about
categories
• mayra dilan
(25)
• alanna amelie
(3)
• daily life
(38)
• japan
(37)
• pregnancy
(12)
• south america
(14)
• colombia
(10)
• peru
(4)
• cuba
(0)
• trip
(9)
• trip preparation
(5)
• volunteering
(7)
archives
photos
links
subscribe
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
post-earthquake
In the time since the earthquake hit Japan we got overwhelmed by emails (and phone calls) from concerned friends and family. Thank you so much for your thoughts, prayers, and well wishes!
To let you know: we’re doing fine. We are still in Japan, but decided to temporarily “evacuate” from Tokyo.
In general things were/are OK there – the real damage and devastation is in Sendai (NW of Tokyo) where the tsunami hit and wiped away whole towns. Tokyo is facing power outings (sofar not in our area though); it is hard to get fuel and there are many empty supermarket shelves. People got scared and started bulk-buying items such as diapers, bread, milk, eggs and curry(!) .
The thing is that the foreign media really hyped up the whole aftermath. Of course the images of devastation were not lying—the earthquake *was* big, and then the tsunami really did do a major damage. However, as far as we noticed, the media outside of Japan created the impression that that desperate image was the case for the whole of Japan. With the result that we received urgent requests from friends and family to please get out of the country as soon as possible. But like I said, the situation in Tokyo is not like that at all.
The Dutch embassy advised to follow whatever the Japanese authorities say (the Australian embassy did as well), yet suggested to leave the affected areas if there was no real need to be there. This as a precaution only.
While the frenzy was going on we did consider flying to Australia. We monitored the local news carefully and decided it was not necessary to leave the country. Plus tickets are hard to get, expensive, and getting to and out of Narita airport is a mad house.
However, with the nuclear reactor in Fukushima getting more and more in trouble we wanted to be away from the Kanto area for a while. Especially for the sake of Mayra and Alanna.
Thankgod we have a car. That makes it easier to pack up and embark on sort of a spontaneous road trip through Japan, which we are doing this week. Getting out of the house was a bit stressful, but now that we are away it is quite relaxing and fun!
We are in Nara at the moment and will spend the coming days in Kyoto. Assuming things have settled we plan to return home this weekend.
The main concern for us then is food safety, especially tap water. Japan is very strict on this though and any vegetables and milk that turns out to have a higher radiation level than allowed will simply not be shipped and will never make it to the stores.
We will see and continue monitoring. Any big updates we’ll post here so you can follow what’s going on with us.
Comments:
-
Dear Fab-Four,
So glad you’re all doing fine in spite of the catastrophe(s). Enjoy your week-out-of-town and hopefully things look a bit brighter when you get back;
lol Peter & Susan -
Hi to you all - thanks so much for the update! It`s such a relief to find you are good and well and are working through this best you can. Yes as you say - tokyo is not as bad as the other regions :D Please do enjoy what you can and stay well - look forward to the updates as always!
hugs to you! y -
Hello all. Thanks very much for putting this message toghether. We are very happy to hear that you are away form Tokyo for now and at the same time having a bit of fun as well. Hoping you have a pleasant trip back home this week if this is what you think is the right thing to to. We really wish you all be here in Australia. Take care. Lots of love
Aunty Esperanza