thank you everyone for your thoughtful and kind words and stories. And yes, it has been a bit of a moment here to relive some of the feelings and experiences... especially since the weather where I am was a sunny clear day yesterday and it seems to look that way today as well.

But when people asked me how I was doing with regards to family loss, I learned to reply with, "as well as can be expected" and that's still what I say today.

Now, though, I have, like many here, learned so much about travel--the ways to get it done for free (I had at that time obviously thought the airlines 'owed me' this) and how to avoid hassle in security and check in. So in a way, like with so many things, something good came out of it.

As a tribute to all those who had to suffer through this, my mother even started a peace-related forum and while I wouldn't normally push outside sites and promote such issues in FT, the website is: www.alfilipov.org

(the site may be in overhaul right around now and some sections could be not working)

MOD thank you for leaving this open but if you choose to merge it with the other thread, that's ok too.

I read all the stories here and I am moved by the experiences of them. But now we have another day to remember where we were when we heard.

MM