Overseas stories

During a business trip to the US, I had a surprisingly tasty non-alcoholic IPA at a restaurant. So, I bought some ATHLETIC HAZY IPA non-alcoholic beer as a souvenir. I was absolutely amazed because it genuinely had that fruity aroma and bitterness typical of an IPA, without the usual lightness or strange aftertaste often found in non-alcoholic beers. It was incredibly delicious!

Exhausted from walking around at an exhibition, I stumbled into a burger joint. Their main menu had a strange green burger. Looking closer, I realized it used lettuce as a bun! I'd never seen anything like it and was curious, so I ordered it. What came out... well, it was disappointing just by its appearance.

I was on a business trip to the US for our marine business. To understand the market, alongside experiencing marine products, everyone told me, "You just HAVE to go to Bass Pro Shops!" I went there with only vague info that it was a huge outdoor shop selling boats, ATVs (all-terrain vehicles), and ROVs (recreational off-highway vehicles).

I had to close the bank account I opened while living in Sweden after the battery in my Digipass, which I used to access the account, died. It turned out to be quite a challenging and troublesome process...

Amsterdam is crisscrossed with canals, making boat travel super convenient. But along those canals, buildings are packed tight, the roads are narrow, and sometimes there aren't even fences! It seems like driving a compact car there would require a lot of caution. Despite this, I often spotted microcars, even smaller than regular small cars, like the ones in the photos.

I got to experience Skipperi, a boat sharing service, through work. Owning a boat isn't easy, but this service uses your smartphone to offer a car-sharing-like experience, meeting the need for those who just want to try it out, largely unattended. I was actually surprised by how easy it was to rent a boat, and I think it's a great digital product that allows many people to experience the unique joys of boating.

There was a huge supermarket right across from my accommodation during my business trip to Finland, so I popped in right away! I feel like overseas supermarkets offer a glimpse into a country's food and culture, and personally, I see them as a kind of entertainment spot.

I don't quite remember how the topic came up at our office in Faridabad, South Delhi, where I was on a business trip, but apparently, there's a craft fair held every February during my stay, showcasing handicrafts from all over India. A Japanese colleague mentioned they'd been and found it really interesting, so my Indian colleagues kindly took me there after work.

I was in Las Vegas for AWS re:Invent. It was Sunday, a spare day for recovering from jet lag and picking up my badge. I was thinking if I felt up to it, I might rent a car and head to Red Rock Canyon. Then, a colleague messaged me, 'Wanna go to the Grand Canyon by Cessna?!' I'd always wanted to visit, but I'd assumed it wasn't a day trip from Vegas, so I gladly accepted the offer.

When I was younger, I did everything I could to avoid business trips to India. I managed to dodge them for years, but eventually, I couldn't say no. My first stop was Chennai. Between the ancient history and the incredible warmth of the people, I somehow ended up falling in love with the place, even with all the chaos and the total lack of personal space.