aftermath)

The match officials' minibus was travelling behind the Sri Lanka team bus when both were attacked by heavily armed gunmen.

"Obviously our van was caught in a situation where we were heavily exposed," Taufel said.

"On Tuesday morning we were caught in a war ... It's just a bloody game of cricket, not a war. It's not the way the way life should be or sport should be.

"Sometimes if we have a bad day out on the field and perhaps we don't get everything right, at least we say nobody's died.

"Well on Tuesday, people died and I was just expressing to my family, I can't explain why I'm here. There is no reason for us to still be here." (Read more: Emotional survival tales)

The 38-year-old, who has stood in 55 Test matches, gave no hint as to his future in the game or whether he would continue to tour internationally.

But he joined Broad and Davis in saying many questions had to be answered about why the officials were left "stranded and helpless" as bullets slammed into their van.

Taufel says he doesn't know why the security failed to protect him and his colleagues but he did feel let down.

"We were promised a nine (out of ten security) and got delivered a two," he said.

"The gunfire ... it just kept going. We thought, when's it going to stop? Who's going to come and save us, how are we going to get out of here?

"I've seen reports to suggest that they haven't caught anyone. I find that amazing.

"You tell me why supposedly 20 armed commandos were in our convoy and when the team bus got going again we were left on our own? I don't have any answers to these questions."

Taufel expressed sorrow for those who died in the attack and those injured, but also for the game he loves.

"It's a sad time for cricket, particularly, because it has a lot of ramifications about how we play the game in the future," he said. (Read more: Cricket chief sees grim future)

"How players are treated, hopefully how match officials are treated in the future."

Davis, speaking from Melbourne, criticised security arrangements saying his van, which was behind the Sri Lankan team bus, was left without any security when it was being fired upon.

He said the attack has changed the face of cricket, while Taufel gave no guarantee on his future in the game.

[fordomatic]

they didnt change the route because its all so corrupt over there,

[Yellow_Festiva]

Originally Posted by hords

And they would be ???

Ok then. Went from Sth Korea to London overland / water through Asia and Europe / Russia first stop Vladivostok via rusty transport ship.

None of that travel was done with any tours or pre-booked tickets. I was the one that lined up to buy tickets, was totally done with generic local public transport, all 3rd class (when there were 'classes') and 90% of the time alone.

I worked out that I did 22,000km in total. Took about 9 months.

The ship to Vladivostok was interesting. Of the 400 passengers I was the ONLY westerner. The rest of the ship was Korean / Russian businessmen, their partners and a large amount of Russian 'working ladies'...

3rd class was a mat on the floor of what used to be the main dining room (was an old cruise ship).. That room probably had 200 people sharing the space.

Vlad is not the most hospitable of places.. the end of Winter, not a tourist in sight.. The accommodation I found was a condemned building full of transient Russian workers. Meh what did I care it was cheap.

This is a place where if someone bumps you while you walk, you keep your head down and keep on going. The locals don't even carry wallets, just a small wad of cash to get them through the day. So I did the same. Walking through the markets and main streets the Mafia were obvious, and you knew who to not lock eyes with, and when to keep your camera and mobile phone out of sight..

Trained it to China, went around to several cities and saw the 'real' China.. A place where any westerner walking alone was a walking cash machine.

Got stuck a few times.. had to fight my way out of a few situations, had to pay my way out of others.....

The GF at the time came to visit, good thing I escorted her to the airport. We almost got done over by an organised gang trying to scam us out of cash / passports. Talked my way out of that one.

30 min later I saw the same scam getting done to another girl... went over and helped her. Gave that guy a bit of a beating and got her on the plane as well with all her money and passport..

Eventually trained it to Mongolia... Did the Trans Mongolian Railway 3rd class the whole way across Russia... again, not another westerner to be seen till you got to 2nd / 1st class. I was told that 3rd class tickets were not sold to tourists as they are reserved for Russians, but proved that theory wrong.

Mongolia was not as rough as I expected, and far better than China. Although the sign stuck to the back of the heavily fortified Hostel door had words to the effect of "Do not go out alone at night as it is unsafe".

Back to Russia... The Moscow cops are crooked as can be. I was almost arrested and deported because I didn't pay a bribe... he was a persistent Mo Fo.. Interrogated / threatened me for almost an hr...

Didn't pay a cent... turns out my Hostel was not paying protection money so he forgot about me and threatened the hostel owner, she crapped herself and payed up. She stopped crying and calmed down after several cigarettes then told me I was 'very lucky'...

If you're interested in reading in greater detail some of what I have mentioned above I can copy and paste the sections from my online diary.

They make for some very eye opening and interesting reading.

People have no idea what goes on every day in some other countries.....

Cheers,

Jason

[fordomatic]

yellow festiva that makes for some very interesting reading, what made you travel that way? post some of your diary im very interested in hearing some more story's. i have also travelled some places but cant put it online. i reckon mexico would have to be the most dangerous place in the world at the moment, most kidnapping, murders, gangs and corruptness in the world. also cant forget iran very interesting place too.

[falconboy]

Originally Posted by hords

And they would be ???

Ever been to Broadmeadow in Sydney?

[DJR-351]

Originally Posted by Barraxr8

This has NOTHING to do with being passionate about 'your team', it's political and an attack that would have occured against ANY visiting team to make headlines.

re: Al Qaeda or some other radical anarchist group...

Agreed!!!!!

Cricket has f##k all to do with this other than using it as a platform to get these sick f###s message out there......

[Yellow_Festiva]

Originally Posted by fordomatic

yellow festiva that makes for some very interesting reading, what made you travel that way? post some of your diary im very interested in hearing some more story's. i have also travelled some places but cant put it online. i reckon mexico would have to be the most dangerous place in the world at the moment, most kidnapping, murders, gangs and corruptness in the world. also cant forget iran very interesting place too.

No worries.

Why did I travel that way... it's far, FAR cheaper (I was expecting to take a year off, and had saved my travel money prior to leaving. I didn't want to return home from lack of funds.) You would be amazed how cheaply you can travel if you lower your standards a little.. or a lot in my case (and do your own legwork).

Train prices at the time i was travelling:

Beijing->Ulaan Bataar 1400km $95, Ulaan Bataar->Irkutsk (Russia) 700km $35, Irkutsk->Moscow 4,900km (88hrs straight...) $120, Moscow-> St.Pete 670km-> $20.

The chap I met in 2nd class on the Trans Mongolian booked his trip from London and paid around double first class prices... He also arrived with me in Mongolia, and had pre-booked booked a 2 day Gobi Desert safari... His 2 day safari cost more than the 15 day trip I arranged when I had arrived at the Hostel.

Not all people can / want to do this however, and that's fine.

Greater cultural shock... directly mixing with locals provides a far greater and 'real' experience.

Also, just the satisfaction of knowing you did it on your own... Anyone can book a tour... I on the other hand hate organised / structured tours.. just a personal preference.

Both these entries were written the day after they happened. Haaa brings back memories!

The Beijing incident....

The fun never ends in Beijing! We awoke early to get a taxi to the airport. Catherine had a flight at 7:50 am and we needed to be there 2 hours before. The airport was also an hour from the centre of Beijing so we needed to leave the hostel by about 5 am.

The cab drive to the Airport was without incident. The taxi used the meter and charged us the correct fare. It wasn't until we arrived that we were exposed to scam number 4302.

A guy approaches us in a business suit as we pulled up saying he works for the airport and offered a free baggage service. I told him we didn't need his services and I told Catherine to not give him the bag. By the time I had emerged from the taxi after paying the trolley person was already walking away pushing a trolley with Catherine's bag on it and Catherine following. I caught up and he had given us both departure paperwork to fill out. I stopped him and asked him where he was taking us; he assured us he was taking us to the departures section.

I was apprehensive and watched him with eagle eyes. He wheeled us to a lift and took us up to the 3rd floor then walked us to a quiet corner that was isolated. The 3rd floor was filled with empty restaurants and no departure areas. By this time another well dressed young man appeared. He asked for our filled in departure cards and our passports. I knew we were about to be scammed again and told Catherine that whatever you do keep everything in your bag and don't take out anything.

I confronted the second man, asking where his airport ID was. He told me it was in his office. I looked at the first man, the one who took the bag, and asked him where his ID was. He didn't respond. By this time I was getting irate and I was raising my voice. The second man said he would go and get his ID and left us. The first man stood there for about a minute and waited, then he just let go of the baggage trolley and calmly walked away. I knew the outcome would have been a lot worse for Catherine had I not been there with her to drop her off.

We went back downstairs to level 2, went to the official departure point and watched as Catherine safely went through the gates. I thought I would do the right thing and report my incident.

How stupid an idea that was.

I went to the information desk, explained what happened and they just looked at me with blank faces like "and what do you want us to do about it?" written all over their face. It was me that suggested that I should go to the airport police, so they called an officer over, explained what happened and he took me across to the police station.

I sat there and waited for 15 minutes while they could find an English speaker. When I was eventually spoken to they just handed me a blank sheet of A4 paper with the instructions "please write" spoken to me.

What do they mean?? Was this their incident report paperwork? Is this usual procedure? The young person who was dealing with me tried to wake the captain. He was snoring away in a connecting room, and grumbled when they tried to wake him up. The room I was in was a type of security centre. A wall full of TV screens linked to cameras within the terminal was all being watched by a security person. He in turn was fixing all his attention to an attractive airport worker that he had zoomed in on and his gaze did not ever leave that screen.

If this was Beijing airport security at its best the then Olympics are in HUGE trouble. I wrote my recollection of the incident and was escorted back to the taxi stand.

By now I was furious! I had had enough of this. These scams happen day and night, and it seems that it's just an accepted thing. I was furious that not one person seemed to care about what had happened. I was raging with anger and it was building up for weeks, I wish I could find the 2 people who tried to scam us because I wanted to release my anger by pounding my fists into their faces. So I did the most childish thing possible and go look for these vile vermin.

I walked back through the entrance of the airport, the same entrance where we were wheeled through. They were nowhere to be seen. I walked around to the lift where we were taken to go up to level 3. There was a girl (turns out she was an Aussie as well) waiting there, her bags were being pushed by a young Chinese guy in a tracksuit. I didn't think anything of it and pressed the button to go up to level 3.

I stared at the Chinese guy pushing the trolley, he stared at me. He then asked "can I help you sir?"

Up until that time I assumed that he was her boyfriend or just a regular friend, the people who pulled the trick on us were well dressed and looked the part. I looked at the girl; she was filling out a departure form. I couldn't believe what I was witnessing.. Another scam in the making! My blood began to boil. I calmly asked the girl where she was going and who the person pushing the trolley was. She said for me not to worry, as he worked for the airport and he was taking her to departures.

I grabbed the guy by the throat and asked to see his airport ID. I assured the girl, who was by now standing there in shock that I was no madman, (even though I hadn't shaved in 10 days) and told her that she was in the process of being done over. He did the whole "me no English" rubbish.

I grabbed him by the arm and physically separated it from the trolley, this time yelling at the top of my voice to see his airport ID. We were still on level 2 as the lift had not arrived and here were people stopping and staring. He tried to wrestle the trolley back into his possession, and I managed to get it back into mine. I wish he would have tried to fight me for the trolley as I would have given anything to get the pleasure of belting the SH#T out of this vile piece of garbage.

The whole time the girl is standing there, not knowing what to do or who to believe. I finally gave him one last shove and walked off with the trolley. The girl followed and was not sure weather to thank me or call the police. The guy then tried to follow and ask for 10 yuan for his trolley service, I told him where to go, just not as politely as you would think.

We walked to information, asked which gate to go from for departures and explained to the girl, who was from the Gold Coast the morning I already had. She thanked me several times and I escorted her through the departures gate.

It's chilling to think that while this went on, not one airport security officer came to investigate.

Moscow incident:

I was walking down Old Arbat st minding my own business one morning when I was approached by a police man asking for my "documents".

I was clued up on the laws for tourists. A quick run down: when you enter Russia and stay in a town for more than 3 days you need to be registered with the police. This service is provided by the hostel, usually at a small fee.

We were then advised that the day you arrive and the day you leave is not counted. So I just planned to stay in each town for 3 days and therefore avoid the registration process. When I arrived in Moscow I was also advised by the hostel that registration was not necessary.

The cop didn't see it that way. He spoke broken English, however explained to me that as I was not registered, I would need to pay a fine to him of 3000 rubles. If I refused to pay the fine I would be taken to the police station, fined 6000 rubles and be deported. When I explained the 3 day rule he just claimed ignorance and insisted I pay him the fine.

I told him that if he was going to fine me that he would do it in a police station after I call my consulate and my lawyer in Australia. He then told me that wasn't necessary. By this time we had been arguing back and forth for 30 minutes.

I had had enough of his crap threats. He insisted I pay and I insisted that he arrest me and march me off to the station. I would be dammed if I would pay this corrupt ba$tard cop a bribe.

We proceeded to walk to the supposed police station. Along the way he would walk me into various shops and get the owners to confirm the fine was valid. Each time I would respond saying that if I'm fined it had to be done in a police station. By this time I was starting to get ****ed off. The shop owners would throw their arms up in the air and say why I was upset with them, they were only the "translator". But the whole thing was a farce. This street was the cops beat and he knew that the shop owners wouldn't go against him.

By this time I was approaching my hostel. I explained to the cop that the girl who works at the hostel also advised that I didn't need registration. I told the cop that I wanted the translation to be done by the hostel worker, so we walked across to the buzzer, and in a minute the lady was down on the street speaking to the cop.

The whole time I was calm, relaxed and didn't blink an eye to the threats. As far as I was advised from several people I was legally in the right. I stood there waiting for the good news from the hostel worker. However the story would take a new turn.

The hostel worker started to shake, her face went red like she was about to cry. I was now also starting to get worried. The last thing I needed was a weak person representing me. She told me that the police officer had reduced his fine to only 2000 rubles. Again I insisted that I wanted to be fined in a police station after advice from the consulate and my Lawyer. She told him this. He responded to her, again she translated that if I was to be taken to the police station the fine would be 6000 rubles and I would be deported.

I responded by holding my wrists up as if they were hand cuffed and said "So be it".

Then the officer and the hostel worker chatted a little more. She asked me one more time for 2000 rubles. I point blankly refused.

The girl then walked into the lobby of the building, the police followed her in. I couldn't believe what I was seeing, the hostel worker was paying the 2000 ruble fine!

The cop took his money and left. I was furious! I demanded an explanation as to why she had paid my "fine". She responded that it didn't matter, as she had plenty of money. I'm a person of principal (most of the time) and offered to pay back her money. She refused and just told me to go and get registered that afternoon, even though it really wasn't necessary.

When we went to the place to register (another hostel), we told her the story. She explained that I was in fact in the right, and that my threat of calling the consulate and being taken to the police station would have probably made the cop give up on me.

It further turns out that the hostel (which had only been open for a few weeks) was not registered, and the reason why the hostel worker paid the fine and was trembling like a leaf was that the cop turned his attention from me to the yet to be registered hostel... probably threatening them with another 'fine' for operating while unlicenced..

Cheers,

Jason.

[fordomatic]

awsome mate some good story's there. it sounds like you were very confident with the way you acted when a "situation" arose. i have found that as soon as you lose your cool or your head in a "situation" it is all over. like when corrupt police try to get bribes out of you i did exactly the same thing and NEVER let them take me where there was no people around. how good is it discovering different cultures? people who have not done it rough around the world have no idea how good australia and most of the western world is.

[Hords]

Excellent travel experiences there Jason. Makes mine insignificant. Only troubles I've experienced were all in Manila.

* Bogus tourist police pull up alongside me and inform me of big counterfeit problems in Marbini and need to check my Pesos. Told them crap that I've just arrived and haven't changed US dollars yet. They said they're counterfeit too. "What", I said Tasmanian pounds, not US dollars." Yes those counterfeit too here!
* Police pulled me up in rental car and demanded 3000 Peso 'fine' because my reg plates were banned for that day of the week. Took about ½hr to explain exception by way of paperwork in glove box and windscreen sticker. All along the 'fine' kept coming down in price and eventually he gave up.
* Couple of attempted pick-pockets

The most 'remote' place (for foreigner) I've been to was a week in Myanmar (Burma).

Unfortunately I haven't been OS for years. :