Thailand, Krabi, December 2004

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December 23rd 2004

Published: October 16th 2009

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Nela J

Orchid garden

Form Bangkok we took an overnight train to Surat Thani and then bus to Ao Nang. Air-conditioner was freezing cold, but on the way back we got smarter and sealed all air-con openings with plastic bags and silo tape.

Ao-Nang beach is long and shallow, sleepy and cozy, with steep rocks in the background. There are some restaurants and bars on the beach where locals are selling massage and boat trips to the islands. We took a tree bungalow in the “Green Park”, luckily just slightly up-hill from the water line. Basic, just a bed with mosquito net and small bathroom attached (plus one gecko as a guard). We were there for one lazy day when I luckily got my period so we also luckily went on an inland canoe trip to Bor Thor instead to island hopping. That is when tsunami hit.

Water started rising in canals and they got us out if canoes. We didn’t understand what happened, people were talking about monsoon probably not having a word for it, as tsunami it is not a common thing there. Only when we got back we saw the consequences, although they were not severe. Boats were missing

Local bus

luxury interior decoration

and there was some mud and debris on the shore. And patrols started bringing up less lucky people in boats, while villagers lined up on the beach expecting… In fact, we didn’t grasp the whole picture of this catastrophe until we came back home and watched it on TV.

We stayed 2-3 more days in Krabi undecided what to do. Our flight home was in 2 weeks. The most surreal was that life in Ao Nang came back (almost) to normal very fast - there was no festivity but many tourists stayed and the life went on. Swimming was out of question and tap water quality started to worry us. We rented a motorbike and explored Krabi town, Tiger cave (monk caves with aggressive monkeys and 1000 steps to climb), pineapple plantations, reclining Buda, elephant-riding and swimming in river.

Then decision was made to try Koh Samui (enough accommodation being the criterion for finding place to crash on New-Years Eve).

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