One year on and Sri Lanka still bears the scars of the devastating Tsunami that hit on boxing day 2004. Many people have rebuilt their homes and businesses, especially in tourist hotspots like Hikkaduwa. Locals' relationships with people overseas meant aid was quickly and directly received. In fact, the tragedy of the tsunami spurred rebuilding and community development projects by the international community which were long long overdue.

Some people have derided the work of the aid agencies, accusing them of mis-directing their efforts, and there are many stories of families who once had one house for their three generations to live in, but now have a house each, and of people who came down from the jungle after the disaster, claiming they had lost everything in the wave and receiving a perhaps unjustified new dwelling courtesy of some agency or other.

But the simple fact remains - the general population of Sri Lanka, whether affected by the tsunami directly or not, still live in sub-standard conditions, and if the tragic events of that day have sped up the process of reversing that problem, then it must be looked on as a positive reaction to the disaster. There are many people whose living conditions are considerably better than before, but there are still many more living either in temporary accommodation, or similar shoddy shacks they have lived in for years.

One thing is certain - the effects of that wave are humbling to see. The shells of the buildings lining the coast vividly convey the power of the terrible wave, which at some parts of the coast hit at 30 ft high. Hikkaduwa was protected somewhat by it surfing reef. But just north at Pereliya the reef had been mined, and the result was devastating. Many people lost their lives here, and although there are new villages popping up a little further inland, no-one is allowed to rebuild close to the coast, so these houses will remain as a powerful reminder of that day for many years to come. Again, if some good can come of the tragedy, these remains will continue to provoke aid from us in the western world, as Sri Lanka and the other countries affected rebuild themselves.

These scenes are repeated from about 5 miles south of Colombo the capital, all the way down the coast to the south, past the city of Galle (which was battered) and right round to the eastern provinces. Again and again on our journey's to the surf we would past village after village, town after town, all without exception bearing scars like these.

And finally - behind the tombstones, hope in the background - some of the new developments that are springing up up the coast as a result of our donations from the West: