There is a place mat in front of me.  ‘Season’s Greetings’ is written on it.  Oh yes, it was Christmas.  I had forgotten. On Christmas morning I gave Leh, our Bell Boy - Phi Phi Paradise Pearl Resort - his daily English lesson.  He was as enthusiastic as ever, and managed to say with difficulty ‘I will take your luggage to your room Sir’.  In the past I taught his 2 brothers and brother-in-law, and in the afternoon I taught his sister, together with 4 other ladies.  They can now say ‘Good morning Sir/Madam. May I clean you room please?’

On Boxing Day I left Phi Phi Island for, I thought, a few days.  Leh waved as I left the resort by taxi boat for the harbour, and shouted ‘Kap liew liew’ - ‘come back soon - soon’.  One hour and 10 minutes later he was taken by the tsunami.  His body has not yet been found, but his funeral ceremonies have taken place at his home in Buri Ram, N.E. Thailand, where all our staff come from.  He is one of many I knew.

In my hand is a packet of peanuts. ‘Best before 15.05.05’ I read.  ‘That is a long time’ I thought.  I suddenly realised we ARE in the year 2005.  How did I spend New Year’s Eve?  I shuddered as I remembered 31 December 2004.  I was sent as a volunteer Counsellor to Khao Lak.  I was leader of group number 6.  There were 3 Americans, 1 Burmese with me.  We were all shaken by events, but eager to do something useful.  Little did we know that we would finish up working at Wat Yang Yaow, the temple set up as a temporary morgue.  One of the Americans disappeared in the throng, the other 2 stayed for 3 days and 3 nights.  I saw them briefly when they returned to Phuket.  Their experiences were horrible.  How brave of them.  How heroic.  The Burmese and I returned to Phuket that same night.  I saw him last night.  He is beginning to recover, but only very slightly, from the shock of his experiences.