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have you noticed that riding (or skiing) in japan is quite a different experience when it comes to having a chat with tanaka-san or joe jones sitting next to you on the chair lift?

 

i skied in canada, austria and australia for about 5 years prior to coming to japan. when you scooted down the singles line to get back up as quick as you can for another awesome run down and you sat down on the chair, you started up a good old chin wag with the stranger sitting next to you about the weather, the snow, the awesome line you just took, the fact that you are australian not austrian, and no, we don't do funny things with sheep etc.... it was almost always a good way to pass the time, and if you were single, meet someone to have drinks with apres ski (that is, if you didn't have the good fortune to be sitting with your b/friend on the "romance chair", which is also another very good way to pass the time but which involves less talking!)

 

perhaps (noting ocean 11 and danz's threads) things have changed since i became a boarder in japan, but i don't think so. this is not a boarder vs skier thing at all. in my humble opinion, people, whether they be japanese or foreigners just don't seem to chat as much. my japanese ability is okay, so i always sing out a cheery ice breaking ohayoo to my fellow passenger but invariably fail in continuing the conversation all the way to the top of the mountain.

 

okay, i can see it coming, perhaps its just my poor social abilities, and i should not be allowed out, period. perhaps the fact that an attractive foreign boarding lass sitting next to you renders you all speechless (perhaps that's being wishful). then again perhaps not. i will use my next chair experience to ponder my observation further - in silence.

 

anyways, look forward to chatting to you all when i am riding in Arai for 2 days - cheers SJG.

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belle, I remember all my conversations with skiers and boarders on the lifts because there's been so few of them. First off, it's unusual to find yourself on a chair with a stranger, as most of them avoid 'mixed riding'. Actually though, talking to me would be like chatting with a Stormtrooper - the mouth doesn't move, and you can't see the eyes.

 

I find being on a chairlift is like being stoned out of my head - I usually need to shake myself out of my stupour by the time the terminal appears. A bit of conversation would certainly alleviate the boredom. Ret's talk with me!

 

So when are you going to Arai?

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Attractive foreign lass?

 

Your's is a sad story of beauty and passion compounded with ignorance and frailness.

 

belle, you deserve better.

 

Give me you detailed boarding schedule for the next three months, your three sizes - baord size, boot size, binding stance - tatoos to look out for, etc. etc.

 

BTW, skiers a problem for you?

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belle, - excuse me...

who hav 'Poor social skill'? Who started 2 play ' Randam table tennis ' & 'pictionary' with Japanese strangers??

 

Anyway, I hav an asian face & my height = average Japanese height&speak Japanese(belle-you know what i look like) but I hav same problem. No one share the liftchair, e.g. ROMANCE LIFT, with me apart from friends. Even I was in Naeba (Where is quite famous resort 4 finding new girlfriend/boyfriend),no one share the lift with me!

 

Because of maybe I speak English, or I am too 'GENKI' or WHAT!?

 

well, Let's greeting (in Jp.) to people around you when you queue 4 the lift. am sure some strangers will try 2 make a conversation / share the lift with us.

 

BTW

When we go 2 Arai? As you mentioned me, I have a free lift pass 4 Arai as well!!

 

 

 

 

[This message has been edited by Nat (edited 23 January 2002).]

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wow...that's a first...

 

so Naeba is a good place to pick up

chicks...

 

does that mean the gondola has velvet

couches, dimed lights, and a bar?

hey, that doesn't sound like such a bad

idea...

 

are there lubu-hoteru at midstation?

or do they offer sleeper gondolas for

members of the mile high club...

 

i gots to get me to naeba...

 

danz

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danz, where have you been?!...the dream of every skiing OL is to hold their kekkon-shiki at the Naeba Prince Hotel...or, to have their kareshi take them up for the weekend - staying at the Naeba Prince of course - for a romantic skiing shu-matsu in Naeba experience. wink.gif

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Too many people in Naeba => Zillion of people on the slope => Boys & Girls crash each other due to many people on the slope => say 'sorry' each other => starting chatting each other when people waiting for lifts or gondola after they crash each other

=> exchanging their mobile phone numbers =>in the evening => Boys & Girls CRASH their ROOM

 

This is the way in Naeba.

 

Cheers.

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belle,

 

like Nat said - after witnessing your social abilities I'd be very tempted to say that it's not your fault... smile.gif

Perhaps it all does boil down to the fact that the average "tanaka-san" of yours is just too shy in front of you, a boarding Austrian - oops sorry, Australian gal? Don't give up!

 

Nat,

I promise I'll share a lift with you next weekend (at least once..) wink.gif Who knows, maybe we even manage to start a conversation?

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danz/mogski/ocean 11 - look like we need to find the quad, not the romance chair then smile.gif

 

actually danz, i think you might be onto something. odd huh, the japanese have done to death every imaginable kitsch, quaint and the novel yet they have not invented gondolas with themes. bags i the one with the hello kitty insignia on the front. oh, and with a choice of hitomi or smap , yes please.

 

Will be out and about this sunday at Gala, weekend after, Shin Akakura and then either of Hakuba or Arai. Might see you there me hearties.

 

ps - mogski, i was a skier myself until last season, no problems at all, although I reserve all rights to call the ski fashion police!!

 

pps - kuma/nat no fair disclosing apres ski antics.... just remember, what goes around comes around! and i have the photos to prove it!

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Ronie - Your view of Naeba = correct but sounds really "......"

 

Kuma - Thanx 4 offering "seat". As long as you are NOT speaking your mother language, we can make a conversation, I guess. tongue.gif

 

belle- come out 2 Kagura this sunday & Hakuba aft Shin Akakura!! we will b there! am sure we will hav other ramdom games & drinking session w many people...

 

Anyway, I will be either Naeba, Tashiro, Kagura or Mitsumata this weekend!

Finger cross 4 finding real 'romance lift'!! rolleyes.gif

 

 

 

 

[This message has been edited by Nat (edited 24 January 2002).]

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belle, leave your phone at home! Com'on have you stepped into a ski shop lately?! Forget it!

 

Will be at Kandatsu on Sat. (with two "strapping" lads) so look out for a lime green jacket wearing foreigner with matching boots if you there and my lift is yours.

 

[This message has been edited by mogski (edited 24 January 2002).]

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ahh...my belle...

 

a skier at heart...don't fight it...

come back to the good side...

 

ocean11's board might take up too much

space on the quad, so let us ride

the romance chair!

 

danz

 

------------------

pray for snow

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Not only do I have an uncommonly large board, I know how to handle it with finesse.

 

danz, just be quiet and try not to jab anyone with those skinny sticks.

 

Actually, that quad's looking mighty crowded now. Think I'll head up to Nozzle and see if I can't hitch a nice long steamy gondola ride with rach.

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belle, my dear, skier or boarder makes no difference to the more mature audience of this forum.

 

If you want to frolick with the tainted ideals and opinions of long time forum friends & foes, danz and Ocean, be my guest. But remember an open mind is so much more fun!

 

danz, Ocean, bring it on boyz!

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Alas Mogski, Saturday I must prepare myself to be the belle of the ball (chur, embassy party, if you don't mind!). Although I must confess that the pull of lime green is undeniable (to think they actually manufactured boots to colour coordinate - I am suitably impressed). In a way, it reminds of that lovely green the french chose when they manufactured my 1968 renault (and yes before you ask, it is a piece of crap, but no reflection on the colour, mind you). Sunday, hangover aside, I will pull myself out of bed and jump on the train and head north for the day methinks.

 

Ocean - me trusts we are still talking about board sizes and keeping it all above "board" so to speak! I'm thinking that Nozza gondola might come close to the car scene in Titanic..... actually, it can't really be called the mile high club on the slopes now can it?

 

Danz - a man after my own heart, but the dark side beckons....

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I have been to Naeba 5 TIMES THIS SEASON and it was NOT BUSY AT ALL. Stop this misrepresenting the resort. Pick a good day to go and it is NOT BUSY and an awesome day out.

 

There, had to be said.

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Wow, this one is starting to get steamy... So it's time to turn on the heat! :p

 

Belle - forget those Titanic scenes in a gondola, I know you haven't forgotten the steamy nights we spent together?! (please don't tell the steam was from my pleasantly odorous socks) So that leads me to wondering what photos do you REALLY have..?

 

But like mogski said, open your minds - that'll take us all surprisingly far.

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I have always noticed this too and I just can't understand it - it's as if people aren't enjoying themselves and they're putting up with having to be out on the boards. Sheeesh!

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Went out this weekend and people were very talkative. Maybe it's "Talking Day" or something - whatever, had a few good conversations with Japanese people on the lifts.

 

One was up from Okinawa for a 2 day ski trip (!). And when he said 2 day, that includes most of the travelling, so time on the runs is negligible. He seemed ok with that?!?!

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  • 2 months later...

(Possibly) interestingly, I have gone boarding a few times over the last few weeks and been on lifts with some very friendly and talkative Japanese strangers - subject of conversation : weather, spring, cherry blossoms. Very happy to talk about that.

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  • 2 weeks later...
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