NICE PLACE! I just checked it out online.
Way flasher than what we are getting in to Gareth.

An extra $2000 a week is MASSIVE, as most of those properties are being rented for $5000 - $7000 a week for the July school holidays already!
Crazy money!! But I suppose with the shortages of anything being available during that short time period, there are people who will pay it.

For that money I would rather stay at one of the hotels though, and have my room serviced, and full cooked breakfast included!

EDIT:[just realized that I now sound like Thursday ... going for the hotel experience ]

I still dont like staying in hotels, do it for work, its a bed overnight and then i'm gone and i typically stay in decent hotels - was at Imperial my last stay in tokyo for example.

I much prefer to spread out and relax and watch a tv in a comfy lounge suite, rather than lie on a bed doing it, i prefer having my breakfast at my own pace (and maybe watch tv while i'm doing it) rather than going to the restaurant for breakfast.

and i'm not into room-service - i'm more than happy to offer my wife moral support as she cleans up after us!

With you there pretty much Tex, though a good breakfast... wherever... is needed.

A good coffee machine is a great one, I would be all for that. Small perhaps but I know I am always disappointed if I get to a hotel and all they have is a few packets of green tea!

Mamabear On a different note it will be intresting to see what you think of Hakuba we found it great its completly different to Niseko which was great. we like to try some where new each year.Would love to go every where twice.But so much to do and time keeps moving faster .Roscoe

Went to see my Doc today (we have all got some yikko virus) and he got back from Hakuba a few weeks back - he was RAVING, and also said they were very different places (Niseko and Hakuba) - but he recommended I get out to Cortina and check it out...

I really like having new experiences too Roscoe.
I will be doing a thorough report on our flying visit, especially as it is a treat from White Horse and SnowJapan!

We met the people from the white horse hotel last year if thats the one in echo land they where very nice and helpful & we did not stay there but close by in some cabins we found on sj site.have agreat time I hope to post my report on Nozawa/shiga kogen this week end its worth alook also.still trying to catch up on work at the moment.

Mamabear when will you be starting on this new adventure?

Heading to the airport on the 23th of March. Will be in the good hands of the lovely people at White Horse - Double Black on the 24/25/26th of March.


[I am getting excited though ... My board needs a wax so I rang MainPeak today to see if they had any waxing irons in stock - would you believe it - it will take a couple of weeks to get one from across the border ]

mainpeak (city) can wax your board if youre happy for them to do it

Yeah Gareth, that is the route I am going to take for this time - but I will drop it in Osborne Park -->much easier access! They wax and tune and repair at both OP and City stores.

But while I had the guy at Cott on the phone I ordered a waxing iron anyway - seems everytime I want to buy one, there are none in stock ... so this time I will be prepared.

Hi MB

Sorry been to busy to post.
Housing industry going crazy at the moment.

I just used a cheap normal iron and it worked really well.
it is pretty simple.

The hardest part is scraping it off.

Hi Seemore

Yes I considered it, but I like my toys
Anyhooo... I will buy it once and it is done - not like it is overkill...we actually have 14 snowboards in our house at the moment, although one is a little delaminated, they are ALL in service. I reckon it is about time we made the effort to wax and tune them ourselves now.

14 snowboards???

I'm not sure if you're aware MB, but unlike skis, you are only supposed to strap one to your feet, not two!!

14

You could start rental shop with that Mama!

14 boards sounds like a good quiver to me.

Actually our crew is not too far behind with 13 sets of skis more in storage, 7 bikes. I don't even want to think about the climbing and camping gear

Do you have a house to store all this lot?!

Thank god yes

Let me clarify:

We each had one board that we were riding up until this year (there is 6), we each bought a new board in Japan in December (there is another 6), and the other two ... well Papa had an extra twin tip that he has never ridden that he bought 3 yrs ago, and the boys have a small trick mini park board thing they bought 2 yrs ago to play with.

So the 'best quiver' is Papa's with 3, but heavily weighted toward the powder planks. I would like to see him have a go of cub #2 or #3's Burton Joystick for Thredbo, I think he would have fun with it.

Muika - we are certainly happy to loan our boards, especially to family or friends wanting to try the sport out for the first time - and especially the older boards. I don't think we will sell off our older ones for that very reason.

Pie-Eater - we do have a fairly large home, but the boards are stored in quite a hot spot over summer ... so part of the bonus in buying a snow property is having lockable owners storage where we can leave the gear year round. We will just have to make sure we bring our choice of weapon each back to Perth with us at the end of the Southern Season so we are equipped to hit the Northern Season!