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[GrahamK]

My wife and I had arrived in New York on our first ever trip to the US the night before. We had a four day stay booked and had a lot planned, including a trip up the twin towers on the morning of the 11th. It was rather concerning for our families as they all knew of our plans and because of the collapse of the mobile and wired telephone networks we didn't get to speak to them until midnight (in the UK) on the evening of the eleventh. They were relieved, to say the least.
It is very hard to describe the strangeness and horror of those few days. It started so well because of the time difference we had been up since six, showered and had a leisurely breakfast. Shortly after nine we walked out into a beautiful crystalline blue morning. We were staying near the Washington Square Park in South Manhattan and as we walked into the park a police siren sounded and a slightly drugged looking woman (It was still a bit of a Boho area in 2001) coming the other way said it is a bit late for that. We asked what she meant and she said go into the park and you will see.
Well what we saw was the towers in flames and thick black smoke. As the day unfolded it got progressively worse. jets buzzing the city, exits of Manhattan closed. and the most frightening thing of all, a number of jets missing and presumed still coming for New York. The shock of actually seeing the towers fall, not just our shock but that of the Americans was powerful and awful.
Over the next few days the media were mobilised and the newspapers were full of many of the images that we all now think of about that time. I have a picture of myself walking down 5th avenue with not a car in sight.
We spent the Thursday walking from 8th Street up to something like the 110th, walking beyond the end of central park. all along the sky behind us missing a piece. we passed a jeweller up in town and he was standing out side his shop looking towards where the Twin Towers had stood. He was in tears and simply said I have worked here for 25 years, looked at those towers for all of that time. It was quire a harrowing sight.
Although we really enjoy visiting the US and have been six times now we didn't go again until 2009. We camped in a tent in rural Devon in 2002.

We were not sure if we could ever go back to New York again and still haven't.
It has taken some time but just a few weeks ago we said we would like to go back and visit the site and pay our respects. Hopefully, we will.

Graham.

[BazaJT]

In the service reception area/parts dept counter of the local Ford dealership.Glanced at the TV[volume was turned down]and saw what was happening and thought at first it was a film they'd got on.

[Doctor Gollum]

Painting a window sill and happened to pop the tellybox on for some background...

Suffice to say that the window sill never got painted 

Whilst there was a resulting slump at work, it didn't really impact us as we had several contracts doing all the shit jobs that no one else wanted.

Nineteen years later, some bat sneezed and I got six months off...

There's summat not quite right with this world

[Sir Tigger KC]

I was in Namibia out in the Namib Desert, and pulled into a campsite late in the evening to be told by the owner of the events in New York that day.  There was no TV so we listened to reports on a radio from the BBC World Service.

I didn't see the actual footage of the towers coming down until a week later when I was in South Africa and stayed in a Backpackers where there was a TV, and despite knowing and hearing all about it, it was still shocking to see it on TV.

[ronnyd]

We were on holiday in North Norfolk. Walked along the cliffs to Weybourne and back. Called in a pub on the front at Sheringham for a bite to eat and it was on the T/V in the bar. Couldn't believe it was happening.

[Mister Rog]

I was in a local electrical shop wanting to buy a TV.

In watching a TV, I found myself watch live coverage, and it took a while before I realized that it was real time.

An asian guy came in and asked what movie it was. I explained, and he was shocked and ran out of the shop.

I bought a TV, and happened to watch a guy behind the counter with my card and a laptop. Remember the time, way before card scams were normal, so this meant nothing to me.

I took the TV home and watched the whole thing unfold. Quite shocking.

A week later my card got wacked for £9k. Apple, Bang & Olufsen, Rolex Jewellers etc.

Bank were good, actual cost to me was nothing.

However, the fraudsters wrote cheques to the card company. The card company cerdited without actual chequw clearance. The cheques bounced (of course) and I ended up with a crap credit rating due to bounced cheques. It took years to sort out.

[Drewomega]

I was over in Mallorca recovering from malaria when I saw it on tv. Could not believe it!

I remember going to Cairo just after 9/11 and visiting the pyramids and there was just me and my driver and a busload of kids. Very strange atmosphere!

pscocoa:  Bizarre time as I had just returned from Nigeria 2 days before and Air France had lost my luggage so I was a little delayed.

I worked in Africa for years and used Air France Charles de Gaulle Paris to Lagos and back. I think every flight I had with them they lost my luggage.

[tigers_gonads]

Drinking coffee with the manageress after doing some electrical work for a local bar.
Watched in silence as the 2nd plane went into the tower.
Young waitress chirps up and says "what's the chance of 2 plane crashes at the same time" 

Finished my coffee, packed up my tools and drove home quietly knowing the shite had REALLY hit the fan this time and the world was never going to be the same again 



12 months later (to the hour) i'm sat in the departure lounge at Larnaca waiting to get on the plane to come home after a weeks heavy socialising in Ayia Napa.
Rather quite that flight with anybody who looked even the slightest middle eastern been watched like a hawk