On the 4th September 2001 I and my new bride of 2 weeks headed off on our Honeymoon to Florida, leaving Gatwick at 7pm – We were going to our favourite place in the whole world – Florida in the great country of the US of A. Mel and I have been avid Florida-a-holics for many years, Mel since her first holiday to Florida at the age of 16 and I on mine at the age of 22. Over the years whenever we could afford it we have gone back to Florida to have 2 more weeks of fantastic smilaes and experiences in what has always been on our view the greatest place on Earth.

Having used to work for BA I had managed to get gain enough Air Miles for us to head off to Florida in style as we travelled Business Class, upper deck which was a great experience, the peace and quiet – What a great start to what would surely be a great holiday – Our Honeymoon.

For the first week we did what we all must do in Florida, we attacked the theme parks with gusto, we ticked off SeaWorld (our 3rd visit so we could feed the Dolphins), Magic Kingdom, and the 2 Universal parks. We had met 2 friends over there, as although it was our Honeymoon you still really need to have some mates to make the most of Florida. You need another couple so that the boys can go play on the fast rides and the girls can go and chat or do whatever girls do when the boys are playing.

Then that day came! I remember coming down in the morning and someone had just turned the TV on, and there was the picture of a tower on fire. We assumed there was a terrible fire and watched to see what was going on in disbelief, only after a minute or 2 did someone said “Where is the other tower!”. As the terrible events of that day unfolded no matter what you did, it felt wrong. We couldn’t go out and go to a park with what was going on, but also cannot sit here watching as people suffered, there was no right thing to do.

At this point I would have to say that Mel and I have always felt that we were 2 people born in the wrong country, given half a chance we would move to the US tomorrow with what is now our family of 4. It may be a case of the grass is always greener but so many things seem nicer in the US even at the most basic of levels such as the weather where you at least have seasons as opposed to just grey and damp for a year.

What happened that day was an atrocity that can never be righted, but it made us as a couple feel part of the US even more. There are a number of people in the UK that say they are not keen on people in America as they are not genuine as it is all labelled behind the phrase “Have a nice day” that is often given with a bit of cheesy smile. Mel and I have always liked this phrase as I think 9 times out of ten you can feel true sentiment behind it.

9/11 was a day like no other and the thing that came out of it for me was the sheer strength of the country and how it made a much stronger country, where many people were fighting together they started coming together instead. For the last few days of our honeymoon we were in Fort Lauderdale in a hotel on the beach as a quiet escape after the normal busy time a Florida holiday is. Still to this day I have the memories of hundreds of cars, vans, trucks, fire engines, motorbikes, push bikes and more all running along the road by the beach with the US flag flying high and proud. I cannot imagine a more powerful moment in my memory then that time! We wanted to join in, the US had been hurt, and people were in mourning for people that they did not even know but as a collective they had been hurt and so they would pull together.

The United States of America changed that day. I am glad that it is remembered, and it is in all kinds of ways. The last time we went to Florida, we were in SeaWorld about to watch the Shamu show and the announcer (as I believe they do in every show) asked all members of the Emergency services and armed forces to stand, this was done so that they could be given at least the smallest sign of respect and honour that people have for them – A round of supporting applause, it made us feel proud just to be in the arena.

With 15 years of experience of working in the travel trade in the UK I now spend most of my free time trying to inform and assist people to make the most of a Florida holiday through offering florida villas as well as news and information about Florida to make any vacation as great as possible

With 15 years of experience of working in the travel trade in the UK I now spend most of my free time trying to inform and assist people to make the most of a Florida holiday through offering http://www.floridapremiervillas.com as well as news and information about Florida to make any vacation as great as possible

Author Bio: With 15 years of experience of working in the travel trade in the UK I now spend most of my free time trying to inform and assist people to make the most of a Florida holiday through offering florida villas as well as news and information about Florida to make any vacation as great as possible

Category: Travel
Keywords: florida, honeymoon, holiday experience, 9/11