Niseko 2011

Before reading todays blog … take a peek at the video below which is a brief summary of our first first day here in Niseko.

Click here to view the video

There is nothing else that can be said about our first day on the snow here in Niseko … just incredible!

We awoke to a very white morning and once again there had been plenty of snow overnight. It is always a good sign when the first thing that you seen when you look outside is people in the street shovelling snow off their roof.

Breakfast was in good proportions, however, and possibly for the first time in a long time, the boys appeared less interested in what they were eating and more interested in the day ahead.

The first day on the snow is always a tough start as equipment needs to be picked up, rules and thorough guidelines need to be communicated and this is all before you even get on the slopes. As a general comment – the acquisition of gear went very smoothly. James Costigan (Year 10) was a little anxious at first when one of his Apres boots didn’t fit. This was certainly confusing as the other was very snug. Once he realised that the paper needed to be taken out before wearing it, all was good! At the same time as James was coming to terms with his boots, Sean Fagan (Year 10) had the attention of all the staff at “Larry Adler” who simply could not find a boot that would fit him! Before too long though, all the  boys were on the slopes and the fun really began!

Mr MacMaster had prepared the boys for a low visibility day which is always important for them to know how to deal with. As luck had it, however, visibility was quite good which allowed us to view some of the incredible runs as we were in the ski lifts up the slopes.

While some boys had lessons, others got straight into exploring and boy was there a lot to explore across the expansive terrain. There were runs to suit boys of all standards and they were given a tremendous workout throughout the day.

There were plenty of stacks – which is more than expected on the first day – and age wasn’t a factor in who toppled over. Whether it be Will O’Connell ( Year 8 ) who attempted to ski down the slopes backwards, or Mr Conlon who face planted himself into the snow, the slopes certainly had their challenges. As did the chairlifts, as Hayden L’Estrange (Year 10) discovered as he crashed upon exiting the chair lift, only to kick Ski Lift Patrol in the head by accident when she tried to assist him!

The powder is something that is often spoken about when people discuss skiing in Japan. We certainly weren’t let down and at different stages of the day, many of the boys got the full experience of skiing in powder and the difficulties skiing in it and, as Jack Cullen (Year 10) discovered back at our lodge this evening … getting out of it!

As boys arrived back throughout the late afternoon it was fantastic to hear the stories of what had been going on during the day. There is no doubt that they had an awesome time on the slopes and with six days of skiing still up their sleeves, they had every reason to be on a high.

Upon arrival back, the boys made the most of the Onsen in the bathroom which certainly removed any chill from the body and had boys walking out relaxed, fresh and very content with the day past.

Dinner this evening was put on for us by the owners of our lodge and it was a Japanese meal. We really were treated to a feast. It was certainly different to our usual western meals but full of flavour and there plenty of it! It is not every day that you sit down to a meal where all 37 people have their own boiler in front of them reading to crack eggs and continue the cooking themselves. Jordan Lewis (Year 7) has certainly been a huge help so far as he speaks fluent Japanese. As the owners of our lodge don’t speak English, Jordan was able to translate to us all what each of the items of food was and how to prepare and eat them. All in all … a superb experience and a scrumptious meal!

Despite sore legs, tight muscles and a bit of fatigue to go with it, many of the boys took the opportunity to head out for some night skiing. Once again, the experience was incredible. Yes it was cold … but when you are skiing the snow that is here in Japan … you can put up with a bit of cool weather!

And so the head hits the pillow this evening after a very exciting first day on the slopes. It would be hard to imagine things getting better, however, there is just that feeling in the air that the best is still to come! We are certainly looking forward to it!

Photo 1: Chris Cooper (Year 10) and Alex Maurici (Year 10) before hitting the slopes.

Photo 2: A great view of the powder as we head up the chair-lifts.

Photo 3: James Costigan (Year 10) and Nick Chow (Year 10) just before starting for the day.

Photo 4: The boys prepare to get stuck into their Japanese dinner.

The long awaited day finally arrived this morning and we all gathered at Sydney airport bright and early. Despite tired eyes, there was certainly the feeling of anticipation as we said our good-byes and headed through customs.

Our flight schedule with JAL ran pretty close to spot on time and by 9:30am we were in the air headed for Tokyo Narita. The flight time was just short of ten hours which seemed to go pretty quickly – I suspect as a result of the need for sleep, the entertainment system but most of all the excitement of where we were heading.

A quick transfer in Tokyo had us go through customs and take an opportunity to top up our stomachs with some genuine Japanese cuisine before boarding a domestic flight to Sapporo Chitose. Again the flight, only two hours this time, was handled relatively easily – no thanks to the in-flight music selections available!

Our landing in Sapporo left us in no doubt about what this trip was going to be like. As our plane taxied towards the terminal we were treated to light snow and a view of the airport covered in fresh powder. It really was a sight to see and if this was two hours away from the slopes … how good was the skiing and boarding going to be?!

Once in the terminal we located our tour guide and took the opportunity to grab a bite to eat. We still had a two hour bus trip to go so needed some lining in the stomach. The ‘fast food’ burger joint was anything but fast, however it served its purpose and filled us up.

Although the bus trip to Niseko was in the dark of night, we started to get a real taste of what was ahead during the coming week. We had a clear sky for much of the way and couldn’t help but notice the depth of snow – literally metres – that lined the streets.

And so we have arrived at our accommodation here at the base of the ski slopes. To be honest, it is hard to give much feedback as everyone was pretty keen to hit the sack and get a good nights sleep. It was a long day of traveling – 17 hours in total and a little more for some. There is no doubt however, that it was well worth it. Tomorrow we will see Niseko in all its glory as we get out on the slopes and the adventure really begins!

Photo 1: Henry Dowding (Year 10) with his fluffy duck,catching up on some sleep.

Photo 2: The view from the bus on our trip from Sapporo to Niseko.

Photo 3: What we saw this evening when we looked out our accommodation window.

It is now literally only days before we head up to Niseko and I must say, it is impossible not to get excited! It is hard to believe (as many of us sit in the hot sun of New South Wales) that very shortly we will be in temperatures well below zero degrees!

Checking out the snow reports from Niseko really gets the heart pumping as the snow fall is already at amounts we don’t see in Australia. I would strongly recommend checking out the link to The Daily Flake which I have put in the menu on the right of this page.

Whether a beginner, intermediate or advanced skier/boarder, it is hard not to start imagining oneself out on the slopes and making the most of the awesome powder that Niseko is renowned for! What an opportunity!!! Hopefully all the boys are starting to think ‘winter’ and preparing themselves for what will be a great trip!

I suspect that there is still some preparations left for the boys before we head off and hopefully the details in the pages of this blog-site are useful in the final preparations.

A reminder to all that it is really important for everyone to be punctual on the morning of our departure. All boys need to be at the International Terminal 1 check-in counters by 6:45am and they need to be wearing a neat shirt and either black or blue jeans. They should also have with them in their hand luggage a jumper or fleece.

Well … keep preparing and we looking forward to seeing you at the airport – very very soon!