The first blog 30/12/10 to 06/01/11: Niseko, Hokkaido, Japan

The trip starts here! After three flights (one in which Michelle managed to get herself in the firing line of a very disgruntled Japanese man for sitting to close to him!), 16 hours of airport waiting time, a 2 hour train journey from Narita airport to Haneda airport and finally a 3 hour bus journey from Sapporo, we finally arrived in Niseko ski resort on 30th of December just in time for New Years preparations. I have to say a trip made all the easier by the McDonald's at Hong Kong airport, the efficient Japanese transport system to which Mickey, the seasoned train traveller was amazed with (take note East Midlands) and the fact that the Japanese are almost as welcoming as the Smith household (yes P & D, J & A!!)

Niseko is a beautiful resort (consisting of Hanazano, Hirfau, Annipuri and Niskeo Village ski areas), typical in places of Japanese culture but flourishing with new developments (unfortunately of the western condominium style in places) all picturesquely flanked by the amazing Mount Yotei. This place is snowboarders heaven with probably more than half the resort made up of them. The Japanese, dressed in the most outrageous neon board gear you have ever seen are completely awesome on the slopes, which is probably why Mickey and I fit in so well!! Mickey has nailed the boarding so far, she is flying down the reds, blacks and also navigating the amazing tree runs here. Its still snowing at present. We had about 30cm yesterday of t he driest, fluffiest powder you are ever likely to see and we are predicted to get over 40cm on Weds and a metre on Thurs (mental!). Honestly never seen anything like it, pure thigh deep powder each day, although not all good as nearly lost Mickey in it a few times.

New Years eve was typically messy. After procuring the cheapest alcohol we could find from the local Seicomart (2 bottles of the finest Chilean red wine costing 3 pounds that we strangely found cooling in the shop fridge) we drank it with the utmost aplomb in half an hour. The rest of the night is history with vague memories of grappling Mickey when the bells rang in, stacking it several times on the way home (nice lump on my head, cheers!) and then being in bed by 12:45, Rock n Roll ay!

The resort is full of aussies (yes been giving them a complete ripping about the Test Cricket, which doesn`t happen too often so got to make use of our current sporting prowess - went down really well of course and now I am just known as the annoying Pom!!) and Kiwis with just a few English nomads dotted about the place. Mickey has had great pleasure in telling everyone we are away travelling for a while, something again, I am sure warms them to us!! People are great here in the Hostel, like one big family with loads of comings and goings. The only issue so far is our rooms phantom snorer (now known as my japan bessy mate Jacob) who has displayed his sleeping vocal range from sounding like he is strangling a cat to last night sounding like Darth Vadar`s evil twin, all helped with Asahi beer of course. As you can imagine Mickey being so patient and politeful when woken up mid-sleep soon sorted it out in a manner I am so accustomed too (John and Alyson I am sure you know what i mean).

Well we are just out again to hit the slopes and powder. We are off on Monday to go to Tokyo and Kyoto the following week but not sure yet as to how we are going to get there so lots to plan yet. We have to leave Tokyo on the 20th January to head to Beijing, tough life I know! We are planning to buy a netbook in Tokyo`s electronic district as it will make contacting home easier and save us a fortune in internet cafe costs so all please keep in touch!

Hope all is well back home. Love Tom and Mickey x