So, I had never even met my travelling partners before, but Yumi chan and I had sent a few volunteer related emails and somehow I didn't feel out of place asking to hitch a lift with them to Miyagi during the busy Golden Week holiday.Yumi had her own little group going to help an area of the Miyagi prefecture that seem to have been cast aside by the Japanese Government. Her mission is to deliver food and essentials to these areas in Shichigahama, as no one is providing for them.
They had a van packed full to the brim with so many things, boxes of clothes, croissants, fruits, washing products, you name it, it was there, all the things we take for granted in our weekly shop.
Miraculously, these kind hearted people found the space for my lard arse in the back of the car along with my over packed bags with things for my own organisation.
We were all volunteers. These days, half of Japan are volunteers. It is the new boom. Everyone wants to help in so many ways.
The expressway was busy but we were not held up.
At the stop offs, I was amazed by the volume of cars, buses and people. I have travelled to and from Sendai by road so many times and have never seen it like this. Apparently, there were 300 000 volunteers heading to Tohoku this holiday!!! That is a lot of people!!!
The road, as usual now, was bumpy in Fukushima. The roads have been fixed but some of the damage shall never go away.
Yet, this being Japan, none of this affected us at all. We got to the Izumi Inter turn off at around 4am, so we were able to sleep for a few hours before heading to the JEARS apartment.
The team sleeping in the cramped van
1. YUMI, ring leader and general awesome lady!
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
The road, as usual now, was bumpy in Fukushima. The roads have been fixed but some of the damage shall never go away.
Yet, this being Japan, none of this affected us at all. We got to the Izumi Inter turn off at around 4am, so we were able to sleep for a few hours before heading to the JEARS apartment.
The team sleeping in the cramped van
1. YUMI, ring leader and general awesome lady!
2. KENGO, our ever persistent driver and strong helper.
3. RENA, Kengo's wife and another awesome lady!
4. MARIA, a trained hairdresser, coming up to chop, chop, chop
5. LEE, me!
3. RENA, Kengo's wife and another awesome lady!
4. MARIA, a trained hairdresser, coming up to chop, chop, chop
5. LEE, me!
Check out this link for Yumi's work...https://www.facebook.com/pages/DIRECT-HELP-for-victims-and-animals-REJECTED-from-shelters-in-JAPAN/185436641502603
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Location:Tohoku Expressway
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