Amed, Bali. Restaurant balcony. View just before the earth moved.
I’ve been through a few earthquakes in my day. Two semi-biggies in Vancouver, a few rumbles in Puerto Escondido, Mexico and the most recently a shaker in Amed, Bali.
Was enjoying a fried rice lunch, after a couple of scuba dives, when the quake hit.
I knew instantly what it was. Yup, things shook and I kept right on eating. The restaurant staff shrieked and ran out on the street. I attributed this reaction to not having experienced a quake before. I felt like a seasoned pro.
There was no damage and the shaking was over quickly. I had no hesitation about going back in the ocean for a third dive that day.
Things like tsunamis and catastrophic damage were far from my mind.
It later occurred to me that this part of the world was affected by the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami. Aceh, Indonesia was one of the hardest hit areas. It’s estimated more than half a million people in the country were displaced. Thousands died.
I’ll care a whole lot more next time the earth moves. Especially in that part of the world.
Restaurant in Amed. Staff fled when the quake hit.
Amed beach, Bali. Can you believe I dove from one of these boats?
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