Mintyjulep

Originally Posted By: TropicalPow Just got a little harder to fly to Japan and for that matter Minty , Christchurch ,as good old Qantas has suspended flights to both destinations [ No mention for how long]. The guess is these will be serviced by Jetstar only in the future[ or " going forward' in economic speak.] That is absurd. Luckily we have Air Asia still operating out of Chch

We would not be deterred by earthquakes at all - we live in Christchurch. Again, we would not be deterred by it being a disaster zone - we live in one, and we know how important continuing tourism is. We would not be deterred by the threat of a tsunami, because good luck getting us in the mountains. I would not be deterred by the "nuclear threat" because I think the media reporting is terrible and essentially scaremongering (however Mr Minty doesn't have cynical parents who question the media, so he believes what they say) We are *probably* not going to Japan for the 11/12 season

Originally Posted By: PWL Nice Minty. Did you actually get to see a kamoshika? I SURE DID!!!! Mr Minty and I were riding the pair lift up to the bottom of skyline on our first day, and I noticed something that looked like a sheep or a pig, I pointed it out and Mr Minty said "ooo, a dog!" By the time we got back to the lodge that evening it had evolved into the "bear-pig-sheep-dog" animal, no one seemed to know much about them, so I googled when we got back to NZ - turns out they are an endemic breed only found in Japan, and they most closely resemble a "goat-antelope" yup, even

Nice to see a nutcracker in Japan! I think we saw that place on our way in to Noz - Might have to check it out next time!

I'm very impressed with the 8% who do both. I've only met a few people who were good at both, I want to be like them.

Originally Posted By: Tex Terrible! You guys don't wipe out very good at all... soft, I know I am an expert hehe, it's all in the landing right What is the song Black Mountain? It's cool.

Originally Posted By: sanjo Lovely views thanks Minty. Quote: I won't fill you guys in on Hakuba as it was fairly uninspiring for me - too similar to NZ, and lacking the charm and ease of Nozawa Onsen Scandalous comment! If Japan wasn't under great stress right now and we were in normal mode, the police would be onto you for that! Oh noes! Please let me come back to Japan! We've organised a ski trip down to Cardrona this winter, but I think I've been spoiled now, we're already looking at another summer abroad. Depends on how the prices are in Japan, if they're close we

Ooo, Looks like heaps of fun, it seems they've improved the formula for MTV snow jam - I went to one at Terrace downs near Mt Hutt a few years ago. It was pretty much just an outdoor concert which was mainly attended by "gangsters" and their girlfriends who were stomping through the mud in high heels and bomber jackets. It was pretty awful - free concerts just seem to draw the strangest crowds.

Originally Posted By: muikabochi You need to try the tea tray at Madarao, Minty Is that the single lift? I've seen pics! That must be truly terrifying on a windy day.

1-ML-21095-ML- Will put it back in the Trip Reports section when it has been seen and lived it's lifeThank you!

The dates might be out by a day or two, I've forgotten the exact dates But we were definitely there for the fire festival, and some amazing snow! We stayed at Lodge Nagano for a week - Luke and Renee run a pretty tight ship for Mark the owner - everyone is really friendly and experienced with the area. It was pretty heartbreaking to see some of the pictures from the mountain after their local 6.2 quake. Even more so to hear that they're having to come home due to the current fears. Anyway, onto positive stuff huh It snowed every single day we were there, pretty consistently - the da

Bahaha, ok a gaijan in Noz explained the twins without bars very well to me, by throwing himself off the chair in the dining room and yelling "OMG watch out for those chairs without safety bars! Don't want to fall off!" If you're a bit worried just hook your arm around the side, and if it's REALLY windy just avoid them if you're still nervous.

Originally Posted By: Greenroome Originally Posted By: Tubby Beaver not in Japan you won't......the place is full of skiers in 80's or 90's throwback all-in-1 ski suits!! True. Just one of the many fruity quirky lovable points that makes Japan such ace fun. The fluoro 80's suits really come into their own when being modelled in a tough guy mountain man pose in the cafe, cigarette dangling from lazy finger and beer in hand. Headband ices the cake. Haha, the Nozawa old boys club was pretty classic - all of their suits said things like "Switzerland classic 1987" obviously various

It seems a bit silly - speaking from my perspective that our power went out faster than the quake moved.

NZ news this morning "Japan struggles to contain nuclear disaster" then they had a nuclear scientist from the USA saying "we believe this is much worse than they are admitting, we believe.... we believe... we believe that the containment facility has come away, we believe that the cooling pool has evaporated" It's easy to say all of that when you're thousands of km's away and trying to provoke an emotional response in a largely scientifically illiterate population (Americans, though NZers know very little about nuclear power). Are they intending to invade Japan under the premise

I have a four pack of guiness in the fridge for Mr Minty - I think you're supposed to drink it warm... We're not really doing anything tonight, but I did go and have lunch with him at subway (it's green!) and then I realised everyone was wearing their daggiest green clothes and felt a bit awkward. Hopefully this makes up for my mistake What is everyone else doing for St Paddies day?

You know what really shits me to tears about this - that people don't stop and say "Holy cow, I feel terrible for those people whose homes have been literally shaken apart or washed away" no, no one says that, because they're too goddamn selfish. Instead they say "oh noes! A tsunami is coming guys. Civil defense guy, how is the tsunami going to affect New Zealand?" and "oh my gosh, radiation, meltdown, nuclear stuff, oh my! I'm not really qualified to report on this, but I hear those things are really bad and we might go into a nuclear winter... Civil Defense man, how will this affec

Originally Posted By: CptSlow Originally Posted By: MintyNZ Glad to know you're safe Captain stag - does anyone know about Captain slow? if you mean me? im sweet, in comparison... YAY! How is your knee? I read that you did it in while you were in Japan

I've borrowed the MIL's Scott goggles from Mr Minty that were ridiculously expensive in the old days because I lost mine in transit (actually they were in my boot bag) They were pretty damn good actually - the only fault would be that sometimes it felt like it was snowing inside them because old foam is really thin and porous. Mr Minty bought new goggles, methinks they're head - they were *cough* 15000 yen at Happo (only 10000yen at Noz, gah) he isn't that stoked with them unfortunately - the air intakes are really small and they fog up on him REALLY easily - I'll tell him the not until

Originally Posted By: pie-eater And what was a machine out doing that anyway when people around? I don't know if it's normal practice, but the snow at Noz was so consistent that they had machines on the field during the day - just had to ski around them.

That was cool

Well, if I had the money I would be skiing in Japan right now. Provided I could get there. I was telling Mr Minty last night that I want to be in Japan right now - I mean if we're going to have EQ's and AS's, I might as well be sliding down a big white mountain rather than sitting at home every day (Feeling EVERY SINGLE AS!!! I'm losing it here) because my place of work has fallen down. People are saying here in NZ that the nuclear power plant explosion is the worst industrial disaster ever (Remember that NZers are hugely against nuclear power for the most part) which seems a little quick

Glad to know you're safe Captain stag - does anyone know about Captain slow?

Originally Posted By: Captain Stag Originally Posted By: muikabochi Originally Posted By: MintyNZ it's nearly full moon which is usually worst for aftershocks MintyNZ, where do you get that from? Take care! That would be from Ken Ring, the moon man. He kind of predicted the last earthquake a week or so out and says that there will be another big one on march 20. If there is then I will become a believer and if there isn't I will continue to call moon based weather and earthquake predicting rubbish. No, I definitely do not believe Ken Ring. edit: I don't want to beli

Sorry! That's the first thing that's made me laugh all day!!! Evacuee pokemon!! Stupid people who say stupid things are not welcome in Japan si?