As I tried to fight my way to the surface of the thick, dirty water, I didn't know which way was up. Just moments ago, I'd been holding onto my new husband, Greg, but now I had no idea where he was - or where I was for that matter. What had started as another beautiful day in Koh Phi Phi had turned into something drastically different. This wasn't the honeymoon we'd planned.
Greg and I met when we were 14. I had a crush on him - my friends even addressed letters to “Mrs Louise Gregory Harrand” - but it wasn't until we were 29 that we got together. Just 18 months later we married on a cold, crisp day in York in December 2004. It was everything we wanted it to be.
As hoteliers, January is our quietest time, so we decided to go on honeymoon then. The plan was to stay in some resorts in Thailand and then spend five weeks travelling, but Mother Nature tragically changed everything. After landing in Thailand, we spent our days sunbathing, relaxing and scuba diving, which was a welcome relief from wedding planning. On Christmas Day, we had a barbecue in Maya Bay with some locals and on the morning of Boxing Day we were nursing a bit of a hangover.
When we woke up, we noticed our beachfront bungalow was swaying and Greg even commented on the bathroom door moving. Thinking nothing of it, we headed to breakfast, ready for another day in paradise.
Just an hour later, people started running around when we were in the hotel reception. As we stepped outside to see what had happened, we were surrounded by ankle-deep water. The panic heightened and we began running too.
Shouts of “get high” filled the air, so we headed to a nearby hotel with roof access. However, as there was only a single staircase, there was a bottleneck of people. Suddenly, a huge wave came from behind, sweeping Greg and me away instantly.
TRAPPED BELOW WATER
Diese Geschichte stammt aus der December 23, 2024-Ausgabe von New UK.
Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.
Bereits Abonnent ? Anmelden
Diese Geschichte stammt aus der December 23, 2024-Ausgabe von New UK.
Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.
Bereits Abonnent? Anmelden
THE ROCKY ROAD TO LOVE
It's an emotional journey for the characters in this new sitcom
'I want Larose's Christmas to be amazing'
Lauren Goodger chats about cosy festive celebrations with her daughter and how she's considering adoption
George wouldn't want me to be miserable'
Gogglebox's Linda McGarry tells us what motivates her to live the best life she can since the death of her son George Gilbey
BELLE'S SANTA PAWS SURPRISE
Belle Dingle gets her Christmas wish as her beloved dog Piper returns, while events take a dark turn for Marlon in Emmerdale
SWEET SUCCESS
Enjoy the finest fruit desserts this season– we wish you all the very zest
IS YOUR MIGRAINE SEASONAL?
Certain foods, such as coffee and chocolate, are known to trigger migraines in some people. But there's another possible culprit — the weather!
Woman poisoned boyfriend's iced tea for $30m inheritance scam
Ina Thea Kenoyer, 48, turned to murder to get cash that never existed
'I was trapped under water - my broken ribs saved me'
Lou Harrand, 51, was on her honeymoon in Thailand when the catastrophic Boxing Day tsunami struck in 2004. Twenty years on, she tells New how it changed her life
It's a wake-up call for Wayne'
After Coleen Rooney's huge success on I'm A Celeb, a source tells new that her proud husband Wayne is hoping to spend some quality time with her
'I feel lucky I never had sex on TV'
Married At First Sight's Emma Barnes tells new about life after the show and what goes on behind the scenes