And the bruise
Well hello all. Things have not changed much in the vast one day that has passed. I am still here, in Japan. Wearing my brightly coloured thermals and many a bruise. I told you about my incident with the chair lift yesterday, well the bruise is on its way out. It's looking amazingly seductive at current with its shades of green, purple, black and red. I know you are all jealous. I will also let you in on the post card situation. I saw some really horrid ones, but kept my money in my pocket for something better, alas I'm yet to find anymore. After skiing today I decided that I wanted to catch the bus down to the little village to have a look around and buy some food etc, but when weighing up things, I decided that I'd rather get the lift to the shop in the Hilton, despite the 5% mark up. It really wasn't worth the struggle to put on all my wither gear, wait for the bus, ride into town, figure out where I was, search for food and post cards, wait for return bus - you get the idea. So, back to postcards... the guy in the shop wasn't sure where I could find 'postcardu' from either. If I see some, I'm going to snap them up like they're going out of fashion!!!
Skiing has taken a turn for the better. With my Dad having a dreadful fall (so he says, but he's fat and unfit and likes to complain) he's off for the rest of the holiday. Mum, Sam and I have been spending the mornings together enjoying the fresh powder and also giving my mum a lesson. The afternoons are spent (after a coffee - or in today's case, a green tea latte YUM!) searching for some black runs, park work or off piste stuff. Tomorrow I'm going snowboarding, which is very exciting. Last time I did it, on the first day I cam all the way from the top to the bottom, I was so proud!! Tonight we are going into town for dinner. I'm sort of tired, and would much rather just go back to bed in my thermals. I find the thought of jeans and make up overrated on a ski trip. Perhaps because breakfast is big (Japanese tofu, seaweed, spinach, mushroom, fish, miso and a couple of spoons of all bran with dried fruit.) although healthy and full of everything that's needed for a day of skiing. Lunch is a coffee followed by more skiing, then après involves many a diet soda (I don't drink it, but after a day of skiing it is more vital than water) and some awesome Japanese wasabi peas, or peanut eggs, squid chips so by dinner I don't feel hungry... or like dressing up. But I am going to the gym for an hour in the morning, so I am trying to stay fit and 'healthy'!
My Onsen Adventure
I thought I'd let you in a wonderful experience I had last night. After two recommendations from fellow Australians working in the hotel, I went to the Onsen. For those who don't know, I'll give you a brief overview. It's pretty much a 'tub' Japanese style. It involves showering, then entering a hot spring outside - NAKED! Yes, you heard me - NAKED! So, after dinner (about 8.30) I pulled on the beautiful hotel robe, and slippers and took the lift down to the Onsen. You walk through the hanging flags, and pull open a wooden door. It's a bit like an up market gym, with beautiful polished floors. You take your slippers off and get disrobed in the change room. Although you can wear a towel for modesty. Then you go through the door and it's a huge slate room. To the right is a huge big bath with floor to ceiling window looking onto the snow; the left are cubicles with showers. They are low. You sit on a wooden bench, and you have a wooden bucket, as well as an array of beautiful skin products. You wash yourself, and then proceed past the indoor bath to the outside. You have to walk down 5 steps, which are flowing with water in which you step into the 42-degree bath. It is right next to a fishpond and overlooks the mountain. The contrast between the hot water and the cold snow produces extreme steam and therefore creates a really private feeling. It was wonderful. I felt so relaxed, and relaxed within myself too. I was a lot less scared than I thought I would be. Then, when you’re finished, you walk up the stairs and wash again. Then behind the lockers, there are individual basins with face products, hair driers - so you can glam up again. It was truly amazing. I felt so refreshed. I really love the Japanese way of life. I would trade it for mine any day. I've always been drawn to an Eastern lifestyle, I'm just unsure how to put these things in my life back in Australia.
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