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@itravelRox

Joined 30 August 2021 · 255 posts

Cebuana, travel blogger, wife, mother of two kids living in FR

120 KT

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@itravelRox

How I got my first Japan tourist visa with a PH passport? Here it is, sharing with you how to get a Japan tourist visa without Income Tax Return. After my Hong Kong trip last October 2014, I found a cheap flight to Japan and booked a flight right away. I wasn’t even sure if I could get a visa but I was really hopeful. This was part of my Plan B if Plan A was a failure. No, I don’t want to tell you what Plan A was. How to Get a Japan Tourist Visa without Income Tax Return? In 2015, I tried my luck to get a Japan visa without ITR or without an income tax return just because I am not working for any company in the Philippines. It was also the time I was active doing volunteer work in a non-profit organization. I booked a flight for May 2015 trip to Tokyo, Japan, and told myself I still have the chance to save money. I did some research on where to go and what requirements I need to prepare. March 2015 came and I was really nervous. A lot of people telling me that the Embassy of Japan is not really that strict anymore as they are inviting a lot of tourists for the upcoming Olympics in 2020. I still need to gather documents just to get the visa. **Related Article:** **South Korea Visa Denial – It’s Heartbreaking But Time to Move On** https://www.itravelrox.com/2017/02/01/south-korea-visa-refusal-its-heartbreaking-but-time-to-move-on/ Requirements for Getting a Japan tourist visa without Income Tax Return I applied for a Tourist Visa and these are the documents that I submitted: Philippine passport Visa application form Photo 4.5×4.5 cm or 2×2 inch with white background Original NSO Birth Certificate Original Local Birth Certificate Daily Schedule in Japan Original bank certificate(s) Credit card bank statement Confirmed plane ticket Certifications of being involved in Non-Profit Organizations Letter of Explanation I don’t have any Income Tax Returns to show but I submitted certifications of being involved in non-profit organizations and a letter of explanation. In the letter of explanation, I explained my interest of going to Japan of being so fond of anime, fashion, and its culture. I also explained why I don’t have ITR to show and I told them how active I am as a volunteer, which is traveling with a purpose. **Related Article:** **How I Wrote my Letter of Explanation for Japan Tourist Visa** https://itravelrox.com/how-i-wrote-my-letter-of-explanation-for-japan-tourist-visa/ I went to Friendship Tours here in Cebu and the handling fee is P1,200. It will take 5-7 business days for the visa. The next week after my application, I got an SMS notification from the accredited agency that my passport was ready for pick-up. This will be my first solo backpacking in a visa-required country. Helpful links: Requirements for Japan Tourist Visa: http://www.ph.emb-japan.go.jp/visiting/new%20visa/tourism.htm Friendship Manila (accredited agency): http://www.visa.friendshipmanila.com/ I also wrote for Two Monkeys Travel Blog about my experience in Tokyo, Japan ~~7 Days in Tokyo, Japan~~ http://twomonkeystravelgroup.com/2015/07/diy-travel-guide-to-tokyo-japan/ Japan Visa List of Accredited Agencies UHI – Universal Holidays Inc. Discovery Tour Inc. Rajah Travel Corporation Reli Tours & Travel Agency Attic Tours Phils., Inc. Friendship Tours and Resorts Corporation Pan Pacific Travel Corporation Source: Embassy of Japan in the Philippines Frequent Asked Questions How many days the do visa get approved? It’s usually 5-7 business days. A reader named *JB* applied for a tourist visa at Reli Tours on January 12, 2016, and got a text from the travel agency on January 15 that his passport was available for pick-up. What are the rules when it comes to bank certificates? Bank certificates usually show the total balance + average daily balance of your account for the past 6 months. If you want your bank history to look credible, I suggest establishing first your account and maintaining a sufficient amount for a long time. – *mrsbisinyo* How much money should I have in my bank? During my first application, I showed PHP 90,000 (savings account and time deposits). During my second application, I showed PHP 60,000 (savings account and certificate of stock investment). At least you have to show PHP 50,000  in your bank account and it depends on the activities you can do in Japan. What are the Guidelines for Writing a Letter of Explanation? I created a separate blog post on **How I Wrote my Letter of Explanation for Japan Tourist Visa****.** https://itravelrox.com/how-i-wrote-my-letter-of-explanation-for-japan-tourist-visa/ What if a friend, a family or a boyfriend will shoulder my expenses in Japan? The Embassy of Japan in the Philippines provided a link for the – **~~Visa Section Information~~** so please check the link. http://www.ph.emb-japan.go.jp/visiting/index.htm I am a student, what requirements should I submit? If you are a student and your parents will shoulder your trip, you need to show bank certificates, the Income of Tax Return to your parents and a letter of explanation about your purpose of the trip, a copy of your study load and school ID as a proof that you are a student. How to Prepare for your First Solo Trip in Japan? I created a separate blog about this and you can read this in – **Preparation for your First Solo Trip in Japan**. https://itravelrox.com/how-to-prepare-for-your-first-solo-trip-in-japan/ What is your budget for Japan trip? – Japan Visa Without ITR As a budget traveler, my cash on hand was US$500 or PhP20,000. Find out more about how I did it at – **Budget Travel: 14 Days Japan with US$500 Cash on Hand****.** https://www.itravelrox.com/2016/09/18/budget-travel-14-days-japan-500-dollars-cash-on-hand/ How to Request Stock Certificate from COL Financial Philippines for Visa Application? Please check out my blog about – **How to Request Stock Certificate from COL Financial Philippines for Visa Application?** https://www.itravelrox.com/2017/01/02/how-to-request-stock-certificate-from-col-financial-philippines-for-visa-application/ New Update: I got my Japan Multiple Entry Visa (2019 Guide) You can check out this article now: How to Get a Japan Visa Multiple Entry Without Income Tax Return? Originally published at: https://www.itravelrox.com/2015/04/02/getting-japan-tourist-visa-in-the-philippines-without-income-tax-return/ https://www.itravelrox.com/2019/10/21/japan-visa-multiple-entry-without-income-tax-return/

@itravelRox

My Deer Feeding Experience in Nara, Japan Day Trip to Nara, Japan from Osaka I stayed in Osaka for 5 days but I haven’t blogged about it. We woke up the next morning and visited Nara, Japan to experience the politeness of our deer(ie) friends. Thus, I experienced deer feeding in Nara, Japan.  I was excited to see them in person. From Osaka, we went there by car. Thanks to the Kitagawa family, with my cousins and nieces. Took this photo while inside the car. This area is not even fenced so if you want to get out of the car, you can stay near them and pet them for a while. I’ve seen a warning sign that says, ‘Watch out for crossing deer.’ A hit and run is a criminal offense so drive safely. Video: Deer Feeding Nara Japan Here’s a video of our experience of the deer feeding Nara Japan. We bought some crackers as a snack for the deer. I was amazed at the bowing deer. A deer was waiting for us as it knows we got some crackers. https://youtu.be/tEc-gHop0zk How to Feed the Deers in Nara, Japan There is a proper way of feeding the deer in Nara. Hold the crackers overhead and the deer will bow its head. They say that bowing three times is ideal before giving them. Next, hide the cracker behind your back and wait for the second time to bow. Lastly, hold the crackers overhead for the last time and it will bow for the third time. This is the best time to give them the reward, the cracker. Obviously, we had fun feeding the deer in Nara, Japan. When I was running out of crackers, one deer was behind me waiting for me to give him. The others say that the little ones will become aggressive just nipping on your clothes and snatching the crackers out of your hands. Deer Feeding just in front of Todaiji Temple Our goal for that day was to experience the deer feeding in Nara, Japan, and visit the Todaiji Temple. It was very hot that time in the month of May. Later on, we just walked our way to Todaiji Temple. Please check out more photos: Originally published at: https://www.itravelrox.com/2018/01/14/deer-feeding-nara-japan/ Check out my Japan travel series, here's a previous article: **I met Draco Malfoy in Tokyo, Japan for real!** https://read.cash/@itravelRox/i-met-draco-malfoy-in-tokyo-japan-for-real-f0113be3

@itravelRox

Happy 4th Meetup Anniversary in Phuket, Thailand! "Happy 1st Anniversary from the day we first met. It has been a long story. We took our time to get to know each other, seeing the good and bad sides of our personalities. You decided to fly from FR to Bali to see me again, as you promised after 3 months, and flew together to SG and PH. Spending a total of 3 months together. Tough times now, I know it's difficult but we will get through this. Thanks for being patient with me when I am stubborn most of the time. Also, thanks for treating me like a princess, and for doing all the cooking and home chores when we're together. All I do is sleep, eat and travel. And for making me fat.  **#HabaNgHair** **#GebatigKaanyag** **#LDR****"** https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/habanghair?__eep__=6&__cft__[0]=AZVKsck4OElvD_sBoSxEHUFGyNLvQUYt5dJWntidChlFoNQAgVgXygPEdFVxa_AqvpDHlibNOJac7RtdvoWXLWhLYDUj98CaqFXq6z_RWpWj_Xd4Mxb8Wrpx5td7ni9s7QRkBCsKXZsTsTB3xv9s3RhgZjdtYQQUMQ00vx616IlFHcm6XbpphJoPz8Utii7FvoQ&__tn__=HH-R https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/gebatigkaanyag?__eep__=6&__cft__[0]=AZVKsck4OElvD_sBoSxEHUFGyNLvQUYt5dJWntidChlFoNQAgVgXygPEdFVxa_AqvpDHlibNOJac7RtdvoWXLWhLYDUj98CaqFXq6z_RWpWj_Xd4Mxb8Wrpx5td7ni9s7QRkBCsKXZsTsTB3xv9s3RhgZjdtYQQUMQ00vx616IlFHcm6XbpphJoPz8Utii7FvoQ&__tn__=HH-R https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/ldr?__eep__=6&__cft__[0]=AZVKsck4OElvD_sBoSxEHUFGyNLvQUYt5dJWntidChlFoNQAgVgXygPEdFVxa_AqvpDHlibNOJac7RtdvoWXLWhLYDUj98CaqFXq6z_RWpWj_Xd4Mxb8Wrpx5td7ni9s7QRkBCsKXZsTsTB3xv9s3RhgZjdtYQQUMQ00vx616IlFHcm6XbpphJoPz8Utii7FvoQ&__tn__=HH-R I wrote this on Facebook in October 2019 as it was the first anniversary of our meetup in Phuket, Thailand. Yes, we met while traveling. I was with a Filipina friend to have a meetup with a Thai girl we met in a hostel. So, during our vacant days, I used a dating app and matched with him. And the rest is history! LOL. Maybe I should write our love story here soon. While writing that anniversary event on Facebook, I was pregnant already with our firstborn child. We had a long-distance relationship for quite a while as I was working on my Schengen visa for Europe. During that time, I was in Cebu and I had to fly to Manila for a visa application, only got rejected on the first application but got a visa on my second application. Here are some photos I shared on my Facebook timeline. Spending Christmas time in Phuket, Thailand We went to a shopping mall in Phuket and they had several Christmas decorations around. And we saw this gigantic Christmas tree and decided to have our couple photo. Chasing sea turtles at Gili Trawangan in Lombok, Indonesia This is actually a screenshot of our diving video in Gili Trawangan. It was one of the best moments we had. After meeting in Phuket, we went back to our respective countries. After my mom's passing, he booked me a flight to Bali, Indonesia. Supposedly, he should meet my mother but my mom died in February 2019. We met in Bali in April 2019. We waited to lay eggs in Bali, Indonesia Bali is famous for this instagrammable nest. Since my doctor said I had PCOS, I told him not to expect us to get pregnant. I captioned this photo that we were just waiting to lay eggs. It was some sort of a joke but lo and behold, I became pregnant. Kayak adventures in El Nido, Palawan After Bali, we flew to Singapore and stayed for 2 days. After Singapore, we flew to Puerto Princesa, Palawan with a layover in Cebu. I promised myself to bring my special someone to Palawan. We went to El Nido where we found out that we were actually pregnant. There should be Singapore photos but I was keeping them somewhere that I don't have easy access to. So, that's just a summary of our travels together.

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@itravelRox

Why Cebu Tops is temporarily closed? https://youtu.be/PMFnYd3S05s I saw on Facebook a few weeks ago that Cebu Tops would be temporarily closed for renovation starting on October 21. Here's the source of the news from Sun Star Cebu. Here is the original text below: https://www.facebook.com/CebuTours.ph/posts/pfbid0LX7Y3PN6FKqfkX7GzVjJS8Vua4UdJMR7EfbgP3XcRMYoAZmGW1E5YypmeKs5Mn6xl "TOPS TO TEMPORARILY CLOSE STARTING OCTOBER 21 Tops Lookout, commonly known as "Tops," in Barangay Busay, Cebu City, will temporarily close its doors to give way for renovation and development starting Friday, October 21, 2022. The management aims to introduce new brands to visitors while also keeping Cebuano favorites, envisioning the tourist destination to be an "incomparable icon in the whole world." To celebrate the legacy, the management has prepared online contests, inviting Cebuanos to join its TikTops dance challenge on Tiktok, Tops Pic photo contests, My Tops Story storytelling contest, and a painting competition. A night party that will celebrate the legacy of Tops will be held on its closing day and will gather Cebu-based DJs and talented artists. Tickets for the night party will cost P200 per head. | via EHP" It was so funny that a few days ago, ABS-CBN shared a teaser of their new Kapamilya show starring Richard Guttierrez like he is the Filipino James Bond. Then, I saw a familiar place in Cebu that is Tops. So, I shared the video and I joked around that maybe, this is the reason why Cebu Tops is temporarily closed to visitors. The place is busy with shooting and is now a hideout or headquarters of the Pinoy James Bond. Not bad! Oh wow! I am excited to see Richard Guttierrez on ABS-CBN. I've watched him before in some ABS-CBN shows but not the leading star. Oh wow, as if I can watch it here in France. LOL. But would love to see some episodes on YouTube when I have the time. I think he can do this as he did some Lupin before at GMA7 but I never got the chance to watch it. I know he can nail this kind of genre as it suits him as well.

@itravelRox

This Filipinos chocolate cookies I found in a grocery in Spain. I haven't tasted this one but some pinoy traveler friends said it tastes good.

@itravelRox

I'm back from Spain. First time to try this Spanish Paella. Yum yum!

@itravelRox

My lovely husband prepared a lovely dinner the other night. I requested for a fish. I really don't cook so I'm happy to have my own personal chef. Haha!

@itravelRox

Papa took candid shots of me and the kids at the beach. Lol, I'm actually fat. Summer feeling in the south of Spain.

@itravelRox

Here is a closer look of a gray flamingo. I think something is wrong with him as it landed in front of us. It stayed there for more than 30 minutes.

@itravelRox

Sorry for my absence here on Read.Cash. We are here in the south of Spain with the family. Staying here for a month, ongoing 3rd week. :)

@itravelRox

Hi everyone! Sorry for my absence. I am currently in the south of Spain with my family. No photo as I am using my laptop. I don't have access to FB where I post most of my photos. My mobile is so slow I can't post photos. Ciao!

@itravelRox

I am posting this photo dated March 2022 in the French Alps. Here's the White Mountain.

@itravelRox

My phone is so slow that it's difficult for me to update Noise app. I have an android phone. I think I should switch to my iPad mini. But the battery easily gets drained same as my android phone. Next week, we are going on a trip and I am so busy packing our luggage. XD

@itravelRox

Using my mobile phone to access noise app. Here's a photo of me and my daughter from yesterday's trip to the park eating pain au chocolat.

@itravelRox

Got my first 1 BCH, what should I do? After one year of being here on Read.Cash, finally, I got my first 1 BCH. Hmm, I was thinking that if I had been active the past few months, I should have had it earlier. Last September 1 was my first year here. A few months ago, I already had 0.96 BCH. I usually withdraw every $10 but I withdrew $5 just to make it 1 BCH on my Coins.ph. I remember before that I had already PHP 12,000 worth of BCH but I decided not to withdraw a few months ago. I regret not withdrawing. Now that I have 1 BCH, it's only worth PHP 7,000. Yes, I still keep on holding it. As you can see, I haven't enjoyed my BCH earnings since I started here. Unlike others who withdrew and spent it while BCH was high. Well, money should be spent. Since we are investing in the cryptoverse, sell when the conversion is high, buy when the conversion is low. But this is just me. I felt so bad that my 1 BCH is low in conversion. I think I'm very pretty bad with crypto because I've invested $300, it went to $500 but decided not to sell it. Well, GREED. Investing in the stock market or crypto should be at the perfect timing. All I need to do is hold and wait for it to go high. Also, I need to write more so that I can accumulate more BCH. As of now, my brain is empty and I don't have many topics to write. I've been writing my life here as a mom since I started here. All my routines are the same so there is no excitement about it. I need inspiration for topics to write about. I also lack interaction with other people as I don't have more time to spend on my laptop. I am so busy with the kids. To all moms out there, how do you manage your life everyday? kkk

@itravelRox

Overpriced DepEd laptop worth 60k? I was shocked when this was on my newsfeed when the Department of Education gave laptops to teachers worth PHP 60,000. Wow! It must be a powerful laptop. But when I watched this video, I was kind of disappointed. As you can see. The teacher was grateful and happy to receive a laptop. She was very happy to do her unboxing video and was very proud of it that it was worth 60k pesos. I am kind of sad how this teacher was very ignorant about techy stuff. She is not very technically knowledgeable at all. I can't blame her if it was her first time owning a laptop. Lucky for us IT students or people who are fond of new gadgets and techy stuff are into this. We are very knowledgeable. But of course, a lot of people are disgusted by CORRUPTION. This 60K laptop was from the taxpayers' money. The brand of the laptop is DELL. The specifications are intel Celeron 1.5ghz then 8g RAM. Its real price is worth 10 to 15k Pesos. What a ripped-off! I own a Lenovo laptop which I bought for the first time back in 2013. It's an Intel i5, 500 HDD with 4GB RAM. I bought it for about 25 to 30k Pesos. Recently, I got a Lenovo laptop which I bought here in France. It's an upgraded Intel i7 with SSD. I forgot the rights specs but I bought this at a discount of 700 Euro or around 40K PHP. With a laptop worth 60K PHP, you can buy a Macbook or a gaming laptop. Teachers badly need a powerful laptop to aid their teaching. What a waste for giving them a slow intel Celeron laptop. The corrupts are now instant millionaires! https://youtu.be/rtRxECyU1LE

@itravelRox

Heart and Chiz breakup? Since I have nothing to write about my life update, I am getting myself updated with Pinoy show business. The latest buzz in town is the Heart and Chiz breakup. Is it for real? In the latest video of Heart about "It's All About the Simple Things in Life." We all know how she is living a luxurious life. She's flying back to Paris every now and then getting invited from various expensive brands like LV, Chanel, etc. She's getting paid as a fashion/lifestyle influencer. She is a talented artist as she is a painter. Name it, she has everything. When I watched her video, I can see the sadness in her eyes. She's talking about how grateful her life is, women empowerment, and strong independent women. She said she has personal struggles at the moment. She is not mentioning her husband. A buzz circulated that her husband impregnated another woman. There is no evidence yet if it is true or not. https://youtu.be/h6rRJZ2hObM Watching her videos about Paris Fashion week makes me feel envious even though I've been to Paris, France. Makes me want to have Instagrammable photos in Paris but I could not make it. Because I am not photogenic, I am not fashionable. I really want to have beautiful photos like hers. LOL **Read Articles:** **My first train ride in Paris** https://read.cash/@itravelRox/my-first-train-ride-in-paris-de021588 **Disneyland Paris with the family** https://read.cash/@itravelRox/disneyland-paris-with-the-family-488e8a78 And how does she make millions with her handpainted bags? Wow! Being a celebrity is just an advantage. She hand-painted the designer bags she owns and she also hand-painted bags of other rich celebrities. I also love her videos about her conversation with her husband. I love to listen when Chiz speaks. So mature, smart, and insightful. Anyway, whatever Heart and Chiz are going through, hope they can get back together. I am hoping for Heart to have a happy heart and mind. I don't know them personally. I don't know Heart. But I think she was going through some inner struggles in the past years about miscarriage.

@itravelRox

Happy 1 year to me on Read Cash! Wow! I am surprised it's already been a year since I started Read Cash. But sad to say, I missed several days of blogging here. The last time I updated a blog was a month ago writing about my fitness journey. Somehow, my journey to fitness was interrupted and I lost being consistent with my exercise. **Read Article:** https://read.cash/@itravelRox/starting-my-10000-steps-a-day-a16e25e6 It was a busy month for August since there was a week of birthday celebrations plus my husband and I's first wedding anniversary. But we had an argument most of the time. The parents-in-law and other relatives were here for almost a month. So we keep on receiving guests and going to the other house for dinner and celebrations. It was quite overwhelming for me since, in the Philippines, I am not used to receiving guests almost every week. I also don't cook. I also have kids now so it was difficult for me to do the house chores with the parents-in-law. The kids are crazy. By the last day of June, it was my daughter's first birthday. I only have photos on my iPad. We only had a simple birthday celebration as it was just the four of us in the house. We don't have the usual first birthday celebration like I used to do in the Philippines. Just today, I decided to clean up my iPad mini and Huawei phone, getting rid of photos. In preparation for a big trip. My underwater camera has malfunctioned and the last time I used it was in Spain last year. I haven't used my DSLR camera, a Nikon D5100, since I gave birth to Elise. I mean, the last time I used it was last Christmas. It's just that I never used the camera when we went to the French alps. **Read the article:** https://read.cash/@itravelRox/now-in-a-family-holiday-at-the-french-alps-75879789 Not sure yet what's my plan for Read Cash. I miss blogging but I have so many unfinished things to do. How I wish I have the same motivation as the others. Literally, I have kids who are 2 years old and 1 year old so I am very busy with them every day and doing the house chores. It just amazes me how other mothers here on Read Cash are able to be consistent in blogging.

@itravelRox

Hi everyone! What browser to use on your mobile phone to have access on Read Cash? My mobile phone got a reset factory and I lost my access to read cash on the mobile. I forgot the name of the browser. Thanks.

@itravelRox

Workout Update as a Mom - Follow my Journey Here is my FB update with my workout. My goal is to reduce my mommy pouch because of diastasis recti. I am not on a diet because I eat a lot due to breastfeeding. July 24, 2022 Breastfeeding break after my 20-minute exercise... While doing my exercise, my kids love to stay near me and play around. July 23, 2022 As a mom trying to do my exercise... the baby girl is breastfeeding while the toddler boy has fallen to sleep. July 23, 2022 Noice! I was proud I made 14k steps this day. July 22, 2022 5k steps at 3 AM because we were having a party and drinking plus music care of the husband. July 20, 2022 12k, 12k, 5k (BBQ day), 11k steps for 4 days. My husband said we will have weeks of fiesta from July 18 to August 15. Lots of food so no diet or intermittent fasting. I will try to achieve 7k steps if I can't reach 10k steps a day. Posting this for accountability. XD July 18, 2022 After 2 days of doing at least 10k steps a day... * I gained weight - huhuhu * but I woke up today less bloated - yes * I lost an inch of my waistline from 30 down to 29 inches - yahoo Where is that extra weight going? Hmmm... I am not losing weight Yes, I am not losing weight because I keep on eating. Here's a photo of my tummy pooch. My baby girl is already 1 year old. My friend's comment Don’t just rely on the scale, Rox. There are times that you may gain muscles through muscle building or toning. Sometimes, the increase in weight may be due to an increase in muscle mass and a decrease in fat mass. More muscles mean more natural fat burners — muscles burn fats. It may also be water weight if you drink a lot of water prior to weighing yourself. It’s better to have an accurate weighing scale that can calculate your fat mass, muscle mass, bone mass, water weight, etc. July 16, 2022 Yay! 12k steps for today. I am waiting for my hula hoop to arrive from Ali Express. XD I'm starting my 10k steps a day journey hoping for myself to be consistent. Almost every night, I drink tea because it helps me to reduce bloat and feel better in the morning. Read my previous articles about my Fitness Journey **Starting my 10,000 steps a day** https://read.cash/@itravelRox/starting-my-10000-steps-a-day-a16e25e6 **A day of disappointment from exercise** https://read.cash/@itravelRox/a-day-of-disappointment-from-exercise-daf8c2f5 **What did I buy at Decathlon?** **- buying my sports attire and accessories at Decathlon** https://read.cash/@itravelRox/what-i-bought-at-decathlon-7f09010a **Spending 200 euros in 30 minutes** https://read.cash/@itravelRox/spending-200-euros-in-30-minutes-e5160709

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