Japow!!

So a 30+ hour journey, 3 planes, 1 bus, a lot of hanging around airports, and I eventually made it to Niseko! The highlight was finding the amazing Japanese toilets with their many buttons. They even have a fake flush!!

The building we're staying in appears to be an old hotel, and the rooms are pretty big. The only showers are in an Onsen room so you can't be embarrassed about being naked in front of others. I guess I'll get used to it over the few months we're here! My room smelled pretty bad at first, but I realised this was due to numerous Japanese stink bugs crawling around! It has been much better since we got rid of them.

The first morning we awoke to snow falling. A nice welcome to Japan! We took a bus to the ski hill and had our induction and lunch at the staff canteen. The food was really good and very filling - it will be good sustinence during the working day! We took a trip to Kutchan - a nearby town - and got stocked up on food and essentials for the week (namely alcohol!). That evening we had pizza and an early night. Although we did discover this amazing vending machine in our building!

The following day we went to the ski hill again, this time for a Japanese prayer ceremony. It was great to experience some Japanese customs and we had a delicious free lunch at the Hilton hotel afterwards. The prayer ceremony was really interesting, although I'm pretty sure I wasn't nodding or clapping at the correct times!! We played in the snow and went for a short trip to Grand Hirafu where I looked at some second hand powder skis... Maybe! It snowed all day so the base is definitely coming along nicely now. :) In the evening we had an introduction to the ski instructor party lifestyle. Things got a little messy!

Funnily enough, yesterday I had a hangover day, but was made to feel better in the evening by a beautiful sunset on Mt Yotei. We got our ski schedule which looked pretty terrifying. My first two days of lessons are groups of kids. Eek!! After seeing that I needed some comfort, so I went back and bought the second hand powder skis for 30000 Yen! Picture to follow!

Sayoonara for now!

Japan is getting close...

My new ski poles arrived, my 85L Deuter backpack arrived and I bought 165,000 Yen. I guess that can only mean one thing - my Japan trip is drawing near!!

As the excitement builds, I feel some nerves mixed in too. I guess that's only natural when going to the other side of the world on your own. I'm also a little overwhelmed by how much I have to sort out before I leave. I guess I should get doing rather than writing then!

Best Christmas Day EVER in November!!

Christmas Day always saw me and mum awaken at 6am, desperate to exchange and open presents, from when I was 3 until I was 25. My sis would grumpily pull the covers back over her head when I went in to her room to waken her, all exciteable!! These last few years, however, I have grown to require a lie in... Waking late morning, we were cooked a treat of egg in a hole, sausage and back. Egg in a hole, a geordie delicacy of a hole cut out of a slice of bread, and then fried with an egg, with the yolk in the middle. Simple but awesome!!

Next for bucks fizz and present opening! I was truly spoilt as usual, with sweets, chocolate, socks, underwear, slippers, kindle, ski poles - so many delights! Everyone was on a high, and, in particular, Coll was very pleased with his big bone...

Perhaps the biggest treat of all was the amazing Christmas dinner with all the trimmings. I only managed 18 brussel sprouts this year though, 8 less than last year... I blame the delicious mini starters!

Copious amounts of wine meant there were a few nappers in the camp post lunch. An hour later, and a large pot of coffee consumed, however, we were playing Monopoly for the rest of the evening!! Family alliances saw a male/female rivalry, and I'm sad to say it was not the girls who prevailed...

Most of the Monopoly time was spent stuffing in wedges of cheese - like we hadn't already eaten enough for the day. I am literally still full 18 hours later...

Fake Christmas Eve

Yesterday began with Christmas shopping - my usual activity for Christmas Eve. But it was only November 8th, I hear you say! This was the last weekend available for a family get together pre Japan, so we had to make do!

There was no possibility of a real tree, so we found the old fibre optic version in the loft. It still look good with all the presents underneath and Christmas candles all around. Dad even put lights on the tree in the garden and the summerhouse we used to think was santa's grotto... The neighbours must think we're mad.

I made beef stew and we spent the evening doing the usual - pulling crackers, telling awful jokes and even some painful singing. At times, I began to rue technological advances, when looking around to everyone playing on their various mobile devices, but looking down at the iPhone in my hand I realised I would find it very hard to do without these days...

A really lovely evening, and now for Christmas Day - I can already smell the turkey and pigs in blankets! Mmmmm!

Poker Day

A frustrating day of cards. A little profit, but it could have been so much more after finishing 10th in an 845 player $26 tournament on FTP for a measly $193.

My final hand for analysis - not sure if I made a mistake here...

Full Tilt Poker Game #33475174787: Triceratops (260850734), Table 1 - NL Hold'em - 6000/12000 Ante 1500 - 21:09:16 ET - 2013/11/06
Seat 2: dug0huz0 (589,825)
Seat 3: mr PINEY (508,327)
Seat 6: HERO (180,272)
Seat 7: crazygamer13 (152,016)
Seat 9: JakeZeSnake (211,175)
dug0huz0 antes 1,500
mr PINEY antes 1,500
HERO antes 1,500
crazygamer13 antes 1,500
JakeZeSnake antes 1,500
mr PINEY posts the small blind of 6,000
HERO posts the big blind of 12,000
The button is in seat #2
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to HERO [Qh Ts]
crazygamer13 folds
JakeZeSnake folds
dug0huz0 raises to 24,000
mr PINEY calls 18,000
HERO has 15 seconds left to act
HERO raises to 178,772, and is all in

Any thoughts welcome!

Running should be rewarded with pizza!

A slow day of poker (I must put in more hours), and another gym session yesterday, but this time I stuck solely to the treadmill. I managed 10km, but over a very slow time of 54 minutes - 8 minutes off my best.

Still, I burned some calories, and earned myself a much deserved Pizza Express for dinner. (Either that or I just went and undid all my hard work!!) I love the mini desserts they serve there - if only they did Cafe Gourmand. To anyone that has never tried Cafe Gourmand, it consists of a coffee and trio of desserts. The only proper way to finish a meal!

This did the trick though, and I practically rolled home.

Ski fitness

So the time has come where I need to start seriously thinking about how unfit I am for the upcoming season. I started yesterday's workout with my dumbbell circuit A. I alternate 2 circuits, where I carry out 6 exercises, with 6 reps of each, 6 times, with a 2 minute break in between sets. I was given the link to a female athlete training website where I found these, admittedly, junior circuits and have been using them for the past year and a half. I must admit, it is easier to find the motivation to do circuit A than circuit B! I completed the circuit with 5kg dumbbells, however I don't think I'm quite ready to move up in weight, as I was struggling towards the end.

Following this, I did an extremely slow 5.5k on the treadmill, taking 30 minutes to complete. I don't think 3 weeks is going to be enough time to get to the point I need to be for skiing... I'm going to have to work very hard.