We are in Wakayama

We arrived at the in-laws yesterday evening, seems so  weird down here business as usual, only a couple of the channels on the TV are showing the earthquake news. I met someone on the train that I haven't seen for years, she was booked on a flight back to Ireland with her 7 week old, 18mth old and husband.
I still keep thinking that the ground is moving and have to check if anything is swinging or whether it is just me, it's like the feeling you get after getting off a rough boat ride.

It is really hard for foreigners here, the information we are getting from the Japanese is that, yes it is a concern but nothing to panic about, the radiation levels are low the foreign media are swinging the other way and making it sound like another nuclear disaster like Chernobyl. Which means we have family back home worrying and us here wondering what the hell is the best thing to do. If you are overseas please take a moment before contacting loved ones here and think about the comments/messages you send, media hype that had no scientific back up does not help the situation and do read articles properly not take the headline out of context. For those of us here, the decision to stay or go is hard enough but it should be based on sensible facts not hyped up media rubbish. The Brisish Embassy have good solid info written in simple English (that is to say I understand it), it is clear and answers a lot of questions. If you are worried about the radiation issue I recommend you take a read, here.
Several of my friends have either left or have flights booked but many don't have that option and my Japanese friends think that it is unnecessary. Who knows?

Hopefully they will get things under control at the power plant soon and then we can head back home. I will keep you updated here, although I am using ji-chans computer and it's all Japanese and a windows machine so this will be at a basic level until I can figure it out!

I am hoping to catch up with Jacqui AKA Meeabee whilst we are down here, she may be putting the friend I met on the train up so we will see.

I went to the eye doctor today, yesterday by the time we got here, my eyes were a right mess, I could barely see and just wanted to scratch them out. Turns out I have a type of hay-fever which is caused by the campor trees, I have never had it before and yesterday just happened to have an extremely high pollen count!

I never thought I would say this since I was never a big fan of Facebook but it has been a godsend for keeping people back home and keeping in touch with friends here. (After the blog started getting more popular (you know, not just my family and mates reading it) I decided to keep FB just for close friends and family, please don't be offended if I have no accepted your request, I am sure you appreciate that I need somewhere a little more private sometimes.

I have a little time now so I am starting on the master list for the appeal, thank you to everyone who has got involved now we are here I will try and keep on top of things.