gurgle
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Posts posted by gurgle
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Originally Posted By: JAOriginally Posted By: gurgleThe problem with young men in Aust is the fighting and violence that goes with it. I think as long as the "getting pisssed" thing is accepted, you are going to have the angry young men getting out of order.
Not sure that the violence and fighting always happens. With 61 years experience, I - like MB - can count the number of times I've been truly "pissed" on the fingers of one hand. Yes, I know there are some for whom it is a nightly occurrence, but that is not the most usual.
From where I sit, the biggest problem is the youngsters who've never bee exposed to responsible drinking in the family home, and whose expectation is that you drink to get blotto and to forget the world. When that happens, they also lose control and see everyone as an enemy. Leads to major problems no matter where it happens.
I'm not sure that it is as simple as "an Australian thing" or whether this sort of thing happens elsewhere (although I suspect it happens in England - think football hooligans - and in other places as well).
Perhaps we have a different definition of "pissed". Without witnessing a single one of these fighting incidents in Japan, I would define them all as being caused by "pissed" idiots. I certainly doubt that anyone involved was sober. If the amount of alcohol they are having is causing them to get in a fight, then it is too much. I reckon often the amounts are only what would be considered "responsible drinking" too (a eumphemism for getting drunk and keeping quite IMO). The fact is, some people cannot be responslible with much grog at all.
It is not a purely Ausatralian thing, but that does not make it OK. There are a lot of subcultures of different countries where getting drunk and fighting happens often. Football hooligans is an obvious one, but I am sure there are plenty more. It is certainly not the case in Japan, only the binge drinking part of the evening. -
Hard to see somewhere like Happo close, but I find that resort a mess of lifts. Then someone told me they were all seperately owned and it made a lot of sense why things had not been improved.
Note, this has all been heard from others.
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Good news MB!
SerreChe's dig was way out of order. At the end of the day , barely any of us really know each other, so personal digs on forums are often way off the mark and just a bit pointless IMO. Fairly well proven in this thread I think.
I am guessing the point was probably that the "getting pissed" culture in Australia is just way too accepted as "part of the culture" and "all a bit of fun", etc. The fact is, there are piles of functioning alcoholics in countries where we have drinking cultures, like Australia. Surely this is not a good thing, but arguably it is a better pressure relief value than the unknown alternative. Personally I think the "getting pissed" thing it is too accepted as being an ok thing in many countries, but that's just the opnion of someone who spent his younger years "getting pissed" at every opportunity.
The problem with young men in Aust is the fighting and violence that goes with it. I think as long as the "getting pisssed" thing is accepted, you are going to have the angry young men getting out of order. (We) Australians have too much freedom and not enough discipline for it to stop. I don't know what the answer is, but I think it is educating people to not drink too much and this would have to happen from a young age and it's going to take a long time. I think things are already (marginally) better than when I was 18.
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Maybe it is something to do with the ownership structure ? I do not know but have heard things like some resorts having different owners for different lifts, so there is no real concerted effort to make things work. Not to mention vested interests to keep things as they are at ceratin resorts too. So if you owned a few lifts that made no money, of course you would stop operating them. Also, if you owned a lift that makes a lot of money, you would be against any further development of the resort. That's the mentality at some resorts I believe.
Besides that of course the number of skiers in Japan just keeps going down, so there has to be some casulaties.
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If in-bounds just a bottle of water and maybe a snack of some sort in a pocket.
If going real out of bounds, backpack with shovel, probe, water, some bigger snacks an extra warm layer because I hate being cold.
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Nice one...... where is that exactly ?
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Perhaps now they can get into some real competition.....
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Does anyone know if there are any statistics available for lift closures due to the weather for any of the resorts in Japan ?
Someone once told me that is why the lifts rarely go to the top of the mountains in Japan, because of the high winds (esp at the big N).
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Originally Posted By: MamabearI think this is very sad.
If it is being reported accurately.
I know a number of people who would be gullible and so easily led that they would have done the same under the circumstances. These are the weak in our society who need our support, rather than our disregard.
While I support integration and having people with special needs 'reach their full potential', this new world order in disabilities has led to numerous people falling through the cracks. The world was a safer and more friendly place for them when there were institutions, care facilities, special schools, etc.
If you turned the clock back 20 years this guy would not have been give a passport due to his mental condition. That would have saved his life.
I know it is a controversial thing to say - but I see disadvantages that come along with the advantages of the emancipation of disabled people.
I can see your point, but surely there have been A LOT of advantages too, like getting to travel and see the world, which a lot of us have been lucky enough to do and would agree that it is one of the greatest things any us us have experienced.
The point here for me is that this very sad episode reminds us that China is a long way back in terms of it's development than a lot of newspapers and economists might have us think, and perhaps it's just unrealistic to expect the rapid change that we would like to see. -
Hi BeeBeeDee,
There is now a new direct bus service from Narita Airport to Hakuba. It depends when your flight arrives though as it only leave once a day. I have never taken this bus, I think it only started this year.
My wife and I always take the NEX (Narita Express) from Narita Airport to Tokyo station and the take the shinkansen from Tokyo to Nagano. From there we take the bus to Hakuba station. It is all pretty easy to do, but give yourself plenty of time between trains at Tokyo station if it is your first time there. You can check train schedules at http://www.hyperdia.com/en/ . You can buy all the train tickets at the JR Train ticket office the train station under Narita Airport. You do not normally need to book a seat on the bus from Nagano-Hakuba, although it might be a differnt story on a friday night.
Enjoy......
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Hey Campa,
There are a couple of back country guide operators in Hakuba, well worth going out with them.
Give us a report on the Happo BC when you are back....enjoy.
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Originally Posted By: triplerHakuba needs to build a new lift to use the 1000 meters of vertical above the top lift. And have some hotels halfway up the mountain.
I wonder if it is viable, due to the number of high wind days ? Anyone have a clue ?
Anyway, I would rather just walk up there on the nice days...... -
Originally Posted By: MantasBon Scott was the man! (prolly an arsehole in real life) but definitly made the band what it is today.
AC/DC
"He dropped out of school at the age of 15 and spent a short time in Fremantle Prison's assessment centre and nine months at the Riverbank Juvenile Institution relating to charges of giving a false name and address to the police, having escaped legal custody, having unlawful carnal knowledge and stealing twelve gallons of petrol.[1] He attempted to join the Australian Army but was rejected for being deemed as "socially maladjusted."
A Rockstar God with those credentials I reckon........ -
Originally Posted By: gerOriginally Posted By: gurgle
I used to think I was too highbrow for ACDC, but now I reckon it would be a laugh......
I used to think I was too highbrow for ACDC, but tne I realized I was missing the point.
for ACDC.
Spot on
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He's a spritely 54 and still wears the school uniform get up.....
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Originally Posted By: thursdayI'm sure there'd be lots of {mis-guided}people going
I used to think I was too highbrow for ACDC, but now I reckon it would be a laugh...... -
Is anyone going ? Any idea if these are sold out yet ?
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Originally Posted By: stemiki guess you wont need to act too much
Hilarious!!!.........and spot on.
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Checking the all important indicator the "Beer Index", a beer in Japan has gone from a high of $AUD 9.07 to now $AUD 5.88.
The phone should be rining off the hook!
(*Assuming a beer costs 500 yen)
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Spook - Are there plenty of waves in the off-season too ? Is a trip worthwhile in either feb-apr or sep-nov ? I would be happy to give up a bit of wave quality to avoid the circus.....tks
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Thanks Spook. That sums it all up very well.
If you have limited time, it sounds like it is worth every cent.
I will be leaving the non-surfers at home which is not a problem. I took mr Mrs along to the Maldives back in 93'. I was lucky that she became My Mrs after that trip. She could not believe how much it cost for what she was doing, which was basically hanging around in a very run down resort while I went surfing. Like you say, the costs were all about running boats, etc.
Anyway, thanks for the information. Might see you out there next year.
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Thanks for the feedback.
You are right, it is expensive. One can still stay in a Warung in Bali for less than $10 (I did a couple of weeks back), but as long as I still have a job and the time constraints that come with it, I am willing to pay too much for no crowds and nice waves. Maybe I am dreaming on the "no crowds". Anyway, I will probably try and do a mix of Ments and Telos on this trip.
Thanks again.
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Howdy,
Can anyone give me a no b/s assessment of the Telos Islands ? I normally just hit Bali these days with the Mrs in tow (not planning to take her to the Telos though), but the crowds are getting insane these days. I don't mind a bit of a challenge, but I don't want to go to the Ments and be stuck with a bunch of guys looking to get the meanest barrels of their lives day in and day out. 3-5 foot reefbreaks would suit me fine. Is the Telos the answer, or is it it a little too small and inconsistent ?
Thanks,
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Originally Posted By: stemikBackcountry on the other hand I would say describes the area that is not in-bounds in the resort and not patrolled
And then there's "slackcountry" that I hear from time to time....
Is it fair to say that "Backcountry" (and "slackcountry") is anywhere outside the resort(s) boundaries or jurisdiction ?
"Slackcountry" is basically the same thing, although the conotations are that you didn't do much/any climbing to get to the "backcountry" ?
I am no expert, but everytime I have been on a guided "backcountry tour", we took a lift or two to get to the top at the start of the day only, then left the resort for the rest of the day.
Actually, Whistler had an area a few years ago that they called "In-bounds backcountry". No lifts but patrolled, so I now I am more confused than ever......
Canadian Cage Fighter keeping the peace in Niseko...
in Snow talk, trip reports, Japan avalanche & backcountry
Posted
I think it is difficult in certain places to ever be treated like a local and therefore feel like a local if you are in a racial minority. Aussie surfers are GENERALLY speaking, pretty narrow minded and quite racist. So I am not surprised at all that Jynxx never felt remotely like a local as he said, "living in a 100% White area". If he was white and had an aussie accent, which he does, it would have been a different story I suspect.
Perhaps it also depends a little on the individual. My next door neighbour in Singapore is a born and bred white Singaporean. I am sure she is rarely treated like a local by the "locals", but I bet she feels like one.
Anyway, there are plenty of "citizens of the planet" on these forums. Hopefully this whole "local / non-local" thing becomes less relevant over time. I hope it does, anyway.