Overseas stories

While the chaos remains, DX is advancing at an incredible pace. I vividly remember my first business trip to Chennai about five years ago; everything was so chaotic and overwhelming that all I could do was laugh. Late at night, Chennai Airport was inexplicably packed with people picking up arrivals, and if you’d requested a hotel pick-up, several people would be holding signs with your name. The bumpy roads were filled with honking cars zooming at breakneck speeds, and you'd see people, cows, and even cars driving against traffic. It was such chaos that my brain couldn't process it all. Yet, even then, the wave of digitalization had already reached some areas. For example, the system for ordering and paying for meals at the company cafeteria was already app-based, and I remember being quite impressed by it.

With the pandemic settling down, overseas business trips finally feel normal again. So, I took Lufthansa for the first time in a while, via Munich, to the Netherlands. The cabin felt a bit unfamiliar, and then I realized it was an Airbus A350-900.

The unique spice aroma of sweets. My colleague from India came for a business trip, and it was a reunion after a long time. I'd been told many times to visit India, but I hadn't been able to for over half a year. We'd met online pretty regularly, but I realized again how important it is to talk face-to-face.

Circular Farms in the Desert: Flying from Houston, after a while we entered a desert region. There was absolutely no green, only strange, squeezed-out patterns seemingly created by wind and rain, and striking mountains with uneven, bumpy textures here and there.

A reward on the last day. With the expat who arranged this business trip, and feeling like we accomplished quite a bit, we went to a steakhouse. A sirloin steak, grilled medium-rare over charcoal. I had imagined something fattier.

The rooms were comfortable... This time, an expat secured a Hilton for me (I stayed at two locations, both Hiltons), and as you can see, the rooms were super clean. However, there were a few things that surprised me...

So, I was walking from the elevator hall to my room at the hotel, and I spotted a door labeled "Laundry." Curiosity got the best of me, so I popped in, and guess what I found? It's not a coin laundromat anymore—you pay by card! Seriously, that just makes so much sense, doesn't it? The last time I used a laundromat in Japan was at a hotel, and it was still "coins." But then again, hotel facilities are often a bit dated, so maybe card payments are already common in other places in Japan?

I actually got an upgrade! I wasn't really thinking about it until just before my business trip to the US, but while I was checking my flight on the ANA app, I realized there was a First Class seat available on the flight out...

A long-awaited reunion! Since F-san, who I worked with back in my Nissan days, was visiting Japan, we decided to get the old gang together. Even though some people couldn't make it, others unexpectedly joined, making it a really fun night. F-san's visit is actually a honeymoon.