tripitaka

Originally Posted By: SJForums There is a lot of choice on here: http://www.snowjapan.com/e/hakuba-guide/hakuba-places-to-stay.html I would mention my favourite place but it would create a lot of fuss and be against those nasty rules. Good luck. Yes, SJF. Probably a good idea to be diplomatic. Anyway, your recommendations are as good as anywhere. As for the Tracks Bar, there is no competition, so no toes stepped on there.

You are spoilt for choices when it comes to accommodation in G/47. I would rattle off the names of a few places but I think it's against the rules of this site. However, the local Tracks Bar stood out (for me anyway) as a good place to share a few ales and tell a few lies. There's a hardcore Tasmanian contingent in Hakuba for a few months, who like their music and create a vibe. Also, there's a local DJ that goes by Jimmy Concrete who knows how to crank it up.

Originally Posted By: Tubby Beaver word on the street is that the Navy boys will be up over new year..... Thanks TB. They're a little softer, aren't they? It's the marines who like to stir it up. To be honest, most of my experiences with jar-heads have been OK. You hear the stories though. Also heard about the Aussies in Niseko getting over the top.... fighting in izakayas, etc. Don't know how true it is.

Originally Posted By: Creek Boy didnt you hear the US is bombing every country in the middle east looking for oil, I mean, democracy? Theyre protecting us while we sleep at night. Aussies, well, we just wont go there You feeling any safer CB?? I just hope all the psycho ones are not in Hakuba over New Year.

SO I guess there's no drum and bass parties with massive sound systems. Oh well, can get that in the city anyway. Heard a rumor that the military guys can get a little rowdy. Oh, and the Aussies.

Originally Posted By: Creek Boy TT, I dont have much of a life anymore cuz of my career, but as long as you love what you do, its worth it. If not, Id be taking holidays (I cant take hols really ) Good attitude. Just don't like life passing by at a desk waiting for others to get their act together.

Monday that is. My Japanese boss is spewing that I want to have a life. For my one hour of work, it takes him eight.

Went up with him once. I'm a pussy that's all. Will get up there by on though.

Originally Posted By: Kumapix Originally Posted By: Mr Wiggles It'll be powder galore for the first hour when it opens tomorrow. d'oh! I was hoping to sleep in a bit. oh well, pow is good too bad my noboard's in the shop Life sounds pretty tough there. (Do I sleep in or go boarding?) I wish my biggest hassle was that my noboard's in the shop.

FT, you're the man. By the way, it wasn't a "sick day." It was a "well day" (like I got better things to do with my time).

Originally Posted By: spook i've surfed cornwall a few times, been down there for about 6 weekends in total i guess. newquay is the main surf town, there's some fun waves in town but it gets busy. just north of there are some other beaches and headlands. if you are prepared to go for a hike up the beach you can find some sick beachie set-ups wedging off the rocks, with very few other people prepared to go for the 15 minute walk. i had one of my funnest ever surfs at a beachie near here. a series of rights bouncing sideways off a headland and grinding down a bank. very trippy seeing sideways lu

Originally Posted By: spook i don't know how cold japan gets, but you should be able to pick up a hood, booties and gloves quite cheapy. this is just a guess based on what i've seen, but say about $50-60US all up i surfed wales in december once, in just a 3/2 with a thin thermal rashie underneath. so so cold. icecream headaches from each duckdive, and i was almost in tears watching broken waves come towards me and knowing i'd have to duckdive. my body was warm enough but my extremities were frozen solid. i think i gave up after 20 minutes and went to the pub for a cup of tea and a pint i als

I used to work part time in a Japanese restaurant. I was fed whale tounge by the shop master. Another time I had whale on a company bounenkai. Both times, I didn't think much of the taste or texture of the meat. Give me some primo toro any day.

Originally Posted By: Creek Boy JR新神戸駅→（市営地下鉄／約2分）→三ノ宮駅→（ポートライナー／約10分）→市民広場駅 From JR Sannomiya, take the portliner to the Shimin Hiroba Eki My bad, not Harborland... Bizarre, I posted one second after you.

It's at the Kobe International Exhibition Hall. Here's the map. I was in a cafe at lunchtime and they were advertising on TV. http://kobe-tenji.jp/english/access/index.html

Cheers CB. There's nothing on the Harbourland website but I'll check JR.

Is it really in Harborland?? Will be there on Sat and Sun.

A colleague was working at the Amagsaki BOE which apparently had a pretty sweet job for English teachers. 500K a month with set contact hours. Essentially a gravy train job. When Amagasaki city hit difficulties, their salaries were cut by 20%, hours increased and new contracts were starting on 250K. Roll with the punches if it's only for a few months.

Yup, that looks friggin wicked. I want your guys' lives.

Originally Posted By: Kumapix Tripitaka, just come up to Hakuba on a powder day and I'll give you a go I don't think I would be up to it, but I'm well into the spirit of it all.

Originally Posted By: Oyuki kigan you could try it if you have some expeience in other strapless board sports. But only in the untracked. If you come across anything tracked or even packed a little, you have to know how to use your edges, and that takes snowboarding experience. So does stopping, come to think of it. Oh, and without a doubt, i love noboarding way more than sk8ing. Sk8ing is fun, but unless you have access to a nice, smooth, carvable bowl like Hastings in Vancouver, or Marsielles in France, it doesn't even come close. Surfing might be a better comparison.

Would it be a good idea for someone who's never snowboarded to perhaps start on a noboard? I'm just wondering how that would work.

Originally Posted By: samurai Originally Posted By: Fattwins Man did anyone read my TR? I was on the pontoons and the snow was almost too deep for those crazy sticks! perhaps I should have waded through the novel. I just saw the shot of you carrying a noboard and my jaw dropped. dizzy- I'm just taking the piss. I'm sure it's a good laugh with mates. to be honest, I made a noboard when I was 12 out of my Hosoi deck. it kinda worked. we laughed, anyway. I still wouldn't give up a pow day though. So what's a better buzz. Skateboarding or noboarding? You had one of those ham

Originally Posted By: gogalago Think you are pretty much limited to vending machine can coffee for 150yen a pop. btw the sleep room (bed and no bed types) are the first two pictures on that link I posted before. only opens from 21 Dec - actually 1000yen for the floor version and 2000 for the crowded hospital type action. Will be up there from tomorrow for the next 110days myself(but not sleeping in escal heheh). S=T=O=K=E=D I can't stomach Japanese canned coffee. That stuff should be outlawed. I'd even choose a Thai coffee over the sweet, sickly evilness of a Boss. 110 da

Originally Posted By: gogalago Dunno when they start with this, but they sometimes open the bottom lifts really early esp on weekends in peak season.... good for a bit of a warm up. Not sure what time exactly, but I have ridden from about 7am. Incidentally there is a huge sleep room below the locker room too.... that normally opens from around christmas though - think it was about 1500yen, but beats sleeping in your car, provided there aren't too many snorers. Makes for a cheap warm stay If you are just gonna do a day.... I'll be arriving next Monday morning. The sleep room sounds