connackers

Cheers for the help people - i guess i can rule out the train and concentrate on looking for ferry options or cheap flights/deals

That`s what it`s called - the Seishun 18 Kippu, cheers! Want to try to get up there and back using the five day pass. Was thinking about the ferry also, but from Okayama the nearest one leaves from Kyoto so not sure if it`s worth it.

A mate and I are planning on going to Hokkaido for christmas and new year. Am tempted to try to take advantage of the cheap train ticket offer and go from Okayama (3hours local train journey south of osaka) and make a couple of stops along the way. Has anyone tried this before and know how feasible it is?

good - sukiyaki (and sushi, shabu shabu, yakiniku, yakitori and SO many others!) bad - taco fried rice

Cheers Fattwins Victor where are you based? Went up to Daisen 6 or so times last season also - always had a good time. I`d heard a lot of negative stuff about it especially from my japanese teachers but found it really good considering it`s not that big. Nice snow, quick lift up to the top, not too crowded and good cheap food.

England might play 4-3-3 against wales tomorrow, apparently they`ve been using it in training, with rooney playing just behind owen and defoe. Should make for an entertaining game!

I`d heard about the crazy queueing times but didn`t find Daisen too bad especially in January. Liked Mizuho a lot except that it seemed like it could be set up better. Only having one canteen at the bottom is ridiculous, especially as it is so overcrowded and overpriced - don`t go back down for lunch! Also unless you have your own transport you have NO chance of getting a locker if you arrive past 9am. And I really don`t like the way that in so many resorts it`s difficult to get your own stuff serviced, though Daisen is good for this. Mizuho only having one run back down also means t

How do Osorakan and Hachi compare to Daisen and Mizuho? Found Daisen and Mizuho pretty similar in quality - Mizuho had more difficult runs and a better park but Daisen was a little bigger and set up a lot better. Both good fun for a day but, but probably would get bored of them for much more than that. Are Osorakan and Hachi similar?

Anyone seen any winter snow predictions yet???

Mizuho in Shimane has some more challenging runs than Daisen, so is worth a visit. There are also a few smaller places in Hiroshima but i haven`t been. What are Hyonsen and Hachi Kita like? - never heard of them.

You`re great to watch - that`s half the problem! At least when you had George Graham we could take the piss `cause you were so boring. We don`t have much to slate you for anymore as you`re just too damn good. Just a shame you can`t carry it through to Europe....

Arsenal look SO awesome at the moment, just wondering what would happen if they had to do without Henry for a few games - maybe the only chance anyone has to catch them.

Pretty impresive stuff, things like this make me wish i was back in england - missing out on all the hype, bollox and speculation - will be great to see how rooney progresses this season. Chelsea Liverpool Sunday - should be a good one!

Pretty bad here too, thought i was going to be blown off my bicycle, then almost drowned. Just got back in time to save my washing being redistributed across the town!

reposted it for you in www.snowboardinguk.co.uk

I think we should do bukatsu. It`s a good opportunity for us to get involved and actually have fun with the children, who on the whole only play up to impress their mates, not to take the piss out of you. Also doing more than the precise elements in our job description is any easy way to show that that you do actually give a ****. It tends to go down really well, even though that might not be obviously apparent.

I can`t understand how it is that most japanese english teachers have never spent a significant amount of time in an english speaking country. I would be surprised if the reason is entirely to do with JET. Why is it not part of the university course? I think it has a lot to do with the general attitude of japanese people to foreigners and foreign countries. After all when the JET program was put in place it was back in the day when the Japanese government had enough money at its disposal to instigate both options. If it is a choice between sending teachers to an english speaking country t

Ocean, There are not enough fully trained and fully motivated teachers in our own home countries, why are you so shocked that they`re not here either? I agree that JET in particular and the ALT system in general could be a hell of a lot better, for everyone involved. Your last post sounds pretty spot on, but in most jobs in most parts of the world you would be lucky to even get someone `to do their best`. Japanese schools have plenty of trained english teachers. What they need are teachers with english ability and the confidence to use it. Until this happens anything is a stop-g

I join in the soccer club when i can and it`s good fun. Best chance i get to talk to the students and have a laugh with them.

What`s a bukatsu ??? do us JETs avoid it?

My mate went to school with a Richard Dick - how not to have a happy childhood! And my mate`s middle name is Commander, bizarely named after his grandfather (who wasn`t a commander)

no way - this one`s class

Quote: Originally posted by scouser: You tend to believe football players and managers connakers?? I'd give up on that if I were you.. Fair enough! Just think that Gerrard must have decided to stay because he reckons Benitez can do something with Liverpool. To cop out at the mid-way stage of his first season would not be giving him a chance. Sure there`s still the possibility of a club poaching him, but unless gerrard`s REALLY f-ed of with it all it`s in his interests to wait till the end of the season, see how liverpool progress and wait for a few more clubs to be in a

Quote: Originally posted by scouser: No, I don't think thats what BofC is meaning. I think what he probably means that there is the chance of Stevie leaving Liverpool in the winter to pastures new. He was sorely tempted by Chelsea over summer, etc etc. It could well happen, even though I would be well not happy if it did. Got that just can`t see it happening - after coming so close and deciding against it, don`t reckon he`d change his mind only a few months later. Plus not sure anyone would front the cash for him. Chelsea have closed shop for the season (according to Mourinho) . M

Quote: Originally posted by BagOfCrisps: Bad news for you there scouser. He has played for the last time in a scouse uniform, perhaps?? do u see him suddenly anouncing his retirement or something!?!?! No way, and him getting injured could be a great way for the new signings to get blooded. with a bit of luck though.... i think key players getting injured can often be a good thing for a club if it comes at the right time of a season. e.g. arsenal now suddenly have an exciting new young talent as back-up for viera instead of a 17 year old nobody.