There have been many major events in world history that people look back on afterwards and recall what they were doing, or where they were at the time, as well as what their thoughts on the event were as it happened, and I thought it would be good for HHADers to share these things. My post is triggered by memories of my life on 11th September 2001, and my post on that follows, but this thread is not intended as being just about that; it could be the moon landings, the JFK assassination, England winning the World Cup, any number of things but mostly things that were nationally or internationally news items that had some impact on you.
On September 11th 2001, I was in my rented condo in Bangkok, to be precise the 9th floor of the T.I.T Tower in the Sathu Pradit area. If memory serves me right it would have been around 8pm in the evening in Thailand when the attacks started, and I was in the habit of being on my computer with the TV tuned into BBC World at the same time in the evenings then. I lived in the condo with my then wife (called A), and she was in the bedroom watching Thai TV. Again, if memory serves me right, I came across a new thread on a football forum saying that a plane (a Cessna I think) had hit the WTC, and shortly after the hourly BBC news came on (although it might have been that they broke into whatever was showing at the time) and the news was announced with the graphic pictures we all know of the black smoke pouring out of the building. I called my wife in and we sat and watched events unfold in some sort of shock, despair and grim fascination all combined. When the second plane hit, live on screen, the feelings were magnified and an almost instantaneous realisation that this was no accident, a feeling that had already been growing anyway. A few days later I wrote this in an email to a good (American) friend;
"Nothing I can say about recent events except deep sorrow and
incomprehension-A was in tears & I wasn't far off as it all happened. In
some ways I think A & I have made the ultimate statement as far as race, colour, creed & religion goes, if that is what this whole thing is about, and all fellow travellers have met and made friends with people from all around the globe, but we have also experienced the bad side of people in thefts, insults or violence, and some of us have been guilty of them too. I understand the need & desire for revenge but also the futility, that violence will cause more violence, but that no retaliation is regarded as weakness, that any action will create martyrs for others to follow, that the villain of today was yesterday's hero...I'm just glad to be lucky enough to be living the life I am. I agree with your sentiments completely and lets hope that a few obsessed individuals won't be allowed to change that."
This was in reply to this short and to the point email;
"Sometimes life gets bigger than what we want. I am determined to explore and enjoy this globe. I want to understand all peoples. But,those I love, You are my country. You are my friends,You are my life.
\ Let nothing stop our laughter, our dedication, our desire to make all peoples our family. Still crazy after all these years, R"
As we lived in a high rise block (but nothing like a NY skyscraper) there were moments when we went out on our balcony to look at the sky checking for planes, and I remember wondering how we would get out if something similar happened where we were, and having pangs of anguish for the poor souls trapped in the WTC. The collapse of the buildings was a complete shock and had an unreal feel, like some special effects trick in a movie, particularly in the almost artistic clouds of dust that exploded outwards. The other thing very clear in my memory is that after some time I could only watch in periods of maybe 5 or 10 minutes at a time before needing to go and do something else as a distraction or reminder of normal life for a few minutes, before being drawn back to the horror of it again.
The following few days left me feeling hollow and listless, and those feelings return to a lesser extent even now when I see some of the harrowing footage that pops up in documentaries and on the net from time to time, particularly around the anniversary. As far as I know, I didn't know anyone who was in the planes or buildings, but I can't begin to imagine how anyone who did felt and still feels. However when I post about this incident I try to have empathy with how they might feel, although I have never felt anger about it, which I know was a common reaction - I can't really explain why. If anyone on here was either in NY or knew someone who suffered directly in this attack I hope they might feel able to share their thoughts on this thread. However as I said I hope this thread can be used for any number of possible world or life changing events. Maybe it will help us all understand others a little better.
Where were you?
-
Wanderlust
- Legend
- Posts: 2862
- Joined: Wed Aug 04, 2004 12:27 pm
- Location: Hua Hin
I was at work in Florida (same time zone) and sometime shortly after the first plane hit someone yelled across the top of the cubicles in the big room where I worked that a plane had hit a building in new york. I started looking on the web for news and seeing photos, found a web cam on top of a building in NYC and watched the rest play out through that in total shock and horror! 
My brain is like an Internet browser; 12 tabs are open and 5 of them are not responding, there's a GIF playing in an endless loop,... and where is that annoying music coming from?
The other thing I remember vividly after I got home from work and the next day as I was flipping channels looking at all the different news reports was the near universal jubilance and celebrating on the streets in every major middle eastern Muslim city.
At that moment I wanted Bush to respond like we did in Japan at the end of WWII after what they did to Pearl Harbor.
At that moment I wanted Bush to respond like we did in Japan at the end of WWII after what they did to Pearl Harbor.
My brain is like an Internet browser; 12 tabs are open and 5 of them are not responding, there's a GIF playing in an endless loop,... and where is that annoying music coming from?
I was living in Kho Tao then, and yes WL, must have been about 8pm. In a bar on Sarree beach with a couple of mates watching it on TV, complete disbelief all round, and yes HHF, the reaction in the those middle eastern cities was aweful, showed themselves in their true colours, and it's no different now.
I was in Heathrow waiting to board a plane to NY
Was going to see a very good friend who worked quite high up in one of the towers
Cancelled my flight which would probably have been rerouted and called my friend. He was in shock and was with his wife in a hotel. He had attended a breakfast meeting so did not get to work. His condo some metres away from the towers was covered in debrie from the fall.
He never really recovered. Flashbacks and also he lost many work colleages
Had planned to fly out earlier which would have meant I would have been there
Whew
Was going to see a very good friend who worked quite high up in one of the towers
Cancelled my flight which would probably have been rerouted and called my friend. He was in shock and was with his wife in a hotel. He had attended a breakfast meeting so did not get to work. His condo some metres away from the towers was covered in debrie from the fall.
He never really recovered. Flashbacks and also he lost many work colleages
Had planned to fly out earlier which would have meant I would have been there
Whew
RICHARD OF LOXLEY
It’s none of my business what people say and think of me. I am what I am and do what I do. I expect nothing and accept everything. It makes life so much easier.
It’s none of my business what people say and think of me. I am what I am and do what I do. I expect nothing and accept everything. It makes life so much easier.
I was sat in the departure lounge at Don Muang Airport waiting to return to the UK. My wife and son were sat opposite me, and behind them was one of those large TVs constantly tuned in to Sky News.
The first thing that caught my eye was the large banner on the screen stating 'America At War'. I didn't say anything - just kept watching, unsure if it was news or a movie.
It became more and more real. They were producing huge lists of flight numbers that had gone missing (16 I think), and while I was watching, reports were coming in that the second tower had been hit.
My wife and son were oblivious throughout.
Then our flight was called. About 25% refused to board. Once boarded, they came around removing selected people from the flight. In my semi-panicked mind I assumed they were terrorist suspects - in reality, they were people with onward bookings to the USA. Nobody was talking about the incident.
The flight was trouble free, but the journey across the centre of London (in my mind the highest risk area) seemed to take hours.
As we touched down at Heathrow, I asked my wife if she'd seen the TV in the departure lounge before we left. She told me that she hadn't, and asked why. I told her all that I'd seen. She wanted to know I hadn't said anything at the time, because she wouldn't have boarded the flight. I just smiled.
It was only when driving home from Heathrow to Bristol, when listening to the radio, that the full extent of the incident (although somewhat exageratted) became clearer.
When I got home, my father was waiting - apparently he had been going through the same anxieties as me - worrying that we wouldn't get home.
The first thing that caught my eye was the large banner on the screen stating 'America At War'. I didn't say anything - just kept watching, unsure if it was news or a movie.
It became more and more real. They were producing huge lists of flight numbers that had gone missing (16 I think), and while I was watching, reports were coming in that the second tower had been hit.
My wife and son were oblivious throughout.
Then our flight was called. About 25% refused to board. Once boarded, they came around removing selected people from the flight. In my semi-panicked mind I assumed they were terrorist suspects - in reality, they were people with onward bookings to the USA. Nobody was talking about the incident.
The flight was trouble free, but the journey across the centre of London (in my mind the highest risk area) seemed to take hours.
As we touched down at Heathrow, I asked my wife if she'd seen the TV in the departure lounge before we left. She told me that she hadn't, and asked why. I told her all that I'd seen. She wanted to know I hadn't said anything at the time, because she wouldn't have boarded the flight. I just smiled.
It was only when driving home from Heathrow to Bristol, when listening to the radio, that the full extent of the incident (although somewhat exageratted) became clearer.
When I got home, my father was waiting - apparently he had been going through the same anxieties as me - worrying that we wouldn't get home.
Championship Plymouth Argyle 1 - 2 Leeds Utd
Points 46; Position 23 RELEGATED
Points 46; Position 23 RELEGATED
-
Bamboo Grove
- Moderator
- Posts: 5560
- Joined: Mon Jan 13, 2003 12:59 pm
- Location: Espoo, Finland
I was in Bangkok and at the time this thing happened I was playing darts with my team in Chaeng Wattana. The tv was not on there so first we knew nothing about the whole thing. When we got back to my bar on Sukhumvit Soi 23, at about 11.00 p.m, the players playing there told us what had happened and we started watching the events on BBC and CNN. I remember an American friend of mine, who was in Bangkok at the time, calling me and asking what was going on as he had only Thai tv and couldn't understand any of it. After that me and my missus spend several hours for many a day in front of the tv watching the news coming in.
Back in Bamboo Grove
http://bamboogrovestories.blogspot.com/
http://bamboogrovestories.blogspot.com/
-
Randy Cornhole
- Rock Star
- Posts: 3701
- Joined: Sun Feb 27, 2005 5:01 pm
- Location: London
- Contact:
I was in central London fixing a large colour printer for IPC magazines when shots of the Twin Towers came over the TV. I coudn't watch it though as I was on a tight deadline but suspected by the attention it was receiving that it was serious...
Incidentally the other big news event that I remember well was when I had arose early to film a low budget pop promo and all the radio programmes seemed to be playing weird music. I thought it a tad strange and was told by the taxi driver that Princess Diana had been killed in Paris earlier...
Incidentally the other big news event that I remember well was when I had arose early to film a low budget pop promo and all the radio programmes seemed to be playing weird music. I thought it a tad strange and was told by the taxi driver that Princess Diana had been killed in Paris earlier...
www.35mmview.com
-
malcolminthemiddle
- Guru
- Posts: 611
- Joined: Sat Mar 05, 2005 1:56 pm
- Location: Here,there and everywhere
I was in Venezuela on 9/11 working on a project where most of the staff were American. We all gathered together to watch developments live on a small TV in the site office.
When the first gulf war started on 17th January 1991 I was on a military air base in Bahrain that the Americans had taken over and were using to launch their attacks on SH forces in Kuwait before the base was finished.
In 1989 when the Berlin wall came down I was in Germany working for Siemens and on 6th October 1981 the day Anwar Al Sadat was assassinated during an annual military parade I was travelling between Jeddah and Barcelona on a flight that stopped over in Cairo at roughly the same time the attack took place.
I remember first hearing that Bobby Kennedy had been shot on June 5 1968 when my Dad picked me up from school and on 31 August 1997 we were enjoying the 19th hole at a golf course in Hua Hin (can’t remember which one) when the news of the tragic death of Princess Diana came through.
When the first gulf war started on 17th January 1991 I was on a military air base in Bahrain that the Americans had taken over and were using to launch their attacks on SH forces in Kuwait before the base was finished.
In 1989 when the Berlin wall came down I was in Germany working for Siemens and on 6th October 1981 the day Anwar Al Sadat was assassinated during an annual military parade I was travelling between Jeddah and Barcelona on a flight that stopped over in Cairo at roughly the same time the attack took place.
I remember first hearing that Bobby Kennedy had been shot on June 5 1968 when my Dad picked me up from school and on 31 August 1997 we were enjoying the 19th hole at a golf course in Hua Hin (can’t remember which one) when the news of the tragic death of Princess Diana came through.
9/11 was just another day at the office until a colleague came over and told me a plane had flown into the WTC. Initially, we heard it was a small plane, then having finally got a connection on the 'net to a news station, we saw the reality. Like most other places I guess, little work was subsequently completed.
When shock and awe started, the same colleague and I were in a pub having a post-work drink. Its beginning was shown on the TV there and it certainly lived up to its name and the whole pub went quiet - no turning back now.
Ironically, I was indirectly affected by Carters failed hostage rescue in Iran. I was on a flight back from Hong Kong, which stopped as planned at Bombay (as was) and there we stayed for 8 hours. Not even allowed into the lounges, so some of us went down the steps, a football was produced and we had a kick-about. Not for long though, too damn hot. They claimed a door lock was faulty, but then work came through about what was happening in Iran (and its failure) and our planned next stop had been Bahrain.
Eventually we flew to Oman and another crew took over and we got home virtually a day late.
The 66 world cup was the first day of a family holiday to the Isle of Wight. I was so nervous about missing the game, that when we stopped at Ryde for fish and chips I poured my pepsi over the meal instead of vinegar - I was just 9yo. We returned to the same camp each year and they had two large TV rooms, one for the beeb and one for ITV.
I went early to bag a seat for me and my Dad and it was already full, I grabbed one of the last available. My Dad never made it - he said it was so packed he couldn't even get into the room and he listened to it on the radio instead. Its always saddened me that he missed the game.
When shock and awe started, the same colleague and I were in a pub having a post-work drink. Its beginning was shown on the TV there and it certainly lived up to its name and the whole pub went quiet - no turning back now.
Ironically, I was indirectly affected by Carters failed hostage rescue in Iran. I was on a flight back from Hong Kong, which stopped as planned at Bombay (as was) and there we stayed for 8 hours. Not even allowed into the lounges, so some of us went down the steps, a football was produced and we had a kick-about. Not for long though, too damn hot. They claimed a door lock was faulty, but then work came through about what was happening in Iran (and its failure) and our planned next stop had been Bahrain.
Eventually we flew to Oman and another crew took over and we got home virtually a day late.
The 66 world cup was the first day of a family holiday to the Isle of Wight. I was so nervous about missing the game, that when we stopped at Ryde for fish and chips I poured my pepsi over the meal instead of vinegar - I was just 9yo. We returned to the same camp each year and they had two large TV rooms, one for the beeb and one for ITV.
I went early to bag a seat for me and my Dad and it was already full, I grabbed one of the last available. My Dad never made it - he said it was so packed he couldn't even get into the room and he listened to it on the radio instead. Its always saddened me that he missed the game.
Talk is cheap
1st memory when Princess Diana died. Because of the time difference in Aus most of these memories all happened late at night (Living in Sydney at the time)
Was in bed listening to the BBC World Service Saturday football coverage, only to be interupted by the news that the Princess had died in a car crash. Got up and watched TV coverage for the rest of the night, was unbelievable anything like that could happen.
In Sydney there was huge outpouring of grief and all places in town on the day of the funeral had full coverage of the funeral etc.
2nd when the Sari Club in Bali got bombed.
I had just moved to Perth and this hit hard over here. I live in Greenwood and the local Kingsly Aussie Rules club (only 1km from where I live ) lost a heap of people on their end of season trip. Some of the guys used to drink in my local and there was so much grief around the local area for a long time after that (and is still ongoing).
I was sitting at home watching TV and heard the news what had happened. My GF had only been over there a few weeks before on a travel agents trip and stayed in the hotel that was demolished behind the Sari Club. Also they used to drink in the Irish Bar where another one of the other bombs went off.
3rd was when the Tsunami happened in 2004 on Boxing Day. We went for a picnic at City Beach in Perth, and had heard earlier just before we left about the earthquake but did not get to see the damaged it caused till we got home at night
It was so sad as we had been to Phuket and Phi Phi Island in the July of that year.
We stayed in the Burasari in Phuket, we had ground floor pool access room when we were there, apparently those rooms were totally wrecked as the water got well up past our hotel.
In Phi Phi we stayed at Charlies Beach House which was the other side of the island to where the boats arrive. The 1st pics I saw after of that area, all that was left was the concrete slabs that our rooms stood on, all the bush area that existed between where we were and the other side of the island had all been ripped up. How anyone survived was an absolute miracle.
After returning to Phuket from Phi Phi, we had 3 days at the Chedi Hotel at Pansea Beach Phuket.
This place had it own private beach, but was in a sort of cove with cliffs on both sides, making the currents very strong at all times.
The hotel is set a fair way up in the hill and apparently when the Tsunami happened it was that bad that it managed to flood the reception area of hotel.
I am guessing that it would be probably between 10-30 meters in height to the reception area.
The sad thing was that at one end of the beach was a sea gypsy fishing village that got pretty well wiped out.
I came down to the beach one day and my Gf is sitting there with a large Singha sitting in a plastic bag of ice to keep it cool.
Apparently one of the young girls from the fishing village used to walk up and down the beach all day selling beer to the people staying in the hotel, who like me were to lazy to go up the steps to bar in the hotel.
On two of the main forums that I read about Phuket after the Tsunami there were so many people asking what happened to this girl, but unfortunately to this day, I have not found out if she survived or not.
I think it was so lucky that it happened when it did and not at about 12-1.00am in the morning when Phuket in particular would have been mobbed with people. I would hate to think of the death toll had it happend at that time of the day instead of when it did.
4th on my y next trip to Thailand I was in Hua Hin in 2005 and returned back to the room at the Sofitel to see the news of the London Bombings. Another sad day in our lives, but after going through the trouble in the 70's with all of the Irish bombs in London and around the UK, perhaps it did not come as much as a surprise when it did happen.
The 5th was of course the 9-11, sitting at home again and the program I was watching was suddenly interupted by the sight of a plane fling into the twin towers. The next thing that I see was another one going for the other tower and all of a sudden both towers disappear.
If the same thing had happened in the UK, it would have the same effect as it did when it happened there.
There are so many people who work all over the world now, that when this does happen, it not only causes grief to the country that it happens in, it causes grief all around the world.
People will always ask where you were when this and that happened, and they will probably be the memories of world happenings that will stick with me for the rest of my life.
Was in bed listening to the BBC World Service Saturday football coverage, only to be interupted by the news that the Princess had died in a car crash. Got up and watched TV coverage for the rest of the night, was unbelievable anything like that could happen.
In Sydney there was huge outpouring of grief and all places in town on the day of the funeral had full coverage of the funeral etc.
2nd when the Sari Club in Bali got bombed.
I had just moved to Perth and this hit hard over here. I live in Greenwood and the local Kingsly Aussie Rules club (only 1km from where I live ) lost a heap of people on their end of season trip. Some of the guys used to drink in my local and there was so much grief around the local area for a long time after that (and is still ongoing).
I was sitting at home watching TV and heard the news what had happened. My GF had only been over there a few weeks before on a travel agents trip and stayed in the hotel that was demolished behind the Sari Club. Also they used to drink in the Irish Bar where another one of the other bombs went off.
3rd was when the Tsunami happened in 2004 on Boxing Day. We went for a picnic at City Beach in Perth, and had heard earlier just before we left about the earthquake but did not get to see the damaged it caused till we got home at night
It was so sad as we had been to Phuket and Phi Phi Island in the July of that year.
We stayed in the Burasari in Phuket, we had ground floor pool access room when we were there, apparently those rooms were totally wrecked as the water got well up past our hotel.
In Phi Phi we stayed at Charlies Beach House which was the other side of the island to where the boats arrive. The 1st pics I saw after of that area, all that was left was the concrete slabs that our rooms stood on, all the bush area that existed between where we were and the other side of the island had all been ripped up. How anyone survived was an absolute miracle.
After returning to Phuket from Phi Phi, we had 3 days at the Chedi Hotel at Pansea Beach Phuket.
This place had it own private beach, but was in a sort of cove with cliffs on both sides, making the currents very strong at all times.
The hotel is set a fair way up in the hill and apparently when the Tsunami happened it was that bad that it managed to flood the reception area of hotel.
I am guessing that it would be probably between 10-30 meters in height to the reception area.
The sad thing was that at one end of the beach was a sea gypsy fishing village that got pretty well wiped out.
I came down to the beach one day and my Gf is sitting there with a large Singha sitting in a plastic bag of ice to keep it cool.
Apparently one of the young girls from the fishing village used to walk up and down the beach all day selling beer to the people staying in the hotel, who like me were to lazy to go up the steps to bar in the hotel.
On two of the main forums that I read about Phuket after the Tsunami there were so many people asking what happened to this girl, but unfortunately to this day, I have not found out if she survived or not.
I think it was so lucky that it happened when it did and not at about 12-1.00am in the morning when Phuket in particular would have been mobbed with people. I would hate to think of the death toll had it happend at that time of the day instead of when it did.
4th on my y next trip to Thailand I was in Hua Hin in 2005 and returned back to the room at the Sofitel to see the news of the London Bombings. Another sad day in our lives, but after going through the trouble in the 70's with all of the Irish bombs in London and around the UK, perhaps it did not come as much as a surprise when it did happen.
The 5th was of course the 9-11, sitting at home again and the program I was watching was suddenly interupted by the sight of a plane fling into the twin towers. The next thing that I see was another one going for the other tower and all of a sudden both towers disappear.
If the same thing had happened in the UK, it would have the same effect as it did when it happened there.
There are so many people who work all over the world now, that when this does happen, it not only causes grief to the country that it happens in, it causes grief all around the world.
People will always ask where you were when this and that happened, and they will probably be the memories of world happenings that will stick with me for the rest of my life.
Always Borrow Money from a Pesimist. "They Never Expect it Back"
I was staying at the Subhamitra (just before my fall out with them) when that happened. Across the road somebody errected what must have been a 12 foot high poster of BinLaden, which concerned me considerably. I never walked on the same side of the road as the poster for the rest of the holiday.2nd when the Sari Club in Bali got bombed.
Championship Plymouth Argyle 1 - 2 Leeds Utd
Points 46; Position 23 RELEGATED
Points 46; Position 23 RELEGATED
9/11 I was at home in Hawaii, 6 hours behind New York. By the time I turned on the TV at 0900, it was all about over. I then sat and watched for hours, but a surreal experience as I was seeing everything in reverse from current commentary/events back to film of when it started.
Princess Diana I was here at my house then in Jomtien. Morning here I believe as night in Paris. Many Thai women had a soft spot for Diana and had followed her life more than I realized until I saw their knowledge and grief on that day.
JFK I was 13 and in Providence Rhode Island attending my brother's graduation from Naval officer school. When it was over we walked from the venue to find a restaurant to celebrate. Along the way up walked an old man of about 70 crying his eyes out. As he passed my brother, who was in dress white uniform, he stopped, touched his arm and said "your boss has just been killed son..." We had no clue what he meant until a few minutes later when we passed a TV repair shop with sets in the window all tuned to the event. We stood there for an hour watching in disbelief.
All very sad memories.
Pete
Princess Diana I was here at my house then in Jomtien. Morning here I believe as night in Paris. Many Thai women had a soft spot for Diana and had followed her life more than I realized until I saw their knowledge and grief on that day.
JFK I was 13 and in Providence Rhode Island attending my brother's graduation from Naval officer school. When it was over we walked from the venue to find a restaurant to celebrate. Along the way up walked an old man of about 70 crying his eyes out. As he passed my brother, who was in dress white uniform, he stopped, touched his arm and said "your boss has just been killed son..." We had no clue what he meant until a few minutes later when we passed a TV repair shop with sets in the window all tuned to the event. We stood there for an hour watching in disbelief.
All very sad memories.
PeteGovernments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. Source
They've been airing a two hour special on 9/11 on the History channel over the last couple of days. It has footage (from private citizens cameras) that I've never seen before and should be watched by anyone with an interest in this historical event.
According to the online Truevisions schedule (not always reliable!), it airs again today at 2 p.m., Monday at 6 a.m., and Tuesday at 9 a.m.
According to the online Truevisions schedule (not always reliable!), it airs again today at 2 p.m., Monday at 6 a.m., and Tuesday at 9 a.m.
My brain is like an Internet browser; 12 tabs are open and 5 of them are not responding, there's a GIF playing in an endless loop,... and where is that annoying music coming from?