When Jetstar finally announced that they would permit Japan flights to be rebooked or cancelled without penalty I felt terribly depressed. All that hard work planning and researching for nothing. Nothing suggests that the southern areas of Japan are being affected by elevated radiation levels and most experts say there is little threat. Still, with a growing 2 year old in tow it would not be fair to risk his health and the Japanese are displaying a surprising lack of competence and initiative in dealing with the reactor issues.
B especially still wanted to take a holiday on our scheduled leave dates rather than defer travel.
After much agonising we decided to cancel the flight up to Japan with Jetstar and replace it with a flight to Bangkok instead. We’ll spend a week in the region and, if the situation in southern Japan has not declined, then fly into Fukuoka in the south, before leaving on our original flight from Osaka. At least I get some of the Japanese holiday then, enjoying cherry blossoms and onsens.
The truth is that our health is probably more under threat from a visit to Thailand than to southern Japan right now, with the former country’s tropical diseases, pollution, road transport and internal conflicts. Try explaining that to most people when facing the bogeyman of radiation.
If, after the first week, there is a threat that the south will be affected by radioactive fallout, then we will make our way back to Australia via a different route.
I’m quite excited now to be flying with Thai Airways on their Airbus A340-600, one of my favourite aircraft to look at but one I’ve never flown on. It will be nice to have the thrill of a little unknown with a new airline and to leave from Sydney’s international terminal.
Not long now!