On the road now to Yamagata

Just spent $18 on overseas data roaming. Been trying to get online earlier in the morning to check my mail and what not. So frustrated by the crappy Internet that simply refuses to work. In frustration I decided I shall pay the $18. This is the max I will have to pay as long as I m connected to softbank, which by the way, as the car entered the forest area, I lost all reception, including cellular. 

It is quite cool to have Internet whilst on the road and blogging away. Maybe I should seriously consider getting a wifi data plan here after all. Shall explore this later in the evening. Will probably wanna get it before our road trip to Hokkaido. Wonder if there's anyway for me to post my photos more easily while on the move? 

Anyway, I've been in japan for over 2 months now. In less than a month, time to go home to visit my precious meow meows, who must really miss me so much. Did a lot, been a lot, took tons of photos during these 2 months, but have not posted nor blogged about it. Been too busy. Dun ask me with what for I myself have no idea. 

With the wifi Internet, I think there would be more reason and opportunity for me to do all the postings whilst on the road I guess, after all, each road trip takes hours. With internet and things to do, I will also concentrate less when Woofy is driving, n thus less disturbed by how she drives sometimes. This is fun! I think I need a twitter account next! Talking about Woofy driving, she just sped and over took this car. So reckless.....sigh. 

 I wanna send out this post but I have no reception again. There are probably more temples here in Yamagata then cellular transmitter. Maybe later I will sign up for a Facebook account whilst on the road. Yes, I am ancient, I have no Facebook account. Dun ask me why.

Best Credit Card for Air Miles in Singapore - DBS Altitude AMEX and CitiPrimier VISA

Best Card for Mileage:
The DBS ALTITUDE AMEX CARD
--Moonie's World, April 2011

If I am going to spend, why not spend and accumulate points for free travel. Which card allows me to accumulate points most effectively?




Can't recall the trigger but 2 days back I decided to do a renewed study on which credit card in Singapore offers the best air miles program. My rough study done several months back concluded that UOB's Signature and AMEX Krisflyer were good. But now I realize I was kinda wrong. For the AMEX Krisflyer, I assumed it was good because it is tied with SIA, and so how could it logically be worse off than other cards right? Well, I was wrong. At least for the 1st year, with the 5,000 miles sign on bonus, it is still ok. Beyond which nope. As for UOB's Signature, it started out very promising, but overtime been neglected and now, simply sucks. But fortunately for me, when I signed my major purchases last year with the Signature, there were some promotions for more points. Anyway, here're some sums I did;

DBS Altitude

The cost / mile for the 1st $1,000 is $0.833. Which means, for every $0.833 spent, you get an air mile. For spending in excess of the 1st $1,000, every $0.625 spent gets you 1 mile. Assuming a monthly credit card bill of $3,000, you can earn 4,400 miles a month, 52,800 miles a year. This would make the average cost / mile (annual basis) $0.682.

As for annual fee, you pay $180 but you also get 10,000 miles, which might not be too bad a deal. Your cost / mile is $0.018. If you spend above $25,000, annual fee is waived.

Citibank Premier Miles

The cost / mile is $0.83 (regardless of spending). But if you spend more than $50,000 a year, you get 10,000 bonus miles. You also get another 10,000 miles for annual fees. Assuming again you spend $30,000 a year, your average cost / mile is $0.68. But if you spend above $50,000, your cost / mile becomes $0.63. Annual fee is $192.60.

AMEX Krisflyer

The basic cost / mile is $1.60. But if you spend above $5,000, you get 50% bonus. And above $12,000, another 50% bonus. However, the additional bonus is limited to 8,000 miles. In order to maximize the value of the card, you can only sign up to $25,600/year. That would make your average cost / miles $0.862. If you spend more, you don't get the additional bonus and your average cost / miles increases. But if you buy airtickets online from SIA, then this card makes sense. It is good therefore for the 1st year and when you buy tickets online.

UOB Signature VISA

Basic cost / miles is $1.25. But there are occasional promotions that would lower the basic cost.

Summary

It is obvious from above that Citibank's Premier card offers the best air miles program provided you sign more than $50,000 per year. Even if you don't, it is still on par with the 2nd best program offered by DBS Altitude AMEX. AMEX Krisflyer is good only for the 1st year and when buying air-tickets online from SIA. 

Note: Krisflyer program is considered here.

Coughing my Lungs out and Feeling Weak

Been coughing like mad for more than a week now already. It all started with a stuffy nose, then a sore throat, followed finally The Cough. I hate coughs. Once I start, it will take forever to stop. Think my counter-measures are working quite well this time round. Managed to bring my sore throat under control in 2 days. For the cough, I should be halfway to recovery, a record time considering I usually take 5-6 weeks to recover. 

A lot has happened over the past several weeks since returning home, especially over the last few weeks. I was in Sydney for my sister's wedding. Been making almost daily trips to the hospital to visit my aunt who was critically ill (appears to be improving). Kinda finished packing my study room so that I can start studying for my CFA (I am so screwed) and do some proper trading. 

Also a lot of things that are still outstanding. My luggage from Sydney is still unpacked. Not yet paid homage to Woofy's parents. Some paperwork. Of course my studies. Have not really met up with some friends too. Been too sick and weak, and of course a dose of procrastination. Hopefully I will get out of my current funk soon.

Major Progress Made at Fukushima Plant - Power restored to control room at Unit 3

It seems that TEPCO is making rather positive progress in restoring power to the stricken power plant and its cooling system and thereby bringing the current nuclear crisis under control. As of 23 March 2011, midnight, TEPCO updated that all power cables have been connected to Units 1 to 6 on 22 March, noon. It also revealed that power has been successfully restored to the lighting system at the central control room for Unit 3 shortly past midnight on 23 March. Also, power is now connected to the control rooms for Units 1 to 4. The next step will be to work on restoring the cooling systems for the reactors and the cooling pools. According to TEPCO, they are preparing to restart the water pumping system for Unit 3 and will conduct the performance test on 23 March. They will do so similarly for Unit 4. With the expected restarting of the control rooms, TEPCO will have more detailed information on the status of the nuclear core. It appears also that the pumps at Units 1 and 2 are showing signs of wear due to the pumping of seawater. As such the pump at Unit 1 will be replaced. As for Units 5 and 6, which have been depending on its emergency generator to power the cooling system, works to replace it with external power have been completed.

Slowly, things are coming under control. We are definitely not out of the woods yet but we should be there soon. Hopefully.

JR and Bus Connectivity from Omagari, Akita (20 March 2011)

Finally, you can take the JR from Omagari to Tokyo. The journey would be a long one though. Previously you could get to direct Tokyo in about 3 half hours via Morioka. Now, you will need to go to Akita (30mins), from there take to Niigata (5hrs 30mins) and then to Tokyo (2 hrs 40mins). It will set you back a total JPY19,900. Previously, it would have cost you JPY16,170. More links have been restored. JR has issued the latest updates. Click here.

Some bus services have also been restored. From Omagari, you can take the Ugokotsu Bus. It departs from Lake Tazawa and ends at Yokohama. It will stop at several places in Omagari where you can board from. A way one to Tokyo will set you back JPY8,560, a return at JPY15,390. It will take about 8hrs 30mins. The other bus company operating services out of Omagari, WillerExpress, have not indicated any resumption of services at the moment. Click here.

Slowly but surely, things are returning back to normal in Japan. It is a comforting progress.

Wind Direction at Fukushima to Change from Southeast to Northwest Tonight

Yomiuri Daily reported on 20 March 2011, Fukushima prefecture will be cloudy for the day with rain expected in many areas during the night. Wind direction is Southeast at 2 to 5m. It will however change to Northwest from tonight at 1 to 3m.

This is worrying as it means the wind might carry radiation to Akita Prefecture which has thus far been spared from the ongoing radiation nightmare in Fukushima. I have been monitoring the radiation level at Akita for the past few days. It has been within a safe range of 0.0s to 0.04 ms. Hopefully the reading will not increase. 

At the moment, I am not overly concerned because Woofy's place in Omagari is some 240-270km away from the affected nuclear plant. Moreover, unlike Tokyo, Akita Prefecture is separated from Fukushima by a series of mountain ranges, with some mountains rising as high as 1,800m to 2,000m. I am hoping that the mountain ranges will form a sort of protective wall. Unless there is massive meltdown at Fukushima with the release of high level radiation into the atmosphere, I am sure most of the radioactive particles will either be blocked or trapped at the mountains. 

Cooling System at Fukushima Reactor 6 Restored

Finally a piece of good news. Power has been restored to the cooling system at Fukushima Dai-ichi's Reactor 6 fuel rod storage pool. The cooling function is operational as of 19 March shortly after 2200H (local time). The pool temperature at the time was 67.2 degree celsius and was reported to be falling.

Hopefully the can restart the cooling system for the other reactors soon.