On the 7th of September, 2001 I was on my way to Australia via Los Angeles. Travel was certainly a different experience back then. When I arrived in LA I went immediately to the Tom Bradley International Terminal to check in for the flight to Sydney and discovered I had in my pocket the Swiss Army knife my sister gave me. No matter, the lady said, we'll give it to the cabin crew and you can retrieve it when you arrive in Australia.
The flight was something. We flew on a Qantas 747, wings bowed from the weight. I sat next to a retired engineer who had all sorts of reassuring things to say about that crazy bend and lots of interesting stories about his life as an engineer. Arrived in Sydney, morning I think, and took the train downtown to the city. I don't recall much about that. I know I walked through the botanical gardens and around Circular Quay. Walked over to and took at look at the Opera House and then back on the train to the airport for the flight to Darwin.
I know I slept most of the flight. I hope I didn't snore too much. Arrived in the evening on the 7th and took a taxi to the accommodations. I don't recall much about the place. Spent the next couple of days wandering around Darwin, walked the esplanade, walked out to the East Point Military Museum. Very hot, very humid, lovely! On the 8th or 9th the USN and USMC arrived. Loaded aboard the USS Peleliu as part of The Peleliu Amphibious Ready Group and the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit. I don't know why I didn't take photos. I was shooting on film back then and there may have been some restrictions on photos although I don't know how they could have enforced that. The mostly quiet Darwin became very busy.
On the morning of the 11th of September I woke up and doing as I normally do when away, I turned on the tv to see what's happening in the world. Only half paying attention, I saw the planes, saw the buildings, and then turned the tv off. Too early for whatever that was, I thought I was looking at a movie. I got ready to go for the day and wandered out on the street. The streets were empty. I went to a local breakfast place and the server commented on how quiet it was. I went into the local laundry/internet cafe place and the tv was on tuned to whatever the news channel in Darwin was. We watched, commented on what was going on and what was going to happen next.
The next day we met up with Terry and Dan, our guides for the next ten days, and headed off out of Darwin on our way to ride the Gibb River Road. We'd be away from news and normal contact with the outside world, all the while wondering what the US was going to do next, knowing that someone was going to experience some serious bombing.
I flew back to Canada at the end of September. Things were different.
