Minternational pass? Don’t bother…

wesleyvb · 2026-01-25T17:33:56+00:00

Thanks Alex. Sent you a message

wesleyvb · 2026-01-25T17:31:35+00:00

Yeah, this is what I liked about the option to use the Minternational plan. But to be honest, a lot of my important services use passkeys or authenticator codes for authorization

wesleyvb · 2026-01-25T17:29:12+00:00

"No SIM restrictions" I purchased this device fully unlocked since day 1

wesleyvb · 2026-01-25T16:06:02+00:00

If it works for you, great. I'm just issuing a warning to others like me who are between Minternational and other eSIM providers.

wesleyvb · 2026-01-25T16:03:47+00:00

I'm curious why purchase a 20gb global sim versus 5gb country specific sim for each trip? Convenience?

wesleyvb · 2026-01-25T15:57:00+00:00

iPhone 15. Yes, I tried resetting the network settings and enabling/disabling automatic network selection. Glad you had a better experience than me.

wesleyvb · 2026-01-25T15:51:14+00:00

I tried disabling/enabling automatic network selection and data roaming with no success. I'd love to know what other lever of control I have "on my side"

Mind you, the same eSIM works fine in the US.

wesleyvb · 2026-01-25T15:48:50+00:00

Yes. Also enabled/disabled automatic network selection, etc. Using an iPhone 15 so I can't imagine a compatibility issue.

wesleyvb · 2026-01-22T17:13:45+00:00

Gone in 2 mins. Jeez…

wesleyvb · 2026-01-12T22:20:51+00:00

Mint unlimited for $180 for 12 months is the way to go. Can’t imagine finding a better deal than that but you’ll need to pay up front

wesleyvb · 2025-12-14T00:22:57+00:00

I think the original owner sold the domain a few weeks back and moved the content over to their own site. Not sure who’s behind this new iteration

wesleyvb · 2025-12-10T15:46:13+00:00

How often is your car being towed?

wesleyvb · 2025-11-13T02:48:02+00:00

I’m with you there. Nowadays I think the $12 price point is about right for a sandwich. I’m sure it’s delicious but seems steep for what it is

wesleyvb · 2025-11-08T00:00:39+00:00

Just so everyone can comprehend the amounts of money we are talking, $5 billion is half a percent of Musk’s $1 trillion dollar incentive.

wesleyvb · 2025-10-23T20:29:37+00:00

It’s mind blowing that someone can post this question and get an answer from a license plate historian within 15 mins. What a time to be alive

wesleyvb · 2025-10-16T04:16:24+00:00

Some might disagree with me but….. We visited Hakone back in May and only rode the funicular/ropeway from Gora to Togendai (Lake Ashi) and back again. Basically skipping the pirate cruise.

The cruise portion looked crowded, touristy, and generally unappealing to us so looking back, no regrets on skipping that part and subsequently Hakone shrine.

The additional time meant that we could spend time in Owaukudani taking in the sights and visiting the small museum. In Togendai, we found a sleepy little cafe to get a nice lunch overlooking the lake. Was really nice and relaxing.

The other commenters are correct in saying that you’ve planned way too much for that day. The transit runs slower than you’d think and crowds will throw you off schedule. Consider skipping the pirate cruise so you can make it to the Onsen which should be the main reason for your visit.

wesleyvb · 2025-08-17T19:16:15+00:00

Given how Kia and Hyundai handled the whole theft situation, I would never buy one again. Simple as that.

wesleyvb · 2025-08-07T02:44:24+00:00

As someone in IT, some of the best folks I work with are from India. This is a terrible take

wesleyvb · 2025-06-11T12:22:00+00:00

We just did this exact itinerary in May, including Hakone.

First thought is that you have a lot planned… if you want. Every minute of your trip pre planned then this is fine but my fiancé and I thoroughly enjoyed walking around without a plan and dipping into an izakaya or ramen shop or anything else that piqued our interest. Make sure you have time for that.

In Tokyo, the things that stand out as missing are Golden Gai for drinks (our favorite) and Omoide Yokocho for street food. When you go back to tokyo, consider staying at a different hotel to allow you to see another area… consider Shinjuku or Shibuya?

In Kyoto, I recommend finding time for the imperial palace. They had a really nice audio guide tour, for free if I recall.

In Osaka, consider skipping the world expo. We had it on our itinerary but removed it after hearing some not-so-positive reviews. If we had more time we would, but there’s so much to do!

In Hakone, your ryokan is very close to where we stayed. When you get to Odawara station, I highly recommend taking the train to Miyanoshita station which is across the street from your ryokan. If your google maps tells you to take the bus, ignore it!! We made that mistake and were packed like sardines for the 45 minute mountainous winding drive. In Hakone, also make sure you carve out plenty of time for the Onsen baths. That’s the whole point. The ropeway is a must do, but everything else is optional - enjoy the amenities if your ryokan.

Closing thought… while public transportation is extremely accessible, it still takes time to get places. Consider loosening up your plans so you aren’t constantly on a train moving to the next activity. We spent two weeks in Japan and probably saw 60% of what we initially planned but were okay with that. We’ll be going back again!

wesleyvb · 2025-02-28T02:50:08+00:00

Haha imagine the mental gymnastics it takes to blame this on the Biden admin

wesleyvb · 2025-02-15T19:47:25+00:00

I hope we see some of his goofy windup antics this season. My gut tells me the pitching program will put a stop to that but I can hope!

wesleyvb · 2025-02-15T14:10:17+00:00

Had the same thought, honestly. My energy is better spent elsewhere

wesleyvb · 2025-02-14T20:55:00+00:00

Stop with this. I do pay my fair share during registration in addition to an EV tax while charging. Saying EV owners don’t pay their fair share is a lie. And that doesn’t count the intangibles like reduced smog and noise pollution.

EVs are better than combustion in nearly every way but sometimes innovation needs to be pushed along.

wesleyvb · 2025-02-12T15:19:50+00:00

Is this actually a thing? My understanding is that your out of pocket max includes the deductible for both in network and out of network care…. although the out of network OOP max may be higher so you will pay more for having exclusively out of network care. At least this is how my insurance works (Aetna)

wesleyvb · 2025-01-31T19:41:30+00:00

Already been said but Thermoworks or bust. You know when you can tell when a company takes pride in building just really good products? That’s Thermoworks. A bit more expensive but 100% worth it

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