October 31, 2012
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JIMTOF 2012.
Four days and counting. Four more days before I board the plane and head to Tokyo to attend another one of their bi-annual JIMTOF exhibition.
Registration for attending the exhibition is done. All done online. I used the invitation provided by our supplier, sent in a mail all the way from their office in Japan. Registering with an invitation means no need to pay the 3,000 Yen of admission. Once again, my company saved on cost.
Appointments are all confirmed. My bags are packed. Souvenirs of handicrafts and coffee are all counted for and with some extra, just incase. Suit all pressed and in a suit bag. I won't bring too many shirts. I’ll just have to hand wash some of them and wear them twice. Hotels should have iron and ironing board anyways. And a pair of ties to last the whole trip. Nobody will notice if I wear them more than once. Got nine days worth of disposable undies, with some disposable socks too. I could easily get some more over there if I run out. Or I could go commando and let it all hang loose. Nobody would know. Or care.
This is what I hate when it comes to a business trip. The need to wear a suit and a tie on daily basis. If I’d have my way, international business attire would mean t-shirts, khaki pants, and sandals or sneakers. Everyone would be so comfortable we won’t hate getting stuck in a meeting and converse with new associates for many hours. But that’s just me and my ideal of a perfect world.
Earlier today, one of the Finance and Accounting department staff just handed me a stack of Yen bills. A nine-day worth of spending money for land transportations and meals. Hotels and airline tickets are all paid for. It's a relieve that I won’t need to use my credit card for the hotels, as I don’t think I’d have enough credit limit to cover the cost of all of the hotels we’ll be staying at in Japan, and for three people at that.
I have a couple of free days to roam about for a bit during the trip. After a week-long of exhibition, meetings, and visitation to factories, my reward is a weekend in Kyoto. One of my most beloved cities in Japan, especially in this time of the year when the foliage is at its peak. Can’t wait to be back in the city of matcha, chanoyu, and kaiseki cuisine. More food adventure awaiting me. And it will be awesome
Trip schedule:
Nov.4th – PM arrival
Nov.5th – exhibition (Tokyo)
Nov.6th – exhibition (Tokyo)
Nov.7th – factory (Nigatta)
Nov.8th – meeting (Osaka)
Nov.9th – factory (Tottori)
Nov.10th – Kyoto
Nov.11th – Kyoto
Nov.12th – meeting (Osaka)
Nov.13th – AM departure
Comments (14)
Nice. Anyway, during my last trip I started washing my clothes...I usually just put them in a separate bag but I've learned to pack light so I can bring home more goodies hehe
plastic bag for dirty clothes to keep the smell away from the clean clothes. I got spoiled and started backing a foldup bag for goodies to bring home. Enjoy your trip.
Disposable undies and socks? I have heard of those but never seen. What are they made out of? Fleece? The socks as well? But packing nine days worth of undies and socks is not that big a deal really.
With regards to business attire I refuse to wear suits, but then again I am just a lowly underling.
Wow, your trip is practically all paid for! Very nice indeed, and of course visiting Japan is not cheap nowadays!
Disposable underwear? Why?
It's too bad your company doesn't issue a company credit card for you. It would make things a lot easier. If I travel on business, I bring along a portable steamer to smooth out those creases in my suits. But with budget cutbacks, I haven't traveled for ages.
I hope you will have some free time to do a bit of sightseeing.
Such a great city! Have fun and take lots of pictures!
Super happy for you Rudy. I thought you were going to be there only for a couple of days. I am glad that you are staying for longer period. I am looking forward to the pictures of the city, the gardens, your hotel and of course the food. Have a wonderful trip.
...disposable underwear?
@oxyGENE_08 - gene, i always separate the clean ones from the dirty ones.
@Fatcat723 - japan was nice and cool with the autumn air, robert. none of my clothes got smelly since i didn't break a sweat. well, much.
@beowulf222 - nick, you can start going to guardians or century pharmacies, and you can see what those disposable undies look like.
@CurryPuffy - japan is not cheap indeed, gary. but it is possible to travel in japan on a budget.
@christao408 - i hate carrying dirty undies in my luggage, chris.
@ElusiveWords - matt, i never did iron my clothes when i was there. nobody noticed. i was always wearing a jacket over my shirts. and i greatly enjoyed the weekend i had in kyoto. so glad i made a choice to stay there.
@CareyGLY - i did, carey. well, mostly food pics, though.
@ZSA_MD - zakiah, i did take many pics, but mostly food. i didn't take many pics at the ryokan hotel since the ones on the website are a lot better.
@secade - yes, colin. you read right. lets just leave it at that
@rudyhou - Plastic bags!
@christao408 - i know, i know. still...
@rudyhou - To each his own, huh? I would think that disposable underwear would be tremendously uncomfortable, but then I've never tried it so perhaps it is better than plastic bags to cart your dirty undies around in.
@christao408 - try Guardian pharmacy. i'm sure you'll find them there. there are different kinds of disposable ones. some are paper-like and quite uncomfortable. but some are cotton-base, so they are soft and flexible enough for comfort. i usually get the colored cotton ones from Guardian.