Final leg

With an 8.30pm flight, I had the whole day in Tokyo and fortunately, a family friend of Ross and Jean agreed to show us some of the sights and tastes of Ginza.


Jean again navigated the maps and transport system expertly while Ross was our compass above ground.


Ginza is famous for its neon and expensive shops and I now know, some impressive architecture.


Allison met us after we had spent an hour or so and took us to a favourite Okinakara ? restaurant we we enjoyed a terrific selection of dishes served on a hot plate embedded in our table.


The dishes were as tasty as they were reasonably priced.


Allison then took us to a wicked chain restaurant serving deserts.


I tried a little of the house specialty, a .???


But settled for a parfait with a million calories.


Allison hopes to spend longer in Japan and is fluent in the language and knowledgeable about at least some of their customs.


Another ride in a relatively uncrowded subway (although it was a Saturday) and a quick luggage collection from Annexe Sukataro and I was back at Oueno station for my fast train to Narita.


I jumped on an early train and arrived 3 hours before departure and even checking was closed but eventually checked my bag and after a quick consult with tess, decided to buy the gin too. Saved $5 on the deal and used my last remaining yen.





Azaleas for Don. They love their dogs:)


I was allocated a great seat - 24D was first row back from business and behind a bulkhead. In addition to legroom, my Japanese neighbours slept all flight and to cap it off, we arrived half an hour early, so early that the electronic passport check was not quite ready for us.


Now finishing this on the Mountains train which should get me to penrith - strange destination after 30 years of blaxland - about 10.30. Train is empty as it is Australia Day 2014 and everyone is coming in!

So ends another trip. I always thought of my parents as well travelled but they would be amazed at the overseas holidays I have enjoyed. I must be lucky, lucky, lucky:-))))))

PostScript
Remembered this poster from our hotel. Have to wait till next visit to try it.



- All my own work - sorry!

Location:In the air, two hours from Sydney

Ta ta Taito City

Sitting on a wooden storage unit in the absence of chairs. It's back to futons tonight and tatami mats. Beats tomorrow night with a reclined economy seat shoved in my face for 10 hours.

It has been a great holiday. Some observations:

The Japanese are lovely, helpful, honest and courteous people. We could learn from them but I suspect our multicultural nation cannot replicate their society. I'm sure I've missed the underbelly too.

Food is a major plus on these holidays. Great choice of small, family run restaurants serving fresh food. Great value at present too.

Clean. Everything is neat and tidy. Makes the country an easy and safe place for travellers.

Beds are better raised. No argument. Japanese elders get to sleep on the kitchen table. Floors are hard and LOW.

Give me decent, durable toilet paper over a heated toilet seat any day. Surely a civilised society knows how to wipe its bottom with dignity!

Skiing here is so much better than down south. Reliable snow, no driving, cheap, uncrowded.

They need to get with credit/ debit cards. Cash???

Off to Ginza for lunch with an expat tomorrow then train to Narita.
Some random snaps from our afternoon in Tokyo.






Hakuba





Leaving hakuba





Oueno Station





Dinner in Yanaka restaurant.






Love the vending machines. Look what you can buy kids!





Souvenir market near temple





The temple





It's name





New tower



What Tess has been up to in my absence


Unexpected weather forecast today. May need to ditch the thermals!

Sayonara:-))))))

Location:Yanaka 3-Chōme,Taito,Japan

Last night in hakuba

The 7 am alarm sounded in concert with a call of nature. There's nothing like trudging downstairs to a shared bathroom to shake off any residual ideas of climbing back into bed so it was another early start.



This clever panorama shows our exit from Deer Lodge to the slopes. We ski to a car park/ ticket office/ cafeteria and quad chair called Sakka.
It lies at the eastern? End of the Hakuba valley.


Snow depth is no problem even at the base stations.


The resorts in japan are low altitude which makes life much easier than Europe and North America. Below is the outdoor seating for the terrace cafe at the top of Adam Gondola. It was only a little busier inside, mostly Aussies.


Jean finally succumbed to the temptation of her shrilling chicken. Hope I haven't spoilt the surprise Jenny and Alex.


They love cartoon critters here. Cute.


Visibility was again pretty ordinary up top.


Ross has been our on piste guide, in consultation with map reader jean.I have been happy to tag along. We were joined by Wayne from the Hunter for some runs this afternoon. An accomplished Perisher skier.
Took some video footage today and this still of a daredevil on one of the green runs. The reds are wide, smooth and steep. I'll leave the black runs for later.


I was tired by the afternoon and keen to return to the Lodge in one piece. We saw one guy in the banana sled early in the day, not the way I want to finish my trip.

Tomorrow we bus to Nagano then bullet back to our Tokyo hotel.
Jean has arranged lunch with a friend in the Ginza district before my flight home. Enough for now.
PS dinner tonight was at Vanessa's. I had the 1800yen special: Sukiyaki with sides. Delicious. Only downside was the heating was off so ate in ski gear.



Probably my second last beer for many weeks. Back to school diet!

Ummm clever title

Lying in bed listening to jazz on the phone so will keep this short. Current temp.



And laundry status as shown.


Ate goulash and drank red wine for the first time here at Luna's.


A very short but cold walk from the lodge. Compared with $20 hamburgers at Thredbo, meals have been a bargain, and delicious.


Started the day with usual cereal and toast and despite two coffees, I was quite dehydrated. Hakuba 47 is really two areas with two gondolas. Poor visibility again restricted us to middle slopes but I am finding the red runs enough of a challenge. Need to lose 20 kilos and return.


iPhone has proved the perfect travel companion. At last one device does it all,


Although I do enjoy the larger iPad mini for typing and viewing photos.
No queues meant another solid morning of skiing.


The trees are laden with powder and look beautiful.


The Japanese are a clean and considerate people.


The slopes are almost empty. In the white outs up top, we needed more!


Lunch was again a treat. I love the curious curios you see on the slopes. It has been an important part of the trip.
Beer and food was the name of the cafe. But so much more inside!


All this for $8. On the snow!


And at top station........


Sayonara?!

Location:Deer lodge, hakuba

Gondola day

Spent the day in Hakuba Iwakate, a short bus ride from here. I enjoyed the gentler slopes and wide runs but poor visibility, kept us on the one lift all day - Gondola Noah.


There is an Adam and Eve somewhere else in the valley too. Very Christian of the resort builders.



We found our Hapo One lift passes didn't work but the ever patient Japanese eventually explained the system to us. Given the volume of Australian tourists in January, however, it think employing someone to explain it to people in the queue might save time and confusion.



Conditions at the top did not really improve all day so we were grateful for poles placed in the middle of the runs.


Above is a failed panorama.


Again, plenty of snow, and maps easier to read than the signs.


Picture of the comfy lounge here at deer lodge. Spoilt by the Tv that is often playing movies very loudly. Currently lion king. The other guests, including the kids are a nice bunch.



We are escaping the noise soon for dinner at hummingbird. I took a photo of it last night. Hope they have seats!



Off to another resort tomorrow with new skis. Let you know how they go.

Sayonara

Location:Happo,Hakuba, Kitaazumi-Gun,Japan