1961 Magazine Fall 2016 | Page 59

HISTORY & TRAVEL and alerting all local authorities of the danger. The NDWC sends warning via text to every phone of all people who have downloaded their app. Remote areas are notified via a loud speaker warning system and a series of hand radios which are permanently set in key locations, businesses or farms. Even in the remotest areas of Thailand’s provinces the warning will reach the people within 15 minutes maximum of a tsunami forming and probably the alert will reach those areas faster. It’s a very sophisticated with a single purpose to save lives. If you are worried about Tsunamis at least you may find comfort in knowing that great care has been taken by Thailand to ensure they do not face another 2004 disaster in the future. There are a series of islands which surround Phuket that are a must see. Many of them are controlled by the government but not all. Some like this bat cave even have a family living inside only to protect the area. Accessing many such sites requires special permission, however diving, snorkeling and swimming off the boat is perfectly ok. There are open sea areas as well as lagoons which you can swim, snorkel, dive and so on. Some people are afraid of such activities but myself I was one of the first off the boat. Once in the water I did look at ‘what lies underneath’ and all I saw were fish – good enough for me!! It’s when I don’t see fish that I would be worried. Believe it or not many of the fish absolutely go bananas for bananas (yes that was cheesy but true). If you want to see the fish up close and personal, simply get in the water and bring a banana with you. Peel it and you will instantly be surrounded by a school of fish struggling to get the tasty treat out of your hand. Yes you have to relax and no the fish have no interest in you at all – only the banana. This makes for some great memories and photo opps as well. Forgive me for the photo quality as I am not a professional underwater photographer but at least you get the idea. Traveling from island to island I was very much reminded of what it would have been like to be a pirate back in the day. Much of the scenery is undisturbed as it would have been a few hundred years ago. I have no doubt that somewhere out there on at least one of those islands there must be some buried treasure. I know, I know and no I wasn’t drinking either. I did do an internet search on buried treasure in Phuket but as most treasure hunters do, I turned up empty handed. It’s just the feeling you get when you’re traveling around to these islands and witnessing what they look like. I had a great time jumping into the water everywhere we went and any chance I had anyway! 59 1961 Magazine Fall 2016