Sunday, August 20, 2006

HP nx4300 and CASIO EXILIM EX-Z600


I bought B5 laptop, HP JAPAN nx4300 and 6.0 mega pixels digital camera, CASIO EXILIM EX-Z600 in early May before I went to business trip to Vietnam. I planned to go to Atlanta for next assignment after Vietnam and I will need PC and digital camera in near future, so I decided to buy. I have an all-in-one printer of HP, my son has a HP desktop and laptop, I have a friend working for HP, so I'm a fan of HP. I used to use SONY's CYBER SHOT and CANON's KISS DIGITAL, but this time I chose high quality compact digital camera very carefully checking spec of several models of CASIO, SONY or CANON. Both nx4300 and EX-Z600 were good choices at that time, I believe. They worked very hard in Vietnam.

Tuesday, August 15, 2006

La Squall, Vietnamese restaurant in Ginza, Tokyo

On April 14, I went to have a dinner with my friends at La Squall, Vietnamese restaurant in Ginza, Tokyo. I had two bottles of 333, one of best selling beers in Ho Chi Minh and Nep Moi, sticky rice spirit. I liked Nep Moi at this time. Later in Hanoi, I liked it much more drinking on the rock of Nep Moi everyday. I can tell you this story later.

Sunday, August 13, 2006

firehills bought a new suitcase


I had used a suitcase for a long time, which I bought in 1989 when I had a new assignment in Hong Kong. This suitcase had traveled from and to Japan, Hong Kong, Sebu Island in Philippines, Bali Island in Indonesia, Singapore and United States for 13 years and the lock was finally out of order. So I gave it up after coming back from United States in 2002. I bought a new one for long business trip to Vietnam. It was relatively large. When I packed it up, it seemed to have more than 20KGS. In Tokyo International Airport, I had no problem even if I had a golf bag as well. Total weight was maybe more than 30KGS. However when I came back from Noibai International Airport, it caused a trouble when I checked in. I can tell you this story later.

Wednesday, August 09, 2006

firehills went to Embassy of Vietnam

On April 10, 2006 I went to Embassy of Vietnam in Japan to get the visa. It is in a quiet resident area of Shibuya, 10 minutes walk from Yoyogi-hachiman station of Odakyu Line. Their website said that it was necessary to bring a guarantee letter from the sponsor in Vietnam to get business visa. But when I made a phone call to them, they told me that letter wasn't necessary, passport and photo were enough and visa would be issued immediately. There were 3 consulate stuff there and they issued my visa in just 20 minutes without any letter as they told me. I got a 3-months, multiple visa. Issuing fee was JPY10,000.

Saturday, August 05, 2006

firehills was asked to go to Vietnam

At last I start this blog. Sorry to be late.

I remember that I was asked to go to Vietnam by my boss at the first day on April 3 when I entered my company. "First day", but I had been in this company for 2 years, and I expected my new assignment would be on abroad, so when I was asked to go Vietnam I wasn't surprised to hear that. Anyway, my boss asked me to go Vietnam only for 2 months and go to United States next.

Our company has a newly established factory in Noi Bai Industrial Zone in Hanoi, Vietnam. I go there to help accounting and general administration of the factory. Between 1989 and 1996 during my stay in Hong Kong, I have been to Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, China, Taiwan, Philippines and Indonesia for business and just sightseeing, but this is the first time to go to Vietnam. Factory Director is Japanese and 2 more Japanese are from Japan. So I didn't worry about. My biggest concern was whether I would bring my golf bag or not. I didn't know at all about golf courses in Vietnam at that time.