Leaving Tokyo, the Moon, Number 11 and a thought for humankind

I really don`t know where to begin. At first, I thought I would write a short post to give a different idea and perception, as opposed to Silent Thunder`s, as to what it means to be in Tokyo or in Japan during this time.

He decided to stay in Tokyo....I decided to leave.

I also live on a high rise building which shakes even just when there`s a typhoon, or a strong wind. Now with the big one last week, it is difficult to describe how much this building swayed, jerked and jolted. And it was never ending. The after shocks were constant too. To the point that I didn`t sleep for 3 days. I would go to bed with all my clothes on, including my shoes, ready to leave and dash at any time....But where do you go to when you`re way up high? When the elevator doesn`t work? With the fear of fires breaking out in the building... and the fear of being sizzled alive? It`s like being in an aeroplane that is about to crash. You don`t know if you will crash, you don`t know when and you have no control whatsover. Totally powerless.

It was almost impossible to stand up and I was thrown from one side to the other as I watched and heard bottles and vases, pots, television and other stuff fall and crash to the floor. And it was SOOO long. It didn`t really hit me until the next day when I started sweeping up the glass from all over the floor. I was throwing things away and at that point wanted to throw everything I had collected in my house over the long years in Japan. Everything seemed and felt so completely useless and pointless.

On Monday morning, I packed my rucksack with the bare essentials, passport, credit cards, etc..., a few extra clothes in another bag and the dog. I was determined to get out, go somewhere, still sleepless, stressed and panicking, no destination, but I knew I needed to get out. First, I went to say good bye to a dear friend and was persuaded to spend the night there. She lives on the ground floor and her house doesn`t shake like mine!

But the next morning, I got loads of calls from my foreign friends urging me and pleading me to get out. I wanted to go back to Europe, but the pet hotel wouldn`t accept dogs at this precarious moment in time. I was certainly not going to abandon him so, with no real idea as to where to go, I got the bags and the dog, of course, and headed for the station. We would be in this adventure together - me and my dog!! There were loads of people queueing to buy tickets, with bags, screaming kids, pets, the lot! It took me almost an hour to finally buy my ticket.

Instead of Osaka, I decided to go way down south. Bought my one way ticket and left.

I`m still quite uptight, even after 2 days here, but starting to feel better.

It`s amazing - it`s like being in a different country, in a completely different reality over here. Same country but noone really understands the gravity of what is happening up north. Mind blowing. Shops are filled with food, (unlike Tokyo where they seem to be rationing bread and milk at the moment), no power cuts, life as normal. They see the news, devastating images, but haven`t touched the reality by hand.

Or maybe it`s me overreacting? Well, maybe not ..given that thousands of people left/are leaving/will leave Tokyo /Japan soon. I`ve lived this situation first hand so I feel extra sensitive about it I suppose. In a way , I feel like the world, humankind and life as we`ve known it will never be the same again. This is going to have a ripple effect on everything. Being too negative? Don`t know....

What`s next? I don`t know. I can`t even think about next week, next month or even sometimes tomorrow at the moment without being paralysed from a feeling of intense panic. I`ll just wait for the full moon to pass this weekend (and there seems to be no good news coming out of that either...) wait to see if the real big one hits Tokyo and then decide.

By chance - and this is the next topic I wanted to talk about - is that surfing the web today, I found that there is a mega earthquake predicted for Rome in May. Exactly on the 11th of May. Here we go again with the infamous number 11!!! I always thought it was a Master Number. An auspicious number!!!??!!

www.youtube.com...

(Italian video)

Finally....and I`ll stop after this!!......We are having wars and conflicts in various countries at the moment, initiated and caused by people. Simultaneously, we are going through and will be going through more, `natural` disasters...But isn`t there a chance that these disasters are caused by OUR negative, selfish and materialistic attitudes and way of life? If we all made a real effort to try to be more positive and loving, without getting caught up in the futile, daily dramas driven by pride and money- would it be possible to change things?? How idealistic of me, hey?! Will it take these disasters to help us change? Or will we be destroyed by them for our inability and unwillingness to change?

I would be very nervous in the high rise too. Taking a beating like that, no way to tell if the building would take more damage or worse in another one.

I am glad your ok. I would probably do the same thing. Me and my dog. I would rather live in a tent in an open field.

The only thing that really changes someone is a significant emotional event. Welcome to change. Be positive.

さようなら

I have never experienced an earthquake and would be terrified. I am glad to hear that you and your dog are ok. Please keep us posted, and stay safe!

reply to post by timewalker


Changes have happened on a big scale and will continue to. Everyone should make an effort to stay positive.

Interesting to read your recent experiences. As far as use of eleven and other primes>> The following link proves too coincidental for my tastes as far as numerology is concerned.

"Japan earth-quake & tsunami hits on Madrid Train Bombings of March 11 2004 7th anniversary and 911 days after September 11 2008."

www.911truth.ch...

Originally posted by Sarahko

Here we go again with the infamous number 11!!! I always thought it was a Master Number. An auspicious number!!!??!!

Its half of a Master Number; 22. Hieros gamos.

The topic, please... not each other.

Well, respect to you OP for making this descision. I hope you and your dog will be ok as the rest of the Japanese people!!! My heart goes out to all of you!

reply to post by Sarahko


Thanks for the account. I can't imagine how I might have reacted. I've been in a couple of large quakes, but nothing like that.

Sounds like you had a lot of damage to personal property. Did you see much damage to any buildings in Tokyo or did they mostly hold up OK. What about the houses?

Thanks again for sharing.

Great post.

It's difficult for someone living over here in the relative safety of the UK to appreciate just how it feels to have experienced these awful events at close quarters. Your account goes a long way towards explaining it.

I also totally agree with your remarks regarding positive/negative attitudes.

A very nice writeup.
I hope you are & will be safe.

Admit the fact that these disasters & other events are on a roll, one leading to the other.
Makes me want to believe that there can be order only through chaos.

About the part if these events will lead to a change in the human attitude & the way we live, i sure hope so!
Do i believe it possible from all humanity? No way.

There are way too many small minded & self centered people who live for just this very moment & nothing more.
They do not care if tomorrow the world ends, they need to do what they want to even at the expense of all rest.

it is heart wrenching to see such a beautiful, talented & amazing species killing itself thus.

Sorry for the rant.. but i so wish we make earth a better place

I would of been terrified, so glad to hear you and your dog got out. Can you stay where you are or will you have to move on?

What sort of new reports are they getting in the south because there's a video on youtube from a Frenchman who seems very frightened and angry about the lack of new reports. I'll post it here from this thread

reply to post by Sarahko


Thank you to both you and "Silent Thunder". You are two different people with views on the same event and are "telling it like it is".

Please keep in touch and give us updates.

I have a student from Osaka coming to stay with my family (exchange student) next year and I've been unable to get word if he's OK. So I feel extra empathy for the people who's lives have been affected by this disaster.

Stay safe.

Originally posted by Blaine91555
reply to post by Sarahko

 

Thanks for the account. I can't imagine how I might have reacted. I've been in a couple of large quakes, but nothing like that.

Sounds like you had a lot of damage to personal property. Did you see much damage to any buildings in Tokyo or did they mostly hold up OK. What about the houses?

Thanks again for sharing.

Tokyo was relatively OK. Things fell of shelves, broken tiles and cracks for example but no major damage happened. The city is built to stand strong earthquakes - you could however see the buildings sway and move with the quake!! The epicenter, however, was not in or near Tokyo. This was not `THE big one` that everyone has been expecting for years...

There are talks, even here on ATS, that last week`s quake moved the Tokyo plate and that there are more and bigger earthquakes to be expected in the very near future.... Hope not!! Does anyone have any real news regarding this?

The quake on Tuesday morning (5.0) was centred in Tokyo Bay....Getting closer??

This can be interesting, rather than always listening to the CNN/BBC armageddon type reports.

Press conferences and news from Japanese TV, in real time, with simultaneous translation.
Could be obsolete info for many I suppose, but just in case someone is interested


www.ustream.tv...