huddo67's blog post - Countdown: 10 days to 10 years and a humbling day

Tuesday, December 16, 2014, 11:44:55 AM

Blogging this now as it is beginning to occupy my thoughts more and more.
Dec 26 2004 saw one of the most spectacular human tragedies caused by mother nature, the tsunami.
I have such mixed up emotions about that day because it couldve have turned out so different.
I was there but i wasnt there in another sense. I flew out of an affected thai resort 30 mins before the waves hit, I arrived in bangkok a while later to strange looking news reports about a tidal wave which didnt strike a chord if Im honest. Only when i switched on my mobile and was greeted with numerous hysterical voice messages did it begin to dawn what had actually happened.
So why all the emotions? i wasnt actually there or really in any way affected, and many times since that day have i counted my blessings that i wasnt.
48 hours earlier I went on a thai cookery course and met a Finnish family, They were going diving for the remainder of their vacation. Who knows if they were affected.
Xmas day, island hopping all day including Phi Phi Island which was totally smashed. How many on that boat were swept away on a similar trip the following day or people on phi phi did i encounter that persihed
Midnight on the 25th, sailing out in the Andaman sea in calm waters under a full moon, oblivious to the tumultuous event less than 12 hours ahead.
I shall be in UK on the 26th and no doubt there will be documentaries about that day which i actually want to watch. Not to gloat in some satisfaction that i survived but to think agian of the huge number of people who tragically lost their lives in an amazing demonstration of mothers nature s power
Over the years Ive thought about that day, a different outcome for myelef if the timing was different, but especially about some of those people I met and praying that like me they werent affected.
I wonder quite how the event will be marked in comparison with other major world events, the scale of human loss and the manner of its occurence and simply staggering to behold
To anyone who lost someone, was affected or got through it the day holds such deep emotions Im sure

Comments

Others Have Said:

TopCat57 on 16-Dec-14 11:48:30

Wow! I had no idea you missed it by such a small margin, wonderful blog Hudds.

whokens on 16-Dec-14 14:16:26

When i saw it on the tv, recently, my first thought, was it that long ago, how that day affected so many then and still to this day.

TexAngel on 17-Dec-14 0:32:06

Thank goodness you weren't affected, but wow how surreal it must have been to have just been there. I remember going to Galveston just months after the city had been under water from a hurricane and seeing the watermarks way over my head on the buildings. It put a lot into perspective.

Whispermyname on 17-Jan-15 8:11:55

I too TC had no idea that he was so near to it. I must say Hudster this is one of the most amazing blogs I have read xxx