Indian Ocean Tsunami - TravelPUNK Backpacker College Student Budget Travel Message Boards!

**omisan** · 12-27-2004, 12:30 AM

Alright, so I've been a bit insulated from the news while trying to enjoy my holiday weekend over here, but I caught a glimpse of the earthquake/tsunami on the web and ended up being glued to CNN all night.

I hope no one from our illustrious boards is in one of the affected areas right now, but I still hope for the best for everyone we DON'T know that's out there. I do have a friend/coworker who's visiting family on Reunion Island off the coast of Africa right now, and I heard some ports got destroyed there, so I'm a bit worried, but he's a tough li'l bugger... Still, stuff like this makes you think.

It was exactly one year ago when I was in Heathrow waiting for a flight to Dublin, bitching about my lack of sleep, when the big screens were blaring the news about the earthquake in Iran that killed 40,000+.. It was surreal... And now this. It makes all the other problems in the news like flight delays and lost luggage and Martha Stewart's rants on prison food seem so petty.

**my retro career** · 12-27-2004, 07:58 AM

My prayers and thoughts to everyone who have suffered and perished in this collosal tragedy.

This is not just a backpacker-related sentiment but it is a humanitarian disaster.

I cannot begin to imagine how/what it was like.

But really, I just don't have the words to describe this horrific incident, just like last year's boxing day horror in Iran.

**urOZm8** · 12-27-2004, 08:36 AM

Shit hey. To think that could have been me being in that region only a few weeks ago. Lets hope the death toll isnt to rise...thoughts to all those families of the victims.

ev

**LiveFreeorDie** · 12-27-2004, 10:15 AM

It is definately very freaky. I was in Phuket last August. I have spent a lot of time wondering what may have happened to all of the people I met over there. One girl who I have kept in contact with since the trip made it out okay.....she lived only about 6 blocks from the beach...I was quite worried for her for awhile. She described the whole experience as extremely scary. Luckily she managed to get a flight to Bangkok a short time ago and will stay with her family there but she lost nearly all her personal belongings.

It definately makes you appreciate life because you never know what can happen.

**space virgin** · 12-27-2004, 10:52 AM

It's absolutely horrifying. And I'm very afraid that it's going to get worse, especially as now the big concern is that drinking water will be contaminated and water-borne diseases like cholera and malaria will start circulating.

Ray-- any of your family members near danger zones???

**my retro career** · 12-27-2004, 11:03 AM

Space,

Thank god none of my family members were in iminent danger. Just about everyone I spoke to in M'sia felt some sort of tremor, for about one to two minutes. I have a few relatives living in Penang but they are ok.

Two of my relatives live in high-rises and had to be evacuated but it was just that, thankfully.

I had an uncle who was baptised on X'mas day. On the next day, he was supposed to get onboard a cruise ship on Pulau Langkawi. Again, miraculously, that cruise ship departure was postponed one day - talk about good luck.

I don't know if that cruise went out today - i doubt if it did.

**beergal** · 12-27-2004, 01:28 PM

my aunt uncle and two cousins were in phuket having their christmas holidays we have only just heard they are ok today thank god! Hope anyone else who has family out there are ok too!

**kingcrazylegs** · 12-27-2004, 02:01 PM

I actually picked up the news paper (which I usually try not to do) and read about all this! Crazy stuff no doubt! Makes me think...WTF?

**beergal** · 12-27-2004, 02:05 PM

apparently half of one of the canary islands (cant remember which) is gonna fall off into the ocean and create a massive tsunami wiping out most of the americas now thats scary stuff!

**kingcrazylegs** · 12-27-2004, 02:19 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by beergal1@Dec 27 2004, 05:05 PM
apparently half of one of the canary islands (cant remember which) is gonna fall off into the ocean and create a massive tsunami wiping out most of the americas now thats scary stuff!

where did you see/read/hear that! Jeez!!!

**beergal** · 12-27-2004, 03:14 PM

i remember doing something for my geog a level about it

**beergal** · 12-27-2004, 03:22 PM

tsunamis

check this out for more info

**kingcrazylegs** · 12-27-2004, 06:15 PM

^Yikes! That's some heavy shit Bri!!!

**LiveFreeorDie** · 12-28-2004, 05:13 AM

WOW!!

Well......at least I can tell myself there is a good reason for living in the Northeast and struggling through below 0 temperatures in the morning this week.

FLA always seeems to get the shaft. Must be the cosmic scale balancing for all of that good weather.

**omisan** · 12-28-2004, 09:44 AM

Quote:

FLA always seeems to get the shaft. Must be the cosmic scale balancing for all of that good weather.

...or their electoral issues

**space virgin** · 12-29-2004, 09:24 AM

I don't have a whole lot of extra cash lying around, but I've decided that all of the money I've received for Christmas, around $100 or so, I'm going to donate to a relief fund for this... I'm not sure which aid foundation I'll give that to yet though. I won't be giving to the Red Cross on principle: I've known a few people who were caught in some type of disaster or another (hurricane, earthquake, whatever) and were then sent an enormous invoice for the help they received from the Red Cross. I doubt they'll be doing that in this case, but still. Probably I'll donate to Doctors Without Borders. I wish I could go over there to help.

**my retro career** · 12-29-2004, 10:59 AM

Bless your heart, Jeanie.

I always knew you were the TP model citizen....

I hope the local authorities will soon be able to get better organized (hey, who can blame them for not really knowing how to deal with this extraordinary situation) and offer all kinds of aid to the truly needy.

But unfortunately for now the aid is only going to where it can be transported, and not necessarily to places in need of it most...

**space virgin** · 12-29-2004, 11:21 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by my retro career@Dec 29 2004, 06:59 PM
Bless your heart, Jeanie.

I always knew you were the TP model citizen....

pssh, doesn't that depend heavily on the definition of the TP model citizen??

Quote:

But unfortunately for now the aid is only going to where it can be transported, and not necessarily to places in need of it most...

I know, and that weighs heavily on my mind.

**ChasinJason1313** · 12-29-2004, 11:27 PM

And to think, in between telecasts of the tsunami updates, LA-based news stations have been rattling on about the how our 2 day long drizzle has been "wreaking havoc" on Angelinos and their streets. I guess a few hundred thousand more people need to die before some people can manage to get a dose of perspective.

**The Monsignor** · 12-30-2004, 12:36 AM

The saddest part about this is that in another week or two, it will drop off the news, too. American media being what it is, they have an attention span of about a week, and it seems they never follow up on stuff like that.

You lose 2 or 3 soldiers to a car bomb, they slap it front page. You lose tens of thousands to a tsunami, it's barely a footnote!