marnix

There are a number of backpacker places in Wanaka. The youth hostel was one of the places with the best atmosphere, but I heard a lot has changed since I was there ('97). The clubfields in the direction of Arthur's Pass are great for terrain. I really liked Temple Bassin because you have to walk 40 minutes just to get to the lodge and tow-rope. Cragieburn is famous for steep and extreme terrain. Glen Plake used to be a member there or some sort.

Daver I agree with you, you can't just do drills and let the client find out how to implement them themselves and I think the Japanese teachers will agree with you too. But I think it is more a difference of teaching methodology between countries. I assume Japanese ski instructors are taught to drill til they drop (or the client) and then (finally) start skiing. So don't blame the teacher per se. After 80 or so years there is still not a single worldwide supported methodology. Every country with some selfrespect has their own methodology. Next year the interski convention will be in Korea have

Quote: Originally posted by daver: a good teacher will have you skiing a lot, and will not waste your time performing drills that isolate an action unless it is completely necessary. Drills and personal attention are much more effective than skiing behind a teacher. It really depends on where you are on your learning curve whether skiing a lot makes more sense than drills, but no matter how good you are any drill can make you better where as just following a teacher doesn't.

During every earthquake I think about all those reports telling Tokyo is the most likely big city to be hit by a natural disaster. At first I found it exciting but since I became a dad I am really worried about this. Still it is a great place and you could do a lot worse.

move close to a resort will save you travel money. If you want to ski the whole season in one resort a season pass will save you some.

I'd like to come but I can only make it Saturday night and Sunday. But the forecast isn't promising for Sunday. Rain and maybe snow.

What you are all talking about is Saturday's plan right? Any plans for Sunday? Or is it sleeping late and return home?

just a few to go then Kumapix.

just footnote it and you'll be fine. Patents etc don't have any value in the name of science as long as you correctly name your source. Or at least rewrite it in a way that you understand it and can explain it to others.

I missed that minor detail

If you really like high speed middle and long turns then I have a REAL ski for you for a good price. With real ski I mean numbered, hand finished racing atelier Dynastar Skicross Pro 188 from 2 years ago. Only been used twice in world cups. This ski will hold the edge no matter what and is incredibly stable but still easy to handle even in shorter turns. Nothing like you have ever skied on before.

I want to come but still have to convince the wife that I don't have to do things that weekend with our guests. The result sofar is negative. Maybe if I tell that sock_monkey needs a ride she will let me go.

yep, but felt like faraway.

I use 1-day disposables and I think they are so much better than the month lenses I used before. You don't notice them at all and actually feel a lot less 'suffocating' then other thicker lenses. I switched to 1 day disposables because I had problems with infected eyes from sand blown into the lenses in dusty, dry places. When I travelled through south amercia I could only use 1 lense (and so see good with only 1 eye) for 3 months. By the time my infected eye was healed the other got infected and so on. contacts aren't great but I just can't get used to wearing glasses. It gives me

Quote: Originally posted by le spud: Plucky - glaciers in Austria (I can never remember the names), Zermatt, Vorab (Flims). There are quite a few. Zermatt and Flims are in Switzerland. austria: Kitzsteinhorn (Kaprun) Dachstein Hintertux Solden Stubai Pitztal Kaunertal I might forget 1 or 2 Spud if you are based in Dusseldorf why not go to the indoorslope in Neuss or a little bit further north in Bottrop (owned by Marc Girardelli). It is good for practicing.

I saw some Blizzard Titan 9.2 in a Kanda store last summer for 20,000 yen. Not that I needed skis but for that price I was tempted, but didn't buy them after all. In november went back to the same shop and the same skis were on 'special sale' for 50,000 yen. So better to buy now

Yesteday there was 10cm fresh but heavy snow at Kagura. I really enjoyed it, but I think that was my last day of the lift serviced season. I hope to do some skinning around Tateyama in May.

make sure the new holes are at least 1cm away from the old ones, but that shouldn't be aproblem with mounting a touring binding instead of a regular one. The 8800s with a touring binding are great.

Quote: Originally posted by grungy-gonads: I thought it was 2. Or mini skirts and long skirts. If you base it on the skirts then there is only 1 season.

In Tokyo I saw the Osprey switch on sale at ICI in Shinjuku (looked like it was the last one). They didn't have much more than that on sale though.

A few days ago on BBC there was something about skiing accidents etc and at the end of the item they said that, I think it was Grindelwald, was putting an actual speedlimit on skiing on their slopes. That must have been an April Fools joke, I hope

Not an April Fools joke, but I found this one in my photo archive from a trip to Thailand a number of years ago. Personally I prefer my yoghurt with muesli though.

Congrats, so now you can go skiing in between classes?

I wanted to go to Kagura this Sunday but it looks like it will be raining so now I want to go up there next Sunday.

Maybe being on the 'south island' explains why the ended up in Hakuba 57.