Sixteen years have passed, and yet I remember so clearly where I was when I heard the news of the attack on New York.
2001 was a year we will never forget in our family, for a completely different reason.
That was the year that the hubster and I packed up all our worldly goods, put them in storage, rented out our house, bought a caravan, and took our two small children on a Great Australian Adventure.
We left our Brisbane home at the beginning of July, free for six whole months (the hubster had to be back at work on 1 January 2002).
It seemed like such a long time – and yet it passed so quickly!
We had travelled south visiting well known spots such as Coffs Harbour, Newcastle, Sydney, Canberra, and Phillip Island, spending three weeks in Jindabyne to play at the snow at nearby Thredbo and Perisher, and staying in lots of lesser known towns such as Wauchope, Eden and Orbost.
By the time September 11 rolled around, we were in Melbourne and with Tasmania just across the way, we decided to add it to our itinerary.
But – should we fly over, or take the ferry? We were offered a fabulous deal on flights, but eventually decided on the ferry, so we could take our car. And thank goodness we did – because that was the week Ansett Airlines went belly up and we wouldn’t have been able to fly to Tasmania after all!
We left our van at a caravan park in Melbourne, and when we went into the office, the hubster made a random comment to the staff that he hoped our home on wheels would be safe.
The woman behind the counter snorted, “As safe as anywhere can be these days”.
It was such a weird answer we looked at each other, and then at her.
“Haven’t you heard the news?” she said.
Ummm, what news?
And she turned on the television behind her, to the fiery scene of the Twin Towers in New York, and very soon we understood.
On one hand, we were incredibly glad that we were about to board a boat heading to the middle of nowhere (sorry Tasmania).
On the other hand, it somehow felt wrong that we were on a happy holiday amidst such terrible world events.
Being in the middle of a six month long vacation, I couldn’t even tell you what day of the week it all unfolded!
Most of the time we were in Tasmania we camped in our car (yes really!) …
That meant we had little to no access to television, and in hindsight, I’m really glad about that, if only for our children’s sake.
Where were you when 9 11 happened?
My hubby and I I didn’t find out about what had happened until we got to work. We had no tv at the time. I’m grateful we didn’t. Actually we have no tv now either. But I did love my tv during the preschool years. Thank you ABC kids !!!
LOL probs best not to have a TV in your house with your hubster studying, Liz! And yes ABC Kids were a lifesaver for me too 😉
The day this terrible event happened. I was driving my car to work whilst working as a tradie in Townsville. I was cluelessly, enjoying listening to a CD (long before the age of iTunes) and not to the radio which would have informed me. I turned up to the job site and in those days people actually read the news from newspapers. A group of my workmates were in a huddle around one guy with his daily newspaper. I couldn’t believe the news and to this day find it hard to fathom these events that took place.
The stand out memory of that day was observing a muslim man in religious clothing, walking down the street later the same day. To paint a picture, this was in a new estate with few completed houses and many under construction. It was completely perculiar to see anyone other than tradespeople or people in fitness gear running past. At the time, Townsville was culturally traveling along about twenty years in the past compared to Australia’s capital cities.
I remember having mixed emotions for this man.
What would possess him to be in full religious get up in the middle of nowhere, that day?
What was he doing there?
Was he blissfully unaware of what extremists of his religion had conducted earlier that day?
Was he brave?
Was he stupid?
Or was he just a regular human being, enjoying the sunshine in a land untouched by world events?
It certainly bought a local element of thought to 9/11 for me.
That day changed the world. Unfortunately, horrible events now happen every other day across the world.
On a personal level, I prefer not to watch the news when my four year old son is near. Which means if it’s TV time, Jimmy Giggle wins! If only these terrorising idiots would learn the art of self sacrifice for others as I demonstrate whilst enduring Giggle and Hoot.
Al…
Wow I’d almost forgotten that you lived in Townsville for a while Al! And how times have changed … who the heck are Giggle and Hoot?! (It’s okay, I do know who they are!). But back in the day I endured endless Thomas the Tank Engine, Teletubbies, and The Wiggles – okay some things never change LOL.