FYI, this is a rare Jason post. Be prepared.

Earlier this month, I headed to Japan for a few days of work. I was prepared for the business and technical aspects of my journey but I wasn’t as prepared for what it would be like to actually be in Japan. There are quite a few differences between the U.S. and Japan, especially for a computer geek such as me.

Tokyo was my first stop. Tokyo is one massive city, the largest on the planet. There, the buildings sprawl out without end and the streets seem to go everywhere. You don’t really understand just how big this city is until you observe it from the top of one of its huge skyscrapers. I went to the top of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building, which has 360-degree views, and all I could see in every direction was skyscrapers, concrete, and more buildings.

You’d imagine that the WiFi access would be excellent in such a place, where so many people are packed into a small area. Well, there was WiFi hotspots everywhere in Tokyo. Unfortunately, I couldn’t read any of the SSIDs and had no idea which ones were safe and secure and which were fake. Working in computer security has made me very cautious/paranoid about connecting to potentially malicious hotspots. My solution was to only utilize WiFi at the hotel and use cellular data as little as possible to save on my phone bill; it still ended up being over $400.

I also traveled to Sapporo and liked it more than Tokyo. Sapporo wasn’t quite as big but it was still a massive stretch of buildings. It had a very interesting underground mall, the largest mall I’ve ever been in. The people in Sapporo were extremely friendly, although practically no one spoke English. Everyone was willing to help any way they could and you didn’t have to go far to see a lot of sights.

Do you enjoy and eat seafood? What would you envision if you were asked this question? I thought of flakey halibut and roasted salmon. Let’s just say that “seafood” means something else in Japan. I went out with some business associates to a very nice seafood restaurant in Sapporo. The meal consisted of 10 courses of authentic Japanese-style seafood: raw fish, tentacles, octopus eggs, sea urchins, and who knows what else. I probably wasn’t the best person to take to a fancy seafood restaurant like that.

Overall, my business trip to Japan was interesting but I’d much rather stay in the US. Japan was a crazy and hectic place, although very welcoming even when incomprehensible. It’s a different feeling being in a city with millions of people and yet not being able to speak to a single one. If you do go to Japan, I’d recommend learning a bit more Japanese than I did before going, which was none.

Jason and I have traveled to Las Vegas many times, brought there by conferences, anniversaries, and juvenile frolics. This November it was business that took us to Sin City but amusement and cuisine that kept us there.

Las Vegas is an odd place. It may look modern but in lots of ways it’s completely backwards. Although elsewhere humanity has made progress, in Vegas it’s still okay to objectify women and blow cigarette smoke in someone’s face. Yes, some things about that epicenter of indulgence literally stink. However, few places on this planet are packed with as many tantalizing restaurant and entertainment options. I’m salivating simply at the thought.

Jason had company business and clients to attend to the first couple of days we were in Vegas but that didn’t stop us from enjoying ourselves. We ate fabulous dinners at Delmonico Steakhouse and Tom Colicchio’s Heritage Steak and caught The Beatles LOVE with his customers and coworkers.

Once Jason’s work was over, we spent the rest of the weekend shopping, showing, and soaking in all 76 degrees of the sun’s glory.

We sampled scrumptious seafood at AquaKnox and saw Le Reve, the aquatic masterpiece voted best show in Vegas. But, even with all that fanciness, my favorite part of our whole trip was just sitting by the pool with an iced green tea and a laptop. Relaxation is the rarest adventure in our lives.

Las Vegas isn’t a place I could be content for more than a few days but for a limited amount of time, surrounded by sunshine and shops, I can cope just fine.