I know it sounds a bit too soon for this, but with the expense involved, the time is about right to start considering options.
I am planning a trip to Japan early next season (Christmas time) but before that I will be in Australia in early September. I'm attending a friend's wedding in Melbourne and for a while I though about hopping over to New Zealand for a few skiing days. However, I've just about made up my mind to stay in Australia (it'll be a little under 2 weeks). It'll be my first time in the Southern Hemisphere and I selected Australia over New Zealand basically for its cities.