End of 2008

Good bye 2008. What an interesting year. It left me with a few scars, softened by battle, not hardened. I remember telling an old friend that I didn't expect too much from life. I just didn't want a normal one. Well, I'm getting what I wished for. Things are coming right. I'm poor but well fed and snowboarding. At, this point it's just a bit hard to keep a smile on my face. It'll come. As my teacher said, "just keep moving". Best damn advice anyone could give.

Making a movie

Boarding Co-workers

Rob on Ski's

Our ugly mugs :)

White Trees

Snow on trees still buzz me out. I can sit there and just watch them. There is this kind of silence in the mountains that is so serene. I imagine being on the moon, rolling about in moon dust. In the stillness I can hear my own heart beat. It brings this tranquil kind of happiness.

Merry Work For Xmas

Merry Christmas Cake!!

Japan wasn't so much overrun by Christians so Christmas isn't really such a big thing here. It's just another work day actually. Luckely there were a couple of Australian buddies there at the ski school. Everyone pitched in for a delicious strawberry christmas cake. It went fast.

Lining up for the first gondola

Ok, so I take that back about Nozawa Onsen not getting crowded. It's christmas day today and a lot of people have gone ski crazy.

My awesome student

And check out my second, now 6th or 7th student! It ain't straight but she's got air! Good stuff!!

Day Two

Ueno Taira Slope

Nozawa Onsen. I am glad to have found this place. The slopes are wide, it doesn't get relatively crowded and snow is great.

My second student, from Hong Kong

White trees

The Return Home

A Quick Start

My Very First Student From England

When I walked through the door I was mistaken for a homeless person because of my hippy style dress. Actually it wasn't far from the truth considering home was 9,000km away across the pacific. I soon met familiar faces and was greeted warmly.

The Gondola

There was no hesitation getting me out in the field. I'm no pro boarder and the people there knew that. The first day of training was bluntly meager and rushed. Three months of learning in one day. Then I saw the list of foreigners that had booked lessons. They needed an English speaking snowboard teacher.

A snowless Hikage Gerande

To Nozawa Onsen

I sneaked the local train all the way to Nagano. Very cheeky but necessary. I wouldn't be seeing trains for a while. And I arrived seeing a familiar face just stepping in. AyaP. This place is a snowy mountain and I arrived early enough to see the green on the mountain before the white sets in.

Sleepers

All these guys are pretending to sleep so they have an excuse for not giving up their chair for an elderly person.

Water wheel at Ueda

Nagano mountain range

The Yu-Road sunset

Finally escaped from slave labour and on to something I really enjoy :) I'll be here for the whole season.

Crispy Cream Donuts

I got a job at the ski school I used to work at and I will be starting there tomorrow. Tonight I hung out with my good friend Hiroshi in Shinjuku. I spilled my guts on him, poor fella. We treated ourselves to Krispy Kream Donuts before I left.

Colour Change Monument (With Sound)

Lights before dark

Watch them donuts

Goodbye Shinjuku

Shinjuku

Back to Tokyo. Full of lights. Energy is well used in this city. Here are billions more lights to add to the city lights. Very pretty. I had glassed that turned lights into stars. Very trippy.

Lights at Shinjuku Station - East Exit

Jamming in the street

Christmas is upon us

Blue lights Shinjuku

See ya Masaru

Tsukinoniwa

And I arrived to see Masaru off. He had been fighting cancer well past his due date. So many people will miss him and he left so many gifts behind. Thankyou for everything you taught me Masaru. I will always remember.

Back to the City

And on the morning of the ninth I received bad news that a good friend and adopted uncle had just passed away. This led me back into the city for one night for a night of reflection. I always enjoyed Osaka. This time was a bit more difficult.

Back to what a was used to

The moon illusion, not so illusive

Onomichi Tours

Naoko's mum took us for a tour around Onomichi no mukaijima island. We met an old, 'full of energy' friend of hers just before we climbed the highest peak of the island. From here you can see all the other little scattered islands.

Me and Naoko's Mum

Onomichi Bridge

From high above

After Shopping

Being in Japan again, Naoko was able to go shopping again. Not putting New Zealand down, but shopping in Auckland or Wellington, New Zealands largest cities, it's hard to find good places to find the things you want. Just walking around here, you'll find almost everything you want, exotic, fashionable, natural or whatever. So many people with so many tastes make many different kinds of shops with different tastes to open. I love variety.

Naoko posing for Mahina

Naoko's warm stubborn cat

A beach!

It was small and it wasn't so beautiful, but it was a beach! It was even warm enough to get my top off. I layed there, the only one on the beach for one lovely hour. When I settle, if ever, it'll definately be on a beach. On the way back there was a giant gorilla balancing a small lady and pouring a beer at the same time.

We went for a drive to a city bearing a village kept in its traditional form, from the river throught the town, to the stone layed walls to the Greek cafe... The place was famous for "Kibi Dango", a sticky rice sweet, free with a coffee.

Onomichi mini beach

A recognizable meeting point

The leaves fell early

Old Japan

Climbing

Naoko showed me around her home town. We climbed a mountain. Some parts of it, literally climbing. There are a few chains and loops on rocks to help you with your grip. No harness and I didn't spot any safety signs either. Very fun. I think we past by Senkoji, the temple with the famous vermilion lacquered red hall.

Post owl in Autumn

Onomichi

Little rock climb

Just missed the ferry

Luxury Food

And to finish the day off, we set off to Okayama for a bit of 'shopping relief'. At the top of one of the many plaza's we discovered a "tropical" resturant. Gotta splash a few bucks on good food sometimes.

Icecream, strawberry honey infused loaf

Theme, Indonesia

Almost like a maid cafe :)

Itadakimasu