Activity Week in Delhi, before bomb blasts

Three bomb blasts went off in New Delhi markets yesterday evening, evidently the work of Kashimiri terrorists (because they were timed to happen when the border talks started).

I was in Delhi all last week, with a group of students from Woodstock School, on a tour of historical and government facilities.

We did not go near any of those markets (though we did visit some other markets), and we departed Delhi on Saturday morning, before the blasts. So none of us were directly harmed by this, nor do we know anyone who was.

But, suffice it to say, we are all shaken by this strange and twisted occurrence...
And we said special prayers in church this morning.

More details later about our respective week's activities.
--j.t.

Hiking through an Earthquake

[I'm writing this entry at the Hanifl OutdoorStudies Center, where we returned our tents and bags and such]
Coleman and I just returned from a hike with his fellow middle-schoolers. It went well, even though we hiked up there in the dark. Because of the late start, we
went to Flag Hill instead of Witches Hill. Flag Hill is so named
because it is the highest un-built-up point in the area, and Tibetan Buddhists have strung up prayer flags on the trees at the top. There is a well-established trail to a large flat area near the top where our school groups often camp out. It is the easiest hike off-campus (about 1km on road, then 1km on trail) to a flat area for camping.

We felt an earthquake this morning, at around 0930hrs, as we were packing up -- the trees started shaking as if in a strong wind, but there was no wind. Then the whole hill -- we were on top of a steeply-domed hill -- started moving. I was squatting next to my backpack, and I started swaying. At first I thought I was feeling dizzy! But then all the kids started exclaiming, so I re-examined the
situation, and figured "earthquake". The hill swayed for a long 10
seconds. I did not hear any particular sound, because the kids were
shouting. But it was exciting for us all. Three other hiking groups
that went to different camping areas did not report anything. Now, the
internet tells me:
SINGAPORE (Reuters) - A major earthquake with a magnitude of between 7.6 and 7.8 shook the Indian subcontinent on Saturday, rocking the Indian, Pakistani and Afghan capital, monitoring services and government officials said.
The U.S Geological Survey Web site put the magnitude at 7.6 and said the epicenter of the quake was at a depth of 10 km

I stayed at the OutdoorCenter (named Hanifl Center, after the generous donor family) to help check in other groups, and by the way check my email.
Coleman walked back with a couple of friends to the nearby roadside snack stall called "cozy corner" where the kids go to buy soda pop (neither sold nor served on school grounds) and chips.

Back at our place, Sunnywood House, Barb and Chris felt nothing.

[Note later: aside from some quaking felt by most people in Mussoorie, the only damage that we know of is a few extra cracks in buildings, notably in the school library.]