Sendai, the JEARS mission.

I'm in Sendai on a mission. A seemingly impossible mission, but one which we will see through to completion no matter what.

Jears needs more bases. We can't keep transporting people from Niigata to Fukushima, from Niigata to Iwate and back again day in day out.

With all my friends as contacts in Sendai, I knew I could reply on them to help out.

However, we must remember what we are dealing with here and how many other people are likely to have rented out accommodation more inland to where their houses were or barely are. We must also remember that the ground has not stopped shaking.

This was a trip due to happen last week, but as I wrote, got postponed because of another big shake that knocked out electricity one more time for the residents of Tohoku.

It didn't stop us searching, mind. But, the search was tough. At any mention of an animal, let alone a few (hundred) , the answer was a a flat 'No'.

My friend Fumiko had sent me details of one house and I was prepared to show a picture of Elbi stating quite firmly that he would be the pet living there, but I knew that somehow, the owners would cotton on. Surely the miaowing sounds and sheer number of dogs and cats passing through the front doors would blow our secret.

No, this was something that needed to be handled properly. The animals and the volunteers need a good base. The highway needs to be near and amenities should be convenient.

So, when I read Fumiko's mail last night about her mother's house, I got very excited.

My persistent ''nande mo ii''s (anything is ok) must be paying off. I really wanted to see anything that was available, but even empty warehouses were saying a flat 'No'.

So, that settled it. We finally had a house to look at, where the restrictions were minimal and we could have what we wanted.

So, that is why, I woke up at 0605 with a slight crook in my neck to the announcement of 'Izumi Chuo no tochiyaku desu'.

Welcome to my Japanese home town.

It was a beautiful warm and sunny morning and I waited for Fumiko to come and get me. There were few signs of damage where I was standing, just some concrete slabs uprooted on the pavement, that was all.

We went for a wee morning drive to towards the port. But, we were nowhere near the port when she pointed at the crossroads we were at, telling me that the tsunami had reached as far as where we were. And then, as we drove on, the destruction could be spotted everywhere. It wasn't just the odd building, it was every building, warehouse and vehicle.

There were so many cars in one spot crushed up in a pile together, houses were just dirt and rubble save the few still standing.

Did you see the picture video from the JEARS entry I did? You would have seen the two storey house with just the second storey sat in the middle of a rice field. Well, this morning, I saw a similar sight under a bridge away from any possible foundations. Where had it come from?

Many roads were still blocked, but repairs were apparent everywhere. There was a big repair patch on the highway from where it must have collapsed down to the street below.

The sights were not too dissimilar from the ones in north Fukushima and south Miyagi, but the damage was much more extensive, going much further inland.

You can see some of the pictures here -

leonorasophie-everyday.blogspot.com/2011/04/sendai.html

We headed back to Fumiko's house and grabbed breakfast along the way, ready to start the day.

Fumiko lives outside Sendai shi itself, a short drive from Izumi chuo. In the area, there are two big DIY stores linking the area to Sendai shi and these convenient stores, along with a big Jusco shopping mall just happen to be near the house.

More details on the bases for JEARS later.

As soon as we stepped out the house and into the car, my phone rang. Ian was trying, not for the first time to get through to me.

It was around 1130 and there had been a big earthquake in the Kanto region. Saitama ken experienced and shindo 5, later lowered to a shindo 4, but, Ian was on his own, with Elbi and Mimi, trying to save computer upstairs from smashing (again) and TV from smashing as well as CD racks toppling on Mimi (again), I knew I couldn't stay in Sendai any longer this weekend.

I had done what I had come to do, at least in terms of the animals. My other friends would have to wait, as would I to give them their hugs.

On friend did surprise me at lunch and bring her kids with her too. When I hugged them I cried, so tired and emotional from all this, but it was lovely to see them.

It was lovely to see Fumiko too, who has been so unbelievably helpful at this time, as have all my friends in Sendai.

So, it was all I could do to buy as much Zunda as I could to satisfy my tummy and contribute a small bit to Sendai's economy,but now I am on a bus home.

24 hours devoted to hopefully a successful mission.

The road is somewhat bumpy on the way back, I was lucky to have slept through this last night. Might try resting the eyes one more time.

Sendai, I shall be back very soon! XXX

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Location:Sendai, Japan.

..

Due to public pressure, and slight radiation exposure fears, but mostly, due to the fact that we are on holiday, not having a holiday, we are leaving.

As soon as I wolf down this natto, we must leave.

The dog hotel is full is Tokyo, so Elbs shall come with. Making a booking now. Getting there could be interesting.

More later. Xxx

On a lighter note, I have shed the kilos I wanted to lose before the wedding. Oh, the irony.

More later.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Location:Kasukabe,Japan

I slept through quite a big earthquake this morning.

Must be getting used to them? Must be tired!

Am riddled with all sorts of menacing thoughts. Frantic friends, relatives, who knows what is best.

Japan is my home, and had been for five years. I want it to continue to be. Everything I have is here, so how can I up and leave?

I am worried for my family here, my friends all over Japan, especially in the north. I worry for my family outside of Japan, but if I cannot ration with them about the situation, then it does me no good to even talk to them.

We need to be calm and sensible.

We are talking about possibly leaving the area, even though here in Saitama we are relatively SAFE and the ground is SOLID. It is the plants in Fukushima that are posing big threats.

It has got to the point where I don't know what to believe, don't know what to do and don't know how to feel.

We are keeping up to date with the news etc, and making an informed decision soon.

I am worried for little Elbi. He seems to be very scared of the wooden flooring, especially. He was really scared this morning, Ian said,clinging tightly to him. Poor little bugger, he will be scarred forever from this.

We are going to get up now and talk to the neighbours, get their perspective on everything.

I will write more later.

God bless Japan.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Location:Kasukabe,Japan

Tokyo, bye-bye

The thing with blogs is the ability to keep regular updates. Not so easy is it?

Since my last subway rantings, so much has happened.

In short, I quit work, we found a house, in the countryside and are moving on Friday! Talk about a dream come true! We wanted the country, we got the country!

We move on Friday, today is Wednesday. Are we ready? We will be!

We stormed ahead a couple for weeks ago and, although we have done very little since, it has all been pretty straight forward.

We were given a whole heap of boxes from the moving company. They aren't going to be cheap, but they are going to do everything for us. Come 2pm on Friday, we can just supervise and then run ourselves up to Kasukabe, our new home!

Elbi chan shall be going into a hotel for the night while we unpack the boxes, but, fear not, he shall be out in time for his 1st birthday!!!! Sunday shall be great! Walking around the lake and lots of birthday doggy cake for the little mutt! He might even have a girlfriend too, but more on that later!!

Location:１丁目,Itabashi,Japan

Tokyo Rush...

Bear in mind as I start this entry, that I was just about to apologise to a pole (!). Such was my rush for the seat, I hadn't paid much attention to the layout of the train itself. I didn't really care to be honest. I just wanted the seat and it was the only one going in the carriage. However, it must be noted that I barely even charged fir the seat, but I did only see the seat, and the seat alone.

You see, there are just a few things in the all important commute that really matter: getting on the train is a very good starting point and essential for any other tricks of the trade to be carried out.

If you are most fortunate to be travelling one of the more busy train lines, like I do, the Saikyo line, then you should be proud to be part of what Tokyo is really famous for; the sardine-packed train carriages. This train line is so phenomably notorious, that, there is rarely an empty carriage on it's route no matter what the day or time. How fortunate that you get to share in this, although, this is the one time that seeing the picture really is the best way to experience this.

The early morning "Rush" or, rush hour, as we tend to call it, is anything but a rush, that is some sort of feeling of exhilaration. No, this is a rush that simply is on a par with crush, and not just in rhyme. You might actually hear a bone crack as you are nudged, rather aggressively at times, or you may even have something like an elbow massage in your all too tight shoulder muscles. Whether you appreciate the intimacy on the train or not, and let's face it, the general consensus would hopefully be adverse to such discomfort, this is the train ride to work, and back and to work again, and back. And such is the rigmarole of the working routine.

If, like me, you work on the Japanese bank holidays, you might begin to think that you would be so fortunate as to have an emptier train on the way to work. Don't be so silly. There are plenty of people willing to wake up early on their days off from work and take that same train with you. Admittedly, the numbers are less and the bones are guaranteed a crush-free day, at least in the morning anyway. But there it is, those very few, very sought after empty seats. You spot them, but then so do the other new passengers embarking. There are two seats, but you count, and there are five passengers. Doshiyo?

I, like many a passenger, would much rather rest my feet, my body and travel, feeling relaxed, maybe even have a snooze. Yet, I would not disgrace myself with the petty fact of what my counterparts seem to have no shame nor compunction in doing. At this point, please note what I said before: I did not charge for this seat, I simply saw it and that was it, it was mine.

I am sure it's a universal trait, but it is only here in Japan, that I have stopped to notice the irksome tendencies of the traveller.

Just you watch. When those doors open, you just see what the people next to you are doing. Oh, it might all be smiles and light as you line up dutifully one behind the other. But when those doors open,, it is, without a shadow of a doubt, every man and woman for themselves.

There is always one passenger who leads with their head. Bent down like a bull, charging at it's red flag,this passenger is sure to get to the seat. It's not that they push you, of course they don't. That would be impolite. There is something in the technique that allows them to queue jump in the most permissible kind of way. The angle of the shoulder helps too. They use it to line up with the target, the seat. And if you get the chance to look carefully enough, check out the eyes. The eyes give away their target, which is why you might not often see them, but should you do, don't be too scared. Your gaze might just meet a pair of bulbous balls straining their thick red veins as if to jump out towards the seat themselves. If only they could' thinks the passenger.

I have to say, that I would rather this type of traveller than the one who actually does shove you on. Yes, without compunction, without any remorse, there are those who want to hurry their predecessor onto the train, with that one big push in the back. That's not very nice, is it? But I have witnessed it with my own very eyes.

But today, I casually board the train and gain a seat. Success. Bt this isn't always the case, and sometimes you have to pick a seat, in front of which you must stand, in order to wait for that, sometimes sleeping passenger, to alight from the train. Now which seat should it be?

It is never easy trying to gauge which seat is best. How can you choose which passenger is more than likely to be the next one off the train? Better judgement? What is that? I thought I had plenty, but the other day, I chose completely wrong, and now that my attention has been thus way drawn, I realise that I fail rather too many times than I would care to admit.

Take today's passengers, for example. Ok, so i was travelling from Ikebukuro to Shibuya at about half past even in the morning. At this time, it is hard to say when, where or how you can get a seat, but, you never know and I do believe you can time it well. Its a shame my beliefs do not tie in wi the reality of it all. This morning I chose the row with two business men sleeping lightly, so I thought. Now, this type of character would surely be the type to wake up suddenly and realise that it was their stop. If I was lucky, it would be as early as Takadanobaba, but, usually, at this hour, and still much appreciated, it would be Shinjuku. Then there was a student and then another business man, who was rather more alert than the others, so I chose him. There were also two women Nd another man not in a suit, but i had chosen, not so wisely,my target.

I was convinced that today was the day for me. It was, after all, my first day back at work and also a well deserved chance for me to rest, surely? No, the gods of subway seating did not agree with me. How could I be so wrong? It was one of the ladies who stood up o her seat. She was about 45 and her successor was older, so I didn't feel too selfish about he I'd have had to give it up anyway. But, it just goes to show that you can't be too careful.

And, you certainly cannot be too precious about your seat, whether you have it or not!

Think wisely, the next time you travel. But be aware, that seat could be yours, but, get real, even if you wait for one, you probably won't get it.



- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Itabashi...

Oh my gosh, time to get ready for work - back to school and all that. But, I just want to say, how awesome it is to be back home. And Itabashi really is that.
It was so peaceful coming back to our apartment. Even the end of the holiday wasn't a downer, and that has to be a good sign, right? Man, we are so lucky.

So, in order to fully appreciate our lovely abode, we stayed at home and did sweet f.a.

Even Elbi caught up on sleep! You see, he missed a few naps yesterday and, well, you. Know, all that travelling and ting...he slept for hours even after we woke up and is sleeping now. To be honest, i think he has been awake for about two hours today, I kid you not. Time enough to pee on a bean bag, hump a toy or two and chew on a slipper. Bless.

Today was all about grounding, as is tomorrow. I am so ready for this year ahead. The plans are in order and off we go. If last year was all about love and awesomeness, then this year will be about the work, paid and unpaid. Time to sort a few things out, writing, volunteering, all the things that make me happy.

It's also a time to be far more considerate. All this saving of the planet and it's creatures, and I still eat meat. Yes, there might be some changes around here, but slowly and surely and definitely after we have bought our hardcore sorel winter boots. Week, we all need a vice, a warm one too.

Here's to a happy new year!!

XXX

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Location:１丁目,Itabashi,Japan