Big in Japan

Grinding my way through the gig here, getting into the home stretch.

I've been living like a ghost, not really going anywhere beyond the hotel and the cordoned-off olympic spaces where I do my work.

I normally enjoy being a tourist during my downtime while working on the road, but it's going to be a while before that sort of tourism is included in the new normal.

When the pandemic hit, all my bookings vaporized and I simply stayed home and tried to catch all the consulting and over-the-wire remote work I could get.

Now with the miracle of vaccination I've felt safe enough to get back out on the road and book some proper business. Unfortunately, the vaccine hasn't been very available to the people of Japan. For the first couple of weeks I was limited by their quarantine system, and now I'm limiting public contact anyway. Both to reduce overall exposure and also because I recognize that not all of our hosts have wished us a warm welcome. As the thread title implies I stand out around here, so I don't really want to aggravate anyone.

The government has extended their state of emergency which more or less means that restaurants and bars aren't welcoming anyone in the evening hours.

If there is a silver lining it's that Tokyo already had an excellent variety of restaurants and a well-developed culture of convenient delivery.

 

Maybe not, but the taxes are very high for ≥2.0L so it won't be much bigger.

 

Hope she gets over it quickly!

While I am taking on work, it sure isn't like it used to be. I don't go into restaurants or stores. I don't socialize with my crewmates, which is a drag but we will get over it.

I've passed 8 tests since the start of this adventure, with 4 more to go before I will allow myself back into my own home.

My own daughter is too young for the vaccine, so I'm trying to be super careful. I just bought a stack of instant covid tests so that I can check myself when going home from each gig- the plan is to take the test at the airport before coming home. If it comes up hot I check into a hotel instead.

To be honest, I feel like it's been pretty easy to stay safe here despite low vaccination levels. The public is well masked and distanced.

If anything I'm dreading my next gig more: Tampa, Florida.