spook

i got a pretty cool job by knocking on many many many doors. i was working in a pension which had good bits and bad bits. got heaps of riding in, lived with a family, ate waaay to much delish food, made heaps of friends, and got to see a side of japan that isn't open to most. but be prepared for the japanese work ethic - highly inefficient systems and long hours are expected. for instance, although we had about 6 hours to ride each day, we were expected to work till 11 every morning (but there are always enough freshies if you know where to look). even if there was no work to do whatsoeve

i haven't worked in france but am also keen to spend the winter there. i've been speaking to a few people and it seems that you can find hospitality work fairly easily just by knocking on doors. there are also a whole heap of skiing related employment agencies on the web, but many of these probably only deal with EU passport holders. having said that i think there are some out there that will deal with non-EU people. if i can remember the name i'll send it to you a friend of my girlfriend's speaks french fluently and had a ridiculously laid back job as a chalet girl - there were only gu

i used to quite like saying it before eating, and gochisosamadeshita afterwards. what i think is insane is listening to someone say it everytime they take a small bite of somtething

anything over 35 degrees and i'm too lethargic to get angry

I’m in the market for a new pair of snowboarding boots this season and have been giving some thought to the DC boas. Anyone have any advice? For the past few years I’ve been wearing northwave legends, which were fantastic, but now the inner lining is completely packed out. I’m unsure whether to stick with laced boots (that I know and trust) or try the pump up ones. The possible advantages of boa boots are the quick tightening system, and the pump system for excellent fit. But I’m worried about standing at the top of a run and having the system break – its easy enough to buy new laces but may

going to asahidake tomorrow. still cold there so hopefully there should still be some nice stuff around

i was thinking of climbing mt fuji at some time in mid-april, but have had japanese friends tell me conflicting things about whether this is possible or not. one has told me not to do it until the 'official' climbing season starts in june, another has told me it is fine to do it in april is the peak of fuji in mid-arpil still covered in snow? can you hike up there in a pair of decent boots and normal clothes, or are we talking wading through deep snow and across ice? any advice would be appreciated

not sure of the exact temp in niseko, maybe 10 degrees and rain in niesko hmm, despite the few days of nice snow in the last few weeks, i think winter is over

the top lift was actually open, me thinks, some friends went up there and said it was empty and good fun, some good snow up there. i didn't go up cos i'm waiting around for me lift pass to get sorted the snowave site has more updated and more frequent ones than the ones i'm giving, not that i'm associated with them or anything.

its been snowing all day, there's　lots of fluff on the ground. apparently a top lift is open, and they are using the alpen quad as an access lift. i think its gonna keep snowing until tomorrow

been in niseko hirafu about a week now. it was depressing when we first got here - all green and brown on the ground, and raining. but then its been snowing non-stop for the past 3 days its stopped this morning, but i think it should start again this arvo and continue for a few more days, maybe warming up a little tomorrow went for a walk up to the hill yesterday arvo. although its snowed alot, i wouldnt be going riding for a few more days. i only got one board and dont want to destroy the base excuse the lack of apostraphes, i cant seem to find it on this keyboard

my girl and i are going from bejing to st petersburg in may next year, and i'm pretty excited about it i did quite a bit of research into it, trying to work out the best deals and what to do, alot of it depends on how you want to travel it seems that getting a russian visa is very hard, and pretty much the only option is to book your trip through a company that can organise everything for you. most of the trips we found we either hideously expensive, based on a fixed and inflexible itineray or on a group tour type thing. we ended up finding an oz company that could set up the trip

mercury rev last year. absolutely insanely incredible gig. everything on their albums suddenly made perfect sense and the dandy warhols a few years ago in perth. they had these amzing visuals on a screen behind them, very very cool. the sound coming from the speakers was turning into colours, or maybe i was just having a little too much fun

i'm in the land of oz and i just got mine yesterday. it was quite exciting getting a bubblewrap envelope in the mail haven't watched it yet tho

i downloaded the first movie, and got good vision, but no sound. i've tried to get parts of the second movie, and this time i get sound but no vision. i give up, but the free movie idea is pretty cool

i love backgammon, but like many other games it loses its appeal unless something is riding on the outcome. there's nothing like a small wager (even drinks or icecreams) to make something that is fairly repetitive quite interesting

this is an obvious one, but the author of a book i am reading is mike hunt

i just love the huge clouds that hang in the air after every turn. its so awesome watching someone and seeing 15ft long trails floating in the air behind them.

i ain't a huge fan of drinking shots either, i'd rather cruise through a few beers and see what happens a good drink is a depth charge - its not really a shot, but creamy and delicous, if a little filling. drop a shot of baileys into a 3/4 full glass of guiness and skoll

i think it was about 10 years ago that rob page (aussie pro surfer) spent 28 days in prison when customs found one trip in his wallet at the airport

not to mention people dorwning in powder, or falling into tree wells and getting buried by sluff

so mikazooki, or should that be dr paul, i believe i have uncovered your identity the embarassing thing is that i have killed so many brain cells, that even after looking at yer photo on your member page, it still didn't ring any bells, and a miss h baxter had to come to my assistance weeel, the only good place i found to get naked was the onsen in the middle of the village. a highly recomended way to pass an afternoon when visibility on the hill is zero, then cruise up for the nighta afterwards

does that mean that you were one of those who reveived that email? gotta think who's living in japan at the moment... i'll work it out later, but i got to go to class now

mikazooki....i wonder who you are and how do you know me? very curious i'm racking my brain and i can't figure it out, gonna have to super sleuth this one

kutchan is about 10-15 minutes away by car or bus, i can't see you walking it. hitching was pretty easy in the day time though, and at night there is a free bus that goes to and from kutchan - i'm not sure why, but it's hourly so you have enough time to go to the supermarket or get a quick dinner i guess there is an awesome place called "kamies" that we went to for dinner. you have to book, there's no menu, just 7 courses - mostly japanese food, but also the best pasta i have ever had in my life. brilliant. it's pretty out of the way, and i don't think you'll find it by yourself - one of