Our 9/11 Nightmare!

With the anniversary of 9/11 coming up I thought it appropriate, just like everyone else to reflect on where we were on that dread full day. Tim and were on a cruise in the Bahamas. We remember that day so well, it was a Tuesday, we had gotten up early to watch the ship dock at Nassau. We took a horse and buggy ride around Nassau just waiting until a departure ferry to Atlantis came. As we get back to where the horse and buggy drop us off we notice that there was a huge presence of the military walking around with machine guns. Shop owners had the radios on in their cars parked in front of their shops. It was the first time either one of us had been out of the country so thought nothing of it.

We boarded the ferry and headed to Atlantis, we were departing and notice TV's on at the station and people stopping and gasping. We heard "Oh My God" so many times. We heard people crying. Finally we asked some one what was going on. We were told that a plane had crashed into the towers and that New York was under attack, (now this gives me goose bumps just writing about this ten years later). We decided to stop and watch and then they announced the Pentagon had been attack. That is when I lost it. My mom works for the Federal Emergency Management Agency, FEMA. She was in Washington for training. I also remembered that my sister was to fly to New York for her job with Citi Group. We didn't have our cell phones so we try to find phones in the Atlantis. After many attempts we finally reach my dad, (The one time we are glad he doesn't like to travel).

He was panicked trying to make sure that my mom, sister and I were all safe. He wanted us home and now! He had heard from my mom and she was in a different part of the pentagon, Shelly's (my sister) flight was cancelled because of the attack, (they shut down all airports right away).

 I do not remember going thru Atlantis at all. If it wasn't for Tim taking pictures of the beautiful aquarium I wouldn't believe I was there.

We go back to the cruise ship and turn on the TV. The ships captain is telling people that we need to have our ID's and that the ship needs to see everyones before taking off that evening They also announce that there will be no charges for phone calls back to the states. I try to call my mom and Andy, who was staying at his other grandparents, the circuits were all busy after about an hour I finally got thru to my mom. What relief to hear her voice, she was safe.  As soon as she could she was going to rent a car and  drive home. She was informed as a government employee that all air travel will be cancelled for awhile. She advised us to try to rent a car. My next call was to Sue, Andy's grandma. She was so up beat, Andy was still at school and she was just going to let him tell her if the school said anything and she wasn't going to have the TV on so that he wouldn't worry. Andy is a worry wart, he is a big "What if" person. I told her I would try to call when we could. Our next call was to a car rental to book a car because there was no way we were going to get on a plane even if we could.

That night as the cruise ship was suppose to be pulling out of the Bahamas they would call peoples names over the speaker looking for Mr. or Mrs. whoever. Most of the time it was a foreign name. It was kinda scary. Finally after an hour past the departure time we take off.

We tried to stay busy on the ship, eating, watching the shows, gambling, but I was just getting motion sick so bad. I could feel every little wave that the boat hit. We went back to the room, Tim dropped me off and he went up to go outside (he has a dirty little smoking habit). He comes back down and tells me not to look outside, now if that doesn't peak one curiosity. After a lot of "what is going on out there" he tells me that it was so windy out there that he couldn't open one door so he went to the other side, then he watched the chaise loungers be catapulted off the top of the pool deck out into the ocean. Great! We get ours bags packed because the next day is the last of the cruise. Thank God! It wasn't until the next morning we find out were sailing around a Hurricane, Hurricane Erin!

Once in Miami we were two hours trying to get off the ship because you had to go thru customs and they were being very careful (we didn't need passports back then). We get to the Miami airport to find out that no flights are leaving, (we knew that but had to check in any way) we go to the car rental place and get the last remaining car, thank goodness we booked it. By the way, when we were at the Miami airport it was pure hell there, that is where they discovered the terrorist stole the pilots uniforms. There was military, dogs, police, millions of people stuck and scared. We got our car, bought a few maps and took off.

We were listening to the radio it was raining out, I was the co-pilot. We would hear the announcement on the radio to take cover there was a tornado in such and such town. Tim would ask where that was, we just past it! Drive further and another announcement for another town, once again we just past it! This happened three different times. I am starting to freak out but Tim keeps his cool and is going to get us out of here one way or another, we just want to get back to the Midwest! He drives in heavy down pours until we got out of Florida. Finally in Georgia at about 1:00 am we decide to get a hotel. Who could sleep but I am sure he is tired of driving in this crap!

Next morning brings a beautiful day, we decide to try to salvage this trip and drive thru Louisville Kentucky and check out the horse ranches. What beautiful country that is. (That little trip is a whole other story). We finally get home two days later than we were suppose to due to the driving, but I was never so glad to get home in my life.

So that is where we were on 9/11, where were you?