Posts Tagged With: snow trip

Day 13: travelling to Kyoto

Posted on January 12, 2014 by Mel

I’m writing this on day 13 but will publish the entry when we find some wifi internet 🙂

Today was an early start. Up at 7am and picked up at 8:40am to meet the shuttle bus that was to drive us all the way into the airport. It’s about a 2.5hr drive from Niseko and it’s a bit of a horror – partly because of the terrifying mountain descent and partly because of the fact we both get motion sickness. B spent the trip trying to pretend he wasn’t on a bus and I spent it taking photos of ridiculous road signs. WHY IS THERE A SHARK ON A ROAD SIGN JAPAN?! Are you warning of a shark avalanche? A sharkalanche? Also the deer you have to watch out for on the road are clearly fabulous. You’ll see what I mean from the sign.

The flight down to kansai was uneventful then it was a 75min train trip from Osaka to Kyoto. We bought little train/subway ticket things to use (ICOCA) which are kind of like smart riders. B got me a hello kitty one hahaha I’m a bit in love with it. His has dragons or some boring boy stuff. Oh I’ve just been corrected – apparently they are (really ugly) wind and thunder gods. The lights as we went past on the train and the amount of people and the whole transit system are pretty amazing stuff for someone from Perth! Apparently I’ll completely loop out when we get to Tokyo.

Our hotel here is quite nice. Smaller than the other room but all the same amenities except for the lack of wifi. I’m a bit grumpy about that….

We found a little “fast food” shop that is basically next door and the meal cost me ¥525 which is about $6. It was delicious! Teriyaki chicken, green veggies and tofu and sautéed root veggies as well.

Up and about early (maybe) to explore Kyoto tomorrow 🙂

P.S. I have just realised I can’t post photos in the blog post when I’m doing a draft – they will all just get lumped at the end. Hmmmm I will have to find a way around this for the next post but for now…I’ve already typed it so….sorry! Today’s photos include: Percy in the snow, ridiculous road signs, a terrifying mountain drive, Kyoto/Osaka photos by train and cheap food omnomnom.

Categories: Japan Snow Trip | Tags: asia, holiday, Japan, japanuary, Kyoto, overseas, snow, snow trip | Leave a comment

Day 12: last snow day!

Posted on January 9, 2014 by Mel

Awwww tomorrow we leave for Kyoto so today was our last day in the snow. I think we might be back next year though….we have barely explored 1/3 of the mountain here in niseko!

Today we frolicked merrily in the snow. I attempted to push B into a snow bank/start a snow ball fight a grand total of twice and both times ended up with a face full of snow. We were attempting panorama shots with my iPhone but my hands shake and even getting him to do it failed because it was so cold.

We returned all my ski gear today and then settled our account here at freedom inn. Feels like my first actual large expense…because they just bill your room for the lift tickets which is super convenient. Until you have to pay the bill of course. Then you feel a little poor.

We are both stuffed full from tonight’s dinner which was an amazing, traditional sumo wrestler hot pot. The restaurant staff spoke very little English but my “iie seafoodu” and “oishedesu niku” seemed to help (no seafood and delicious meat). The serving size even between two was enormous. Pretty sure we ate an entire pig AND at least three cabbages. Not to mention noodles lol. So much better than last nights crappy pizza. I also got a training lesson on how to use chopsticks since I still can’t get it quite correct…my argument is if the food can make it to my mouth, I’m doing okay!

Tomorrow we are up bright and early for a 2-3hr bus trip to new chitose airport, then a 2hr plane trip to Osaka and then a 70min train trip into Kyoto. Blah. Not sure how good the internet will be at the new hotel so if there are no blog posts don’t panic please people watching at home! I will write them and add them as I find interwebz.

I will miss the snow. Not only is it beautiful, but it is a lot harder in other places to find reasons to try on hats like this and make B super sad while I get super happy 😀

P.S. The first one is a red panda the second is a penguin. Not a penis. B says it looks like a penis hat. CLEARLY IT IS A PENGUIN HAT!

Categories: Japan Snow Trip | Tags: asia, bullet train, holiday, Japan, japan air, japanuary, niseko, overseas, snow, snow trip | 7 Comments

Day 11: short post

Posted on January 8, 2014 by Mel

Short post today, not many photos 🙂

Highlights have been the snow (of course) and the last hour spent watching this ridiculous Japanese travel show where they come to australia. Hahaha. Poor Japanese, they don’t know what to make of us 🙂

Lowlight was the gross pizza we had for dinner while eating in. Should have gone out for tea, pay back for being lazy!

I have not acquired any new bruises and thought I would show you the progress of my ones from the first few days – they still have some colour to them. One more day in the snow tomorrow then off to Kyoto.

Categories: Japan Snow Trip | Tags: asia, holiday, Japan, japanuary, niseko, overseas, snow, snow trip | 2 Comments

Day 10: postcards home and steak

Posted on January 7, 2014 by Mel

I can not find post cards anywhere here. Nowhere. So I can’t send any home as by the time we get to Kyoto we will have only a week to go. So here are our postcards home:

Dear mum and dad,

I am dead.

(Please imagine I have drawn a little arrow between am and dead and written not. Hahaha I am hilarious).

Love, B

Dear Grandma and Kaye,
Today I stayed in bed as my lunch from yesterday decided it wanted to revisit. It must have really liked me as it revisited allllll night and most of the day. Despite this we went out for dinner tonight and I had amazing Japanese steak. We saw a cat in the snow tonight. I was very worried about how it would cope – do they have special snow mittens for cats? They should!

Love, Melissa xoxo

Postcard duty – check!

Some photos from today. Me being a dope in the snow outside our restaurant with my adorable dalek beanie:

B discovered a children’s TV show which had a Japanese gumby on it! We named him Jumby. Then he made me watch the show for half an hour….

Our dinner tonight was at Steak Rosso Rosso which is very touristy but renowned for amazing steak, we got the last free table. Although I was still feeling a bit yuck I decided I might as well enjoy the meal and hope for the best. I’m glad I went, the steak was unbelievably good and they give you a hot stone on the plate to cook each bite with if it isn’t cooked to your preference. So I ordered medium steak for the first time ever and mmmm it was good. A few glasses of ginger beer seems to have helped settle my stomach and the dinner has so far been a success. Although the food was amazing I kind of miss the Japanese restaurants where people are quieter and a bit less…obnoxious. Damn Australians!

Categories: Japan Snow Trip | Tags: asia, eating out, hirafu village, holiday, Japan, japanuary, niseko, overseas, postcards, snow, snow trip, steak | 6 Comments

Day 9: intermediate snow, 1000m hut and raw squid

Posted on January 6, 2014 by Mel

Today I went skiing again! And I went hard. I sent B off to do his own thing nearby and practiced on a green run for a bit, then started on some red ones (intermediates). I did pretty well which was surprising!

Got some amazing photos up near the peak:

We had hot chocolate at the 1000m hut which marks the point of being 1000m up a 1308m mountain. I am pretty sure this will be as high up as I go!

Then it was ramen for lunch (this ramen wasn’t the best, kinda like Australian snow food – the equivalent of a crappy hamburger really) and back out on to my new found red runs 🙂

At 3pm we met up and skied/boarded back over to the Hanazono side. I came down the green run which is 3.8kms long and almost wiped my legs out. It was worth it for this photo though which is just taken with my iPhone and not altered or changed at all.

After a soak in the onsen (which I really needed) we went out to Enya in Kutchan for dinner which is a yakitori restaurant specialising in meat on sticks. We ate with a couple who have just arrived at freedom inn from Perth and while we stuck to more “normal food” the other guy enjoyed chicken hearts, chicken gizzards and RAW SQUID. Yucky. I was very glad B decided not to participate and help him finish the squid off, I’m squeamish about seafood at the best of times. Both boys enjoyed tormenting us with the squids though :p

Our chicken skewers and shitake mushroom skewers were much more appetising.

Early to bed tonight, I’m determined to master some more intermediate runs tomorrow. Only 3 days left in the snow now…..

Categories: Japan Snow Trip | Tags: annapuri, asia, australians, gross food, holiday, Japan, japanuary, niseko, overseas, snow, snow trip, snowbound | 4 Comments

Things that Mel does in Japanese supermarkets….

Posted on January 5, 2014 by Mel

Last week I discovered these amazingly cute and tasty biscuits. So today we went and bought more and I wore my matching leggings to show them to you guys hehe.

B was a bit annoyed he couldn’t eat them while I took photos 🙂

Categories: Japan Snow Trip | Tags: asia, hirafu village, holiday, Japan, japanuary, niseko, overseas, panda, panda biscuits, snow, snow trip, supermarket, tourist | 1 Comment

Day 8: the onsen experience from a beginners point of view

Posted on January 5, 2014 by Mel

Okay the official definition of an onsen according to the internet is: noun
1. (in Japan) a hot spring, or a resort that has developed around a hot spring.

My definition is: a place where people get naked, awkwardly try not to look at each other’s bits and sit in warm water.

I was very nervous about the onsen experience coming over here. When B told me about them (and that he had done it!) I was very surprised, he’s a pretty private kinda guy so I couldn’t imagine him getting his junk out in front of a bunch of guys. Actually, I can’t imagine him taking his shirt off to swim….let alone the rest! Haha. He informed me “when in Japan….”

Anyway, so first step is you go find an onsen. We are in a tourist area so they are generally attached to a hotel. The one we have been frequenting is the niseko Weiss hotel one which is pretty sweet and the driver from or accommodation does a pick up/drop off there every night.

You have to pay to go in – anywhere between 600-1000¥ for a tourist one. We have been paying half price which is 385¥ each. The first thing you see is the boy girl split which is pretty firm. There are mixed onsens (and private couples ones) but they aren’t as common and I’ve yet to see one.

After you go through the little door you take off your shoes. This is pretty important, as with most places in Japan.

This is the last photo I could take with my camera for obvious reasons. You go into the little change room and put all your stuff in a basket or pigeon hole. I mean all of it. You strip all the way down!

Then you go through to a wash area. Both onsens I’ve been to here have the wash area next to the bath. So you sit at a little chair and use the shower hose and provided soap to wash ALL OF YOU. I am pretty sure you are meant to each your hair but I’ve noticed a lot of westerners don’t so I just wait and see what other people in there are like….if it is all japanese ladies I wash my hair. Which is a pain because they only have 2 hair dryers so my bath time becomes limited. When you’re 100% clean you can go in the bath 🙂 this is a photo of the indoor one we have been using (pretty sure this is the ladies side based on the angle):

There’s a cool bath (37C) a warmer bath (42C) and then a small foot bath. There’s also a steam room. Most onsens have an outdoor pool which is hotter than the indoor ones and out in the snow. This is definitely the female side as B tells me the male side has no view:

I sat out in this one for 30mins on my own tonight. Just lovely.

So my first onsen experience was a bit scary but now I’m used to it. I actually enjoy it! The biggest issue I’ve had is my tattoo on my right shoulder which is a big no no in Japan (only yakuza have tattoos). We have found a way around it though….I just loop my towel over my shoulder and make sure when I sit down and put the towel on the rocks, my back is always to the rocks and away from angry Japanese ladies.

Categories: Japan Snow Trip | Tags: asia, convert, getting naked with everyone, holiday, Japan, japanuary, niseko, onsen, onsen newbie, overseas, snow, snow trip, trauma | Leave a comment

Day 7: naps all round? I think so!

Posted on January 4, 2014 by Mel

Today’s schedule:

– wake up and switch off alarm
– wake up again an hour later and venture down for some breakfast
– nap
– wake up and look at snow falling
– nap some more
– more snow looking
– noodles for lunch. Very proud I was offered a fork but took the chopsticks instead!
– more napping
– more looking at beautiful snow
– realise we have no idea what day it is (FYI it’s totally Saturday) and feel quite fine with this
– order in dinner
– early to bed after watching some more ridiculous Japanese TV

Rest days are wonderful inventions. In fact, holidays are wonderful inventions!

Here’s some photos of authentic Japanese fish and chips complete with Japanese newspaper (hahaha) and snow 🙂

Categories: Japan Snow Trip | Tags: asia, holiday, Japan, japanuary, niseko, overseas, snow, snow trip | 4 Comments

Day 6: Snow snow snow and sushi trains!

Posted on January 3, 2014 by Mel

Today started off very foggy. We caught the shuttle from Hanazono 308 to Hirafu and went down some beginner runs – my first real attempt at powder! The fog was pretty off putting for me though as I can’t tell how far away people are and collisions become a bit more likely. Lunch was weird pastry things (bread and I don’t get along so I may have relied on a kit Kat) and then we skied back over to Hanazono. I was pretty proud to be able to ski from one base to the other, especially as part of it was on an intermediate run!

Back at Hanazono B went down a harder run and I stayed on a green but came a cropper on a tree root so gave up for the day and walked back to our inn. Headaches + snow = Mel being no fun. I came back about 3pm and had a rest then we headed back to niseko Weiss onsen (so warm, so relaxing) and off to Yoteimaru for tea!

Yoteimaru is a sushi train restaurant which B was really looking forward to. I was not as excited since it is 99% raw fish on the menu and I don’t eat seafood but I wanted to go for the experience.

Inside was pretty cool with a little waiting room and then you get your designated spot on the train. Prices are just based on what plates you pick. Altogether we had quite a few plates (I was able to order some dumplings and also eat the cucumber sushi rolls….so 3 of these plates are mine!):

Here’s B chowing down on some sashimi. Icky. Raw fish. Just….icky.

And finally here is a collection of my bruises to date! Both knees and a huge shiner on my shin which I’m sort of proud of haha 🙂

Categories: Japan Snow Trip | Tags: asia, holiday, Japan, japanuary, niseko, overseas, snow, snow trip, sushi, sushi train | 2 Comments

Day 5: more ramen! And snow (of course)

Posted on January 2, 2014 by Mel

So the day started early and the scenery outside the inn was looking amazing. Simply amazing. No other word for it.

Within the first run down Hanazono though I managed to lose my right ski glove (there one minute, caught in a gust of wind the next) and also was having serious issues with my boots. My left foot kept going completely numb which meant I would go to turn and just fall on my ass. After buying new gloves (uhhh money) we decided to catch the lifts up Hanazono and the ski down through To Hirafu. This seemed like a good idea….until my foot stayed numb and I just kept falling over. Not only that but visibility basically disappeared and by the time we finally made it to the base I was pretty stressed out. So I sent B off to board on his own (so he gets to do fun stuff) and made my way into the village to go to Rhythm Snow Sports who have boot fitters on site, by the time I made it (walking in ski boots, on ice, down a 45 degree incline) I was….not a happy snow panda.

The guy at the snow sports place was awesome though. He helped me work out why my legs were hurting so much, gave a few suggestions to alleviate the numbness (heel lifts) and also made me feel like I wasn’t a complete moron for being stressed out. I was with him for over an hour and he only charged me for the heel lifts as well as offering to help me again if I have the same issues tomorrow. So now I was feeling happy again and caught the shuttle back to Hanazono, then met up with B and we came back to the inn. Here’s a photo of us taking selfies at Hirafu hahaha or getting ready to rob a bank….

After we got back the inn folk drove us up to the niseko Weiss hotel which has an onsen inn guests are allowed to access for half price (only ¥335). It was beautiful. This was literally it, although this is a day time pic and we went at night (can’t take photos in there because of all the nakies):

Tonight we went to Nakama for dinner again! Same place as our first night but this time I was determined to try their famous ramen. It lived up to the reputation.

We also had gyoza dumplings and kimchi dumplings which were a house specialty (spicy outer). I think I am a little obsessed with ramen and dumplings at the moment – this is the 3rd meal of ramen I’ve had in 24hrs!

We were waiting for our driver and feeling a little guilty about sitting in a small family restaurant and not ordering more so this conversation happened:

B: we could order icecream
Me: I can’t. I can’t fit anymore in.
B: but icecream is just like water – right?
*loosens his belt a notch*

So we had icecream.

At the end of the meal they gave us some super cute New Years charms and I told the chef his meal was “oishedesu” (excuse spelling) which means delicious! I was pretty proud of that. Also proud I can count to ten in Japanese and B can’t hahahaha….thank you year 7 japanese classes!

Another day in the snow tomorrow, here’s hoping the heel lifts help and my leg stays awake this time 🙂

Categories: Japan Snow Trip | Tags: asia, holiday, Japan, japanuary, niseko, overseas, ramen, ramen addict, snow, snow trip | 5 Comments

Posts Tagged With: snow trip

Day 13: travelling to Kyoto

Day 12: last snow day!

Day 11: short post

Day 10: postcards home and steak

Day 9: intermediate snow, 1000m hut and raw squid

Things that Mel does in Japanese supermarkets….

Day 8: the onsen experience from a beginners point of view

Day 7: naps all round? I think so!

Day 6: Snow snow snow and sushi trains!

Day 5: more ramen! And snow (of course)

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Posts Tagged With: snow trip

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