Sharon

I loved it and watched all episodes on video in about 2 weeks. It's on Wowow again isn't it?

Hubbie forgot to tell me that our email account thingie was changing from infoweb to nifty. I didnt realise for a few weeks and now friends have told me about emails that were sent to my infoweb address. Anyone know if theres anyway I can access my old address? - it only changed a few weeks or so ago.

I did the 2 hours each way stint for 6 months. Ruined my eyesight - reading for 4 hours a day I trained my eyes to only focus on things up close - or so my optician said. I enjoyed having forced reading tome - I always feel like I should be doing something else when reading at home during the day. After that, I managed to cut my commute down to less than an hour but that involved a 65,000 yen shinkansen teiki. Now just a 20 min drive from my house to the city.

Own, or we will do in 30 years time.

Own, or we will do in 30 years time.

Hello Wizz, thanks for the salutation. By ethnic shades, I suppose I mean kind of autumn shades, burgundies, olives, natural shades. IDC, sorry about the gaff. I don't have a problem with filling in forms at Otsuka Kagu - you only do it the once, but when I go, unless I'm looking for specific advise, I ask to browse alone - no problem. You can also browse their catalogues and it is possible to order, just takes a few months for the stuff to be shipped. They have a huge selection though, and the stuff is regular western sizes, styles and quality - not like the barbie doll sized stuff from

largest furniture importers ITC with branches in Tokyo, Osaka (nr WTC and Cosmo Square at Osaka Port), etc. Good quality, but really for long term. They have REALLY expensive stuff through to reasonable. The biggest selection you'll ever find though. Egyptian cotton sheets difficult to get here, I bought over internet from the linen company. 100% egyptian cotton - I never knew bedlinen could make such a difference. It is expensive though but should last years and years. For bedlinen in Japan, I love Etro (found in most good department stores) paisley patterns in ethnic shades. Soft and

The Gorillas (Clint Eastwood) for ringer, Fatboy Slim (Right here, right now - is that what it's called?) for email and Macy Gray (I try) for alarm clock.

Cool, where will the truck be? Might be a good place to hit at New Year. Do u think they'll be listening to the bells there? (mmmh, p'rhaps not). Thats the one thing bout Niseko...friends and I walked about for ages trying to find signs of life 8well actually an Otaru beer) There were a couple of bars but with the usual gaijin fare of foreign beers or just asahi or kirin.　　

Incidentally and kind of related to another recent thread, but does anyone know the ratio of deaths,serious accidents etc that are ski vs snowboard related? I guess these figures aren't available, but any guesses? or from things uv heard?

Oblivion, ignorance is no defence in most countries. I think theyd let u off the first time though, just pretty tough if ur first time to have an incident is an accident I suppose.

it's only expensive if ur getting a license completely from scratch ie u dont have one from home. its so easy to get a japanese one (a bit harder for people from countries who drive on the right admittedly) that I dont understand why more long termers dont get one.

Where are you from Namenya? It's pretty straight forward to get a Japanese license if you are e.g. from Britain or Australia or other countries where they drive on the left. Just need to get JAF to translate your home countries license, take a simple eye test, pose for a photo and then sit through a lecture (all in japanese). then you get your license that day, though depending on the prefecture, the whole thing can take about 5 or 6 hours (the lecture in Hiroshima was 2 hours!!!). If you are from a country where they drive on the right, you actually have to take a driving test as well

SHOPPING!!!! I can't get over how no matter what u want to buy or get, whether it be buying a pair of shoes, trying to book a holiday, renting an apartment or, as I tried to do the other day, buy bedlinen, bedspreads, night tables, coffee table and a sofa, the shop assistants insist everything is muri/dekinai/muzukashii etc and you end up walking out empty handed. They rarely offer alternatives or try things another way. Why don't the sales people try their best to make a sale (although this too can be very frustrating!). I'm tired of having stuff to buy and not being allowed (ok, helped)

Mmm... not sure about the cheese fondue party, Cheeseman seems to have gone a bit silent since the ball was thrown back. Thanks to all for the congrats!

Ocean, where do u get the time to spend boarding and dirtwatsiting as well as ur other exploits AND spend time with ur wife and son? That plus ur on this forum every day! Just a question coz ur life must be very busy.

I stayed at Lodge Uranaka last year. The food was really pretty good. The owners seemed really friendly and insisted on practising their english. The place itself is pretty basic but really near the gelende and the town. A good place. You'll have a good time. In Hiroshima you should go to Miyajima and the Peace Park. Let us know when u'll be here. We can give u tips on bars and restaurants, maybe even have a mini SJ get together.

Not rich, no Stomach. (And Markie is right, I never will be now). Nigel - Never been to Geihoku (only 1 yr in Hiroshima and went to Niseko and Zao last year. Yuki's Passion, thanks for ur kind words and also, don't worry, we'll get to the mountain too. Scored some plane tix to Hokkaido for New Year (5 days) using air miles - so kind of free. Just checking out accommodation now. Will also try to get to Geihoku or mizuho in jan if snow is still there. How bout u? Cheeseman.....if u get me a fondue set as a house warming przzie, I'll provide the cheese!

Nr Big Arch - a place called Satsugi ga oka. It's not huge, total floor space is about 120metres squared. My apartment is 84 but both are 4ldks. Most of the extra space in the house is stairs, hallway, cupboards and extra loo. It's new and bali style inside and out and is just luverrly! I'll stop going on about it now.

Thanks for the congrats! I think it's too far out of your way, but ur welcome all the same. At this point in my excitement, I'm telling everyone! Now I'm more excited about Niseko at New Year! Anyone else be there?

Well, booking tix for Hokkaido over new year using air miles was so easy I couldnt believe it! No worries! Leaving 31st coming back jan 4th. Just have to find accommodation now. Any tips?

After months of looking at houses, choosing a lovely one, signing the contract, paying the deposit and then 2.5 weeks of waiting to hear the verdict from the bank, it's all systems go and we have bought a house (don't know if u remember my thread from way back in the summer). I'm sooo excited about it (despite the fact that I was against buying in japan a few onths ago). Will move in before Christmas. The bad news though is that coz we have to buy things like beds, aircons, new sofa etc etc, we'll not have the funds to make trips to Hokkaido and Tohoku! That part is devastating! M

Shakin Stevens!(snigger, yeh right!) Love will tear us apart by Joy Division Tinsletown in the rain by The Blue nile Forest Fire by LLoyd Cole and the Commotions and I'm quite partial to (ie, its my mobile ringer) Clint Eastwood (is that what its called?) by The Gorillas and other stuff, which may just be a passing thing and not as long term as the first 3 obviously are (hey, I used to love Sunshine on a rainy day by zoe, Torn by Natalie Imbruglia and Bitch by Meredith Brooks - Still do but they havent proven to be monumental or here for the duration).

I've had wasabi ice cream once - not quite the same but still strange at the time. Anyone else?

My comment was based on months of reading Oceans remarks, not this particular one. U have in the past, made remarks which are against skiers and, whilst this one was very tame, I did kind of feel - Oh here we go again! I can't be bothered to dig up the past and my point was merely that skiers and boarders are all part of this forum and all enjoy the same season. If u (Ocean) feel this is unfair and that u never make any negative references to skiers, then I have obviously read ur previous postings wrongly and therefore duly apologise.