Snow Rat

Kathmandu have a sale on at the moment where just about everything is 50%. There is a Kathmandu in Melbourne. I picked up a neck warmer and 2 head tubes today for $15 each. I picked up some other cool stuff as well, all 50% off.

The train will take about 2 hours, cost half as much and you get to see plenty of Tokyo. For train schedules use: http://www.hyperdia.com/ It lists different options.

Last time in went to japan. I rented a mobile phone from the following link http://www.digi-promotion.com/go-mobile-phone-rentals-japan.html There is a promotion code at the bottom of the page. Use it to get the discounted rate. It works out pretty cheap at AUD$60 for 2 weeks plus call costs. You can get the phone forwarded to the first place you are staying so it is ready to pick up when you arrive. Calls to Aus cost about $1 a minute. The email address for the phone is supplied with the phone. There is a bit of a trick to dialing international. There is a code in the phone so

ATMs that will work for foreign cards are Citibank and the ones at the Post Office. The Citibank ATMs will give you an option of which account you want to withdraw funds from. The Post Office ATMs wont work give you this option so if you put in a credit card that has other accounts linked to it the ATM will just withdraw the money off the credit card. It is a good idea to get a keycard soley for your savings account if you want to withdraw money from it. Before you leave Australia it is a good idea to change over some money so that you have some yen as soon as you arrive. The

Bringing to Japan this Season: Stockli Rotor and K2 Public Enemy Stockli Carbon Poles

Try

I'm for helmets. There was a fatality at Happo last season where a snowboarder came off a cat track and hit a tree. Here is a photo of the accident site. The tree in the centre of the photo with the top bent over was the one involved. I couldn't believe how a small tree like that could cause so much damage. I think that sport injuries can often be more about "hitting the sweet spot" and less about being reckless, careless or useless. Although I am probably biased after a torn ACL and dislocated shoulder from some pretty uneventful skiing over recent years. I have purchased 2 helm