HelperElfMissy

Get a couple of lessons and you wont be hanging on those beginner runs long! They are brilliant to learn on though - WAY longer and more interesting than the beginners trips at home, but the green runs higher up are also OK for someone with your experience - heck - I was coming down the Gondola (little intermediate icy patches in April) after only 2 days on a board - no well mind you - but I got down alive! Best advice I can give is get a private lesson - and get the instructor to take you to a few different runs so you are comfortable on them - after you have done them a few times with

Originally Posted By: SG been once it was good, but there are better places, closer and cheaper to get too so unless someone else is paying probably wont be going back. For people overseas I can see the allure, especially those from Oz, who can fly right into Sapporo bypassing KIX or Narita. AYE! They don't know what they are missing!!! A few days in Tokyo is just the ticket! Just as the Gaijin Invasionwill tell ya! SHOPPING! For me - Hubby and 2 son's been 3 times, me and the younger two twice. YES plans for more visits - but this time it was TOKYO that sold us on comin

Just got in this afternoon. Teens hit the slopes for a warm up while I unpacked the gear. The ride up was progressive - flurries in at New Chitose - some nice big flakes lightly falling 1/4 of the way along, fairly snowing consitstently by the munchies/pee break at half way - and by the time we came through Kutchan it was hard work for the driver - not much to be seen in any direction. Lovely BIG flakes, plenty of them and light on the ground. Got off the bus and lost my ankles in the carpark at the Welcome Center. The gear is laid out and ready to go - breakfast essentials (

You know how some people are right handed and some are left handed, and then there are some who can write with both.... ....and you know if you can't write with your left hand but you practice a LOT you can get sort of skilled at it... I reckon the same applies for snowboarding. I have enought trouble riding Natural without trying to confuse myself with Switch! But the kids seem to effortlessly go from one to the other...

Originally Posted By: neversummer Reading something like that always makes me wonder, especially being in Niseko, what will happen when this happens around here. Yesterday, whilst riding in Hanazono for a few quick runs before work, I watched in amazement as scores of people ducked ropes and traversed across the face above Hanazono, all trying to get some fresh pow, 3 days after rain and 45cm of fresh snow on top. Something tragic will happen here sooner or later but there won't be enough experienced people around to help. Very few people ride with gear and although not steep in many places,

My 10 yr old thinks these are the best thing in Japan (for today anyway...) Not me - but each to his own.

Bento box Lunch box Same thing. Lots of yummy foods in a packed lunch style. I LOVE the way the Japanese make an ART of presenting thier meals. One thing I MUST buy when I am in Tokyo is Bento Boxes for my kids for school. WAY COOL!

We will be there on the 9th - so I will be letting ya's all know what I find when I get there!!! Flying to Tokyo TOMORROW! Yippeeee!!!! Sashimi here I come!

Hope this helps. Link to Niseko United Lift Pass Price List

Snow related - there is only SJ! Other than that I am an Admin at Oh Christmas, a site dedicated to year round Christmas and other celebration organising. That is enough playtime online for me!

Dinner with other family we are going to Niseko with (3rd family is already there!) ...early night - then packing the snow gear on New Years Day. BIG SMILEY FACE!

Originally Posted By: SirJibAlot Gear in Japan is expensive - period. I know that others on the forums disagree on this point, but I have been able to get just about anything cheaper in the US. With that said, there are deals on last season's gear, but it's still not that great. Your right on that point Sir Jib - but Jp prices/range are still better than Australian ones!

Im faster today too. I wonder if I plugged in instead of using the wireless that everyone is using simultaneously if it would be faster still....?

YEAH it is a Suunto!!!

I am SO in love with my husband!! He gave me the most kick a$$ snowboard watch and backpack. I am not quite sure if I am ready for any back country any time soom, but my back pack sure as heck is! And my watch has an altimeter and compass - wha...? I did not even know they made stuff this cool! Merry Christmas everyone!

Originally Posted By: Indo Do you folks that buy these box sets watch them more than once? I can't imagine watching 24 more than once, or any of the other series for that matter. I don't even watch movies more than once.. what's the point? I am not into repeat watching either really. Hubby and I saw one or two episodes of Big Love when it was on telly - thought it was really quite funny and wished we had seen the whole series - so when I saw it on Series DVD I bought it for him.... Other than that I have previously bought my geeky son the boxed sets of House (he DOES want to be a D

Originally Posted By: soubriquet Where in Perth Mamabear? I'm a Bridgetown boy, but late of Shenton Park, Nedlands, and ahem, Dog Swamp. Grew up in Freo, but after travelling all over suburbia from one house to another we have settled in Claremont - convenient for the boys school and public transport for them to get around. Got some good holiday memories of Bridgie though! Nice spot Soubs!

Well so far I am pretty fast for Australia... but I see you guys in Japan are running MUCH faster.

Merries and jollies everyone! We had a week of rain and cold in Perth but that has morphed into HOT HOT HOT for Christmas and Boxing Day - lucky will be here in airconditioning or in the pool! Looking forward to festivities with my snow trip mates tonight, my family tomorrow and the in-laws boxing day. FABULOUS! Hope YOURS is grand!

hee hee Try travelling with 4 of them, and then make the 2 eldest "adults" - I think the only place we get "childrens prices" for them now, is at home when we go to the movies and on the bus/train. Flights they are 'adult' at 12, in most hotels kids are treated as adults except in the prices for the meals, and then over 10 or 12 is adult. The one thing that annoys me about most hotels is thier insistance on having 3 beds per room. We book for 6 and need to spread across 2 rooms - usually the 3rd bed is a rolloway, and usually there is enough room for 2 rolloways. I would like t

On a domestic flight I had to ask the stewardess to ask a woman across the aisle and 2 rows in front of me to either stop using her tablet/mini laptop thingo OR close her window because the sun kept glinting off it directly into my eyes. I put up with it for about an hour before I started to get a headache and had black spots in front of my eyes - then I had to say something. I would not be opposed to people being able to send a text to family that the plane is late, or is coming in to land NOW, pick me up etc etc - It is all about courtesy - but courtesy does not exist in some peoples v

Lucky me. I am married to the man I love. For 18 years! Enjoy it BOC

No disappointment Ewok! I like it that the girls have representation here!!! Just the Ewok name gave me hairy images - hairy images = guy. I added 2 and 2 and got 22 - soz! Maybe it is also that I am surrounded with testosterone in my house and assume everyone is a guy unless proven otherwise!

So FreoBhoy, you really a Freo kid? I grew up in Freo - product of John Curtin SHS - now living 'bout 15 mintues out. You going to Niseko for long? Edited to add: SEE DOMO! A little faith - not everyone is a phishing n00b!

I often wondered if there is a SJ addicts badge or something that one can wear and be identified.... or is that just too scary!