i was all set and ready to go. borrowed tons of travel guides on weekends and diligently took down all the common phrases, places to eat and visit. monitored the exchange rate, weather and cherry blossom forecast like a maniac every single day. the trip, the planning, the anticipation... was like a drug that kept me going at work.
then the quake had to happen. 6 days before. yes, i'm very much thankful i wasn't caught in it. still, the letdown was massive. for once, i wasn't too worried about the refunds and cancellations. dealing with SQ was a dream compared to tiger. was still holding out hope that perhaps it wasn't so bad, given the japanese penchant for efficiency. the subway came right back on the next day, didn't it? the tsunamis, angry reactors and frequent tremors proved too much. a lot of rebuilding and rescue work to do. i highly doubt the presence of tourists will please anyone much.
all my thoughts and prayers to the people of japan.