Krabi is a nice enough town, but its main attraction turned out to be the ear, nose and throat clinic where Marie had to have her head vacuumed and fish hooked after getting an ear infection whilst snorkelling in Malaysia. When the tablets started to kick in, we departed on VERY rough seas to Koh Phi Phi. When we arrived we weren't sure what to make of the place. On first sighting it looks like a really tatty and undeveloped town. But then you realise that it was once quite an expensive island to stay on, and very well developed, and that what you are looking at are the scars of the Tsunami that hit on Dec 26th 2004. During the first two days on the island we found it hard to come to terms with what we saw and heard. 70% of the islands structures were wiped out - houses, hotels, shops, hospitals, schools, power and water plants were destroyed. 700 people died. 1300 are still missing. That amounts to about a quarter of the people that were there at the time. Everone seems to have a story to tell of a relative or friend who died or was injured. The people who are on the island are completely traumatised, and many have sent their children to live with relatives on the mainland, terrified of another wave. When we arrived about half of the westerners were volunteers - tourism was at only 15% of what it should be. So not only had the Thais lost their home, business and life savings (stuffed under the matress) but they will find it hard to make money in the future, as tourists believe that the island is 'closed'. Indeed, tour operators in Bangkok with vested interests in other areas of Thailand are telling tourists that Phi Phi has no electricity or water and is rife with disease. We want to tell everyone that THIS ISN'T TRUE, and to ask you all to please consider going to Phi Phi on holiday in the future. It is still a paradise, and the people are among the kindest and most sincere that we have met on the whole trip. At the time of the tsunami, the Thai government refused international aid (ie the money we all donated over the phone/net/at banks) because there were poorer countries with greater need. But the money they have is all still sitting in accounts waiting for paper work to be done and planning permission to be granted. The only relief that Phi Phi has had is charities like Hiphiphi (who we were working for), who take money and volunteers directly to the island to do urgent work. And this is where you come in...!!! PLEASE spare a couple of quid for this charity. We have met peope who have done tsunami relief all over the world, and they say that it is the only charity where every penny goes directly to projects and people in need, rather than through admin and middle men. All the workers are volunteers (like us), some have been there for 6 months. They all pay their own board and food so that all money goes straight to where its needed. NO JOBS are taken from the Thais - volunteers do the dog work which allows the locals to rebuild lives, homes, families, businesses. You can donate online at www.hiphiphi.com You can also help the children affected by the tsunami directly by buying a book they have produced about their experiences at www.childrenofphiphi.com we have a copy and it is haunting, but beautiful. Take a look at the photos (we have plenty more, plus some video if you are interested when we get back). But please donate and consider a visit to Phi Phi. And tell your friends to do the same.