Greenroome

Mine is frightfully embarrassing. I really can't explain. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

And Sapporo just got greater! What a beautiful sound to wake up to... front-end loaders clearing carparks and roads of beautiful beautiful SNOW! It's been snowing steadily since about 3am and now the city is officially white again. About 8cm. Even better is the forecast - tomorrow's rain cancelled, replaced by SNOW! Rusutsu here I come (even if it is only one course)!

I just noticed that 2pints makes a fairly stylish cameo appearance at about the three-minute mark of The Dandy Warhols video clip for 'Bohemian Like You'. Nice work son.

Man, that is impressive. Everything I need to know. From a city-living snow commuter, a thousand thank yous.

Originally Posted By: dawnblue do i need sunnies for walking around niseko town? If you wanna strut properly, like a cat, then yes.

I just want to be one of the smiling Japanese staff at the resort up there at the moment, standing in groups chatting and getting paid to do nada. I guess it all turns sour later when the snow is up to the second storey and they're serving toast.

That they can. Solid. Back on topic, I think that Japan has some of the lowest prices for quality local and imported spirits in the world. Especially in the convenience stores. You'd be spewing if you lugged pricier duty-free spirits all the way here.

It certainly is. I only saw one fop drinking the lemon soju outside a 7-11 in Hong-Dae. He was no Soju Warrior. He looked ready to blow over in a gentle breeze.

The crash mats are nice and high up the lift poles. I like the look of that!

Unfortunately not. What a wacky joint that is! Monorail under the road to the hotel. Swanky!

The Korean version is pronounced 'Soju'. In 2003 it was an Aussie dollar for a 300ml bottle, sold cold. When the Papa or boss said 'Gambai', you drank. Simple as that. No "I've got to work tomorrow", or "I've got a headache". You drink. You feel mashed up and can dance like Michael Jackson, but then you wake up feeling like someone's driven an axe through your skull. Worst hangover in the world, imho.

Well, I'm happy to report that I just got back from a sensational day of fresh powder and only a dozen or so other punters on Mount Isola at Rusutsu! There was about 12-15cm of fresh from Sunday arvo/night and it was light and dry up top. It was a bit heavier lower down, but still heaps of fun. There was enough of a base to make low-key powder poaching forays just off the edges of the pistes, and only the odd few sticks showing a few inches above the surface on the runs. Steamboat A and B were the only runs open but they were more than enough for me. So looong! Unreal. Big back-leg burn.

Top shelf there, 2pints. Did you buy anything? I've decided to go anyway. I'll stop asking questions and start answering them. I'll be on the first Donan Flyer for a sunny day on the fresh, if the white blanket here in Sapporo is anything to go by.

Looks great. Thanks for the pics and the info, Mike. Much appreciated

I'm wondering if it will be worth going to Rusutsu tomorrow. Their website is pretty lame. One cam shows white trees and another shows no improvement on a big bare patch. Today's snow seems to have been a bit patchy and wind-affected in the region. Niseko sounds like it got plenty, and I heard Kokusai had 10-15cm of fresh. Not much has settled on the ground in Sapporo, but I saw some cars go past with a good 15cm on the roof. Any first or second hand reports on Rusutsu would be much appreciated.

Interesting, nuejam. I'm with you on the used boards idea. I can't believe how many barely-used boards there are in recycle shops here in Japan. My wife got an immaculate condition 50,000 yen Arbor for 3000 yen recently.

Originally Posted By: SG insulation and toothbrushes - why the aversion Japan? they are both useful things that improve our lives... I thought at the very least Hokkers would have some a little more than the norm, but no? wow that is surprising! My friend in the Yukon has walls in his house 2 feet thick! I was mentally prepared to shiver all winter and pay a fortune for heating in my hastily thrown-together Leopalace here in Sapporo. Apparently they knock them together in around two months. But I've been pleasantly surprised. I've only been using an electric blower heater and the pla

Thanks Mike. Do you reckon there's much in it?

Any Hokkaido weathermen know how this week's weather forecast is going to transpire in the hills? I want to go to Rusutsu this weekend and I'm hoping the three days of rain that we've got forecast here in Sapporo will make it out to Rusutsu as snow and that they'll open some more lifts. Rusutsu's site doesn't give a forecast. Any idea about where I can access freezing level info? Or should I just go by the vibes of my ceramic jaw and titanium pelvis?

Originally Posted By: yamayamayama Originally Posted By: Greenroome Okay so he's late, but where does it say that he's got no money? Originally Posted By: dools We have hardly any money to spend Maybe I should have quoted a bit more for context: Originally Posted By: thursday how can you have a great trip if you've got nowhere to stay, nothing to eat, no beer, and no lift pass? Are people assuming that he's coming over with no money for food and lift tickets? Why? Who would do that? He's quite obviously talking about discretionary spending.

Originally Posted By: thursday budget? how about nothing. Okay so he's late, but where does it say that he's got no money? The fact that he wants to 'dry his gear' shows he's budgeted for lift tickets. He just doesn't want useless overpriced luxuries. Neither do I. Since when did $ = ?

A surprising number of mini's still being worn.

Originally Posted By: thursday don't different countries have different ways of doing things. And so too I'd imagine different resorts. But a pass for hot dogs is a good deal. It got even better. It dumped down in November so they opened early. When I got my season pass, I was able to deduct the cost of the early season day passes from the price of my season pass. It ended up costing me about 12,000 yen from memory! Gotta run - I'm off to the post office to get my undeliverable K-Winter Pass. Rusutsu here I come!!!

Originally Posted By: thursday or just pay and ride and get on with life? No. I got a 70% discount off a season pass in Switzerland (Villars) just for making hot dogs. Instructors should always get a season pass thrown in.