After helping a client setup a wordpress blog I decided it was about time to update this site. Having read various guides online it appeared that it was going to be a massive pain in the ass to upgrade the site to the current version of wordpress. So I decided just to backup the database and install a fresh copy instead. One day I may transfer all the old posts but for now I’m happy to start afresh.
I have certainly not always been a fan of facebook and on more than one occasion I have intended to delete my account with the site but in the last few days it has proved a lifeline to friends back home.
When the quake hit I was desperately trying to get in touch with my parents to let them know I was okay. Mobile phones and landlines were down at the time. I tried my phone, the landline in the lobby of the building and the lady at concierge even leant me her own mobile phone but to no avail.
When we eventually got back into the flat my phone immediately connected to our WiFi connection so I quickly rattled off some twitter updates to let people know I was okay and asking my Brother to let our parents know that I’m okay. His Wife replied shortly after to let me know she’d spoken to my Mum and a great weight was lifted from my shoulders.
Shortly after I was able to video call my parents on Skype and a tearful picture of my mother quickly appeared on screen. After reassuring her I was safe and that we were not in immediate danger she seemed to calm down a bit.
I was also able to update my facebook to let everyone know that Shelley and I were safe. It meant a lot to see comments, tweets and emails from friends checking up on us. Then yesterday it occurred to me that I should post an entry here too so that anyone not covered by facebook and twitter could check up on us too.
God bless the internet at times like this.
Seeing as I haven’t posted for nearly two years I don’t think anyone reads this anymore but I thought I’d quickly let anyone who might see this know that both Shelley and I are okay. We arrived in Tokyo on Thursday to glorious sunshine and looking forward to a relaxing fortnight visiting Shelley’s folks.
When the quake hit on Friday we were in the lobby on the 22nd floor just about to get into the lift to go up to our apartment and the buttons wouldn’t work. Then the building started wobbling a bit. Then it started shaking violently and we had to hold on to the wall to stay upright. The doors were swinging open and closed and everything that wasn’t either very heavy or nailed down fell over. The worst part was hearing the building groaning and straining as it swayed about. I won’t lie, it was terrifying.
We then had to evacuate down 22 floors on foot. After hanging around outside for a few hours and sitting through several more aftershocks watching the buildings around us swaying and their glass warping worryingly it calmed down a bit and we were told we could go back in but the lifts were still out of action. We went and got some coffee instead. When we got back the lifts were still out of action so we had to climb back up the stairs.
There are still regular aftershocks. They are so frequent that I almost don’t notice them, I have to check whether the lamps are swaying or not.
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