Held up in LA waiting for first available flight home
Yours truly would like to thank all you kind folks who wrote in to sympathize, encourage, and console us in this difficult time…
It is really heart-wrenching for us particularly, being residents of Japan, to see such a terrible disaster unfolding as time passes by…
On a private level, we are thankful to god as we are not directly affected by the quake or tsunami…
Our home is in Kagawa prefecture, which is situated on the island of Shikoku, the southwest corner of the archipelago…
My mother in law and relatives are staying in Kanagawa prefecture, near Tokyo…
They felt strong tremors, had some glasses broken, experienced long hours of power cuts but are generally doing alright…
My missus and I are currently in Los Angeles…
We were due to fly back to Japan on the early hours of 12th March…
But our flight was cancelled because Haneda International Airport was closed…
This morning, we contacted All Nippon Airways (ANA) and managed to put our names as standby passengers in a series of flights from LA to Haneda International or Narita International Airport.
Imagine the number of fellow passengers who are in the same position, all equally eager and even desparate to return home…
The earliest confirmed flight that ANA found for us was a flight that departs LA at noontime of 15th March…
If we take this flight, we would reach our home in Takamatsu city at about noon time on 17th March…
We hope ANA can call us up for an earlier flight though…
Anyway, at this point of time, we would like to let our relatives and friends know that we are doing ok although I am feeling a bit fatigue…
(Note: this note is posted in both Potager Y as well as Kedahan-Malaysian in Japan
Kedahan-Malaysian @ Japan 
Hi, Really glad and relief to know that you and your family are alright. I was wondering whether did you manage to take a flight back to Japan, and seriously I was kinda hoping that you did not as yet. It is very devastating to watch the news and read on the disaster of natures own. The number of lives lost and increasing is really sad and heartbreaking. Our thoughts and prayers are with the people in Japan. I cannot imagine the sufferings and pain that they are going through now. Please do take care.
kf… personally, I feel really bad for the (real) victims of the tsunami… resources should firstly be channeled to those folks who need them most… thank you very much for your thoughts and prayers…
Glad to know that you and your loved ones are safe. Take care.
I am so happy, that you are well.It is a big catastrophe for Japan.Please be well and be careful.
Being too busy with my own life… haven't been visiting your blog for quite a while. Then I suddenly remembered and wondered 'what's up with that Kedahan in Japan?' Good to know you're still kicking around.
domesticgoddess… thank you very much for your message… will certainly take care…Ellada… many thanks for your encouragement… we will be very careful… LC Teh… you bring a smile to my face… yes, thank god I am still kicking and am glad that you are too…
May this catastrophe be shouldered bravely by the people of Japan. Glad you and your family are safe.
Glad to know that you and your missus are safe. My prayers and thoughts are with those affected in Japan.
Keats… UnkaLeong…Many thanks for your kind gesture… we shall pray that Japan recovers well from this tragedy…
Hi Lrong, glad to know that u & wifey were away during the tragedy. It really is heartwrenching to read abt d tragedy, loss of lives & livelihood etc for so many ppl at one time. D government & ppl of Japan is definitely not alone in facing tis crisis. Help is pouring in frm all over d world as we con't to pray for Japan. There's nothing tat God can't heal..
Suzie… Hi, many thanks for your soothing words… here at the university, we are pressed to respond to the tragedy even though we are not at the epicentre… thank you for your prayers…
lrong san,i never stop praying for the people in Japan since i heard the news.. am so glad to know tht you and the whole family are alright..keep us updated on what's happening there.. pls tc.. 🙂
syanashwa… you are too kind… we need your prayers in such times… we will try our best to take care…
I think it's better for us Malaysians to register with the embassy in Tokyo every year. But dunno if this registration would help us or not. My last registration was in 2001. Here's the website http://www.kln.gov.my/web/jpn_tokyo/homeForms for registration: http://www.kln.gov.my/c/document_library/get_file?uuid=a2fba85e-41a7-4b31-bdc4-d412a00929f4&groupId=33866(Alice)
alice… hope things are ok on your side… I have registered numerous times with the embassy… and, thank you for the link… will take a look as it is always a good idea to continue registering with the embassy…