I Survived Hokkaido! - Episode 3

Continued...but there will be no more sequel. Maybe just prequel.

That evening when I was crossing from 7-Eleven, I noticed that the wind was very strong and they have predicted the the typhoon was passing through Hokkaido. Halfway across I felt the force of the wind which held me back and I had to struggle to get back to the hotel. Later that night I recorded the sound of the wind that whipped through. This reminded me of what I have already knew that in life often times circumstances and situation are beyond you. You will just have to accept and get on with it.

Lavender

On the way to a fairly new New Prince hotel in Furano after having our lavender ice cream we stopped by a shop that sells all things lavender and more. You see lavender oil is said to have antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties that can heal bug bites, minor burns, relief pains, toothaches and sores. So some of us tried a sample of one very interesting product - the "lavender peeling gel". Just apply some to your skin and rub and soon enough all your dead skin are out like dirt leaving a smoother layer of skin. I tried it at their urging and it works. Only fear I have is that after so many years on earth, all my skin are dead and if the gel can't differentiate, I may be left without skin. 

When we got to the New Prince Furano Hotel we had time for Onsen. If you have done your National Service in Singapore, you have no problem here. I mean I have seen worse at golf clubs' changing rooms where even old men and VIPs walk around naked without bothering to drape a towel around place where the sun don't shine. We had our good meals. In the evening we went back to the enchanted forest for a walk and since we haven't had a beer for sometime, we decided to find one somewhere near the forest. We have a hard time finding it and later realised that i was already closed but there was a similar one at the other end. When we managed to find out with direction from the hotel staff, we found the price of a beer was quite exorbitant like Y1,500. So perhaps we should just go up to the top of the hotel and when found out it was worse at Y2,300 we just went to the shop next door and bought canned beer to drink at the lobby. That was all good as we decided to rest really as we will need to travel again the next morning. That was the last thing I remembered.

3.08

This is a number I will remember for the rest of my life. At 3.08am and in my deepest slumber, I sensed something was not right. I immediately opened my eyes and felt the whole bed rocking. As I was staring straight at the ceiling, I could see and felt the whole room shaking and swaying violently. Within a couple of seconds, I heard a buzz from my mobile phone. As I was suddenly awaken from deep sleep, I was left completely stunned. There was little you could do at that moment. The whole thing happened for what I thought was a good 20 to 30 seconds but it felt like a life time. I knew in the middle of this merciless swaying that we have been hit by an earthquake. When it finally stopped, I looked at my phone and that was the message:

I immediately responded by calling the hotel operator asking her if we should rush down to an open space. She spoke some English and said not to as they have received confirmation that the earthquake has ceased and they need to evaluate the situation first and then to advise. After some silence for awhile, we were jolted by the hotel's announcement system. In between all the waiting, I was furiously checking away on my mobile to find out where was the epicentre of the quake, what magnitude was the quake  and how far away we were from the epicentre. I soon found out that the entire Hokkaido's power was crippled. I immediately notified friends on whatsapp groups not to send unnecessary stuffs which were drained the phone battery and to ask them to update me on the situation as due to zero power my mobile phone would soon be flat. I need to conserve and we need to survive. This was all too surreal. Like you are in a movie. Like when you were dreaming except that this one was a nightmare!

This was what I found.The magnitude of the earthquake was 6.7 with a maximum intensity of 7 on the Shindo scale and cut power to 3 million homes. The tremor struck at a depth of 40km with the epicentre 68km South-East of Sapporo. We had just moved a day ahead farther North to Furano. Japan Meteorological Agency warned of the possibility of aftershocks of similar magnitude over the next week. Around 85 aftershocks measuring at least 2.5 had been registered. To make things worse, the weatherman said there could be more landslides with rain expected over large areas. 

I have watched many disaster movies from Hollywood. I have read may reports on real life disasters including what to do when an earthquake hits like to expect aftershocks hours, days and even weeks later after the main quake and aftershocks can go from 4.3 to 5.4 magnitude and could cause building damage and falling debris, therefore injuries. Structural damage could cause traffic light outages and collapsed roads. That you should hide under a bed or table to protect self from falling debris. I looked at my bed and realised it was so low there was no way anyone could go hide under it. Wardrobes can't be relied on as they could topple. The only safe place was the dresser with an opening only one person could get in at a time and maybe at best two small to medium size adult could squeeze into. If both husband and wife are huge, they would be kicking the other out when the tremors come.

I found out later that 41 people were confirmed dead and 680 were injured. Most of these occurred in the farming region at Atsuma where smaller houses are near farms and below mountainous areas and they were hit by landslides.

We were fortunate to have left Chitose/Sapporo the day before the quake to be slightly farther away bit not enough to have escaped it. 

Immediately after the earthquake there was a blackout. I found out from news through my cell phone that the entire Hokkaido were hit with power failure. We were left with a little room light at the door. Admirably the hotel responded very swiftly. You just won't sleep after an earthquake of such magnitude. Hours later, the hotel came to distribute food. We were all given emergency food - porridge with some curry. A friend tried it but threw them away. I guessed that you only consume such food when you are in a situation whereby if you do not eat then you are going to die. Later that evening I saw a woman at the lobby who must have come from somewhere else and had nothing to eat because restaurants outside were either shattered by the quake or were hit by power failure so that they could not even operate. She ate them like these were the most delicious food in the world. Hunger I supposed.

The hotel were quick and it gave me the impression all staff were well trained. They set up small lights at emergency staircase landings as we have to walk along way to the hotel lobby through the back. They improvised by using tea lights like those you find at Ikea and lined the path of the walkway on both sides. Hotel staff were guarding at each strategic location to guide guests to the lobby. 

The news and information was not good. In fact, they were grim. New Chitose airport was closed. All flights are cancelled. All traffic lights were blackout. All motorways and roads were closed. All trains were shut down. 

All buses were cancelled. Everything was down. I knew we are going to have very long and dark days. We are now in ''disaster zone'' ground zero! I have been in a disaster zone before when recalled for Reserve Service to the nation when Hotel New World in Singapore collapsed.  I was at the disaster zone for one week. Even as a rescuer you are in a state of sobriety. The operation was tough, you are stepping on piles of debris that may collapsed further anytime. You knew the true meaning of fatigue. As days go by, you could smell the stench of death. Now we are on a different side, though not dead or injured, we will be left in the lurch. Not knowing what was going to happen in the days ahead was the problem. 

http://gforce-guru.blogspot.com/2012/06/hotel-new-world-disaster.html

In a situation like that, you just wanted to go home. While the Japanese service staff are still work to provide, you have to understand that as native, their own homes and family were affected. I happened to talk to tour guide Shallen as she was looking at photos of her house and she shared with me her house was strewn in a mess. Meanwhile, the hotel gave us bread in the morning and later provided us rice dumplings.

Shallen got us cream puffs (oishi!) and big bottles of water.

In your normal days, many people struggle each day not knowing what to eat for breakfast, lunch or dinner despite the huge selection of food available. We have no such issue here. You will need warm food. Any type. That was when our bus captain Yamashita-san sprang into action. He was innovative. Unlike others, our bus is equipped with a water tank. At first I did not know about it. I saw Shallen buying bags of cup noodles and cup porridge but in the absence of electrical power how do you even get hot water to cook? Then Yamashita-san took one cup porridge and went to his bus to attempt by turning on the bus engine and trying to heat up the water storage tank. Bingo! It has worked. Not perfectly hot but it was good enough. He took turn to cook for all 19 of us. Hero!

Since we could not move anywhere, we had to stay for the night. This time Shallen distributed money back to us for the day and we could buy anything we need from the shop next door. Of course we bought the same cup noodles and porridge but this time Yamashit-san just waited at the bus to cook for us as we line up to get ours cooked. Shallen and Yamashita-san have both gone out of their way and beyond the call of duty to ensure our comfort wherever possible despite the difficult situation. 

We need to get more water and some bread and buns in case we ran out of food and so we did. Then I met a friend who came out from the shop with nothing but two big bags of Asahi 500ml beer! I think he is also a hero. There was slightly better news. At least they said the motorways and airport was opened. There was hope.

Nightfall came and I took a photo just outside the hotel. It was pitch dark.

In our group there were three elderly couples in their seventies. We have to sometimes watched after them a bit. Helping them get trolleys, making sure they return to the group, etc. It was only later when one of them shared with us that we had a very good laugh. During the early hours of 6 September when the earthquake struck, he thought that his hotel room was haunted. He must have been a superstitious guy since we are in the last week of the 7 month lunar calendar (Hungry Ghost Festival in Singapore). He thought that some ghosts were rocking not only his bed but the entire room was shaken and swayed. Haha, he must be thinking that Japanese ghosts in Hokkaido are very powerful. In a quake of this magnitude, even ghosts will run.

There is no need for any more tour. I just wanted the safety of everyone and to get home. It does not help that friends back home helping to monitor the situation are giving quite frightening updates. "Bro, there will be many aftershocks coming, take care!'' ''Bro, according to reports, there will be another big one coming. Take care!'' 

IN times like these, we just need to have some hope and prayers.

Next day there was good news. We could move to another hotel and this hotel has their power meaning hot water and warm food but we cannot be there to early and so we had time to stop over a couple of places. We came to Otaru. This was how I looked - like a James Bond drink, shaken but not stirred.

We had our group photo taken each in his or her heart wondering if we have been given the wrong tour. Instead of a honeymoon tour, we signed up for an adventure tour.

Yamashita-san is not only an innovative person thinking of ways to cook for us. He is a really talented artist too. From the beginning, he drew up a big picture and hung it right in front and each day he drew a smaller one each day to attach to the main one depicting the event for the say in anime style. That day when we could move from Furano after the quake, his drawn picture had the words run, run run! 

The Japanese are a stoic people. Their nation is prone to natural disasters but yet through it all their renowned resilience was in full display. "Shikata ga nai'' which means cannot be helped or ''sho ga'' translates as there is no way. Japan has designated 1 September as Disaster Prevention Day to mark the 1923 earthquake that killed 140,000 people in Tokyo. Stoicism could also mean that some people may take less care since all these things are going to happen. Along the bus journey I spotted 3 anglers fishing near the sea. Then I saw a group of golfers doing their stuff. 

We were early so we walked around a small shopping centre for awhile before lunch. How grateful were we for such simple things in life.

We could even have almost the same food for dinner, no problem.

Some places have not even recovered.

We are one step closer to the airport and closer to home.

We need to queue to get in, perhaps everyone is hungry. It was being stuck here for the day that quite a number of us just kept buying things from the small gift shop next to the hotel restaurant purchasing jewelry, watches and musical boxes. The lady there could not go home as her home has no electrical power so she reckoned it was better for her to stay put at the hotel shop.

I have a bottle of whisky. Since we have nothing else to do and we are leaving for home we need to finish it by night. So we did. You can't outrun an earthquake can you? 

We were then on the move again on the final day. Shallen was giving here usual talk. She is very knowledgeable, personable and shared with us many things and also touching on Japanese culture and things about Hokkaido. 

Meanwhile, Yamashita-san gave us another update on his drawings.

Along the way we saw people queuing for essentials. Maybe they need water, bread or batteries. All very orderly. 

We stopped over a small park.

Autumn was here but not in full force but the typhoon and earthquake came ahead in full force. 

There were not many people here that morning. Hokkaido has to recover fully before winter comes. 

Finally we arrived at 狸 小 路

Rows of shops and restaurants.

I saw people buying lots of foodstuffs and packing into big cartons.

Including from the specialty Kit Kat shops.

Like sake Kit Kat.

I was already tired and disinterested. We need to look for food before going to the airport as the airport is likely to have nothing after the quake. We found a shop not knowing what they are selling but there were a few people in the queue. When we got in then we realised they were selling ramen. It was a very huge bowl. My friend who hated spring onions got a mountain of it. Slurp!

We are going home and Yamashita-san was ready as ever. The cow, the bear and the fox are bidding us a good flight home. 

Yamashita-san gave us each family a piece of his masterpiece and Shallen gave it to us.

Yamashita-san bade us farewell once we alighted. Shallen sent us all the way to we got into the airport. Thank you Shallen, Yamashita-san for your care and thanks to Chan Brothers for the necessary arrangements.

We were 3 hours to our flight. The airport was without air-condition on the outside. When we got in the air-condition was partial. Many shops affected by the quake remained shut. One hour before our departure, we were stunned by a sudden big jolt. It felt as if a crane lifted up the entire airport and dropped it from 10m or more with a loud booming sound! I nearly fell off my seat. That must be the kind of aftershock they were talking about. There must have been quite some tremors going on all the time because at times in the hotel room I felt myself staggering a bit.

I always register myself with the MFA whenever and wherever I travel. I chose a tour agency as it was my first time there and I am not familiar and not everyone spoke English. I always buy travel insurance. The MFA were in contact with me to enquire and provide some advice and updates with me telling them where we were and how many people were in my group.

I read later that there is no nation more prepared than Japan to handle disasters including earthquakes and that if the same thing happened elsewhere in Europe it will be 50 times more difficult. We saw fist hand how prepared they were, how quickly they recovered. How dedicated were they to their tasks including those young ladies who were  hotel staff that stood outside from early morning to direct guests. 

Before we left, a woman who must be from tourism board interviewed me while we were at 狸 小 路. The interview included whether there were sufficient information in English during the earthquake, if we knew what to do, did the hotel give proper instructions, etc. The last question was - "Will you come to Hokkaido again?'' I wrote no. She looked disappointed. So I cancelled the NO and wrote YES!!

Another friend who travelled on his own got stuck when he was out with his family on self drive and could not find a hotel. He ended up at a school used for emergency situation like this. Fortunately he met a New Zealander who is a  school teacher and bought a house nearby and he offered shelter to his family for the night.

When I got back to Changi I wanted to kiss the ground. Home sweet home! Some friends asked if it was a scary experience. I said no, it was not scary at all. It was terrifying!!! Something money cannot buy. Even among the Japanese, many have experienced tremors but not all have experienced an earthquake. I live to tell. Anything could have happened at a disaster zone. I am thankful. 

My hair stood on ends as I wrote all these. It has to go down as my most forgettable and yet most unforgettable holiday. Ever, I hope!