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Trip Observations

We are about two weeks into our trip. Some very noticeable differences indeed from last year.

Tokyo seemed less expensive. Jobs are around and more people are working. It is still not running on all cylinders economically per our friend there. We stayed in the Takenawa district of Tokyo. It was nice to walk downtown at night with no sense of danger. Can't say that for most places.

Seattle is still economically thriving. The unemployment rate has been stable in Seattle but in outlying areas the rate is going up. Tacoma is at 7.3%. Thirty miles distance but totally different labor markets.

The prices of everything have really jumped. Ground beef is $4.16 a pound on the cheap end and $5.26 a pound on the opposite end of the spectrum. This is the regular stuff, not the premium. Beef in general is way higher. But I have noticed high prices on most items. A loaf of French bread from the store bakery used to be $0.99 or so and it was $3.19 yesterday. Cereals are much more expensive. But, there is no inflation as I am told. It all depends.........

The price inflation is not just in the USA either. A Marriott hamburger in Manila is over $15.00. Good burger by the way. The wife and I split the meal, burger and fries with a nice garden salad and soft drinks for just over $28.00.

I stopped in to the Apple Store today to buy a iPhone 6 and to get a new battery for my old 4S. Took an hour or so. The store was busy for a mid week day. One table was full of two to four yr old children playing with iPads. The next generation of Apple consumers. The service was good and in fact the nice young lady stayed with me for a half hour while my phone uploaded my Cloud info. Very patient. We talked about the business. They are eager for the watch to start selling. All the employees were happy and seemed to enjoy their job, unlike most places where employees are drones going through their motions. As a older person, I enjoyed the banter as it could be assumed that Apple is a young company full of young people. In fact, several older people (50 yrs and up) were in the store. According to the sales person, iPhone 6 sales continue to amaze. A lot of people are buying the Plus model which is a surprise. I bought the standard size. The new MacBook models are selling well also.

I have noticed a general increase in taxes as well. In some areas of WA, the sales tax is approaching 10%. Generally we are paying 9.8%. Fees and tolls are also rising. There is a general sense that it is becoming more and more expensive for everyday things. This is not new but it is much more noticeable this year than in years past for us.

A couple of weeks to go before we head back to SE Asia. I will check in from time to time until we are back home.

All the best,

John.

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Comments

  • Hello, thanks for the report. Interesting. About prices: I can definitely confirm your impression! Prices for everything have shot up. I suppose that pricey Marriott burger was in fact so pricey because they figure everyone there is spending money from expense accounts, or else "tourist dollars," eh? So, they gotcha.
  • The fact is that the hotel is part of the Resorts World complex there so lot of gamblers. Interesting side note, Marriot is adding another 300 rooms with a new wing plus a reception/ballroom addition to their existing plan. This hotel is only a couple of years old. The new rooms will double their size. Another hotel nearby is adding on and Sheraton and Hilton are building new hotels in the same complex. Genting is a big player in the Resorts World which has operations all over Asia.

    A lot of Chinese are coming over which adds to business. Chinese just love to gamble. This complex allows smoking which might be attracting former Macau gamblers since they went no smoking in their casinos. The smoking keeps both of us out of the casinos but we do not gamble anyway.

    Manila is becoming another Asia gambling destination. The City of Dreams is another resort complex .
  • Continue; ( Did MFO put a word limiter in? )
    i keep getting bumped off with some owl banner.
  • Continue; ( Did MFO put a word limiter in? )
    i keep getting bumped off with some owl banner.


    did you mean length? you are allowed 10,000 characters per comment.

  • I have noticed some changes. Good ones at that. I saw the other thread too.

    Just wondered what the owl thing was.
  • Hmmmm..... I just finished a not-so-short contribution here, pressed "Post Comment" andFO, not jumping in from another website. ....... Just LOST a bunch of text I've typed-in here.:( And you can see the disjointed spot! ("...andFO.")
  • THAT one went through. Accipiter, I'm going to try your suggestion again... Just a few minutes...
  • ...What I was in the middle of explaining was that my previous attempt to post, just moments ago, ended up getting aborted somehow. What seemed to be an Error Message internal to MFO appeared, telling me: "Well, this is embarrassing, isn't it?
  • edited April 2015
    @Crash, I wish they would put the same efforts into the airport in Manila as they do these gambling destinations. Two weeks ago, we transited the newest terminal. Open for a couple of years now and the air conditioning has stopped working already. Portable units were placed at check in. The rest of the terminal was deplorable.

    It's still the worst airport on the planet.
  • You're absolutely right! I've seen and experienced that place more than once. There was one trip when I simply forgot there'd be an exit tax. I was booked to Los Angeles on China Airlines. EVA had an earlier flight. I went to see if I could re-book on EVA, but China Airlines would not let go. In the meantime, EVA's employees lent me money for the exit tax! Amazing, wonderful episode, in a horrible, trashy, awful Manila Airport. ...I sent them back the USD equivalent, later. They responded with a lovely letter. Another time, I was booked to and from Cebu on Cebu Pacific. They offered a "free" shuttle from the domestic to the International Aquino airport. It wasn't so very "free" when they dumped me at the wrong terminal and I had to grab a taxi to the PAL building.
  • edited April 2015
    I've lived in a county where the sales tax was getting closer to 10% and it really gets to that point where you feel like there's an "upper bound" at that psychological 10% level. It's then finding other little things (bottle tax at the grocery store, etc. etc etc etc) Food inflation does continue, but yeah, that's not part of the CPI and I'm sure it's "transitory", so...

    You have had house prices in this country go up quite a bit in a lot of areas, but you have had reports from Zillow and elsewhere talking about how many homeowners who bought at the peak may never get out from being underwater (http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2015-03-20/underwater-homeowners-here-stay-zillow-says). Broadly economically, I think there are a lot of areas in this country that are still absolutely hurting and in many cases, these areas are a short drive from areas that are doing well or very well.

    How are you liking the iPhone 6? I decided to move from the Nexus 5 to the Galaxy S5 the other day. Definitely a nice upgrade, better screen, camera, better battery life, faster, waterproof (as long as the charger cover is on and the phone is sealed because it does have a removable back cover) and removable battery (which I'd missed on the Nexus line.)

    As for the Plus, I just can't imagine carrying a phone around that's much bigger than the Nexus5/Galaxy S5. Looked at the Nexus 6 and Note 4 at TMobile, just too much phone. Saw the new Galaxy S6, metal body (which looked nice) but no longer waterproof or removable battery.

    Interesting to hear about Resorts World. I love the Genting stocks in theory, Resorts World Manila looks freaking amazing, and yet the stocks have done terribly (the ADR shares for the parent co are about half of what they were in 2011.)

    Glad your trip has been going well and thank you for sharing some details. Hope the rest of the trip goes great.


  • 40 word limit is ideal for any Blog site...after that the ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ factor is invoked..thinking is: if you can't say it in 40 words...you are boring....its true....
  • edited April 2015
    Tampabay said:

    40 word limit is ideal for any Blog site...after that the ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ factor is invoked..thinking is: if you can't say it in 40 words...you are boring....its true....

    That was less than 40 and I was bored reading it.
  • The Donald Jr. speaks... all bow.
  • @scott. I really like the 6. All the improvements you mentioned apply. The bigger screen is easier on the eyes and a bigger touch keyboard is more accurate in my situation. Removable batteries are going the way of dinosaurs. For the 4S, I paid $79 and it took 40 minutes for the tech in house to do it. The newer batteries take on some weird shapes in order to fill available space so they are not the chocolate bar style as before. I think in just a few more years, most appliances like this will have non user removable batteries unless you are a geek.

    In theory, Genting should be doing great but it is not. Other entities like Crown Melco are also in the game. I think that stock is listed on the Australia market. One of Australia's Packer family runs that company.

  • Tampabay said:

    40 word limit is ideal for any Blog site...after that the ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ factor is invoked..thinking is: if you can't say it in 40 words...you are boring....its true....

    Must be a leftover of the Evelyn Woods Reading Dynamics era?

    Donald Jr. LOL.
  • Another discussion point in the Apple Store was regarding ApplePay. According to the staff, Apple is very happy regarding the rate of acceptance. The AppleWatch is seen as an enabler, something that will speed up that rate much more. Interestingly enough, I haven't seen any commercials that show this. Touching your finger on your watch face to pay for goods or services even beats the phone. As with other devices, it is the app ecosphere that pushes sales and adoption. I agreed and ApplePay usage should go way up after the Watch becomes available.
  • edited April 2015
    I think mobile payments are starting to get going, but ultimately when it really takes off is what I think will be the next evolution. No more paper coupons - scan an ad at a bus stop/billboard (or tap the phone to the ad) and the coupon is loaded. When you shop and buy that item, everything - the coupon, the rewards program (if it's CVS or something) and payment is all in one tap.

    I also still think beacons will happen. There's too much potential in being able to lead people around a store - I know you enjoy Diet Coke, if you head to aisle 1 we have a sale on that today, etc etc.

    I'm curious to see how well Samsung Pay takes off (or not) with the Galaxy 6. The Galaxy 5 didn't sell well at all (great phone tho), so it'll be interesting to see if they win anyone back.

  • @MFO Members: Oh ! Boy ! this is better than watching Rick Steves, not.
    Regards,
    Ted
  • @Scott:

    >> Food inflation does continue, but yeah, that's not part of the CPI

    Yes and no; see first entry in this FQ list:
    http://www.bls.gov/cpi/cpiqa.htm
  • Thanks John for sharing.

    I too find the 6 wonderful, actually I have a 6+ ... easier on my eyes.

    Service at the the iStore here in San Luis Obispo same top rate experience.

    Honestly, have not had much opportunity to use ApplePay ... hopefully Scott is right and that picks up.

    Keep traveling well.

    c
  • edited April 2015
    Charles said:



    Honestly, have not had much opportunity to use ApplePay ... hopefully Scott is right and that picks up
    c

    If you want to try it out, if you have a Walgreens nearby, easy option to test it out by picking up a pack of gum or something on that level.

  • Will do!
  • I just might try that too.
  • Much better posting....you can do it....I go to Walgreens for Drugs...Publix for Beer
  • Tampabay said:

    40 word limit is ideal for any Blog site...after that the ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ factor is invoked..thinking is: if you can't say it in 40 words...you are boring....its true....

    You should see your doctor. There are medications now for that deficiency.
  • I got a 6 plus over the holiday. Got roomier pants to carry in safety in front pockets. Think those who wear them in back pocket will eventually destroy their expensive phones. My iPhone 4 lasted 4 years and managed to resell it for 40% of the purchase price. Apple's products seem to hold their resell values much better than others. One can replace many internal parts in iPhones and iPads yourself. Really cool there are uTubes to help you.
    https://youtube.com/watch?v=KYvjuWg06l4

    The parts are inexpensive and pretty easy to do.
  • The first thing I got was a good case. The Tech21 Evo case they sell in their stores is very good. It has that super material that deflects energy from drops etc. Yep, mine is in the front pocket as well. I don't have a contract with a carrier so I buy the unlocked model. Full price but I'll keep it until it doesn't work. Prepaid works best for my situation plus wireless wherever it is. The wife has the 4S now. She loves it.
  • A local observation here from the PNW. A new law went into effect on April 1 that raises the minimum wage for restaurants and fast food to eventually $15/hour. I think it is $11/hour to start. I have heard that other states or areas are considering this kind of action as well.

    The businesses are raising prices. The money has to come from somewhere? We haven't seen much in the way of wage inflation. This might be one way to get it started. Along with the rising food prices, going out to eat could get expensive going forward.

    http://www.komonews.com/news/local/Restaurants-add-surcharges-hike-prices-to-a-298542821.html?mobile=y&clmob=y&c=n
  • @JohnChisum: have read that carrying a cell phone in front pocket is not good for the health of the family jewels. My wife is always on my case about this. I comply with her wishes to keep the peace but I'm agnostic on the science of the issue.
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