A special gift

September 11th 2013
I wasn’t sure what to expect. I wasn’t sure quite what I’d see. It seemed like a typical rural station as the train rolled in, and still as I walked through the overpass and out the turnstile. Choosing to walk to my accommodation, again there were no immediate clues. Further on and the picture began to look not quite right. The occasional empty lot neatly cleared and obviously being readied ... read more

Asia » Japan » Miyagi » Ishinomaki

In 1603, a Tokugawa shogunate (military dictatorship) ushered in a long period of isolation from foreign influence in order to secure its power. For 250 years this policy enabled Japan to enjoy stability and a flowering of its indigenous culture. Fol... ... read more

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Jo McCarthy

Jo Trouble

"Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass... it's about learning to dance in the rain." - Vivian Greene "I don't think we conquered Everest, I think the mountain relented." "It's not the mountain we conquer, but ourselves." "...even the mediocre can have adventures and even the fearful can achieve." - Sir Edmund Hillary "The only trips I regret are the ones I never took" - Paddy Pallin 「山に対して優勝することじゃなくて、自分自身のことに対して優勝することだ。」 ... full info

Joined	May 13th 2006	Trips	2
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10th March 2015

taracloud
Tara Cloud

So moving
Jo, your story of the translation and of why you went to Ishinomaki brought me to tears. I well remember this disaster because I was on the infamous, dirt road of Route 40 traveling down through Patagonia. We met another bus coming up and learned of the tragedy. On our bus was a Japanese backpacker; no one would tell him what had happened because we were out of internet/cell range for days and didn't want him worrying about his family when he couldn't contact them. Because of him, the Tohoku tragedy has been etched on my memory.

11th March 2015

Dancing Dave
David Hooper

Lest we forget
A poignant reminder Jo that while news of natural disasters catches our attention while the tabloids are interested...it can pass us by with the next news event. But for the survivors they never forget. Reminds me I was at the epicentre of the Sichuan earthquake in 2007 one month before it hit...and I have never heard from my local friend since. Lest we forget. Thanks Jo.

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