After the fall

It took several days, but people have finally started to talk about the tsunami and the effect its had on Phuket area. We see signs along the streets that state "tsunami hazard zone". If you turn your head the other way, you see a flat bay covered in water that stretches out to the Andaman Sea, so anybody who thinks a tsunami couldn't get them at that point is deluding themselves.

We also see signs pointing to evacuation routes. But again, I can't see how useful they'd be. "In the event of a tsunami, walk down the main street, turn left at the Seven 11, then right at the evacuation route sign." Like people aren't flailing about in water at that point. And the piece de resistance - the grass hut which is labelled a tsunami refuge... it's hardly any better than the canvas marquees you buy at Kmart.

So today, when we arrived by speed boat in Phi Phi Village, we finally got to see just what can happen to a place when it gets hit by not one but two 10 metre waves from either side of the sea. On the surface Phi Phi Village looks really cute. It sits right on the water's edge and has a paved road about one car width wide with wall to wall cafes and trinket shops running down either side which partially block out the harsh sunlight. People are ambling up and down the streets, kids are riding by wrecklessly on their pushbikes. English blokes are flogging something from open air shops (I didn't stop to find out what) and Germans are wandering into cafes for a coffee or Coke. I almost think Phi Phi village could be a really cool place.

Only it's not. There is an overwhelming feeling of "weird" permeating the village. Several streets back from the beach the locals are selling fresh produce in an open air market, and things are a little more lively, but in general, Phi Phi felt sad to me. It felt like a place that's had the wind knocked out of it and has never gotten its breath back.

And it was clear, as I wandered along with my Pentax digital SLR in my hand, that I was a boat person - pulled up with 25 minutes to take a look, then take off again. No comittment. No real interest. Even the tourists in the cafe seemed to get more kudos than me.

But I'm not sorry about that. I was glad to be away from Phi Phi. Looking out the back of the boat as we sped away, I told Mark without tourism there's no point to Phi Phi. He agreed.