WantToSki

Quote: Originally posted by WantToSki: Quote: Originally posted by rach: Yout attention please: http://www.snowjapanforums.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi/topic/8/5479.html hhhmmmm... any chances that us of the local masses to get to meet them? personally, Tae seems cuter!! i take it back...!!! after checking out an issue of a ski magazine - i find that Aiko is cuter...

hhhmmm... im still hoping that the snow still lasts in the tashiro/kagura/mitsumata area up until the first week of GW - am gunning for my 2-Kyu (SAJ Grade 2) Badge Tests..!!!

Quote: Originally posted by I'm Sexy: Captain Stag are you in New Zealand or still Isawa? I really want go to New Zealand and thinking about it this summer. Problem is money i did a search among travel agencies in NZ, and i found that a 9-day tour, which includes accomodations, shuttle bus, lifts, and rentals are about 80,000 yen...!! however, the problem is the airfare - for july departures from japan; it is about 112,000 yen aboard NZ Air, and for august!?! 212,000 yen... THIS IS WHAT I HATE in JAPAN - August airfares are more than DOUBLE regular PRICES!!!

how old is she now?

i just had M$ Money give me a report of my expenses - and yes, ive so far spent 378,000 yen already... and im expecting about 20,000-30,000 yen in the coming weeks... this includes everything - equipment and gear, learning materials, school lessons, food, travel, ski packages, etc. *sigh* BUT, i promise myself that next year would be different... i would definitely set a budget - say 100,000 yen? which would be for about 4-5 cheap packaged tours?

while it is being discussed in this thread: The resort you spent most of your time this season the resorts wherein we spent most of our time, has anyone really discussed about which resorts they really hate? -- as for me, i really hate "Karuizawa Prince"... c'mon, can you really call that a resort? the intermediate/advanced/expert-level courses are around only 600 meters long (and a couple of meters wide)? skiing at this gradients gets you down in about 2 minutes, and the lifts usually takes 7 minutes to get you back up!?! not only that - rentals here cost a fortune, y

Quote: Originally posted by Kumapix: also avoid weddings & funerals yep! that really hurted my first year here in japan...

Quote: Originally posted by BagOfCrisps: Is there a ranking system over there then for things like that? yes, there is... if you check this link out, you'd find that schools are ranked "A"-level, "B"-level, etc. Ski Association of Japan (SAJ) - List of Certified Schools

Quote: Originally posted by rach: Yout attention please: http://www.snowjapanforums.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi/topic/8/5479.html hhhmmmm... any chances that us of the local masses to get to meet them? personally, Tae seems cuter!!

Quote: Originally posted by 7-11: Where did you get those new skis from WantToSki? a shop called "London Sports" somewhere in Kanda/Ochanomizu/Ogawa-Machi in Tokyo...

Quote: Originally posted by egglesby: I made it to 11! Went up to Kagura this last weekend, wasn't very good I thought thats it for me. i went up to kagura, too; on saturday... well, it was good during the first half of the day... but the later part was something left to be desired. regardless, that makes it either a 14.5 or a 15.0 days.

hey, i had my first day with my new skis (just got back from Kagura)...!! really nice skis... and as soon as i had it hot waxed, perfect! compared to rental skis that ive tried, really easy to initiate turns (and especially when i needed lots of short turns when the only way to get down from the top is to take the bumps/kobu - since the "safe" course has been closed)... ah yes,it really does hate being in a straight line - there were two situations wherein i just wiped out! one was i took too much time to initiate a new turn, and i just lost control. and another when i was taking the

Quote: Originally posted by Ryo: WantToSki, Well, same here, I plan to take the first shinkansen out of tokyo to echigo yuzawa and from there hopefully I will find the bus to kagura! If you will notice a short guy with black hair and a board on his back! cest moi! Come to say hi! Cheers mate! just got back from Kagura... still enough snow to enjoy, however, hhhhmmm... i didnt find it as exciting as other ski resorts ive been to (ie., Happo). regardless,... were you one of those that got a free lift from a Japanese ojisan in his small van (there was one case of onigiri inside

Quote: Originally posted by daver: don't worry about losing technique over the summer. you won't. ok, you will be a little rusty come next november but that will pass. the speed in which it passes entirely depends on your fitness however. like everybody says, be active. i have always liked to train for mountains in the mountains. ie, hiking, trail running, climbing. but if you live in the city a gym pass will do. SURF. but then again you must be fit to even attempt doing that. just stay fit, you don't need to worry about specifics yet. enjoy the warm season! yeah - i guess im worried abou

Quote: Originally posted by Thunderpants: A car is a great place to sleep too. bring a camping stove and explore Cup Noodle land. *thumbs up*

yep - there is still a shuttle bus from yuzawa to kagura... if none, im screwed tomorrow!!! btw, ill taking the first shinkansen out of tokyo tomorrow, and arrive in yuzawa around 7:30 - just in time for the FIRST shuttle bus!

Quote: Originally posted by Sanno: 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. hhhhmmm... i could take a month's off from work, and maybe stay in some cheap "monthly mansion" or something... i wonder if there are some areas near ski resorts that offer accomodations for one month?

it is presently being discussed in a thread on how much, on average, we have already spent in this season... for me, i have already spent between 300,000 and 400,000 (maybe approaching half-a-million). however, since i just started this season, this includes new gear (wear, boots, skis, goggles, etc.), as well as lots of lessons, etc; which im confident "would not be there" next season... and, so, which brings us to - how to save? what do you usually do? take night-trip buses? bring your own food, etc. (ski resort lunches are really expensive)? car pooling? take longer tour pack

what do you guys do during off season? do some of you do inline skates, etc? or, how about indoor ski resorts (ive searched, and it seems they all close at the same time as the real resorts)? any advice/recommendations that you can give?

Naeba for me - its convenient... if youve the earliest shinkansen out from tokyo, and you have the Prince Hotel shuttle bus... that was then... up until i got the chance to visit some other places, like happo... and i may not venture to naeba anymore (for one, TOO crowded!!!)

i started skiing this season, and as of last week, ive had 14 days already, and i still have one-day trip coming up this saturday (ill be taking the earliest shinkansen out of tokyo, and arrive at around 7:35 in the ski resort)

Quote: Originally posted by Fattwins: also this being his first year a world cup ski would be way too much of a ski. thanks for that!!

Quote: Originally posted by SKI: I'd ask some Japanese friends who know to recommend some good teachers. try the Hakuba Happo-One Ski School - it is an "A"-ranked school here in Japan, and besides that, IS actually seen by the general skiing public as one of the TOP schools.

Quote: Originally posted by Sanno: 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. thanks for the offer, Sanno; but ive already bought my ski before i saw this post of yours... but hey, for 25,000 yen brand-new - who can argue? cheers!!

hey guys!!! i already got the ski... and all for 24,732 yen...!!! here is a pic taken with my cellphone (my digital camera wasnt charged, and just cant wait) when i first brought it into my place: yipeee...!!!