7/7/05 - Remembered

[caliente_uk]

My posts from five years ago:

Checking In

My Account

One Week On

Five years ago today my husband and I were in our hotel in London when news of the first bomb reached us. We were due to return home that morning, but within hours the whole of central London had come to a complete standstill. The usually full of life Covent Garden was completely empty, and the city felt like a ghost town. My family and friends were frantic with worry, but it was impossible to communicate with the outside world for quite a few hours, as the phone lines were jammed, and the very little internet access our hotel had was constantly in use by people trying to contact their loved ones.

It was terrifying. We didn't know if or when another attack would happen, so after briefly trying (and failing - we only got as far as Covent Garden) to make our way across central London (what were we thinking?!), we decided to stay where we were until it was safe to travel across the city to where our car was parked.

I will never forget that feeling for as long as I live.

But we were the lucky ones.

Today we remember everyone who lost their lives on that devastating day in London. And our thoughts are also with those whose lives were changed forever by the horrifying events that took place on 7/7/05.

I leave you with the words of George Psaradakis, the driver of the No. 30 bus in Tavistock Square:

"You will not defeat us. You will not break us."

Comments

[spikereader.livejournal.com]

It's difficult to believe that five years have passed since those attacks.

[caliente-uk.livejournal.com]

It really is. I don't think I'll ever forget what it was like being in London on that day.

[deborahw37.livejournal.com]

Gosh! I was at Heathrow airport , watching the news and thinking they would close the air space and not fretting about that because we were safe and had so much to be grateful for. But also trying to get a message out to reassure loved ones that we were OK.

[ladyoneill.livejournal.com]

My parents were there as well. Dad should have been on the Picaddily line that morning but mom had fallen the day before and was sore and actually had a broken wrist, so he didn't attend the conference he was supposed to go to and stayed with her. I remember being frantic trying to reach them--before the days of cell phones that work overseas.

[danaid-luv.livejournal.com]

Oh wow, has it really been five years? I remember reading friends' journals when they were able to get online (one was minutes from the fray but had delayed at a shop, thankfully) & feeling so frightened & frustrated. Gah.

*hugs you close*

[elisi]

I remember looking for news about you on various LJ lists, and being beyond relieved when you checked in safe.

I remember listening to the news and having once lived just a few Tube stops away from one of the attacks, having been through the station hundreds of times.

I leave you with the words of George Psaradakis, the driver of the No. 30 bus in Tavistock Square:

"You will not defeat us. You will not break us."

That's beautiful. Thank you for this post.

[kassto.livejournal.com]

I remember it well, even from the other side of the world... the concern on LJ was palpable.