Japan Trip: Preparations
Wow... I haven't written here since... forever? XD
Anyway, since I recently had some sort of 'trip of a lifetime' to Japan, I'm thinking of writing detailed, day-by-day report. More to keep my memories than anything else, to be honest, cos if I don't write it down, I'll definitely forget the details eventually ^^;
I'll start with trip preparations this time.
Actually the idea of going to Japan has been in my mind for years, and I've been talking about this with azelsilici_ix since... I believe 2 years ago? We sort of planned that we'd go to Japan together, and if possible, watch a Corda event together. But too bad this plan hasn't been realized yet. But we still have to go together one day, Aera-chan! =3
Some time in June this year, it was announced that there would be a Corda event in September. That's when I started considering in going, since I had saved some budget from the previous project for the sake of this. I started thinking, if I don't use that money now, it will disappear in other stuff. So I mentioned this probability to her and rikimeru, and both went 'just go! This is your chance!' xD
Then August came and ticket sales for the event would start. I contacted nanami_hijiri to ask her help in getting one, since you'd need Japanese address for that. And she said OK! ^o^/ First, raffles sales, and while waiting for the results to come out, I started other preparations. My passport was overdue, and Indonesia has now applied visa waiver for Japan with the condition that your passport must be the electronic kind. The price in making one is 2-3x more expensive than normal ones, but since you can get Japanese visa waiver valid for 3 years for that, I think it's a good deal =P
Some time early August, I went to the immigration office with all needed papers. We have a branch office just outside my housing complex, but they don't handle e-passports, so I had to go to the city office ^^; It's not that far, but I had to appear early to finish early too >< I was there before 5am(!!!) and was 1st, haha. I was a bit nervous since apparently, the officers might ask for unreasonable documents and stuff, but turned out it went super smoothly. I even exchanged some light conversation with the officer who attended me xD And so at 9am, I was done. Went to pay, and then went home.
I had gone on a Monday, and the officers had said that the new passport would be sent home within 5-10 working days. Turned out it took exactly 10 days, the Friday on the next week xDDD
That very same Friday, I had gone out to meet my best friend for lunch at a mall. She had run late, so while waiting, I walked around. My eyes stumbled upon a travel agency which had lots of Japan stuff written/pasted on the office. So I went in and asked about fares for early September. The guy who attended me checked prices, but it was a bit high. Then he remembered that there is actually a promo going on, and it miiiiggghhtt still be available. He checked, and indeed there was still a seat available! The duration was a bit too long for my budget though, since I only need to be there the 10-12 September weekend and had just planned for some 7-days trip, but the available date was 5-15 September =/ But the price was very good! I was conflicted since I still didn't have the event ticket ready either and that's what mattered most, so I told him I needed to think it over. He gave me a print of the itinerary, along with his contact number.
The very following Saturday midnight, after a slight misshap, I got my event ticket! I hadn't gotten the raffle one, but managed to secure one through normal sales. Yay! So since now both my passport and event ticket are done, I really needed to hurry with the flight.
The very next Monday, August 22, I contacted the travel agent and asked him if the seat he had offered me would still be available. He checked, and it was! We quickly booked the seat, and later that day, I went to the agency to pay. I also asked them to take care of the visa waiver registration for me (you have to register your passport first). It was done within few days.
On August 28th, I met rikimeru, cos I had asked her to lend me her ICOCA, which is a cash card of sort, which you can use to pay train fares, shop, or even buy drinks from vending machines xD She accompanied me around a mall to look for universal adapter too, and later even shoes, although in the end I didn't buy cos they were too pricey =P
Yes, I needed shoes! All my walking shoes had worn out and died when I worked at the construction project, so I needed a new pair, not sneakers cos I'm not a fan, flexible and light, but sturdy enough to walk in for hours a day, since my itinerary would include semi-hiking, and definitely at least 5-6kms a day of walking. It will be one hell of a trip =P
On Friday, September 2nd, I went to the travel agency again to pick up a portable wi-fi to use in Japan, since my number would be unusable there, but I'd need internet connection for communication and GPS. Then, from the agency, on the way home, I dropped by a mall to buy some last-minute stuff like toiletries and some souvenirs I had promised nanami_hijiri and some for the Corda seiyuus too. While there, my eyes stumbled upon a store that was having a huge shoes sale, so I checked out, and found a pair I liked for a very good price! Yay! Mission accomplished! ^o^
Then came Monday, September 5th. My flight would be in the evening. In the morning and afternoon, I finished packing, contacted a exchange currency office near my house, and did all the needed transactions.
And off to Japan!
Next entry, Day 1, Tuesday, Sep 6th 2016.
Anyway, since I recently had some sort of 'trip of a lifetime' to Japan, I'm thinking of writing detailed, day-by-day report. More to keep my memories than anything else, to be honest, cos if I don't write it down, I'll definitely forget the details eventually ^^;
I'll start with trip preparations this time.
Actually the idea of going to Japan has been in my mind for years, and I've been talking about this with azelsilici_ix since... I believe 2 years ago? We sort of planned that we'd go to Japan together, and if possible, watch a Corda event together. But too bad this plan hasn't been realized yet. But we still have to go together one day, Aera-chan! =3
Some time in June this year, it was announced that there would be a Corda event in September. That's when I started considering in going, since I had saved some budget from the previous project for the sake of this. I started thinking, if I don't use that money now, it will disappear in other stuff. So I mentioned this probability to her and rikimeru, and both went 'just go! This is your chance!' xD
Then August came and ticket sales for the event would start. I contacted nanami_hijiri to ask her help in getting one, since you'd need Japanese address for that. And she said OK! ^o^/ First, raffles sales, and while waiting for the results to come out, I started other preparations. My passport was overdue, and Indonesia has now applied visa waiver for Japan with the condition that your passport must be the electronic kind. The price in making one is 2-3x more expensive than normal ones, but since you can get Japanese visa waiver valid for 3 years for that, I think it's a good deal =P
Some time early August, I went to the immigration office with all needed papers. We have a branch office just outside my housing complex, but they don't handle e-passports, so I had to go to the city office ^^; It's not that far, but I had to appear early to finish early too >< I was there before 5am(!!!) and was 1st, haha. I was a bit nervous since apparently, the officers might ask for unreasonable documents and stuff, but turned out it went super smoothly. I even exchanged some light conversation with the officer who attended me xD And so at 9am, I was done. Went to pay, and then went home.
I had gone on a Monday, and the officers had said that the new passport would be sent home within 5-10 working days. Turned out it took exactly 10 days, the Friday on the next week xDDD
That very same Friday, I had gone out to meet my best friend for lunch at a mall. She had run late, so while waiting, I walked around. My eyes stumbled upon a travel agency which had lots of Japan stuff written/pasted on the office. So I went in and asked about fares for early September. The guy who attended me checked prices, but it was a bit high. Then he remembered that there is actually a promo going on, and it miiiiggghhtt still be available. He checked, and indeed there was still a seat available! The duration was a bit too long for my budget though, since I only need to be there the 10-12 September weekend and had just planned for some 7-days trip, but the available date was 5-15 September =/ But the price was very good! I was conflicted since I still didn't have the event ticket ready either and that's what mattered most, so I told him I needed to think it over. He gave me a print of the itinerary, along with his contact number.
The very following Saturday midnight, after a slight misshap, I got my event ticket! I hadn't gotten the raffle one, but managed to secure one through normal sales. Yay! So since now both my passport and event ticket are done, I really needed to hurry with the flight.
The very next Monday, August 22, I contacted the travel agent and asked him if the seat he had offered me would still be available. He checked, and it was! We quickly booked the seat, and later that day, I went to the agency to pay. I also asked them to take care of the visa waiver registration for me (you have to register your passport first). It was done within few days.
On August 28th, I met rikimeru, cos I had asked her to lend me her ICOCA, which is a cash card of sort, which you can use to pay train fares, shop, or even buy drinks from vending machines xD She accompanied me around a mall to look for universal adapter too, and later even shoes, although in the end I didn't buy cos they were too pricey =P
Yes, I needed shoes! All my walking shoes had worn out and died when I worked at the construction project, so I needed a new pair, not sneakers cos I'm not a fan, flexible and light, but sturdy enough to walk in for hours a day, since my itinerary would include semi-hiking, and definitely at least 5-6kms a day of walking. It will be one hell of a trip =P
On Friday, September 2nd, I went to the travel agency again to pick up a portable wi-fi to use in Japan, since my number would be unusable there, but I'd need internet connection for communication and GPS. Then, from the agency, on the way home, I dropped by a mall to buy some last-minute stuff like toiletries and some souvenirs I had promised nanami_hijiri and some for the Corda seiyuus too. While there, my eyes stumbled upon a store that was having a huge shoes sale, so I checked out, and found a pair I liked for a very good price! Yay! Mission accomplished! ^o^
Then came Monday, September 5th. My flight would be in the evening. In the morning and afternoon, I finished packing, contacted a exchange currency office near my house, and did all the needed transactions.
And off to Japan!
Next entry, Day 1, Tuesday, Sep 6th 2016.