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Checkin to Saza Coffee (ใตใถใณใผใใผ)
Waiting for the trains to clear. -
The Week #307
by James- โ๏ธ It's the middle of May and it's already 30 degrees out. The few short weeks of spring are never long enough. At least it's still cool in the mornings and at night.
- ๐จ One of my credit card rewards is a free night stay at a hotel. That free night was about to expire, so rather than let it expire I booked a guy's night at a hotel in downtown Yokohama for me and Leo. The overall day was a huge success but....
- ๐ The hotel's website says they have a fitness center and a pool. Naturally, I assume this means we can use the pool, there's no restrictions or anything written on their website โ not even on the pool detail page. I tell Leo there's a pool and we bring our stuff. We arrive and... no kids are allowed in the pool. I know it's a losing battle, but I had to express my deep disappointment (politely) because we literally stayed at the hotel because they had a pool. Their logic was that because the rules are written for the fitness center, and you have to enter the fitness center to get to the pool, the rules apply to the pool and it should be obvious.ย I get why they would want to limit it to older kids and agree it's probably the right call given the setup, just make it explicitly clear on your website or include a map so you can maybe deduce that it might be an issue. It felt like a very Japan-logic and the entire experience has me considering dropping Marriot for IHG.
- ๐ก Not to let no pool get in our way, Leo and I went off to Minatomirai to have fun at Cosmo World. And as soon as we arrive I look at some of the rides โ they aren't moving... and is that plastic covering the seats?!. And there's a construction crew?! After no pool, I can't do Cosmo World being closed for renovations.
- ๐ข But it turned out only half of the park was closed and not the area where we wanted to go. ๐ฎโ๐จ Leo worked up the courage and we rode the long ride together ๐๐ป I wish they sold photos of of the drop like most places do as I would have bought one โ feels like they're leaving money on the table.
- ๐ค We saw some 2-seater karaoke booths. Literally like aย large phone booth with a Karaoke machine shoved in it. Even better it's pay as you go, ยฅ100 per song. After dinner we dropped by and Leo sang We Gotta Power, the 2nd theme song for Dragon Ball Z and he smashed it. All in all, a successful guy's night and I look forward to doing it again.
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by JamesEvening Run
Burning a bit of lunch off. Started off with some hills, think Iโll do that some more.5.0km
31.4min
36.8m climbed
avg bpm
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Checkin to Starbucks
Breakfast with Boyo -
The Week #306
by James- ๐ I noticed a few tech stocks (Digital Ocean, Intel) that I bought a few years ago that almost immediately went underwater have not only come above water, they've doubled. I generally don't like to hold too many individual stocks (it's a bit like gambling), so I took this as an opportunity to sell and buy my usual index funds.While they could (especially Intel) continue to go up long-term, I'd rather keep it boring.
- ๐ถ I've been listening to a lot of Deki Alem, the spiritual successor to The Prodigy. Nothing but bangers. My favorite song thus far is Fun. Random Instagram posts are delivering some good recommendations.
- ๐ฟ We went and watch the Mario Galaxy Movie. Leo saw it twice (Japanese, then English) and liked it more in English (๐). While I enjoyed the cameos of other characters from the Nintendo universe, I think I enjoyed the first movie was better. My evaluation of the movie isn't helped that I was really struggling to stay awake towards the end (jet lag really kicking in).
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by JamesMorning Run
5am run club. Should have pushed ever so slightly harder in that last km.5.0km
31.4min
18.8m climbed
avg bpm
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The Week #305
by James- ๐ฏ๐ต A week after flying halfway across the world, I am back in Japan. Before my flight I've hung about in the lounge for bit. Being able to shower before the flight does make a large difference in comfort by the time you get off the plane. The flight back itself was pretty good: I had an aisle seat (as per usual) and there was nobody in the two seats next to me, I watched Immediate Family, a documentary about the session musicians (that also toured) with the whose who of rock-n-roll, and while flying over China, I saw a huge wind farm in the dessert. Also I think I've flown this route often enough / with the same airline that I'm starting to recognize some of the flight attendants.
- ๐๏ธ One night after work we went to the most English looking pub in the city. When we left there were so many people out enjoying a pint the spring weather that crowds standing in front of each pub spilled over into each other forming one big group. Thursday is the big going out night it seems.
- ๐โโ๏ธWhile I am still explicitly running not trying to care about pace or anything other than total duration, I ran a second time in what was almost my fastest 5k. For whatever reason it feels easier to run in London. Maybe it's the cool weather and that it's fairly flat? Maybe it's all of the other runners out and about? Maybe it's just enjoying the paths and views from along the Thames? Who knows. Either way, it's always fun.
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Checkin to Gate B46
Almost boarding time -
Checkin to Singapore Airlines SilverKris Lounge
Shower and a meal before flying to Tokyo -
Checkin to Caffรจ Nero
As is tradition
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