The boat --
It was a three-hour (plus) trip by speedboat back from a distant atoll today... where I had been working with the Red Cross. It was so nice to be out on the open water -- it really took me back to summers on Cape Cod -- the boat bouncing along the waves...
I got some really great stuff on my overnight with the Red Cross -- we took a young guy, Ismail, back to the island where he had grown up -- which was devastated by the tsunami. No one lives there now and it is virtually untouched since the tsunami receeded. There was a light drizzling rain when we went ashore and he gave me a tour of his former home. He spoke great english, was a bit emotional... and it really made a great little t-v bit -- so sad, however.
I've been focusing so much on the rebuilding/reconstruction efforts that I forget how terrifying it must have been to have that wave come crashing through your home. Being there reminded me of covering the post-tsunami period in Sri Lanka and Thailand eighteen months ago. Ismail is still living in a temporary shelter on another island -- and he was embarrassed to have me visit his new home -- sad.
I just finished dinner at my "favorite" little spot here in Male, the capital of the Maldives. It's odd how it's restaurants (and now hotels) that make me feel at home. I went to the same place that I went to the other night for some great grilled reef fish. They "welcomed me back" and I felt very at home. When I lived in LA, "Lala's" had an uncanny ability to completely bring me back into my LA routine (along with Starbucks on Larchmont and the Wine/Cheese shop)... I'm almost looking forward to getting back to see my friends at the breakfast buffet at the Imperial Hotel in New Delhi.
A concerned reader wrote to me and asked if I was indeed sad and lonely. "Yes" and "no" I guess is the answer -- I couldn't be any more fascinated by my work but, sure, it's quite sad to be doing this all alone -- so far from home. But, it's interesting and such a phenomenal opportunity.
I'm interviewing the President of the Maldives tomorrow (supposedly) -- he's the longest serving head of government in Asia -- 27 years... I hope the interview comes though -- it should be quite interesting.
Ok -- off to bed.
It was a three-hour (plus) trip by speedboat back from a distant atoll today... where I had been working with the Red Cross. It was so nice to be out on the open water -- it really took me back to summers on Cape Cod -- the boat bouncing along the waves...
I got some really great stuff on my overnight with the Red Cross -- we took a young guy, Ismail, back to the island where he had grown up -- which was devastated by the tsunami. No one lives there now and it is virtually untouched since the tsunami receeded. There was a light drizzling rain when we went ashore and he gave me a tour of his former home. He spoke great english, was a bit emotional... and it really made a great little t-v bit -- so sad, however.
I've been focusing so much on the rebuilding/reconstruction efforts that I forget how terrifying it must have been to have that wave come crashing through your home. Being there reminded me of covering the post-tsunami period in Sri Lanka and Thailand eighteen months ago. Ismail is still living in a temporary shelter on another island -- and he was embarrassed to have me visit his new home -- sad.
I just finished dinner at my "favorite" little spot here in Male, the capital of the Maldives. It's odd how it's restaurants (and now hotels) that make me feel at home. I went to the same place that I went to the other night for some great grilled reef fish. They "welcomed me back" and I felt very at home. When I lived in LA, "Lala's" had an uncanny ability to completely bring me back into my LA routine (along with Starbucks on Larchmont and the Wine/Cheese shop)... I'm almost looking forward to getting back to see my friends at the breakfast buffet at the Imperial Hotel in New Delhi.
A concerned reader wrote to me and asked if I was indeed sad and lonely. "Yes" and "no" I guess is the answer -- I couldn't be any more fascinated by my work but, sure, it's quite sad to be doing this all alone -- so far from home. But, it's interesting and such a phenomenal opportunity.
I'm interviewing the President of the Maldives tomorrow (supposedly) -- he's the longest serving head of government in Asia -- 27 years... I hope the interview comes though -- it should be quite interesting.
Ok -- off to bed.
posted by Seth Doane at 6/14/2006 11:41:00 PM
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