oblivion

Gomi scrounging!? Yes, I think he is meaning them huge things that I sometimes see and wonder about myself. Enough to make you fall over with the weight.

About 8

Most definitely flying. That would be super cool. I'd fly everywhere, and take my camera too to get some good shots!

I've done no study for ages now, and osmosis doesn't seem to be working too well. If anything, making my Japanese worse with all the bad slang that's going in.

Thick curtains, yes yes yes. When I came here the flimsy excuses for curtains were terrible - bright sunlight at dawn every morning waking me up. I had a difficult time trying to find good thick curtains.

Are they going mad at it yet then?

Very interesting, and I have no idea.

Last one I watched was Goldmember. Oh so long ago, so it seems.

I agree, people would just work longer!

With all the snow quickly disappearing down below, how come H47 can stay open so late.... it's not as if it's way high up or anything??

It is closed, I can't believe how quickly the snow has gone from that place this year. I was up there in Nagaoka at the weekend (non riding business to see too), we drove through Yuzawa to take a look.

My friends and I are thinking of going somewhere this weekend, just debating where to go. It looks like it is either going to be Hakuba, Shiga Kogen or Yuzawa (Kagura). Any top tips?

It's a right pain, although I'm holding out ok this year so far.

Such good boys are you all!

Sounds like a tool. Haven't heard that one for a while. But yes, he sounds like a complete idiot not worth your time and effort.

You'll be in the Hakuba region for 2 weeks then or plan to travel a bit further out?

I saw that too Aster, interesting story. They love them there "human stories" in Japan, don't they? Get the talento on to have a good weep - can't be beat!

OK decided. Up to the Kagura area this weekend. Anyone else a definite for there?

No need to fret - everyone reading that will know the same is true O11.

Give them a go - they were good for me too.

Hey thanks for that, IM. I was thinking about going there anyway.........

Very rarely. Sometimes it is most definitely a grind.

Check this out: "The growing snowboarding market in Japan is all that's keeping the country's winter sports industry from complete melt down according to commentators. The country's skier numbers has nearly halved from a peak of 18.6 million a decade ago to 10.8 million skiers in 2001. Over the same period annual sales of ski and snowboard equipment in one of the world's biggest markets has dropped more than a quarter from 2.5 to 1.8 million units. However the total figure for winter sports participation in Japan has not fallen so dramatically thanks to a boom in snowboarding over the pas