There and back again... A Japan Business Trip Story...

Just came back from another business trip to Tokyo. A red-eye flight on a Monday night out from Changi returning on a Friday night flight back from Haneda. That gave me the full 4 days from Tuesday to Friday in Tokyo.

A few observations I made during this trip:

1) Massive influx of foreigners working in frontline service roles.

2) Food is great and still very affordable, especially with the cheaper JPY

3) Shopping for clothes (e.g. UNIQLO, GAP etc), easily cheaper by 20-30% compared to Singapore

4) Never seen such a great number of European/American tour groups

Kobe Beef course meal for 9,800yen? Sure~

Love the place to bits but hotel has been a bit expensive the last week. Glad the company was paying because I will not be flying into Tokyo and staying there during the peak season. After 4 days of walking and eating I was pretty tired (more due to the overnight flight and shopping for the missus than the work...) and was ready to go home.  But it also invoked a thought in me. We might enjoy Tokyo for a long weekend more than a Phuket or Bangkok trip.

I probably can get away with short 4-day getaways like this in future flying into Tokyo on a Thursday night and returning on a Monday evening. A quick check on Google Flights and Booking.com revealed that a ticket on Zipair would cost S$574/pax (or S$1,148 for 2) and a hotel room at Sotetsu Fresa Inn Ueno-Okachimachi (incl breakfast) for 2 will cost S$466 for the 3 nights from 12th Jan 2024 to 15th Jan 2024.

That works out to S$1,614 for 4 days in Tokyo from Friday to Monday. How would you spend those 4 days? I would probably do the following:

Friday - Arrival, rent a car and drive over to Atami or Kawaguchiko for a night's stay at an onsen ryokan or maybe do a night of glamping at QOONEL+. (Note: that will increase the hotel cost since any accommodation at those tourist area will cost more than Tokyo's business hotels)

Saturday - Check out from Onsen ryokan or glamping site, spend half a day sightseeing before going back to Tokyo. Check-in and start roaming the streets of Tokyo.

Sunday - More shopping, more eating, one can take a walk at Asakusa and Tokyo Sky Tree or Meiji Jingu Shrine and Omote-sando. Find a nice cafe and chill the afternoon away.

Monday - Check-out, have a nice breakfast followed by shopping at Ueno Ameyoko before going to the airport.

Tuesday - Go back to the office with a refreshed mind and body!

I figured the entire trip will work out to slightly more than S$1k/pax excluding shopping. It's definitely a bit tiring on the overnight flight but for the quality of the food and climate I think its a big upgrade over any South East Asia destination. 

Would you do it?

There and back again... Tokyo work traveler's tale

WAnother travel trip to Tokyo, probably my 4th in last 12 months. Reached Tuesday night, meetings at Marunouchi, Hachioji, Hachioji, and then returning to Singapore today.

Couldn't do much except having dinner with my Japanese language teacher and her kid (who is 14 y.o. and already taller than me) and a trip to Akihabara today.

After not visiting Tokyo for probably 6-7 years, I've now turned into a frequent guest... Oh well, it's not a bad place to keep coming back to~ not at all~

So how was your weekend?

Recap : January 2012

Sooner than we realised, it was January 2012. For the missus and myself it marks the end of 1 year that we have spent together in Singapore. The past several years in HK are now a blur to me. I certainly cannot remember in which particular year I took a trip to Hokkaido, or Europe or a business trip to China or Kyoto. I most certainly cannot differentiate the days and months I spent between 2007-2009 because they were mostly monotonous without anything outside of work and home. My best years in HK were the 1st, when I was kept extremely busy with work and studies, and the last, when I was kept busy with studies, bowling and a pregnant wife. 

2011 marks a significant year which saw the arrival of our little prince J. 

*Wink Wink*

The joy of being a father, the worries of being an unemployed father. A roller-coaster of a year for me 2011 was. Definitely one to remember. And of course my new job. A job till today I am not completely sure about. I'm quite sure they are sure about me since they've given me confirmation 2 months earlier than the original 6-month probation period.

The pay is nothing to shout about given the volume of work and job roles I play but then again its approximately 50% higher than my previous job in HK. Coupled with a tax system that favors child-bearing  its definitely a great deal to be back working in SG again. Doing my sums I'm getting double my pay in HK as I do no have to pay rental for a shoebox apartment anymore~

I've also been getting calls from headhunters here and there but a higher pay with frequent flying or a lower pay with less job responsibilities just doesn't cut it out for me at this stage of my life. I will give this job a real go and see where it will bring me in 1 year.

January marked a few major events. 1st is the wedding of my dear friend M. He got married to his long-time girlfriend and at the point of writing, has just donated his kidney to his wife. I wish them nothing but good health and good life with each other. And I hope and pray that this transplant means that she will be able to bear children for M, for he loves kids, pets and all living things. Our Japanese teacher K also came over from Japan to attend the wedding. Its occasions like this that brings the few of us friends back together. Work and family commitment has rendered us only friends on Facebook and WhatsApp, and not so much physically within each other.

J climbing the sofa mountain!

Then we got Chinese New Year. A 1st for Baby J. At this point of time J is capable of walking running climbing... all sorts of actions which will render us crazy~

Candlelight dinner for 2

Not forgetting my wife's birthday. I brought her to Au Jardin in the Botanical Gardens. Lovely food in a lovely place right smack in the middle of the Gardens. And at the right price for me.

Fatherhood and work and poodles

I think it is tough to balance parenting and work roles without compromising somewhere. Trying to come out with an iPhone app is harder than I thought. Actually the SDK and object-orientated methods are simple enough to comprehend, and also the tonnes of help available on the internet. But between learning and applying what I learnt, I also have to look after my wife and baby. I'm unemployed at the moment so 3-hour sleep every night is not a problem for me but what about husbands who do not have paternity leave? Its getting into a bit of a pattern and I've finally found the best time to do my work which is sometime between 12mn to 5am. That's the time Baby J can sustain 3-4 hours of sleep without breaking out into a shout. He's not crying... no tears at all!

Anyway Baby J is doing fine after we gotten the overhead phototherapy lamp for another 3 days. During the 2nd set of 3 days, the missus was under the light with Baby J... I must say she's gotten a sexy tan as well~ He's feeding well all thanks to the milk production factory. It's really amazing this breastfeeding thing... Nothing came out when I was using it and now this fellow comes along and magically we have milk... And its as if he's been training for it the past few months...

Progress on the app is good. It's a password management app which is specially catered for Mrs WD because with work e-mails, ERP accounts, personal e-mail accounts and not to mention social website accounts, the number of passwords is simply unmanageable for the average Joe. I'm really enjoying the process of learning things and writing apps. Its therapeutic to say the least, at least for me. Spent hours and days deciphering a new language and then *poof* something usable appears~ It's amazing~ Will try to come up with some promotional codes once it is ready... provided anyone is interested~ ;)

Then there are the dogs. They've taken to Singapore weather stupendously~ (I think) They love the wide spaces, the greenery and the company of so many family members who dote on them. Compared to our initial apartment in HK, this place is 3 times as big and it gives Coffee ample space to run around without having to leave home~ I'm glad that they are happy~