A quick update. The PI reported one thing back of interest, he confirmed that they had checked into the Khaolak Orchid and were current guests, and that they were on the 3rd floor which was undamaged. Of course, they were probably on the beach when it happened, so... Their room was stripped, nothing in it, but he's guessing it was because of looting. Nothing like a tragedy to bring out both the best and worst in people.
Our family is having a sort of get-together in Portland next Saturday, the day they were supposed to come back. Some of us will probably be at the airport, 'just in case', but really.. at this point, they should have called. Either way, there will be a sort of party thing to celebrate their lives or whatnot if they don't show, and a huge bash if somehow they did. I don't know what to think, it seems really heartbreaking to see this thing getting set up and hopes made so high. I think there are some in the family who might be crushed when they don't get off the plane. Fingers are crossed, but... geez, I don't know.
I'm torn up when I watch TV and see stories of survival and horror in Thailand and the other countries hit. Whole families ripped apart, children dead, parents dead, having a family member involved really brought it all home. In some ways, I feel guilty that ALL I lost was a single step brother when other people lost all their children. It doesn't sound right when I say it or write it, but this thing is so bad for people over there, it's borderline incomprehensible, and I don't know which side of that border I'm on. Every time I think I've figured it out, I see or read something that makes it five times worse.
Anyhow, that's the current status.
