Tragedies and Festivities
A massive earthquake off the coast of Sumatra sent biblical tsunamis across the Indian Ocean the day after Christmas. As of now, the death toll stands at 57,000, though this number should rise considerably over the next few weeks. Thailand was not the worst hit, but what is really disturbing to me is the pictures and video footage taken from Koh Phi Phi. I was there exactly two months ago enjoying the sun and beach, basking in the islands natural beauty. When I compared the news footage to my memory, a chill ran up my spine. I remember clearly stepping off the boat and seeing the “Welcome to Phi Phi Island” sign proudly displayed. It is now buried under the building which held it. Beaches that I had swum at are now covered in debris and boats. The longtail boat captain that I went Tuna fishing with had his boat parked right near the main dock. I can only hope for the best. I remember how close to the beach many of the businesses and bungalows were – I stayed for a few nights in a bamboo hut only a few meters above sea level.
There are also stories of people out in boats at the time of the wave. Many tourists who survived were forced to spend the night on one of the many outlying islands, sharing whatever food and water they had and tending to their injuries the best they could. As almost all of the boats were destroyed, those most injured had to be treated by local medical staff (which most certainly was not large enough to deal with the scores of injured) until helicopters and boats could reach the place. Most of the inhabited part of the island is no more than a few meters above sea level. I can only imagine the damage to be extreme to both persons and property. I know only the first names of many of the people I met while I was there. I hope they are alright, but based on what I know about the tragedy, I have to assume that many of them are injured or even dead.
Koh Phi Phi was a complete fantasy island. While I was there, it was hard to believe that such a place actually existed. It will take a while for the island to rebuild and recover.
I know a few people on Phuket, I am waiting to hear word that they are ok. I also have a friend who I met while traveling in Vietnam. He was on his way to Sri Lanka to work in a zoo for a few months. I have not heard back from him yet, though communication lines there are probably heavily damaged. I hope his is alright.
On a lighter note, Christmas celebrations in Phnom Penh were relaxed. For dinner, about 20 of us gathered at my friend’s restaurant, the Lazy Gecko, where we had a turkey dinner with all the trimmings. The meal was decent, though nothing can compare to Christmas dinner at home. There weren’t even any pies! It was a fun evening though, everyone was in a festive mood.
My English teaching job at the moment takes me out of town every week. From Monday until Thursday, I head up to Kampon Chnang, about 1 ˝ hours north of here. There I teach at CMAC, the Cambodian Mine Action Center. CMAC is a large organization funded by foreign governments that goes about clearing landmines and unexploded ordinance. I teach two managers at the training center English. Most of the employees are former soldiers. When I have gone out to dinner with them, all they do is sit around and tell dirty jokes. My students also always make fun of each other in regards to their mistresses.
This week, CMAC had an end of the year party. Five kegs of the Anchor Smooth were on tap; a whole pig with some side dishes was the food. It was clear from the outset that the party was not over until the beer was finished. The senior managers were all very drunk within an hour and kept demanding the waitresses to keep filling up people’s cups. I was the only foreigner present, so I attracted anyone who wanted to practice their English skills. After everyone was sufficiently sauced, we piled in the CMAC trucks and headed off to the Karaoke bars. I have been to a few here in Asia, but this was a little more our of control. Imagine 35 – 55 year old men, completely wasted, trying to sing awful Khmer music while the others attempted to dance with the Karaoke bar girls. They managed to find a CD with some English songs on it, but it had some really bad love songs from Hong Kong that I had never heard of. Nevertheless, I gave it my best. I now know that I have no vocal talent whatsoever. Everyone was impressed (or at least acted it, or were to drunk to notice) at my skills. The next morning, my two students cancelled class because they were too hungover. I still get paid, so I don’t mind.
New years is on Friday and I have some solid plans. There is an annual party in the abandoned French casino on the top of Bokor mountain on the coast (see my entry “Sleeping with the Monks). A bunch of us are heading down on dirtbikes for the party, then I am heading over to Sihanoukville for a day on the beach. It should be a fun time.
Happy New Year.
Neil
Tags: Cambodia
Neil
December 29th, 2004 at 7:43 pm
Neil,
Glad to hear you are safe and sound. I was worried about you for a minute. I am reading and still really enjoy reading about your life – hard to believe you have already been over there for 6 months?! i will email soon with a more personal update – teaching english in boston is going well for me, it’s hard sometimes though. have a happy new year. we all miss you. stay safe.
December 30th, 2004 at 6:28 am
Hey Neil,
I have to admit : for a moment I was also worried about you, until I realized that you are in a safe place. However, having read your last words, I am trying to imagine how terrible it must be to know that you were at these places a few months ago… As if you have the last active memories of what used to be paradises… Strange, even my spine gets the chills…
Anyway, I wanted to wish you the best for 2005! You are living your dream, I have lots and lots of respect for that, and that is why I wish you the energy to keep listening to your heart and to keep sticking to your dreams!
Respect mate!
Take care,
david
December 30th, 2004 at 11:33 am
Good Lord brother, good to hear you’re ok. I knew you were in the Cambodia/Vietnam area but I also knew you did a lot of traveling, so it’s good to see you weren’t off on an adventure when this happened. Best of luck my friend.
December 30th, 2004 at 6:39 pm
if you die, can i have your i pod?
well i guess it’s good to hear you’re ok, but think of all the sympathy sex you deprived the rest of us of. take it easy and next time you’re in thailand, bring your waders.
December 30th, 2004 at 6:39 pm
Like sex, just one event changes the dynamics of the relationship…
January 4th, 2005 at 3:22 pm
Neil, like everyone else, I’m glad to hear you’re ok, but still concerned about your missing friends. . .I hope you had a good new year. 43 Paulina represented well for the “year of the rooster” we had 3 brawls to match the 3 kegs, not to mention the hard booze and ice luge. you know how we roll. take it easy guy, remember, those guys learning english will be more entertained if you teach them how to speak about ninjas and how they can flip out on people all the time. . .
January 4th, 2005 at 10:31 pm
Hey Neil
I remember my weeks in Cambodia…if I could I would have stayed on for months. I remember the lazy gecko…and that whole street where there are bunch of Indian rest…
Enjoyed reading your tales..
mind if i borrow some of your angkor pics….i damaged the CD which had mine..
Thanks
Madhu
January 5th, 2005 at 8:31 pm
Glad to hear your allright,
I wrote to you several months ago and am nearing my planned departure date for my trip to SE Asia. I am obviously not going too the famed beaches of Thailand you spoke so highly of. But wonder if travel north into the mountians. Then over to Cambidia and perhapes Loas would be a good idea. Or should I cancel my trip all together. Considering the devestation that has taken place… Are travelers welcome and or as safe as before… I hate to sound selfish and inconciderate of the millions victimized by recent events but fear if I dont take advantage of this oppourtunity now it will not materilize again…
Thankyou for your time and your past email…
The Alaskan
January 6th, 2005 at 11:10 am
I just enter this blog in the 2005 Blog Awards. Lets see if the gipper can win the big one..
http://2005.bloggies.com/
January 7th, 2005 at 1:41 am
you are lucky that you were not there in that time but there are still many poor unlucky death, it is really sad sotry for the new year, i think it would happen one day but no one knows and there is not any prevent previous as they blaimed and punish the chief of the geographie/geomatrie center to quitte job, just glad also that you ok and my cousins too they had changed the plan to head to the Phuket island for Chrismast.
January 11th, 2005 at 5:11 pm
Not to be a broken record, but I’m really glad to see you are alive and well. I noticed you wrote about a week back, but I didn’t have sufficient time to write here. Have to admit that I was really worried for a good week that you were traveling for the weekend in the wrong place when the earthquake/tsunami hit. Glad to know it wasn’t the case.
If I could manage the funds to get over there right now to help people, I would. But no one seems very willing to give me money to go over there and risk getting a disease. Whatever, I’m poor and complaining. I wish I could be over there right now though. I’ll be back in India in a year though, so I can’t complain too much.
Well, again, it’s good to see you’re alive and well. Keep us posted on how things are going and what news you come by. I’m sure everyone agrees you give us all good reading material, along with some dreams we wish we could be living, like you are doing. Keep it up!
Peter