ausi ski bum

I have faith in Tilba the snow god (he lives in a small red chandle my son owns)

About 12 so far

Hire a car and enjoy far more of Hokkaido, from Furano there is so much more to see. You can also easily do a day trip to Tommamu or Sahoro. I even found a frozen lake with an ice bar like no other in that area, no idea where it was I followed a phone number on my GPS to get there.

After the first four days we pick up a hire car, while we are staying up the top of Shiga at the Bakery, there seemed little reason to have a car. can you get through to Takayama from Shiga Kogen area.

I guess if its marginal we can buy a rail pass for seven days then head to the mountains, either way we will have a great holiday. I was at Shiga on 4 Jan this year and it was fine and looking at the records, the odds are deffinatly in our favour. Personally I would have made our trip late January but the kids (well using that term losely) can only get the period over Xmas new years off. Next season I will come in Jan by myself for the better conditions.

I know its early but so is my trip arriving in Tokyo 21 December with plans to be at Shiga from 23 Dec and Myoko from 28 dec returning to Shiga 1 Jan leaving 6 Jan. Trouble is my kids are in the Aussie Military and this was the only time we could all have off. Looking at some reports saying lower than average early snow, when would it be the time to cut my losses and switch to Hokkaido where there seems to be more snow. What are the best early starters this season on indicators so far, Furano seems to have some snow as does Niseko but been there to often, how are the resorts like Rusu

Looking a lot like snow up top at Shiga today http://www.yokoteyama.com/live.html

I know its early, just getting excited about trip number six

It must be getting close now, when will we see the first snowfalls this year. Hope Shiga gets an early dump.

Qantas has never had an issue with the 2.5% increase its the other demands they cant agree to, the Union wants a say in the running of the airline and its future direction, its not going to happen. Fact Labor Party introduced a new regime of Industrial relations where the only option an employer has to resolve ongoing rolling strikes is to lock out with 51 hours notice. The options available to Qantas were simple, 12 months of continual disruption or play the only card in their deck thanks to the Gillard Govt. What choice did they have. They are forcing the industrial system to

Basically the airline has made an offer that is reasonable but the Union wants a say in the direction of the Airline such as influencing decisions like the new Jet Star Japan and the New Premium Asian Airline recently announced. Unfortunatly the Union forgets Airlines today operate in a very different world to a few years back, in 1970 for example about 44% of passengers into and out of Australia flew Qantas, today with increased competition its about 18%. Baggage handlers at Qantas earn 30% more than other airlines staff at the same airport, how much more can Qantas pay. Qantas pilo

Just remember Moiwa is not cnnected to the rest of Niseko so its only an option if you have your own car. I know they will tell you there is a shuttle bus, but you will feel trapped. Personally I dont think much of Hirafu and prefer Higashiyama area myself but I dont tend to care about night life, I still always have a car so I can head to the various lifts and resorts when I want, Moiwa is nice, worth a day skiing there but its not part of the grand Niseko lift pass and requires seperate ticketing

I have been listening to and watching on Youtube Elva Hsiao but I have no idea what she is singing but she does have an amazing voice and great songs. I love this one and this one in particular

I loved the TV interviews where they asked Sam if Williams was off her game today. Why not just congratulate her for being the better player on the day.

I hope so but to improve our chances I chose the highest place I know with a hotel (in Japan). Mind you I traveled to Las Vegas a few years back and got snow, I tend to do that.

I was up there is white out and heavy snow once day last season and a much nicer day later in the week, its actually part of the attraction seeing it in wild weather, my son and his partner live in Queensland as he is with the RAAF, my Daughter in Nowra with the Navy and we are in the Riverina Area so it will be nice spend Christmas together no matter whats happening outside.

I am staying at the Bakery for four nights over Christmas, "I'm dreaming of a white Christmas la la la la la la la laaa"

I am staying at the Okushiga Kogen and Unnjyo no Yado Yokote Sancho Hutte this season at Shiga, both opposite ends of the resort and both have very different things on offer. I am looking forward to staying. I also have a side trip to Myoko Kogen as well. I stayed at Prince East last season so I thought I would try something different

GN yes Iawana, I was skiing there about four seasons back now, I did not think it would last much longer, a shame really it was nice skiing overlooking the ocean. My point is sometimes just get out there and find some very unique places, I have found many places I really had no idea where I was, just spotted in the distance and went for it.

An alternative to Niseko, well I found places in Japan where we never saw another non Japanese skier, many resorts were small local hills where we had a good afternoon skiing with the locals. Just get out there and find them. For example on the other side of the mountain is Niseko Iowana, it had a single lift running operated by a couple of old guys that looked like they lovingly kept it operating. Over the Northern areas of Hokkaido we found hotels with two or three lifts and a hand full of people skiing. Tommamu is nice, as is Sahoro but you better not stay at club mad (F

Yep Okushiga it is, The prince is great but just to expensive that particular week. Now all I need is a nice hotel in Tokyo for two nights, near the Nagano Asama Shink line perhaps so near Tokyo or Ueno, not sure which is the best area to stay. I have stayed at the Shiba Park hotel a number of times so looking for somewhere different. Any Ideas, Oh my son tells me there is a huge market in Tokyo we havent found yet, any isea what he is talking about

Thanks, I am sure we will, thanks for your help. SJ Mods you can lock this thread if you like

Yes early snow would be great.

A while back you gave me the email contact of a friend of yours who runs the Bakery at Yokoteyama, I have recieved an email with a quote but since then nothing, I am trying to confirm if they have our booking. Can you please phone them and ask if they have any recent emails from Allan Young in Australia. Its important as this is the last piece of my trip Jigsaw to complete. A White Christmas in a very special place

Thanks, the places to stay section on here is excellent, I have used it many times before and extensivly in planning this trip. I had been talking to someone at Prince about this year but lost contact, I was not clear and some of the places you advertise do struggle a little with OS enquiries, but thats OK I own two apartments in Falls Creek Victoria and if I recieved a booking enquiry in Japanese, I would be more than just a little stumped. I did find a hotel the Okushiga Kogen Hotel that meets our needs from the listings on this site, thanks. My trip is all but organised