In Japan for a couple of weeks

[Mark.B]

Finally made it to Japan today. Just got settled in my hotel in Shinjuku, looking forward to a great couple of weeks here. I think I made it in time for the Sakura season as well.

I'll be sure to post up some of my adventures around Japan while I am here.

 

[Karen]

Marky-mark!

Happy to see you made to Japan! How's your hotel this time around??? Did they spring for a deluxe room this time?

Which airline did you fly in on? Was it good??

<3

 

[Mark.B]

Karen-chan, thanks!

I don't want to reveal which hotel I am staying at this time, but it's a big name hotel and I think my room is running something like $500/night. Does that tell you much? The view is spectactular, or it will be once the gloomy weather goes away. Kind of a crappy day to fly-in, but hey, I'm here! I'm going to go searching for some food in about an hour. I know the jet lag will bite me in the ass later tonight....

Shinjuku is the shit though! Love this place....

 

[TokyoSpirit]

Karen-chan, thanks!

I don't want to reveal which hotel I am staying at this time, but it's a big name hotel and I think my room is running something like $500/night. Does that tell you much? The view is spectactular, or it will be once the gloomy weather goes away. Kind of a crappy day to fly-in, but hey, I'm here! I'm going to go searching for some food in about an hour. I know the jet lag will bite me in the ass later tonight....

Shinjuku is the shit though! Love this place....

Holy shit dude! $500/night for a few weeks???? That's like $11k for exactly 3 weeks... WTF? I know the Shang-Ri-La at Tokyo Station has rooms for $600/night... that's just insane to pay for 3 weeks!!!!! Yeah, and Shinjuku is indeed the cats meow!

 

[Karen]

Holy shit dude! $500/night for a few weeks???? That's like $11k for exactly 3 weeks... WTF?

WTH? I don't even... you are one lucky bastard. I bet you get a per Diem too!

My company would never NEVERever and I mean NEVER ever spring for something like for me when I travel. Are you a god or something? You must be high-up somewhere? I bet you are going to tell me next that you flew first-class? Right???

/wrists....

I expect pictures Mark, or I will come and find you myself!!!

Still... much <3

 

[Mark.B]

Obviously, I can't really say what I do or who I work for, haha. That's a bit taboo on the internet these days. All I can say is that I oversee two major regions and I do travel a lot.

Yes, I did travel first-class but that's because I do travel so much. After you get to a certain point, first-class tickets are like candy that the airlines give out to those of us who have shed thounds upon thousands of dollars on buisness class previously. I've also accumulated almost 500,000 miles on my frequent flier card, lol.

I'm heading out to find some dinner, will check back in later.

 

[TAG Administrator]

Mark,

Welcome to Tokyo!

You are a lucky guy, that's all I say.

Safe Travels, hope to see some posts from you while you are staying here.

-Eliah

 

[Kias]

Oh wow, I miss that feeling of being a tourist in Tokyo - such a huge city and it felt so easy to get lost!

I'll never forget the very first time stepped on a plane for Japan and the feelings afterwards when we landed. Many, many memories.

 

[Mark.B]

What a night.

I'm completely exhausted now. Had a great dinner at the hotel, went outside to walk around for awhile but quickly decided that it was too cold and windy. Came back up to the room and now I'm going to pass out for the night.

Love this city.

 

[TAG Manager]

What a night.

I'm completely exhausted now. Had a great dinner at the hotel, went outside to walk around for awhile but quickly decided that it was too cold and windy. Came back up to the room and now I'm going to pass out for the night.

Love this city.

Sounds like an excellent night. I've just arrived home from a late night of work and a quick stop at the local ramen place. Nothing like hot ramen on a cold windy night like tonight. It is a great city indeed.

 

[Mark.B]

Back at the hotel again after a long day and a semi-long evening. As expected, I was cornered by some Japanese managers and taken out for you basic drinking party. As it was explained to me, it was a special night since it was the end of the Japanese financial year. I hope the final numbers were good based on how much they were drinking. There were only two ladies in the group this time around which was disappointing but fun nevertheless. My dinner consisted of mostly bar type food, typical food you with drinking after work... those green bean looking things and some yakitori. Surely I'll need to eat something else, will check out other parts of the hotel to see if I can find some other foods. The weather was nicer today, a bit warmer than I expected, much better than my first two days.

Not sure what's on tap for Thursday, my body clock is still sitting on LA time. It's screwing me over, hard.

 

[Mark.B]

The last 24 hours have been a whirlwind of activity, mostly work and business related. I was exhausted last night and now I'm exhausted again. It's only 4:40pm! UGHHHH.....

I've got the weekend free, so things should starting looking up tomorrow. It feels great outside, but the clouds need to make themselves vanish. For now, looking up a place for dinner to head to later.

 

[Mark.B]

I'm back! Sory for the lacking posting! The time has flown by these past few days, constantly booked up with personal appointments and work related activities. I'm getting exhausted from all of the moving around. Had a great weekend, I'm really glad that the weather turned out to be so nice over the entire weekend. Got some great pictures and had a variety of great food at the direction of some the lovely office ladies from my company's Japan office!

Today has just been miserable; feels like January again and then tomorrow is going to be hot according to the weather reports. Guess we'll see.... had enough of the rain, for sure.

Going to head up to dinner now, have a great evening everyone that is passing through.

 

[Karen]

I was wondering what happened to you, did you get swallowed up by Japan? Haha. You sound like you're having a good time during your stay!

Let us know if you try any good places to eat! We're always looking for good information on new places to try. Tokyo has something like 60,000 eateries? Read that somewhere, I think.

<3

 

[TokyoSpirit]

Mark, when do you actually go back to CA?

 

[Mark.B]

Mark, when do you actually go back to CA?

I'll be heading out to Narita on the 23rd and then flying out on the 24th. So, one more week left in Japan.
Don't really want to go back just yet!

 

[Karen]

Time flies when you're having a good time! Enjoy your next week! (Avoid work if you can, haha!)

 

[Mark.B]

Time flies when you're having a good time! Enjoy your next week! (Avoid work if you can, haha!)

Can't avoid work, but I can avoid this after-hours gatherings that seem to happen every night. I wonder how they manage to get any work done during the day. I'm going to try and enjoy this last week on my own and hide from the office folks.

Oddly enough, I will be flying back to LA and then turn around for a trip to Singapore two weeks later. My assistant should have timed these trips together instead of apart, it's probably costing us more money to follow on the current schedule.

It's approaching lunchtime - I've got a lunch meeting and then another finance meeting at 2pm. God help me......

 

[Mark.B]

All good things must come to an end. I'm at Nartia, waiting for my flight back to the states to begin boarding. Another 20 minutes or so to go.

The last few days in Tokyo were very busy between work and personal things I needed to do. I've still got a few things to post here when I get back to the states, I wrote a couple of reviews for you guys and I've sent some pictures to Chris for the reviews I wrote.

Thanks for the tips while I was here, I'll be back on here tomorrow after getting back to LA.

Many Thanks!
Mark

 

[Karen]

I'm sure you are probably boarded now or even in the air alread, lol... but have a safe trip home.

It was nice to chat with you during your stay.

I'm looking forward to reading your reviews!