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Kraut_in_HongKong

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Posts posted by Kraut_in_HongKong

  1. hydrogen-powered and fuel cell are still rather experimental.

     

    Hybrid is booming (thanks Toyota!), even in the US. One state has a law that Diesel must contain a certain %age of biodiesel (usually made from canola AKA rape seed).

     

    But progress is pretty slow.

     

    I think within 5 years WMD will be suspected in Saudi Arabia, Venezuela and Nigeria. Once those contries are 'liberated' the oil supply will be secure for a few decades.

  2. If you plan to bring your camcorder or digital camera and do many pictures I advise STRONGLY on getting a 2nd battery.

     

    Don't expect more then a few images or 20 Minutes of video. The normal rechargeable batteries will lose power in the cold very fast.

     

    So it would be a good idea to have a 2nd battery in a warm place under your ski gear. The due to cold empty ones will also come back to life if warmed up again.

  3. I had only one problem with my Hong Kong HSBC issued visa card, and that was with JR Rail. So be prepared that you may can't buy train tickets with your non-Japan visa card.

     

    There were no problems in a range of department stores, restaurants. Usage in Hakuba was also no problem. I could Spicy Rentals and used it several times to buy Happo-One lift tickets.

     

    Interesting side point: For Happo-One lift tickets you can pay the chip deposit also by card - but get cash back when you return the cards.

  4. Just to follow up on my experience:

     

    I tried to buy a ticket on Friday 27th Jan for the early Sat. Shinkansen - no reserved seat available anymore. That did mean standing 61 Minutes from Omiya to Nagano. Standing between the reserved cars was quite comforable, but the non-reserved area was packet with standers.

     

    For my return late Monday we back non-reserved and did found seat in the (anyway quite full) non-reserved area.

     

    Interesting side note: The 09:10 Alpico Bus from Nagano to Hakuba was of course full - but they had lined up several busses and we got there in time anyway.

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