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Local home devastated by the Tsunami

The jounrey across the sea was hectic to say the least. We didn't flew as high as a comercial airplane so we where able to see the calm seas below and the damage it had done on the coast of both islands. The rivers where all overflooded as the tide had came in with a tramendous force. Whole villages where gone, taken by the sea. The Aceh region, the one across the sea from Palau Nias, had faced the worse of the underwater earthquake and Tsunami. Clearly, the corral reef had shelter much of the destruction the rest of the region had seen. The floods had come into town, but at least we had been saved from the tsunami that had affected the region. We arrived to Medan (around 1 PM), a city in the East coast of Sumatra, also the international hub of the island. All flights to KL for the day where fully booked, but we still had hope on leaving today. We signed ourselves as the only stand-by passangers and hoped for the best. The two hours wait seemed like forever. The plane was indeed full, but we lucked out and managed to squeez into the last two seets of the plane. We were happy to leave Indonesia, but sad for the people who where left to clean up and rebuilt after this disaster. They will have weeks or months of burden ahead of them. Not only them of course, millions of more where affected all through the region as I mentioned earlier.

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The village of Hiti Amaeta

We arrived to the safety of KL around 6PM and after an hour through immigrations and custums we where safely on a taxi on our way into town. We settled into a nice clean hotel in Chinatown and went in for a bath. We hadn't had a shower in nearly 3 days and so where reaking like pigs. I'm actually surprised we had no problems going thru custums. After all, I was till in my swimsuit and beach shirt attire. Who has time to think about this things when there is a panis all around you though? I just have to thank god that we are all alive. After all, over 10,000 people have died during this Tsunami.

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Locals wake up to a new day, clean up begins

Folks, it's getting past midnight and so I have to bid all of you farewell. I hope you had a much better Chirstmas then I did and I do hope you have a wonderful New Years. Remember, don't take life for granted... live it to the fullest for you never know when it will end.

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Map I modified. Taken from Malaysian newspaper

As for me, i'm not sure what destiny would hold. I've been through alot this last few days, but it hasn't killed the travelbug in me. I will write again from the next destination I hit. I'll try to be as far away from the sea as I can this time. Perhaps central China, though i've checked the weather at it seems to be around freezing right now... d'oh. We will see.

saludos,
Fernando