Nagoya on *A
Apr 29, 2003 | 11:27 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Los Altos, CA
Programs: UA Prem Ex
Posts: 48
Nagoya on *A
Wednesday, April 23, 2003
Invitation to Japan! I was recently invited to Nagoya, a city I have never visited and this is my trip report.
I left the house at 9:40 and made it to SFO by 10:15. Traffic was light and one nice thing I discovered about SFO is that it costs only $20/day in the International Parking lot and theyll even send you a coupon by e-mail for $10 off. I parked the car in G3 and headed for the ticket counter. A bit confusing in terms of following the signs but I made it to the Upper Level and found the ANA counter with only a few passengers checking in. I headed for the *Gold/Business Class Check-in and the ticket agent surprised me by calling me by name and telling me that they were expecting me. She checked in my one bag, booked me through to NGO, and directed me to Gate 95 and the RCC, which I had never visited.
I went through security very quickly as well and headed for the UA RCC. I was pleasantly greeted by name and went in to check things out. There is definitely more room in this lounge than in the AA Admirals Club on the domestic terminal and it was relatively empty. Showers were noted but I didnt see any computers set up. I had a quick banana and a coffee and headed for Gate 95.
Thursday, April 24, 2003
NH 7 SFO-NRT
Gate 95
Departure: 1155
Arrival: 1505 (10 minutes late)
Boeing 777-200 JA710A (complete with Indy300 logo)
Seat 20K
One of the weird things about this flight to NRT is that there is another UA codeshare leaving 25 minutes prior to this flight on a UA 744. I was excited to see how ANA compares to not only UAL but also JAL, which I flew FC last year.
Business Class on this aircraft is set up in a 2-3-2 configuration, similar to a UA 777 I flew from NRT-TPE last year. The seat, however, was built for someone who is native to Asia, I believe, because at 510 I couldnt get quite comfortable with the footrest it felt too short. In addition, the seat bottom felt very uncomfortable to me and toward the end of this flight my bottom was hurtin. The PTV was 5 and looked and felt small and there were no power ports for my laptop; instead, they graciously offered me a portable battery to plug my laptop but they didnt have the proper plug for my particular laptop. Note to airline alliances: please try and make these things standard across your alliance (or better yet, across ALL wide-body aircraft).
Because of the laptop battery issue, I ended up seeing four movies: Analyze That, The Transporter, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, and The Tuxedo. There were 16 movies (a few were in two languages) which made for a nice selection and the games were pretty reasonable as well (Shanghai, Golf, Vegas Games, Super PunchOut, etc). When comparing the JAL FC programming of last May to todays ANA, there is no comparison.ANA hands-down.
The flight left on time and the stewardesses were very kind although their English was only passable. That said, the service was very good and they were very helpful. The food choices were a Western or Japanese lunch and a pre-landing snack. I sampled both Japanese choices and they were good (not outstanding) with fish, rice, buckwheat noodles, and miso soup as well as a surprise octopus in the lunch. I was only a bit surprised when I also had a real metal fork and spoon included in my napkin!
The landing was delayed by air traffic around NRT and it was cloudy and rainy upon arrival. We arrived at Gate 92. En route during the taxi to the gate, I noted several interesting aircraft including an Iran Air 747SP, Vietnam Airlines 767 (in the old white livery, not in the beautiful blue and gold of their brand-new 777), an NZ 767, and two dozen JAL and ANA 744s, as well as the usual assortment of UA, AA, and CO 777s from the USA and even a CI A340 and Korean Air A330 and 777. I headed for Immigration and then Customs (nice job with the FC *Alliance/ANA Priority luggage tag) and was directed to the Domestic Terminal.
I checked in my luggage after clearing the counter security and was given a pass to the Signet Lounge, which is one floor above domestic check-in, next to the JAL Sakura Lounge. The lounge was relatively crowded but had a beer tap, a refrigerator well-stocked with drinks, crackers and cheese, and a separate smoking room. There were also reading materials in English and Japanese, so I had some tea and ate some crackers before I left. The only downside to this lounge is that the bathroom is actually outside the lounge.
NH 339 NRT-NGO
Gate B1
Departure: 1655
Arrival: 1750 (15 minutes early)
Airbus A320 Seat 7A
There is only Y-class on this flight and we are bussed to the plane. The flight was mostly full but somehow I manage to get an empty seat between me and the person in 7C. This is a short flight (178 miles) and only one of the stewardesses speaks English. She handed me a coffee when I ask for orange juice. Oh well We landed in the rain in NGO and were bussed to the terminal. En route, I was surprised to see a NWA 744 land (from the ground, that baby is huge!) as well as a NZ 767. I hadnt been aware that NGO was a popular international destination I later learned that NGO handles 198 flights from many international places as far away as New York and Frankfurt. My hostess picked me up at the airport and we head for the Hilton, a $55 trip by taxi.
Hilton Nagoya
Executive Floor
Room 2515
This Hilton has a nice lobby but check-in was on the 26th Floor at the separate Executive Lounge. This was very quiet, with personal service. There is free use of the pool, 30 minutes of high-speed Internet access (unfortunately, though, all the way down on the ground floor in the Business office) and free breakfast. The view of a rainy Nagoya from the 25th floor was nothing exciting. The room was very nice and large by Japanese standards with a queen-size bed and a small loveseat tucked away in the corner with a table and desk as well a daily fruit plate and an international newspaper.
I go out to dinner with my hosts and enjoy the Chinese restaurant, Dynasty, on the 3rd floor. Dinner ends at 10:45 and I head back to my room to get some much-needed sleep.
Friday, April 25, 2003
I awaken the next morning and prepare to meet my hosts. We head to a live demonstration and I see how common workplaces can be across the world. I meet some new colleagues and enjoy conversations with them.
For lunch, we head out to a local pork-cutlet restaurant. Nagoya is famous for miso (soybean paste) and the pork is tender and in a miso sauce. It is absolutely delicious. Its still raining so we head back to the hotel for an hour, then head out for the conference at the Congress Hall, which is a large and beautiful building. I make last-minute preparations for my presentation and go over it with the interpreters. I head into the main conference hall and eventually give my talk. Things go very well and I head back to the hotel before dinner.
Dinner is at a local Japanese restaurant, complete with geisha dancing. The food is fabulous and the service outstanding. I have great conversations with my hosts.
Saturday, April 26, 2003
I got up early (too early) and watched TV for awhile, then finally went to breakfast and ate a Japanese-style breakfast with rice porridge, pickles, and fish as well as salad. I went back to my room and later that morning went with my hosts on a lovely drive to Inuyama castle. The castle rested upon a hill and overlooked the entire city. The castle itself was four stories and we climbed to the top and enjoyed the view. The recent rains had engorged the local river and the floodgates were wide-open, making for a fast river current. We descended from the castle and walked a short distance to the famous Tea House, adjacent to a hotel.
The tea house grounds include a very peaceful bamboo garden and we meandered our way through the garden to the tea house. We paid 500 yen to sip green tea in the proper fashion (take a sip, wipe the rim, then rotate the cup a few degrees to a fresh spot) with a nicely sweet (but not too sweet) chestnut and tea yokan, a red bean paste. Delicious.
After our break, we continued walking through the garden and went back to our hosts car, a brand-new (2768 km on the odometer) BMW 330i with left-hand drive and 17 wheels with an interior M package (M steering wheel and 5-speed shifter). We headed for town and eventually landed at the downtown Matsuzakaya department store. On the 10th floor is a famous eel restaurant and we had a wonderful lunch of eel, rice and soup. The eel was prepared in a special sauce, barbequed, and then cut into about 1 pieces and mixed with rice. Wow.
After lunch, we did a little shopping and I picked up some Japanese castella (cake) and a tiny digital camera for my wife.
By this point, we were all exhausted and headed back to the hotel. I rested for about an hour and then we headed back out for dinner at the ANA hotel on the 30th floor. I gave a short presentation to a gathered group and saw my old friend, Ken. I was tired and the dinner started with sushi followed by a Japanese version of clam chowder (very watery) and the main course was a combo of fish and chicken, accompanied by lychees. Dessert was an upside down solidified tapioca pudding and I had some coffee. By this point, I was exhausted but we said our good-byes and Ken and his friend then accompanied me to the hotel bar where I had more coffee with ice cream. We chatted amicably for another hour and then headed home. My hostess gave me a gift of chestnut yokan.
I think I fell asleep in but a few minutes.
Sunday, April 27, 2003
I got up this morning and had a great soothing hot bath. I then went down and had some breakfast and started packing. I noticed in the lobby several flight attendants from NZ and SQ.
The taxi ride to the airport took about 20 minutes; I checked-in very quickly at the FC/Club ANA counter with my bag checked all the way to SFO. I got my boarding pass, said good-bye to my excellent hostess, and headed for security.
NH 338 NGO-NRT
Gate A/14
Departure: 1221
Arrival: 1318 (15 minutes early)
Airbus A320 Seat 10A
The domestic waiting area at NGO is relatively small and packed with passengers. This flight was also Y-only and there were many foreigners on the flight, presumably connecting in NRT with international departures. The flight time in the air was but 45 minutes and we landed on Runway 34-R, the shortest runway at NRT. Upon arrival, I noted several more interesting aircraft, including two A340s (CI and Turkish Air), a Philippines Airlines A330, and a jazzy-looking CO 777 with the word Max scripted on its side. I also spied an ANA 777 with the Indy300 logo but couldnt see the registration to see if it was the same aircraft that brought me across the Pacific. We were bussed to the domestic terminal and I jumped out and caught the bus to Terminal 1. After arrival, I went to the United desk, checked-in, and spent roughly 5 minutes through security and immigration. I eventually made it to the RCC, which was quite large (huge). By my recollection, they must've built or remodeled this lounge in NRT. The food was minimal, however, but the very-famous beer and soda taps were spotted. Because of my hunger, I headed back outside and went to the restaurant near gate 26 and ordered a tuna rice bowl, which was delicious. I paid for this in $US and it cost me $9.33 including a large soda. This was the first trip Ive taken to Japan where I havent bothered to exchange dollars for yen. Awesome. After lunch, I went back to the RCC and relaxed before boarding.
UA 838 NRT-SFO
Departure: 1610
Arrival: 0855
Boeing 747-400 Seat 17H
Boarding went very smoothly and I was able to see my boss just before boarding in the gate area. We had a short conversation and headed together into the airplane. He was flying FC so I said goodbye and headed upstairs. The upper-deck was completely full and manned by two female flight attendants (I later learned the entire airplane was completely full!). The flight left on time and the menu included the Obento, which I ordered for dinner.
A preflight OJ was offered and delivered and early into the flight nuts (unwarmed) were served. As an aside, one of my wifes favorite things about flying FC on AA is the warm nuts (the ice cream sundae is also a big hit). Having been spoiled by AA, the nuts were not very appetizing. Shortly after this disappointment, the Obento was served. It was passable but nowhere near delicious. There were fish and rice and some pickles. I suppose I shouldnt expect anything special in terms of food.
One thing about flying UA across the Pacific is that it seems like a letdown after flying a foreign carrier. There is no video-on-demand (at least in C class) and the service doesnt feel as warm and friendly. I think this flight may be somewhat hindered from reaching truly regal service because its full. That said, the C seats on this 744 are much more comfortable than those on the ANA 777 and the service is efficient. The flight attendant passes out water bottles just after dinner.
I sleep for about four hours and plug in my laptop (!). The seat has an EmPower plug built into the side console. The neat thing about my Targus adapter, I learn, is that it will work with both the EmPower and the AA plug.
Breakfast is served: mixed fruit, croissant (unwarmed) and a peach yogurt. I also have apple juice and a coffee. Again, passable.
I like the Upper Deck in the 744: its a 2-2 configuration and feels somewhat like a private deck because it looks small and cozy when compared to the larger lower deck. Ill be interested in seeing how an A380 compares when it finally comes out in several years.
We landed in SFO a few minutes early and spent but a few minutes in line for Immigration. Customs was also a breeze and I was out by 9:10 AM. I headed straight for the car and the parking coupon worked! I was soon back home with my family.
After a few days, I checked out my mileage on UAs website: the ANA miles took a few days to post and I was credited with 125% of the miles flown across the Pacific with an addition 181 miles for the ANA domestic flight. The UA miles were bonused the 125%, with the ANA domestic return still to be credited. I guess there is a clear miles advantage when flying UA (as opposed to one of its *A partners).
[This message has been edited by cferret (edited 04-29-2003).]
Invitation to Japan! I was recently invited to Nagoya, a city I have never visited and this is my trip report.
I left the house at 9:40 and made it to SFO by 10:15. Traffic was light and one nice thing I discovered about SFO is that it costs only $20/day in the International Parking lot and theyll even send you a coupon by e-mail for $10 off. I parked the car in G3 and headed for the ticket counter. A bit confusing in terms of following the signs but I made it to the Upper Level and found the ANA counter with only a few passengers checking in. I headed for the *Gold/Business Class Check-in and the ticket agent surprised me by calling me by name and telling me that they were expecting me. She checked in my one bag, booked me through to NGO, and directed me to Gate 95 and the RCC, which I had never visited.
I went through security very quickly as well and headed for the UA RCC. I was pleasantly greeted by name and went in to check things out. There is definitely more room in this lounge than in the AA Admirals Club on the domestic terminal and it was relatively empty. Showers were noted but I didnt see any computers set up. I had a quick banana and a coffee and headed for Gate 95.
Thursday, April 24, 2003
NH 7 SFO-NRT
Gate 95
Departure: 1155
Arrival: 1505 (10 minutes late)
Boeing 777-200 JA710A (complete with Indy300 logo)
Seat 20K
One of the weird things about this flight to NRT is that there is another UA codeshare leaving 25 minutes prior to this flight on a UA 744. I was excited to see how ANA compares to not only UAL but also JAL, which I flew FC last year.
Business Class on this aircraft is set up in a 2-3-2 configuration, similar to a UA 777 I flew from NRT-TPE last year. The seat, however, was built for someone who is native to Asia, I believe, because at 510 I couldnt get quite comfortable with the footrest it felt too short. In addition, the seat bottom felt very uncomfortable to me and toward the end of this flight my bottom was hurtin. The PTV was 5 and looked and felt small and there were no power ports for my laptop; instead, they graciously offered me a portable battery to plug my laptop but they didnt have the proper plug for my particular laptop. Note to airline alliances: please try and make these things standard across your alliance (or better yet, across ALL wide-body aircraft).
Because of the laptop battery issue, I ended up seeing four movies: Analyze That, The Transporter, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, and The Tuxedo. There were 16 movies (a few were in two languages) which made for a nice selection and the games were pretty reasonable as well (Shanghai, Golf, Vegas Games, Super PunchOut, etc). When comparing the JAL FC programming of last May to todays ANA, there is no comparison.ANA hands-down.
The flight left on time and the stewardesses were very kind although their English was only passable. That said, the service was very good and they were very helpful. The food choices were a Western or Japanese lunch and a pre-landing snack. I sampled both Japanese choices and they were good (not outstanding) with fish, rice, buckwheat noodles, and miso soup as well as a surprise octopus in the lunch. I was only a bit surprised when I also had a real metal fork and spoon included in my napkin!
The landing was delayed by air traffic around NRT and it was cloudy and rainy upon arrival. We arrived at Gate 92. En route during the taxi to the gate, I noted several interesting aircraft including an Iran Air 747SP, Vietnam Airlines 767 (in the old white livery, not in the beautiful blue and gold of their brand-new 777), an NZ 767, and two dozen JAL and ANA 744s, as well as the usual assortment of UA, AA, and CO 777s from the USA and even a CI A340 and Korean Air A330 and 777. I headed for Immigration and then Customs (nice job with the FC *Alliance/ANA Priority luggage tag) and was directed to the Domestic Terminal.
I checked in my luggage after clearing the counter security and was given a pass to the Signet Lounge, which is one floor above domestic check-in, next to the JAL Sakura Lounge. The lounge was relatively crowded but had a beer tap, a refrigerator well-stocked with drinks, crackers and cheese, and a separate smoking room. There were also reading materials in English and Japanese, so I had some tea and ate some crackers before I left. The only downside to this lounge is that the bathroom is actually outside the lounge.
NH 339 NRT-NGO
Gate B1
Departure: 1655
Arrival: 1750 (15 minutes early)
Airbus A320 Seat 7A
There is only Y-class on this flight and we are bussed to the plane. The flight was mostly full but somehow I manage to get an empty seat between me and the person in 7C. This is a short flight (178 miles) and only one of the stewardesses speaks English. She handed me a coffee when I ask for orange juice. Oh well We landed in the rain in NGO and were bussed to the terminal. En route, I was surprised to see a NWA 744 land (from the ground, that baby is huge!) as well as a NZ 767. I hadnt been aware that NGO was a popular international destination I later learned that NGO handles 198 flights from many international places as far away as New York and Frankfurt. My hostess picked me up at the airport and we head for the Hilton, a $55 trip by taxi.
Hilton Nagoya
Executive Floor
Room 2515
This Hilton has a nice lobby but check-in was on the 26th Floor at the separate Executive Lounge. This was very quiet, with personal service. There is free use of the pool, 30 minutes of high-speed Internet access (unfortunately, though, all the way down on the ground floor in the Business office) and free breakfast. The view of a rainy Nagoya from the 25th floor was nothing exciting. The room was very nice and large by Japanese standards with a queen-size bed and a small loveseat tucked away in the corner with a table and desk as well a daily fruit plate and an international newspaper.
I go out to dinner with my hosts and enjoy the Chinese restaurant, Dynasty, on the 3rd floor. Dinner ends at 10:45 and I head back to my room to get some much-needed sleep.
Friday, April 25, 2003
I awaken the next morning and prepare to meet my hosts. We head to a live demonstration and I see how common workplaces can be across the world. I meet some new colleagues and enjoy conversations with them.
For lunch, we head out to a local pork-cutlet restaurant. Nagoya is famous for miso (soybean paste) and the pork is tender and in a miso sauce. It is absolutely delicious. Its still raining so we head back to the hotel for an hour, then head out for the conference at the Congress Hall, which is a large and beautiful building. I make last-minute preparations for my presentation and go over it with the interpreters. I head into the main conference hall and eventually give my talk. Things go very well and I head back to the hotel before dinner.
Dinner is at a local Japanese restaurant, complete with geisha dancing. The food is fabulous and the service outstanding. I have great conversations with my hosts.
Saturday, April 26, 2003
I got up early (too early) and watched TV for awhile, then finally went to breakfast and ate a Japanese-style breakfast with rice porridge, pickles, and fish as well as salad. I went back to my room and later that morning went with my hosts on a lovely drive to Inuyama castle. The castle rested upon a hill and overlooked the entire city. The castle itself was four stories and we climbed to the top and enjoyed the view. The recent rains had engorged the local river and the floodgates were wide-open, making for a fast river current. We descended from the castle and walked a short distance to the famous Tea House, adjacent to a hotel.
The tea house grounds include a very peaceful bamboo garden and we meandered our way through the garden to the tea house. We paid 500 yen to sip green tea in the proper fashion (take a sip, wipe the rim, then rotate the cup a few degrees to a fresh spot) with a nicely sweet (but not too sweet) chestnut and tea yokan, a red bean paste. Delicious.
After our break, we continued walking through the garden and went back to our hosts car, a brand-new (2768 km on the odometer) BMW 330i with left-hand drive and 17 wheels with an interior M package (M steering wheel and 5-speed shifter). We headed for town and eventually landed at the downtown Matsuzakaya department store. On the 10th floor is a famous eel restaurant and we had a wonderful lunch of eel, rice and soup. The eel was prepared in a special sauce, barbequed, and then cut into about 1 pieces and mixed with rice. Wow.
After lunch, we did a little shopping and I picked up some Japanese castella (cake) and a tiny digital camera for my wife.
By this point, we were all exhausted and headed back to the hotel. I rested for about an hour and then we headed back out for dinner at the ANA hotel on the 30th floor. I gave a short presentation to a gathered group and saw my old friend, Ken. I was tired and the dinner started with sushi followed by a Japanese version of clam chowder (very watery) and the main course was a combo of fish and chicken, accompanied by lychees. Dessert was an upside down solidified tapioca pudding and I had some coffee. By this point, I was exhausted but we said our good-byes and Ken and his friend then accompanied me to the hotel bar where I had more coffee with ice cream. We chatted amicably for another hour and then headed home. My hostess gave me a gift of chestnut yokan.
I think I fell asleep in but a few minutes.
Sunday, April 27, 2003
I got up this morning and had a great soothing hot bath. I then went down and had some breakfast and started packing. I noticed in the lobby several flight attendants from NZ and SQ.
The taxi ride to the airport took about 20 minutes; I checked-in very quickly at the FC/Club ANA counter with my bag checked all the way to SFO. I got my boarding pass, said good-bye to my excellent hostess, and headed for security.
NH 338 NGO-NRT
Gate A/14
Departure: 1221
Arrival: 1318 (15 minutes early)
Airbus A320 Seat 10A
The domestic waiting area at NGO is relatively small and packed with passengers. This flight was also Y-only and there were many foreigners on the flight, presumably connecting in NRT with international departures. The flight time in the air was but 45 minutes and we landed on Runway 34-R, the shortest runway at NRT. Upon arrival, I noted several more interesting aircraft, including two A340s (CI and Turkish Air), a Philippines Airlines A330, and a jazzy-looking CO 777 with the word Max scripted on its side. I also spied an ANA 777 with the Indy300 logo but couldnt see the registration to see if it was the same aircraft that brought me across the Pacific. We were bussed to the domestic terminal and I jumped out and caught the bus to Terminal 1. After arrival, I went to the United desk, checked-in, and spent roughly 5 minutes through security and immigration. I eventually made it to the RCC, which was quite large (huge). By my recollection, they must've built or remodeled this lounge in NRT. The food was minimal, however, but the very-famous beer and soda taps were spotted. Because of my hunger, I headed back outside and went to the restaurant near gate 26 and ordered a tuna rice bowl, which was delicious. I paid for this in $US and it cost me $9.33 including a large soda. This was the first trip Ive taken to Japan where I havent bothered to exchange dollars for yen. Awesome. After lunch, I went back to the RCC and relaxed before boarding.
UA 838 NRT-SFO
Departure: 1610
Arrival: 0855
Boeing 747-400 Seat 17H
Boarding went very smoothly and I was able to see my boss just before boarding in the gate area. We had a short conversation and headed together into the airplane. He was flying FC so I said goodbye and headed upstairs. The upper-deck was completely full and manned by two female flight attendants (I later learned the entire airplane was completely full!). The flight left on time and the menu included the Obento, which I ordered for dinner.
A preflight OJ was offered and delivered and early into the flight nuts (unwarmed) were served. As an aside, one of my wifes favorite things about flying FC on AA is the warm nuts (the ice cream sundae is also a big hit). Having been spoiled by AA, the nuts were not very appetizing. Shortly after this disappointment, the Obento was served. It was passable but nowhere near delicious. There were fish and rice and some pickles. I suppose I shouldnt expect anything special in terms of food.
One thing about flying UA across the Pacific is that it seems like a letdown after flying a foreign carrier. There is no video-on-demand (at least in C class) and the service doesnt feel as warm and friendly. I think this flight may be somewhat hindered from reaching truly regal service because its full. That said, the C seats on this 744 are much more comfortable than those on the ANA 777 and the service is efficient. The flight attendant passes out water bottles just after dinner.
I sleep for about four hours and plug in my laptop (!). The seat has an EmPower plug built into the side console. The neat thing about my Targus adapter, I learn, is that it will work with both the EmPower and the AA plug.
Breakfast is served: mixed fruit, croissant (unwarmed) and a peach yogurt. I also have apple juice and a coffee. Again, passable.
I like the Upper Deck in the 744: its a 2-2 configuration and feels somewhat like a private deck because it looks small and cozy when compared to the larger lower deck. Ill be interested in seeing how an A380 compares when it finally comes out in several years.
We landed in SFO a few minutes early and spent but a few minutes in line for Immigration. Customs was also a breeze and I was out by 9:10 AM. I headed straight for the car and the parking coupon worked! I was soon back home with my family.
After a few days, I checked out my mileage on UAs website: the ANA miles took a few days to post and I was credited with 125% of the miles flown across the Pacific with an addition 181 miles for the ANA domestic flight. The UA miles were bonused the 125%, with the ANA domestic return still to be credited. I guess there is a clear miles advantage when flying UA (as opposed to one of its *A partners).
[This message has been edited by cferret (edited 04-29-2003).]
Apr 29, 2003 | 2:10 pm
#2
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: ORD
Programs: UA Plat, Marriott Gold,HH Gold
Posts: 2,752
Great report! I also enjoyed a visit to the castle in Nagoya many years ago. The moat used to house animals then. I believe I took the train from NRT though. I don't remember how long it took but it wasn't too bad. Hopefully, I will be back there sometime soon.