The past week or so has been pretty busy for me, not to mention expensive! First, I had Brooke and Saito-Sensei over to my place for Christmas. They turned up around 2.00pm with food and we had a lovely lunch, and watched Elf (the movie). It was about 7.00pm by then, and I think we were all quite tired but decided to go to karaoke anyway! We ended up being there for around three hours. This was the second day of my cold, so my throat was a little sore by the end.
The next day I had school and was feeling still a bit sick. The day after that was my last day of school until the 10th next year. It was only a half day, but I was there until 4.00pm anyway. At 4.00pm I boarded a bus to Kaida with the other teachers for the end of year party - bounenkai. I had to buy a present; only 500 yen, but still, it added up to the price of the dinner - 6,500 yen!!! I ended up drinking far too much, was on the phone to Dede quite a bit as well, but it was a lot of fun. Afterwards some of us continued on to karaoke. I have no idea what time I got home...maybe 1.00am?!
So then it was Wednesday. The drinking had worsened by cold, but I had to go to Hakuba for my mini holiday!! Hakuba village is in the north of Nagano-ken, and hosted the 1998 Winter Olympics. I had to catch the 12.30pm (or was it 11.30am) train to Matsumoto - Shinano Omachi - Hakuba. If there were a direct train, or going by car, I think it would take about two hours. However, with all the transfers and time in between, it took me about three hours altogether. Luckily, it's about $30 one way, which I think is pretty good. I felt awful going there, but the view was amazing as a got to the Shinano-Omachi area. The snow was so thick, the mountains and lakes were so beautiful. Unfortunately I forgot to charge my camera battery so I have no photos of the trip there.
Hakuba station was so tiny! I expected it to be a lot bigger, considering how popular the area is for skiing and snowboarding. I waited at the station over an hour for Dede to pick me up, but he had to work late so I ended up taking a taxi to Iwatake Ski Grounds (where he is working for the next few months). I was amazed by all the non-Japanese people! I had heard during winter it was a paradise for Australians, but it still shocked me. I met up with Dede and last, which was wonderful, he took me to his dorm, but I wasn't allowed inside so I had to wait for over 20 minutes for him to get ready! Awful! Then I had no idea how to get to the lodge I had booked, so I went to the Information Centre, who also didn't know, so they made a call on my behalf. The owner of the lodge ended up picking us up in his little truck thing. Unfortunately, he thought we had driven, so there was little room for Dede and I to sit - I had to sit very uncomfortably on his lap. Luckily it was less than five minutes away, and we were there soon enough.
As soon as we entered Lodge O-Hoponopono (I think that's the name!), we felt a lovely warmth from the heaters, and the place smelled wonderful, looked wonderful, and we felt instantly at home. The lovely couple that owns it were so welcoming. We were taken to our room, got settled in, then were about to walk to Hakuba when they told us they had prepared tea and biscuits for us!! So we sat in the dining room and talked with them. They then offered to take us into Hakuba, a ten minute drive!
Once in Hakuba Dede and I walked around the town. We found a little Indian food place that served snacks from a window, so we grabbed some samosa's and tandoori chicken. Eating it on the street, one Indian man came up to us to ask how the food was, and explained he also worked upstairs in an Indian restaurant. It was tempting to have more, but we decided to try something else. We went to another Information Centre to ask directions to an Indonesian restaurant Dede wanted to try. The lady was very helpful, and I was excited because I understood her Japanese perfectly. However, we never did find the place. I suspect we were on the correct road, but we had to go to Wadano which from what she said was quite a walk.
In the end, we went back to the Indian restaurant and we were so glad we did! I had eggplant curry, Dede had butter chicken, a big garlic naan, strange-tasting puppodoms and coke for me, beer for Dede. My cold was not happy at this time either. But is was so delicious. The man did try to talk to us a little too much for our liking, as we were trying to have a conversation! I have missed Indian spices so much so it was great. Next we went to a bar Dede often frequents with his friends. I had a screwdriver, but that was perhaps a bad choice for my cold...eventually we returned to the lodge, took a shower/bath, then went to bed!
The next day we had a lovely breakfast at the lodge, simple Western style but oh so good. I never wanted to leave. We spoke with the owners again, but at 10.00am we checked out and headed to Iwatake. I met two of Dede's friends, got our gear, then headed up the mountain. The view was just amazing. At the top we began snowboarding! It was my first time, and it was incredibly hard. By the third time I went down the slope I was able to finally stand up on my own. Eventually Dede and I came to realise my trouble was because I was wearing jeans under track pants. Not a good decision, but I don't have any other pants suitable for winter. Dede and I had lunch at 2.00pm, by then I was quite cold and couldn't stop coughing. Dede then informed me his friends were waiting for us and that we were going to go down the mountain. I was so scared. I really was not ready to do anything like that, but we did it. It took forever. I kept falling, getting put off by the other skiiers and snowboarders, couldn't really steer very well yet. I got so angry at one point that I started crying and wanted to run away (where to I don't know!). It was too early to do the whole mountain for me, but eventually we made it and I was so exhausted and sick. Maybe I could've done it if I didn't have a cold...
Dede and I got cleaned up, returned my stuff, then tried to get dry. We waited for the bus but it never came, so took a taxi to Hakuba. I bought my train tickets, then we went to a nearby restaurant. There was not one Japanese customer in there! It was amazing! They sold pizza, and chips, and burgers. Just. Awesome. We bought a pepperoni and jalepeno pizza and a 'big bowl' of chips - big bowl in Japan means normal size for us! It was great, but it came out ten minutes before I had to catch my train. I ate as fast as possible and got the chips in a container to take home.
I had to leave Dede in a hurry, which was sad, but I know I'll be back! The next time he has a day off I think I will be there, seeing as I have holidays. After my holidays I doubt I will be able to see him again until March, unless he has a Saturday or Sunday off (unlikely in the ski season).
Well that was my mini-holiday! My cold is still with me (six days now!). I'm taking it easy. Turns out I won't be going to Nagoya for New Year's after all.
The next day I had school and was feeling still a bit sick. The day after that was my last day of school until the 10th next year. It was only a half day, but I was there until 4.00pm anyway. At 4.00pm I boarded a bus to Kaida with the other teachers for the end of year party - bounenkai. I had to buy a present; only 500 yen, but still, it added up to the price of the dinner - 6,500 yen!!! I ended up drinking far too much, was on the phone to Dede quite a bit as well, but it was a lot of fun. Afterwards some of us continued on to karaoke. I have no idea what time I got home...maybe 1.00am?!
So then it was Wednesday. The drinking had worsened by cold, but I had to go to Hakuba for my mini holiday!! Hakuba village is in the north of Nagano-ken, and hosted the 1998 Winter Olympics. I had to catch the 12.30pm (or was it 11.30am) train to Matsumoto - Shinano Omachi - Hakuba. If there were a direct train, or going by car, I think it would take about two hours. However, with all the transfers and time in between, it took me about three hours altogether. Luckily, it's about $30 one way, which I think is pretty good. I felt awful going there, but the view was amazing as a got to the Shinano-Omachi area. The snow was so thick, the mountains and lakes were so beautiful. Unfortunately I forgot to charge my camera battery so I have no photos of the trip there.
Hakuba station was so tiny! I expected it to be a lot bigger, considering how popular the area is for skiing and snowboarding. I waited at the station over an hour for Dede to pick me up, but he had to work late so I ended up taking a taxi to Iwatake Ski Grounds (where he is working for the next few months). I was amazed by all the non-Japanese people! I had heard during winter it was a paradise for Australians, but it still shocked me. I met up with Dede and last, which was wonderful, he took me to his dorm, but I wasn't allowed inside so I had to wait for over 20 minutes for him to get ready! Awful! Then I had no idea how to get to the lodge I had booked, so I went to the Information Centre, who also didn't know, so they made a call on my behalf. The owner of the lodge ended up picking us up in his little truck thing. Unfortunately, he thought we had driven, so there was little room for Dede and I to sit - I had to sit very uncomfortably on his lap. Luckily it was less than five minutes away, and we were there soon enough.
As soon as we entered Lodge O-Hoponopono (I think that's the name!), we felt a lovely warmth from the heaters, and the place smelled wonderful, looked wonderful, and we felt instantly at home. The lovely couple that owns it were so welcoming. We were taken to our room, got settled in, then were about to walk to Hakuba when they told us they had prepared tea and biscuits for us!! So we sat in the dining room and talked with them. They then offered to take us into Hakuba, a ten minute drive!
Once in Hakuba Dede and I walked around the town. We found a little Indian food place that served snacks from a window, so we grabbed some samosa's and tandoori chicken. Eating it on the street, one Indian man came up to us to ask how the food was, and explained he also worked upstairs in an Indian restaurant. It was tempting to have more, but we decided to try something else. We went to another Information Centre to ask directions to an Indonesian restaurant Dede wanted to try. The lady was very helpful, and I was excited because I understood her Japanese perfectly. However, we never did find the place. I suspect we were on the correct road, but we had to go to Wadano which from what she said was quite a walk.
In the end, we went back to the Indian restaurant and we were so glad we did! I had eggplant curry, Dede had butter chicken, a big garlic naan, strange-tasting puppodoms and coke for me, beer for Dede. My cold was not happy at this time either. But is was so delicious. The man did try to talk to us a little too much for our liking, as we were trying to have a conversation! I have missed Indian spices so much so it was great. Next we went to a bar Dede often frequents with his friends. I had a screwdriver, but that was perhaps a bad choice for my cold...eventually we returned to the lodge, took a shower/bath, then went to bed!
The next day we had a lovely breakfast at the lodge, simple Western style but oh so good. I never wanted to leave. We spoke with the owners again, but at 10.00am we checked out and headed to Iwatake. I met two of Dede's friends, got our gear, then headed up the mountain. The view was just amazing. At the top we began snowboarding! It was my first time, and it was incredibly hard. By the third time I went down the slope I was able to finally stand up on my own. Eventually Dede and I came to realise my trouble was because I was wearing jeans under track pants. Not a good decision, but I don't have any other pants suitable for winter. Dede and I had lunch at 2.00pm, by then I was quite cold and couldn't stop coughing. Dede then informed me his friends were waiting for us and that we were going to go down the mountain. I was so scared. I really was not ready to do anything like that, but we did it. It took forever. I kept falling, getting put off by the other skiiers and snowboarders, couldn't really steer very well yet. I got so angry at one point that I started crying and wanted to run away (where to I don't know!). It was too early to do the whole mountain for me, but eventually we made it and I was so exhausted and sick. Maybe I could've done it if I didn't have a cold...
Dede and I got cleaned up, returned my stuff, then tried to get dry. We waited for the bus but it never came, so took a taxi to Hakuba. I bought my train tickets, then we went to a nearby restaurant. There was not one Japanese customer in there! It was amazing! They sold pizza, and chips, and burgers. Just. Awesome. We bought a pepperoni and jalepeno pizza and a 'big bowl' of chips - big bowl in Japan means normal size for us! It was great, but it came out ten minutes before I had to catch my train. I ate as fast as possible and got the chips in a container to take home.
I had to leave Dede in a hurry, which was sad, but I know I'll be back! The next time he has a day off I think I will be there, seeing as I have holidays. After my holidays I doubt I will be able to see him again until March, unless he has a Saturday or Sunday off (unlikely in the ski season).
Well that was my mini-holiday! My cold is still with me (six days now!). I'm taking it easy. Turns out I won't be going to Nagoya for New Year's after all.
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