snosurf

Yeh i've definitely heard some great things about snowbeds, looking forward to heading over there with some mates for feb so keep an eye out for us (but if you're staying at snowbeds like us, there's no chance you'll miss us). Can't wait.. Wish i was going for january as well!

I was surprised when I went to Niseko. I was expecting to see hundreds of ski-patrol all over the place confiscating lift passes and generally causing havoc. But that was not the case. I ducked under several ropes for about 4 and a half weeks yet did not even hear as much as a whistle from anyone! Also going up the Ace 2 lift over the permanently closed supercourse (due to large cracks), I noticed many many tracks through the prohibited area. I didn't risk entering the supercourse (as tempting as it was). I found that as long as you avoided dangerous areas or permanently closed areas,

haha well i'm thinking of heading over east if the Dockers play a footy final this year (looks likely!). I was thinking maybe go up to Buller for a day or 2 if that's the case...do you think there'll be any snow left mid-late september? (I have an old board i can use so i don't mind about the rocks too much...) Where did you go south in WA? Margaret River?

Well i'd never ride that board personally. I am jinxed with binding screws. I don't think i've done one trip where my screws have stayed locked-tight on my bindings, ever! If I were to use that board, I would be (unintentionally) snow-skating by the end of the first day...

haha the reason I know the cat wasn't aussie was because it was because it was alone and obviously not on a package tour with ski japan... like me!

I'm going to Hakuba for a few weeks but now i'm starting to get jealous of your itinerary... Since it's your 3rd JaP trip and it appears you know some stuff that I don't! Still maybe it's necessary to do some time in Niseko and Hakuba before going off an exploring the less famed areas?

Sounds like a sweet itinerary...My problem with thailand is i've spent too much time in the cities. You'll have a sweet time in Laos and Cambodia and then down south on the islands. So hotham is pretty terrible at the moment?

Oh and i've been to rusutsu....great resort, but unfortunately no nightlife. A handful of restaurants...but if you're really after bars and restaurants then Niseko is the place for you. Sure there are a lot of Aussies and some find it flat in places, but there's a lot of variety and a near-guarantee that you'll get some good powder.

Take them where the best snow is....they'll be happy. Tell them have an early night and get up for first lifts. If they complain, put them on the first plane home! Harsh, but they'll thank you at the end of the day. Sometimes you have to be cruel to be kind haha

hahaha you may be right there! I wouldn't have noticed cos I was just so happy to see someone in Niseko who wasn't bloody Aussie! Either way, that's the closest i got to any pussy cat during my trip!

Quoting Le spud: "If you get a male dog then get it de-sexed. It results in a well mannered dog, and also means you don't have to stare at his swinging ballbag every time you take him for a walk. Yuck." Yeh that's one way of looking at it le spud. But if you're a guy, you have a ballsack right? How would you feel if someone cut that off? Not good, right? You should be able to sympathise with those poor guys... And if you're a girl, you shouldn't have any problem with a swinging sack in front of you...

*and I meant you've got it all wrong, not 'long'... it's early....

Yeh definitely good timing man...But you've got it all long, you only need to spend a few weeks in thailand then a month or 2 in Japan! Thailand is smelly, sticky, and the only country in the world where you walk down the street at night and chicks rush out in packs grabbing your ass. But that said, these are the kind of chicks you really DON'T want touching you there! On the positive side, you will understand what it would be like to go out if you were a girl! Also the Thai foood is awesome, on par with Japanese cuisine. I recommend the Tom Yum Goong soup - a spicy flavour explosi

December for hokkaido April for anywhere else. It's been said but i'll say it again: At least there'll be something white to slide around on in April, there's no guarantee of that in December. There's no guarantee of that in April either, but you'd be VERY unlucky if you couldn't find something in April (it would be unheard of).

I don't know much about a rustusu cat. But I was at the (surprisingly tiny) Niseko train station at the beginning of the year and I can tell you for sure that there is a Niseko cat (very friendly as well...came up to me purring loudly and sat on my lap for a picture!). As for the snow-cat variety, I read something about it in a travel brochure and i'm sure if you enquired about it at a tour operator or the Rusutsu Hotel they could hook you up a cat-ride. But as Fattwins said, go for a hike - it's more rewarding.

undoubtedly yes! the workmanship on some boards nowadays can be shoddy, but in terms of innovation in design, technology and materials, i'd definitely say that a top quality board made 15 years ago would be far inferior to almost any (reputable) 2006 model snowboard. But like anything, there are probably exceptions...

Hey kumapix i couldn't agree with you more about some of the jumps in Japan. It's the worst thing when you it a jump for the first time and realise that it's just not right. You thing you've got the right speed then you hit the kick and you suddenly think, 'damn, this jump just is not right, there's no chance i'm going to make it over the table top'. If you have a slow board and you're at a relatively flat mountain like Niseko, you're always gonna struggle to clear the flats (expecially on a powder day) and land on the down. It frustrated me to the point where I just plain stopped hitting jump

Hey winadil are you still going to be in Hakuba into February? If so i'll see you there man, we're checking in at snowbeds too.

Sounds pretty sweet man.... Hope you score plenty of the good stuff! How many are going, have you thought about hiring a car?