Japan Ski Season 2017-2018
30 December 2017 to 20 February 2018 (Hakuba & Tokyo, Japan) —
We arrived in Japan in late December, and the ski season was well under way. Indeed, Hakuba was in the middle of a two-meter plus storm, so we skipped Tokyo and headed straight there.
Our first turns were a blast, although the legs seem to get a little heavier and harder to warm up every season……
NYE was what we wanted — a short backcountry tour, onsen, then ramen and a nap. V prepared a feast with lasagna as the headliner, and I grabbed some Veuve. Dinner was with our three closest friends , and we were in bed by 9:30. A perfect end to a great year.
The snow machine stopped for a bit, resulting in some days when the views were better than the skiing.
But every ice cream day is an awesome day.
The snow returned, and V and Clare embraced their inner wizards during a blizzard.
Clare sent nudes.
Mark and Jules arrived for a week, but after his soul was stolen last season, Mark decided to use Jules as a human shield and stuck to groomers.
He also probably secretly trained for two months pre-trip, as he is a world-renowned sandbagger.
We got Mark into the alpine backcountry just once, and he actually remembered how to ski. He revealed that those turns were the ones for which he came to Japan.
Clare was shocked, but V was happy that Mark got a senior’s discount on his lift ticket.
Mark returned to chasing UFO’s, and V, Clare, and I got after it hard.
Unlike most seasons, V actually got to be on the other side of the lens a few times!
But the rain came so we nursed hangovers and gave our weary legs a rest.
Things had been going well but V bruised her tibia and meniscus when she skidded on some ice after the rain. The physio’s prescription required that she only ski powder and had to take every other day off. She had almost as much FOMO as Clare. Almost.
And then I got stupid sick. I ran a 103.5*F for five days and didn’t leave the lodge for a week other than one trip to the clinic. I tested negative for flu and he diagnosed me with bronchitis. V kept me alive but I had severe cabin fever. After a week, my fever finally broke. My fitness was gone but, on the plus side, I weighed the least I have since university.
My new health plan is based on this formula for weight loss:
High-grade Fever > dysentery > diet + exercise
The Robinson’s returned and brought with them the annual Chinese New Year storm, which was a fitting send off before we headed to the Great White North.
After a quick stop in Tokyo for some sushi at our favorite stand up stall at the Tsukiji fish market, we were off to Canada.
