I appreciate the emails and text messages from those of you who know that I am in Japan.

Well, it’s been a dreadful day and I apologise for not getting back to you sooner: my phone is not working and neither is my PC keyboard but I’ve managed to tap in to someone’s wifi.  I still don’t know if everyone is OK or not and it’s difficult to be patient for such news.Instead of emailing everyone I know while squatting outside someone else’s house I thought I’d just post something here. We Tokyo folk have been very lucky considering the situation up north, but the problem is that many of my friends are not in or from Tokyo!

An account of our last 25 hours:

A friend shoved me under a table so I wouldn’t be knocked out by flying objects. My street was – and is – strewn with rubbish and there is absolutely no fresh food in the shops: no lettuce or onigiri for me, no shirasu for George and Mildred (the 2 reptiles who share my life) and, as of 2 hours ago, no more pot noodles!

I have bought enough bottled water so if things get bad I’ve got enough water for 3 or 4 days before I need to start drinking urine – joking.. is it too soon to joke about this? In my place, of course, there is always Champagne.

Still waiting to hear from about 10 loved ones.

The ATM is working again so I’ve got enough money. We are expecting the tectonic plates to go mental again any time soon. Indeed, we have had many aftershocks over the last day – about 30 as of 3 hours ago.

Nothing was damaged at my place but everything was a mess – it looked like someone has been through my wardrobe and drawers and pulled the books and candles off the shelves. The friends that I’ve managed to contact are fine with the exception of two: one with a collapsed ceiling and another with broken glass all through her kitchen.

Stuff sprung out of drawers and cupboards

In short, us Tokyoites are doing quite well compared to poor old Sendai. All the dodgy little fishing boats that give the city its character have either been destroyed or just vanished. I’m sad to say all the people in them won’t be seen alive again. Please pray for the people of Japan, especially Sendai, Miyagi and Fukushima.

George and Mildred slept through the whole palaver and are their usual, grumpy selves. They ate a pile of dried shrimp and went back to basking under their lamp. I ran in to give them a kiss on their slimy little green heads. They didnt like it.

Not impressed, but they never are...

E on the other hand didnt fare so well: she’s staying at my place this week and spent 30 minutes hiding in a cupboard dry retching – the nerves went to her stomach I guess.

She’s good now, my little petal. This wasn’t much of a holiday for her.

No news on the Nuclear business in Fukushima but I am staying indoors just in case.

Its cold out here so I’m going inside. I will give an update soon if things aren’t back to normal.