After the Earthquake – Part 6

This is an archive post from my old blog. I’ve put this series here for others that may still be interested and so that I don’t forget…

Thursday 17^th March – Day six

Currently this blog is one of the few ways I can remember what day of the week it is. Thank you to all that are reading and sending messages of support. I activated comments on the blog yesterday and got spammed relentlessly during the night, so now I have to approve all comments – more about this later. First today…

It was difficult to get up this morning. When I opened my eyes it was quiet, a little too quiet (if you’ve ever been to Tokyo you’ll know how noisy it usually is). It made me very nervous; it felt like everyone else had left secretly during the night leaving us alone here in Tokyo. I was afraid to turn on the TV. I looked out the window and saw only one person outside – a guy in a big coat and small backpack, he looked like he was leaving, maybe we really were the only ones left. I turned on the TV to see where we were in reactor roulette. Today reactor 4 and 3 are the biggest worries. Reactors 5 and 6 are looking like they are getting ready to join the game soon.

In principle reactors 4, 5, 6 should not be issues at the moment; they had been turned off for inspection before the earthquake struck. Yet here we are worrying about them as they pose a big threat, this does not bode well for the reactors 1, 2 & 3. The stakes seem to get higher every day. I hope this spells the end for nuclear power in Japan, if not the world, and I hope people demonstrate on the streets until that happens.

Mornings are the most difficult time to be light-hearted but I will try. I’ve turned off the TV and turned on the ‘everything is going to OK’ news stream in my head now.

A few personal positives from this disaster:

1. I lost weight – nothing like the fear of a nuclear catastrophe to kill your appetite! 3kg up to this point.
2. I can spend some quality time with the missus – nothing like cuddling up together for a game of ‘which nuclear reactor will it be today?’
3. I’ve started writing again – I’ve discovered this blog is actually keeping me calm and together, nothing like getting your thoughts out.
4. No work – English classes are the last thing people’s minds at the moment so most classes cancelled.
5. I’ve remembered what’s most important in life and that is for us to help each other. I see the images up north and I just want to drive up there with some blankets and food. Hopefully it wont be too long before we can.

We ventured out for the first time in a couple of days today. It was so nice to be outside, we take that for granted so much. A weird atmosphere on the streets in my area though – everything is really quiet despite people being out. Usually there are voices everywhere, today I could see people but only hear the wind. Kind of eerie really.

The conflicting advice continues and most foreigners heading out of Tokyo or even Japan – must be a bit of a boom for the airlines at the moment (they’ll probably start charging a nuclear reactor fear charge soon to make a little extra!). For those of us with ties in Tokyo it’s much more difficult to just up and leave. It’s a risk to stay perhaps, but then life is full of risk wherever you are. And the images of people up north make me think, ‘if we all run away, who will help them?’

At the beginning I mentioned my blog being spammed relentlessly last night. This is a symptom of what the world has become – its all about money. I have heard of scams already running to get people to donate money for the earthquake/Tsunami but its really a con – its sad how far some elements of the human race has fallen; to take away from those in need.

Big power cuts for later as weather turns cold, but will update again later if I can…