ausi ski bum

Originally Posted By: gareth_oau I just spent 9 nights at thredbo, overlooking the Supertrail. 2 adults and 3 children. At a mere A$1,142 per night, total cost was A$,10,278 or Y812,000 at today's rates. and that was just for the accommodation, no food or lift tickets included! view from the balcony: Looking at the trees the Snowmaking would have been noisy

Some of the most expensive Brisbane, had to attend a meeting the best I could find for the night AU$560at the Hilton Japan, Miyajima Island Grand Hotel, AU$550 per night China - Holiday Inn near the Qingdao Airport US, Quality Inn LA, nothing special either. Next trip the Tomamu Twin Towers look to be the most expensive.

I think it is more that the Democrat suggested it, if you chat on American forums you find that every idea that is not a Republican idea is bad according to a Republican. The idea of no access to healthcare is strange to most developed countries, The Aussie Medicare system with the choice of private insurance works pretty well. Travel a little in the US and you very quickly realise the quality of living is a lot lower than you see on TV. Wages are almost third world level.

I stayed at Youteii town houses which are located two thirds of the way from Hirafu to Higashiyama. Very quiet side street, we just rented a vehicle and had free access to everywhare and drove to the car park near the lifts. Made skiing in Rusutsu easy and some trips to Moiawa. Hirafu is OK but it can be quite a lot of walking each day. To many Aussies as well

Space Camp, for some reason I love that movie

Is to me

Yeh, love the mountain views but to see a city and the ocean, thats just unique.

Thats the one in the Photo, yes it was an amazing view but I never got to fully appreciate it as it was snowing most of the day. I got a better view of Iowana

I drove over there last trip in some pretty heavy snow and still found it an easy drive, about an hour and a half with stops. Not overly exciting but a good day trip, we skied a few runs at one of the small resorts you can see from town, can't remember their name. Stopped at the Black Whisky Brewery onm the way, nice place but really rough Whisky, even in coke its rough. Very cheap and it would want to be. The canals area is nice and some great food in the old wareouses there as well.

Kewl thanks always best to ask a local

I thought Bongo Vans died out years ago

I agree My first trip where I relied on mini bus transfers felt very restricted where as my second where I hired a car was so much better, I got out to places most Aussies never ski.

Very different to driving on snow in Australia and NZ, the surface has a lot more grip, the dry snow makes it a much safer drive. That said you need to look at the roads as the ice up quickly, once the surface is glazed its much more slippery. The Roads in Hokkaido are much slower than Australia but you still drive far faster than you would expect and be used to when the roads here have snow on them, it takes a little getting used to. You do not have snow chains The biggest things to remember like here is drive to the conditions, when a car passes you put your wippers o

Is this drive long, I gasther its about 200km but I could be wrong, I was trying to work out if its doable in a single day without to much concern. In early March of course.

I have heard the drive we are proposing is very interesting anyway, Abashiri looks Kewl, we are staying in a hotel on the Lake and are looking forward to snow mobile riding over the lake.

GN I was wondering that myself, any statistics on the dates available, it may require a rethink if the dates are marginal.

Yes call Japan Airlines direct they will sell you the internal airfares now, you can not do the special fares online, I was organising February March flights today. Call them on 1300 525 287 The Hotels take a little more research but you can book now but they may not be able to confirm the price until later. Ignor the booking forms and email the hotel direct and discuss your needs.

I spent New Years at Niseko, more Aussie Aussie Aussie Oi Oi Oi calls than in Sydney Harbour, It was a great night but I think the locals were a bit over powered by the Aussie invasion although I must say everyone was very well behaved

Originally Posted By: RobBright Na - leave hokkaido to those ozzies and we'll have honshu for ourselves. and 100 million other Japanese, I think the lower population and less crowds in Hokkaido is a big attraction to me coming from a country area myself.

I certainly will, actually I did some smaller resorts in 2008 including Moiawa and Niseko Iowana, we found a few hills with a single lift and stopped for a few hours, I even did Kat Skiing neat Kutchan and went to a resort near Otaru. It is a lot of fun, Niseko is fine, Rusutsu is better but been there done that.

For a three week trip, i would just do Hokkaido, leavethe mainland for another trip. Thats way to long in Tokyo, its just another city. I just posted my three week plan in another thread, we are staying in Hokkaido.

OK the plans are set for my Hokkaido Tour 2010. I am avoiding Rusutsu and Niseko completely and heading off to some very different areas. My Trip Sunday 21 Feb Travel to Osaka from Sydney via Gold Coast on Jetstar Star Class. Stay that night at Hotel Nikko Kansai Airport. Monday 22 Feb Fly to Sapporo then pick up the Rav 4 I have hired and drive to Furano, I am staying at Tsuru Apartments for five nights. Saturday 27 Feb Head to Sounkyo to stay at Hotel Taisetsu for three nights, this is where they have the frozen water falls and ice displays and the sm

I have traveled accross Australia and return on the Trans Australian train in a sleeper cab, but I was a teenager then but it was fantastic. What added to the adventure was a freight train derailment ahead of us and as there is only a single track across the Nullabour we had to stop on Xmas day at the town of Cook with another Trans Australian and two Indian Pacifics. They joined the three other trains to ours and the end result was the longest ever passenger train to cross Australia, five engines on the front and three on the real, I forget how many carrages but it was close to 2 km lon

Originally Posted By: thursday unless you're an avid trainspotter, I really don' see any reason for wasting time being stuck on a train looking out the windows. I have always wanted to travel on a sleeper train, sometimes travel is to hectic, to take a slow train to Osaka has a lot of appeal. Life is made of many experiences.

Still not having any luck with this, anyone know a good Japanese Travel Agent I can contact. Email preferably