Perhaps it seems bizarre, but I am still working on a final couple of blog posts about our 2017 trip to (mainly) the UK. It's probably a good thing I don't go overseas too often! It's a shame it has taken me so long but it's still worth it to me - like putting together your photo albums in the old days.
All the photos in this post are from our first of a couple of days in Barcelona. But I think the real Barcelona post is to come. This is just some scattered thoughts about the risks we face travelling out in the world these days, or indeed, staying at home. Going to places of worship in Christchurch, or perhaps walking in the Melbourne CBD, to give a couple of recent examples.
August 2017. As we arrived in London and were checking in to our hotel we heard about a shocking vehicle attack on pedestrians on la Rambla in Barcelona. I guess we are both relatively non-anxious people, at least when it comes to travel. We did agree it was good that we still had about three weeks to go before we were planning to head to Barcelona. In fact we hadn't booked that leg of our journey yet but we had plans to briefly meet up with friends there and I don't think we considered dropping those plans or going elsewhere.
There were no issues during the 2.5 days we were in Catalonia. We rushed around and saw a lot. They weren't my favourite days of the trip - partly because I caught the cold Kam had finally shaken off. Even so, it was a good time.
Later, not too long after we left London the second time - I think it was just around the time we arrived home in Australia - a bomb exploded on a District line train at Parsons Green. This is very close to our home away from home in London, close to family, and it happened at a station we passed through many times during our time in London.
And then a little while later, on 1 October 2017, there was further violence in Barcelona with police suppression of the Catalan independence referendum. When this happened, I just thought 'ok, we happened to time our Barcelona visit pretty well'. We managed to walk La Rambla many times without even encountering a pickpocket - just many incredible statue performers and plenty of sellers of tacky souvenirs, and beer stashed in mysterious places.
Different kinds of violent incidents can happen anywhere. Some are organised terrorism and others more like a lone copycat. And of course the police/protest violence is different again.
There are always risks. I know that London was a target of lots of attacks thanks to the Irish Troubles in the 70s, 80s, and 90s. But it does feel like things have really changed since my first trips overseas in the early 2000's. This was brought home to me on this trip when we had to wait with hordes of people lining up outside to have our bags checked before entering the British Museum. It just seemed so weird, but I should have known better, I guess. And of course I know very well that even with these small inconveniences, as an 'unthreatening' white woman I move easily and with tons of privilege through airports and other spaces that can be extremely difficult for others.
