[yWleIJm4]

I was in California, 3 weeks before I was scheduled to fly to Thailand for my first visit. Someone called me that day to let me know, and I followed the news closely for the days and weeks leading up to my departure.

Although our schedule was disrupted (Koh Surin was closed for several weeks and we barely made it in for tent camping at the end of our trip), the real shocker was that we hardly saw any other tourists during almost 4 weeks in the South. I think there was a lot of confusion (and 24-hour cable news sensationalism) about the amount of damage to tourist areas and potential risks of visiting, like water shortages and disease outbreaks. Although resorts on Phi Phi Don and Khao Lak were almost literally washed away, we saw quick repairs made around Krabi and Railay. There was a lot of suffering caused by the lack of business during high season; vendors on the beach plaintively offered us the "tsunami price".

Anyway, it was a sobering time, but also the closest thing to a private tour of some of the most heavily visited areas in the country. I'm really glad I wasn't scared off by the negative speculation. And it was great to see the beaches full again a year later.