Thailand, More than a Tan
The great thing about travelling is that you come back with more knowledge and understanding than you could ever read in a book. It involves all of the senses and therefore it makes a huger impact. When we went to Thailand, I thought first and foremost it would be exciting to visit a place where I'd never been before. Then I thought about the nice weather of course, but I was also interested in seeing where the tragic Tsunami of 2004 actually happened. I wanted to hear about people's experiences from that tragic event. I needed to hear it from the horse's mouth not just from what we've read in the papers or seen on TV. We were well aware that we had to approach the subject delicately because the wounds still run deep.
We went to Patong beach, where the Tsunami had caused massive damage. Folks told us that 3 months after the tragic incident everything was cleaned up and there was basically no evidence that a Tsunami even happened. The tourists came flocking back shortly thereafter. One fellow told us he was carried kilometres by the wave. He was battered and bruised but feels thankful to be alive. One person described it as being tumbled around in a washing machine. Others talked about the horrors of cleaning up the aftermath.
Some Thai people are pretty messed up after it all and that is understandable. People just don't take the water for granted anymore. Actually while we were there it was the rainy season, also known as "monsoon season," so it was very windy. This created huge waves and people were running from Patong beach in fear, but it was just wavy. There is a warning system in place now where people will be warned an hour ahead of time if a Tsunami should happen again.
It was very fascinating to hear all of their stories and much easier to put yourself in their shoes when you actually talk to them face to face. That's why I love to travel because it changes how you look and feel about the world and helps to connect us on a much deeper level.
