"I'm leaving~ on a jet plane~"

[fencer_x]

And I really DON'T know when I'll be back again :P

So yes...I'm giving into my family's concerns (as well as some mild ones of my own) and getting out while the getting's good. I really don't want to wind up trapped in Tokyo should The Worst happen, and since my family are very worried and would just rather I be with them right now, I'm going to do the wise thing and retreat for a little bit. I'm hoping it won't be long, but a week and a half should be a good little respite as well as a chance for the situation here to either settle down and let me return or escalate so that I can make hard decisions *sigh*

This really, really sucks--for everyone up north, worse so--but having less than 24 hours to leave the country? Ugh. This is not the vacation home I wanted :(

I'll be on the first train out to Shinjuku station in the morning, because none of the trains to Narita are running and none of the buses are taking reservations for tomorrow since they don't know what the situation will be (they told me to get there as early as possible). Worse comes to worse, I've got money for a very expensive taxi ride :< I'd much rather be waiting a long time AT Narita than worrying about whether or not I can even GET to Narita.

On the bright side...I get to spend my birthday surrounded by my family for the first time in several years?? *tries to make best of situation*

I'm not even checking any bags, just grabbing what I can and stuffing it into a carry-on and gtfo-ing. This is the worst :(

Comments

[lavenderlilly.livejournal.com]

In times like these, there's only one thing you can do. Think of Yamada and ganbare! XD

[fencer-x.livejournal.com]

I need a heli to go up against!! XDDD

I'll have to settle for cheering Edanon from afar...!

[lavenderlilly.livejournal.com]

Well, you're sort of going up against Narita, as in... it's trying to keep you from getting there, so... airport = heli? Maybe?

Edanon could definitely ganbare against the heli! He should team up with Yamada. OMG! They can be the ガンバレンジャーズ! XD

[fencer-x.livejournal.com]

Edanon ganbares against not sleeping, Kan ganbares against sleeping, and Yamada ganbares against...helis XD Oh Japan.

[manikineko.livejournal.com]

I'm sorry to hear that the situation has become even worse. And I feel very sad for the people up north and the ones who can't leave. You are definitely doing the right thing and I hope your trip goes well. Keep us posted and I'll keep my fingers crossed that this situation gets better soon.

[fencer-x.livejournal.com]

Thanks :) I know I'm going to feel extremely guilty if anything should happen while I'm away, and I feel bad for the people who might be worried or even closer to the problematic areas who CAN'T leave. But I think this is the best course of action for now so *deep breath* Keep calm and carry on :P

[manikineko.livejournal.com]

I see what you mean but in the end you have to keep yourself safe, that's what everyone would do. You could put it that way: If you leave Japan you are one less person the official help teams in Japan have to worry about. I hope the situation with the radiation is really not as bad as the media makes it sound. Again: safe trip!

[onewhomust.livejournal.com]

I don't blame you for leaving Tokyo. If the worst happens... that part of Japan is not an area that I'd like to be in.

I probably won't leave until the US embassy tells me to... but I live in Osaka, and I feel like this is one of the safer areas of Honshu to be right now.

Sigh.

Just gotta hope that ultimately, the worst doesn't happen. Then it'll be hell trying to get a flight out ~.~

[innusiq.livejournal.com]

Safe travels!!!! Here's praying the worst does not happen.

[viherkyn.livejournal.com]

Have a safe trip! I really hope the situation in Japan doesn't get worse. :/

[ezri-sun.livejournal.com]

Given the news I just woke up to, it sounds like a good idea even if its just to ease your family's worries. And hopefully for everyone in Japan, and especially those in the north the nuclear threat eases soon.

Enjoy your birthday with your family at least and have a safe trip!

[amyused.livejournal.com]

I hope this makes your birthday a bit more stress-free and fun! XD Take care on your way out of the country and good luck with those trains! :O

[melianek.livejournal.com]

take care will you?
there is nothing like "abandoning" or so. You do what you think you should do, and that's the best.

wishing you luck on your trip back <3

[jedimastervala.livejournal.com]

Stay safe on your way back! Better to be safe then sorry, especially right now. D:

[analineblue.livejournal.com]

It really sounds like you're doing the right thing. It's great that your job is flexible enough to allow you the time off, and I'm sure it will be wonderful to have a (relatively-speaking) stress-free birthday with your family. *_*

Hopefully the trip to Narita and the trip out will be quick and uneventful! *hugs tight* Safe travels... <3

Be safe

[kagome85713.livejournal.com]

Travel safe.

The situation is not ideal, but it's nice that you are going home for your family's sake.

Have a Happy Birthday.

I hope the situation just needs a couple of weeks to settle down and people can return. And people up north can get some sense of peace and security.

Take care

[animeluvr714.livejournal.com]

It is unfortunate that you must leave in this kind of situation, but at least you can see your family again. I been following the news online since CNN seems to be so slow and I do not like what I am seeing, but glad that you are updating and keeping us informed. Stay safe in your travels and hopefully things start turning around for the better soon.

[yomimashou.livejournal.com]

Good luck with everything! Better safe than sorry, and all that... I hope you manage to get to the airport without too much trouble, and hopefully you'll be able to be back home soon...

[nekomiao.livejournal.com]

But to be around your family is a good thing. So...looking on the bright side :3

Mm..yea it is horrible to have to leave in such circumstances. Glad you managed to get away safely though!

[darkbutterfly14.livejournal.com]

Good luck on getting home!
Better safe than sorry, though... :I

[kaitou-marron.livejournal.com]

Have a safe trip home. I guess it's really better safe than sorry. And there's something to be said about peace of mind (of both you and your family). *hugs*

[chochajin.livejournal.com]

And another one who left Japan :(
At least you got to celebrate your bday with family members.
Will you come back? Are you feeling gulity?
Sorry for intruding, but it's quite amazing to see how many people actually left Japan. I'm just randomly browsing and found out that much more ppl than I thought had left.
On the other hand, I'd honestly left Tokyo as well, not necessarily Japan, but Tokyo.
I don't know if you had a job there or not, but I hope you didn't lose anything upon leaving. Better safe than sorry, right? :)

P.S.: Love your journal style. Never seen something like this before on LJ! ^-^

[fencer-x.livejournal.com]

hi~ :) I was wondering how you were doing, randomly ^^

I mostly left at the request of my family, and it was back when the reactor situation was quite a bit more unstable. I definitely plan on going back (didn't really want to leave in the first place, but felt it was better safe than sorry) as soon as possible when the reactors are a little more stable, because I definitely love Tokyo!

I'm lucky in that my job is one I can do from anywhere I have internet access (I'm an editor, so I just receive papers from clients via email, check them, and email them back) so I'm able to work from home for now, and my boss is Australian with a family of his own, so he's very understanding of how foreigners feel right now *lucky*

I'm mostly eager to get back because I'm missing my apartment and my friends and my hobbies, most of which are all back to normal by now. So I hope to get back in the next couple of weeks ^^

(thanks for the compliment about my journal XD I love coding and playing around with graphic design and whatnot :D)

[chochajin.livejournal.com]

Thanks! I'm doing fine and looking forward to my spring vacation in a few days which I also will spend in Japan. Some of my coworkers will leave Japan during that time, but that has nothing to do with the radiation ^^

Well, in that case it was much easier to leave, I guess! ^-^
Maybe I would have left, too, if I didn't have a job and responsibilities here. Plus, I really live far away from Fukushima anyways :)

Was it chaotic to leave? I saw the airports around Tokyo and Osaka were quite crowded and flight tickets were ridiculously expensive?! (T___T)

Haha, me2! Although I haven't changed my journal in years - no time! But I really love playing around with layouts as well ;P

[fencer-x.livejournal.com]

Actually, my ticket wasn't very expensive (only a few hundred US dollars more than it usually is when I go home for Christmas) despite ordering it less than 24 hours before leaving. The airport was VERY crowded, but mostly with people trying to buy tickets there. Since I had my ticket already, it was very smooth! Better than my usual trips even lol

I still can't wait to come back though :

[chochajin.livejournal.com]

Lucky! I already have to pay around 140.000yen (those are the CHEAP prices!!) when I normally fly home. I heard that some people had to pay way above 500.000yen to get back to Germany (where I'm from). That's so crazy!!

I hope so, too! ^-^