Knappo 0 Posted May 2, 2008 Share Posted May 2, 2008 I am booking a holiday in December/Jan this year for my family. Kids are still quite young 11,7,8 would you recommend to stay at Hirafu and catch the bus or stay in a ski in ski out at Annupuri. Is there much to do at Annupuri? Food? Access of mountain? Annupuri or Hirafu???????? Which one Your thoughts appreciated. Knappo Australia Link to post Share on other sites
HelperElfMissy 42 Posted May 2, 2008 Share Posted May 2, 2008 Knappo, I have 4 kids ... 8, 11, 14 and 16. We went to Hirafu (3 times now) - and we loved it. The ski school/snowboard schools are GREAT - they take the kids all day or a half day and leave you guys with some time up your sleeve to ride where you want to ride. They also take the kids to places you might not being a parent who is trying to be protective - our kids learnt WAY faster with ski school than with us. Food - no problem in Hirafu - plenty of local dishes, as well as things to suit a fussy Aussie eater. Mountain access - depends where you stay, but it is all pretty easy - with some places being ridiculously close (in a very good way!). Ski in ski out is always good - but I can't tell recommend Annapuri cos we always found enough to do in Hirafu to keep us there. HTH Link to post Share on other sites
Knappo 0 Posted May 2, 2008 Author Share Posted May 2, 2008 thanks for the info more the better. Cant wait! Link to post Share on other sites
Mike Pow 52 Posted May 2, 2008 Share Posted May 2, 2008 Not much to do at Annupuri, especially for kids. Few restaurants. You would need wheels to see anything beyond the slopes. Or be beholden to the bus. Link to post Share on other sites
thursday 1 Posted May 3, 2008 Share Posted May 3, 2008 There's no contest. Hirafu is the best. And not just in Niseko. Link to post Share on other sites
snowboarding-sally 0 Posted May 4, 2008 Share Posted May 4, 2008 thursday likes Niseko, even after the not the best snow he had in March. Hearing things like that peaks my curiosity.. Link to post Share on other sites
HelperElfMissy 42 Posted May 4, 2008 Share Posted May 4, 2008 I have to agree with Thurs, Snowboarding-Sally. I am a tad nervous about Jan 09 for us as the Papabear wants to take us somewhere different - I am up for the experience of course (nothing like being well travelled!), but I have it in the back of my mind that we will be disappointed in the conditions! If your curiosity is piqued then I suggest taking a trip up to the big N and checking it out. We love it! Link to post Share on other sites
thursday 1 Posted May 6, 2008 Share Posted May 6, 2008 Yeah, big N is just so lovable. The first time you go, you think, wow, this is great. the second time you go, you think, wow, this is even greater than the first time. the third time you go, you think, wow, this is the greatest. the fourth time you go, you think, wow, this is greater than the greatest..... and it gets better and better. then you have a very soul destroyingly bad season, then you realise that NEXT season will be better. Great!!!. I will be going to N each year forever. Why? because I can. Link to post Share on other sites
Go Native 70 Posted May 6, 2008 Share Posted May 6, 2008 Wasn't that bad a season thurs, you just missed the good bit Link to post Share on other sites
Clinton61 0 Posted May 6, 2008 Share Posted May 6, 2008 I scored it sweet. There for 13 days, snowed 12. Link to post Share on other sites
muikabochi 208 Posted May 7, 2008 Share Posted May 7, 2008 How many times have you been now thursday? (5?) Link to post Share on other sites
thursday 1 Posted May 7, 2008 Share Posted May 7, 2008 muika, I think I've done eight visits. Some in the same year. And there'll be more.. Link to post Share on other sites
Fattwins 0 Posted May 7, 2008 Share Posted May 7, 2008 Remember Murphy's law next time though. Link to post Share on other sites
HelperElfMissy 42 Posted May 8, 2008 Share Posted May 8, 2008 Nothing ever goes exactly to plan. Some people seems to go with the flow and have a great time regardless of how much the experience deviates from the expectations - like Thursday ... he had a great time regardless of the lack of POW. These are the same people who laugh when the car overheats on the way to a picnic and just set up the picnic basket at the side of the road and wait for the car to cool down. They tend to enjoy life a whole lot more than the control freak personality. I tend to belong to this group - I could have fun during a tornado! Then there are the others who expect something (like loads of powder snow) - and are bitterly disappointed when it is not all that was imagined, and it taints every little part of the experience for them. .... the control freak personality. When I am around people having a hissy fit about things not going to plan - that is when I get brought down. Go with the flow, Bro's! If it snows - fantastic ... if it doesn't then ya got yummy spring conditions. If the plane is delayed just think of how many great people you can meet if you just TALK to the people next to you who are in the same position - going for takeaway coffee? - ask them if they want one, and make someone elses 'downer' into a positive. Spread the positive vibes! Link to post Share on other sites
Fattwins 0 Posted May 8, 2008 Share Posted May 8, 2008 That is a load of BS. In General. You have some people saying that all you are going to get is this. When you dont get it and are sold on it then you get upset. If I went to the beach in auz for 1 week and saw clouds and rain then why would I be happy. That does not make me a control freak that makes me human for believing the trip would be no other way. Link to post Share on other sites
HelperElfMissy 42 Posted May 8, 2008 Share Posted May 8, 2008 I am not surprised FT! And I agree, basic psychology teaches us that when expectations and reality don't meet there is an emotional response. If your expectations are high and the result undershoots the reactions are of disappointment, anger at the travel agent etc etc. And these emotions can effect the experience of other parts of the trip, compounding the problem. If your expectations are met the there are less emotions stirred, and you can go home feeling satisfied, or even a little underwhelmed. If expectations are exceeded then you have the euphoric response of the well satisfied traveller. However - this is a basic psychological/physiological response to stimulii ... human beings are more complex than that. Over my lifetime my personal reactions have changed - I have become an easier to please person who finds pleasure in small things - and sometimes in the silver lining of a dark cloud! But that has taken work on my own part, a decision to find the positive and enjoy. I know people who seem naturally gifted to see the positive in a bad situation - but that was not me. And I know still others that can find a negative to harp on about in paradise! Perhaps the problem with the Aussie beach scenario was that your travellers expectations were too high, too unrealistic and did not factor in consideration for a freak weather event of poor weather in the middle of summer. We did not consider the possibility of Papabear being strip searched at Sydney International Airport prior to our flight to the US a few years back, and after just 2 hours of domestic flight sleep at 4am in the morning with very tired and cranky children - we did not find it funny at the time, but we sucked it up. Once on the flight, it all behind us we started to crack jokes about it...and now 3.5 years on it has given us MANY a good story - and continues to do so....despite being a downer and a blip on our travel plans it is probably one of the funniest and best laughed over part of that holiday. It might be BS for you personally ... that is a shame. It is not BS for me. Link to post Share on other sites
HelperElfMissy 42 Posted May 8, 2008 Share Posted May 8, 2008 Just reminded me.... Whenever we are heading for the airport and doing the check check and double check before leaving home we go through the drill... *Passports - 123456. Check. *Tickets and travel documents. *Phone *Money, credit cards etc... *Clean undies for the strip search, Papabear? It has become something of legend! Link to post Share on other sites
Ezorisu 0 Posted May 9, 2008 Share Posted May 9, 2008 Originally Posted By: Mamabear *Clean undies for the strip search, Papabear? It has become something of legend! I don't think I want to know... Link to post Share on other sites
Fattwins 0 Posted May 9, 2008 Share Posted May 9, 2008 BS plain and simple! when you set people up for an experience, that doesnt live up to the hype, they are disappointed. That does not make them a control freak. Link to post Share on other sites
2pints-mate 0 Posted May 9, 2008 Share Posted May 9, 2008 I can't recall reading complaints about Niseko... did I miss something? Link to post Share on other sites
HelperElfMissy 42 Posted May 9, 2008 Share Posted May 9, 2008 not really 2 pints. Thursday's trip to the big N recently was without fresh stuff, but he still had a great time, FT is of the opinion that if we do not get what we expect we will all react the same way and be disappointed. I was merely trying to demonstrated that we are not all wholey and soley guided by cause and effect, but as complex human beings we are able to find 'a silver lining' in events thata re not exactly as we anticipated. "Clean undies" - not that the ones he had on weren't ... but you know the old saying "You need to eb wearing clean undies just in case you get hit by a bus..."...well... Seeing as Papabear had to strip down to his Undies for the search (which was certainly not anticipated) we always joke that 'at least they were not the old holey ones!!". Link to post Share on other sites
Mike Pow 52 Posted May 9, 2008 Share Posted May 9, 2008 Originally Posted By: Fattwins BS plain and simple! when you set people up for an experience, that doesnt live up to the hype, they are disappointed. That does not make them a control freak. True. And for the majority of the time when the majority of the people that come to the Niseko area during the winter, Niseko DOES deliver and live up to the hype. "Good mountain, great snow" Unfortunately sometimes Mother Nature doesn't cooperate. Namely loads of snow PLUS loads of wind at the end of February. Only 32cm of snow in March, April & May And this is where most people miss out - and you can interpret this as a shameless plug if you like - but when things aren't quite what you anticipated that's the time IMHO to employ the services of professionals to make the vacation better. That could be: Taking ski/snowboard lessons Trying a new discipline Venturing into the backcountry with a guide for the first time Visiting other resorts in the area Experiencing the cultural aspects of Hokkaido Then when you return and your friends & family ask how the holiday went, you can say 'the snow wasn't as deep & light' as I anticipated but I did 'X' for the first time etc Link to post Share on other sites
Fattwins 0 Posted May 9, 2008 Share Posted May 9, 2008 Again linking why someone would be disappointed to being a control freak is just psycho babel BS. Where do you come up with that? You don't go to Mexico to get hit by 5 days of rain. Link to post Share on other sites
thursday 1 Posted May 9, 2008 Share Posted May 9, 2008 Why spend your time being disappointed when you can make the most of it. Just being in the big N is a thrill itself. Link to post Share on other sites
thursday 1 Posted May 9, 2008 Share Posted May 9, 2008 shameless plug Mike. Goodstuff. Link to post Share on other sites
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