HEADING BACK HOME

Dropped into Nagano to catch the Shinkansen Bullet train.

Time to visit the Zenkoji temple - 1,400 years old!

Then a little R & R on the bullet train.

Last Day Skiing.

A very snowy day so not much skiing.

Into the restaurant for a little 'comfortable elegant time'.
Final run was a bit of a wintry tale.
Final trip to Cedar House in the evening - Paula with complimentary origami.

9th Day Skiing - still no injuries!

Grace joined us for a day skiing.

I went up to the top to get the view.
Paula concentrated on improving her style.

More Apres Ski

More good evenings in the Pub.

We met up with Felicity, Peter & Laughlin Veal.
All the Guinness improves the 'handwriting'.

More superb skiing weather.

Ageing Hippy dude↑ versus Gimp ↓

A spot of fresh snow.

A new dump of snow so we set off to the Pub

There we met up with the Nicklins - here Jake with Anna.
Jill, Jim & myself on the Guinness.

Restaurant run by an ex Sumo wrestler.

Big helpings - obviously. Great hot-pot meal with the Campbells and van de Graffs.

Paula got on well with Mr. Sumo.
He and I developed a more strained relationship.

Day after day of excellent skiing.

The view from the Virgin Restaurant.
Jake & me at the start of the 1998 Men's Downhill Olympic course.

Skiing & Sushi

Jake's 2nd day on skis. Perfect snow and weather.

Evening in the Cedar House restaurant - jug of beer, sushi & sake.

New Year's Eve in Hakuba

La Neige Honkan Hotel Hakuba.

Home for 11 nights.

To Mimi's Restaurant for New Year's Eve Dinner. Here is Paula with Rob (it's not rocket science!) Campbell and Peter van de Graff.
Champagne easily put on ice.
Rob, Karen, Nerida & Paula just after midnight.

HAPPY NEW YEAR for 2011

Happy New Year to everyone.

I'll be skiing in Hakuba in Japan - where they just had 1 metre of fresh powder snow in the last few days.

Toodle-pip !

Seven weeks 'til Skiing

Heading back to Hakuba in Japan for 10 full days on the piste ! Yippee

Now THAT's a Snowman!

Finally, had to leave Hakuba to return to the 30°C temperatures in Brisbane.
Not before saying farewell to a local snowman.

Last Day's Skiing.

Paula had by now stopped falling over and was enjoying her skiing.

A Superb Place to Ski - Hakuba

Plenty more good skiing during the holiday. Great snow and the weather was fine.

I was impressed by the sheer size of the Olympic Ski Jumps.
And of course, there was plenty more Sushi.

CHRISTMAS DAY

A beautiful and sunny White Christmas.
Breakfast at 7.30 then straight out onto the snow.

Christmas dinner was in a log cabin restaurant - spring rolls, fried smelt, Sushi, Kirin beer and hot Sake.

"Comfortable Elegant Time"

Most mornings we'd stop at the bottom of the mountain for a little "Comfortable Elegant Time" coffee (Flat white really)

But most evenings we were into the Sushi & Sashimi.

20th Dec. First Day Skiing.

We hadn't skied in many years, but clearly we had lost none of our Style!