Hi HU members,

I guess everyone is being overwhelmed by the horrific scenes of death, destruction and misery from Asia, India and Sri Lanka caused by the earthquake and Tsunami on 26 December 2004. Latest estimates are at least 80,000 dead and many thousands still missing.

I am a little surprised I have not seen any mention of anything on this disaster on the HUBB to date. As there are quite a few motorcycle travellers in that area at the moment (as far as I know from their most recent posts), I am sure we would all like to know that they are safe. If anyone has recent information on our fellow travellers safety, maybe you could post it here - including the travellers themselves of course - let us know you are OK.

I would also urge everyone to consider making a donation to one of your local Aid Agencies - I think they will all be involved in some way as this is one of the largest natural disasters in modern times. Predictions are that the death toll will be in excess of 100,000 and disease, clean water and starvation will be the next major problems that could kill more that the original Tsunami.

I hope none of you have family or friends are missing in the area, and that our fellow motorcycle travellers are all safe, but spare a thought for those that have been affected.

Regards
Skillo

I find the scope of this tragedy hard to comprehend but I have done quite a bit of reading on relief efforts. Most agencies are asking that money rather than goods be donated so that money can be put into local economies to buy what's needed.

The following is a link to names of identified people in Thai hospitals. It is sobering reading but may assist someone looking to locate someone.

http://www.dinsormai.com/

A large blog has sprung up to help locate missing people in the region.


http://tsunamihelp.blogspot.com/

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Close to Antarctica and a long way from reality

We've been away from news and Internet connections for the last few days in Mexico, or we would have posted sooner. The scale of death and devastation by the tsunami in Asia is beyond imagining.

Our thoughts are with the survivors and how they will rebuild their lives. See my recent post for links to sites for those wishing to donate to the relief efforts and to contact information for the various embassies.

Susan

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Susan Johnson

Inspiring, Informing and Connecting travellers since 1997
www.HorizonsUnlimited.com

Even in a disaster there is something to laugh about. As we were in Kanchanaburi we missed being caught up in all the bad things that happened on Boxing Day. Thought that we would do the right thing and go and donate blood as there was/ is a terrible shortage of blood, especially for westerners we were told, as they have different blood groups to the Thais. The holiday period also put a lot of pressure on the blood bank trying to cope with the disaster and the holiday road accidents. Arrived at the red cross to be reffered to the hospital down the road. All well, we found the hospital and the donation area. The nurse, dressed in a uniform straight out of Dr Kildare, first looked at me and after a few seconds asked, How old are you? I told her 57. She then gave David more than the once over and asked him, How old are you? He said 59. So sorry, she said to us. You are too old to donate blood. Your blood is too old.. . . . . . We tried to tell her that we were regular blood donors in Australia but No....we were too old. Perhaps she could have used our blood for the 'old' people who were in need of blood. . . . .Oh well, back to our bikes.....

David & Cheryl,

Un-bloody-believable (pun intended). Great to hear you are both OK and that you have been able to keep a sense of humour in the circumstances - ie the tsunami disaster and being told repeatedly how old you are!!

Stay safe & have fun
Skillo