Simple Living

Wow, browsing old photos and found this pic from 2012 of how I setup my Desk in my Bedroom back in the day...my how time flies.  Those were good times when I had a lot of energy and excitement.

Drink:  Starbucks ICM (Ice Coffee w/ Milk and no Sugar) Headphones:  Audio Technica MSR7 Pen:  Platinum #3776 Century Book:  Leo Tolstoy - War and Peace Enjoying a Weekend Break at Starbucks and indulging in my Hobbies.  Was nice to just unwind reading a novel and goofing around with my Fountain Pen while listening to some music.  A great day.

Equipment:  Boeing 737-900 Route:  PUS --> KIX I've flown on several 737's before, but this seems to be the first time on the recent 900 series?  It feels very similar to Air Busan's A321 in size and layout with a single aisle and three (3) seats on each side.  I got a exit row seat and it has fantastic leg room!  The food is the standard box lunch that Korean Air provides and I kinda like the simplicity.  The only thing I wished they served instead as their fairly delicious Musubi's in lieu of the cold Ham Sandwich.  Other thing I like about Korean Air is they serve Beer, but I opted for cold OJ instead.

Equipment:   Airbus A321 Route:  CTS --> PUS I had to purchase a last-minute ticket on Air Busan and the Online Price was phenomenal at just $125 USD, Korean Air was asking for almost $400 for the same route.  This my first time riding on the Airbus A321 and it is setup similar to the Boeing 737's with a single-aisle and three (3) seats on each side.  Overall, the trip was fine and they served a simple, hot meal of Seafood Fried Rice.  The coffee was reasonable too.  For the price, I'd likely fly Air Busan again.

Angel-in-us Coffee is one of several chains of Coffee Shops in South Korea.  I sometimes hit them up when I'm outside and cruising one of the many Shopping Districts or Mall.

Stopped @ Kansai International (KIX) for a short layover.  It's another of Japan's famous man-made island Airports, but in comparison I prefer Nagoya with its cool Sky Town Concept.  This was just a giant airport at Sea.  Only had time to enjoy a brief meal of Sushi, that was quite decent as the price w/ Beer was just 1800 Yen Was feeling a little woozy like I was starting to Catch a Cold and downed a Vitamin C Drink immediately.  It seemed to help and I didn't develop any serious Cold Symptoms, although the wooziness remained for a couple hours.

Japan always has 'cutesy' stuff and it extends to their Starbucks too.  I was at New Chitose Airport and noticed they had a drink called the 'Sakura Blossom Cream' as either Frappucino or Latte.  The Frappucino was a bit pricey at 570 Yen for a Tall, but I had to try it and overall its quite good.  Too bad I haven't seen this in the states yet, it would be an interesting option next to the Green Tea and Java Chip's.  This drink however is too sweet and once was enough to get a taste of Starbucks Japan.

While in Sapporo, Japan, I stayed at the Nicoh Refre Capsule Hotel; about 20 minutes South of Sapporo Station.  Prices were 3,300 Yen for a Regular One Night Stay and they put me on the 7th floor.  I had read about Capsule Hotels and saw some Videos online so I kinda knew what to expect.  It's a good idea to watch a couple of those videos as they give you an idea of the Do's and Don'ts.  For starters you must wear at all times the Hotel Issued Pajama's when frequenting the Communal Areas like the Lounge, Bath, Restaurant and Sleeping Quarters. Review Overall, the Capsule Hotel experience is great if you are on a budget and just plan to stay for a short time in the City (i.e. overnight).  The Onsen is likely the biggest plus of staying at a Capsule Hotel.  But there are some small caveats, you have to tolerate Cigarettes as many people smoke in the Community Areas and while the food was decent, you would be better off braving the cold and trying one of the many restauran

I shouldn't call this a 'Trip' as I just had a 15 hour layover due to a flight delay.  But I did get a brief taste of Sapporo Life.  I will definitely have to come back for at least several days or a week to get a better experience, but this was a good trailblazing adventure to get down the basics of the Airport, JR Train and City Centers.  The most basic lesson I learned was to pack warmer clothes and research proper 'snow shoes' or 'boots' for Winter Walking.  Likely, things to consider when I return to Sapporo. Susukino, Sapporo (The Busy Entertainment District)   JR Sapporo Station A bit of the Hokkaido Countryside.. New Chitose Airport -- Shops & Restaurants Floor  

I had a seven (7) hour layover and took advantage of the Narita Airport - Travel Pay Lounge in Terminal # 1 next to Gate 26.  You can check out their website for more info on what they offer and it's a very good deal if you have a lot of time to wait between flights. For 1200 Yen ($12 USD) you can stay in the Lounge for the entire day.  The unlimited free coffee, water and soft drinks is well worth the price, but what really makes the Lounge worth it for me was that I can stretch out in a comfy chair and just relax.  Outside in the terminal there are too many people going to and from places so its a very noisy and hectic environment.  You have to always remain mindful of where you are as I had several people bump into me and one lady in particular speak to me in Chinese that I was in her way. I got a lot of reading done and the time passes more quickly that way when you are relaxed and not self-conscious of your environment.  Because I already had a bowl of ramen noodles for lunc

Equipment:   Boeing 767 Route:  MNL --> NRT They used a 767 for this route and while their plane and decor seemed dated, it's well maintained and they have everything you could want from touchscreen entertainment system, USB charge port and excellent food & service; all in Economy too.  The food is probably the best so far that I've had on Economy fare, mostly because they offer Asahi Beer.  Flight was also silky smooth with no turbulence and arrived early giving me an extra 30 minutes in Japan.  I will probably try to travel more often on JAL whenever I can.  It now makes sense why JAL flights are so popular.

I just got back from Manila on my second International Trip of 2017.  It was an awesome and eye-opening experience.  It was my first time venturing outside of the relative comfort of Japan or Korea and the Philippines seemed like a logical choice because everyone speaks English, which did help make things a bit easier to navigate the city and culture. Day 1 - Going to MNL I opted to fly with Delta as they still fly 747's as I like the charm of the older planes.  Most everyone else use 767, 777 or A330's, but there is just something about a 747.  This also maybe the last year Delta flies the 747.   After almost 18 hours, made it to Manila!  Then an intense 2 more hours enduring the famous Manila Traffic arrived at the Hotel.  I was too tired to eat and just had a couple Johnnie Walkers.  To my surprise the price of JW Blue Label is a mere 700 PHP ($14 USD) compared to JW Black @ 350 PHP ($7 USD).  But after doing a few taste tests, it tasted almost the same as JW Black and didn