The queue is larger than it has been but moves quickly. It is Sunday and there is fresh snow so you'd expect it to be busy. All the lift lines are orderly, smooth and move fast and the lifts themselves are modern and swift which means maximum time skiing.
We head up to Hirafu ski area and take the little single chair to the top. People are gathering, waiting for the gate to open so they can walk to the very top of the mountain. It's about 30 mins walk and apparently it's an incredible run down - but no thanks. There is plenty of great skiing to be had without Long treks uphill.
It's pretty murky and overall visibility is poor which is a mountain state I'm never fond of. It amazes me how many people just seem to bomb off as though they have magic vision - I am always so reticent when I can't see what lies ahead. I Guess it helps when you know the mountain like the back of your hand - which many of these people do.
We have chosen a steep run down for the first of the day, and as I'm feeling under the weather, I'm wondering if it wise, but it's too late to back out now. I follow Brett down the fence line, struggling a little as the snow is thick and slightly heavy. I put in a few turns, wait, reassess, gulp a little (with razors in throat) - and then a miracle occurs ... the sun comes out! I can see the whole slope in front of me, I find myself an untracked portion and put in fresh tracks. It is superb. Amazing the difference visibility makes. Brett had already taken the chopped up way down in the murk; I had the luxury of new snow and blue sky. Same run; chalk and cheese. We do this same run a few times, and each time I manage to coincide with the sun poking through.
We then head over to Annapuri area and en route we discover Wonderland - a fabulous area of runs serviced by the Wonderland chair. It is the top chair on the whole mountain - and very aptly named. We are high up, the sun is shining in this pocket of paradise, the snow is perfect, there are very few people and we can see for miles. We play up and down these runs for some time before continuing our journey to Annapuri.
Over on this far side of the mountain the snow is perfect and visibility unusually excellent. Long swooping runs where you can pop through trees and find fresh powder. Brett is loving it amongst the trees outside the boundary gates. We meet at the gondola and go up and down and up and down. It is just the right combination of perfection in my eyes.
The runs are long and require energy reserves. Our under-the-weather bodies need fuel so we stop for lunch. The spacious cafe we go to - the Rest House in Annapuri - is a well-oiled machine. Most places here have a ticket system. There's a board with photos of all the available meals - ramen, donburi, steamed buns, pork curries etc ... you pick your choice, plug it into the machine, pay, get a ticket and number and in next to no time your very delicious meal is ready, created by the many hands in the large open kitchen. They can pump through the people that's for sure, and it doesn't feel at all frenetic or toilsome. The food is damn good. As is the Sapporo beer.
After a few more runs in this area I decide I've had enough and head back across to Hirafu and ski back to the hotel by mid-afternoon. Brett arrives back a bit later, coughing and worse for wear. He gets some medication from the Chemist and, after an onsen, he is in bed asleep; it is barely 5pm!!!
I pour myself a wine - medicine for my throat(!) - the stuff I got from the Chemist doesn't seem to be doing much so may as well try wine therapy! I watch a bit of TV, feet up and relaxed, do a little writing and then go into town. Brett might be out for the count for the night but I need food ...
The Seicomart is seething - it seems the whole town is in there buying drinks, snacks, supplies, dinner. It is snowing heavily outside; big thick juicy flakes falling.
I choose a prawn tempura/rice dish from the ready-to-go section, along with a few snacks for general consumption - the mandarins are delicious - and search for a bottle of wine. I spot a French merlot called La Lievre et la Tortue (hare and tortoise) ... seems appropriate as Brett is usually haring off and I am usually bringing up the rear!!
Back at base Brett is still in a comatose state, coughing sporadically and alarmingly. It doesn't sound good at all as coughs and moans emanate from the bedroom. I heat up my meal for one and watch a truly awful Sylvester Stallone arm-wrestling movie. That, or more endless news about Mosul and Unilever - with Japanese voiceover and no subtitles so an English speaker has little idea about any of the content.
The food is surprisingly good and the wine is a winner in true tortoise style - it cost $5 a bottle and exceeded expectations!! The wine here is really cheap. In bars it's pretty plonky but bottles from all round the world are on offer at cheap prices in supermarkets and even the Chemist and it's pretty good. Most of the youngies buy a Chilean wine called G7 which comes in every variety - it costs $5.50 and I'm sure it does the trick. It must keep the Chilean wine economy going judging by the number of bottles in baskets. Despite a queue that wound round the shop a couple of times, it moved quick and there was no pandemonium. Everyone is smiling and in good spirits, there is no need for haste or getting cross with crowds.
With full belly, sated palate, weary limbs and sore throat, I eventually take myself off to bed where Brett is still out for the count in his Jap PJs. We are a couple of crocks!
Something a bit more inspiring than an appalling Sly Stallone movie (he is such a bad actor!) and TV tempura-for-one would have been preferable for a honeymoon evening but them's the breaks!!
Actually, I really don't like the sound of Brett's cough, I think it probably requires more than Panadol and Vicks drops.
Chilling and downtime is all good after the busy time we've had so quiet nights are actually quite welcome and the apartment is a very nice place to lounge around in. The bed is immeasurably comfortable and again I must say how fabulous this Ki Niseko hotel is.
And big snowflakes are still falling ...
OBSERVATION OF THE DAY: They reiterate here NOT to cross the boundary ropes - and they sure mean it. This morning we went up the gondola with two Russian guys who were all set to powder hound - they had their packs, transponders, touring skis and enthusiasm all ready to go for a big day back country skiing. During our first run down from the top, one of them couldn't resist the temptation to duck under the rope and grab some fresh tracks down the side of the run. BIG mistake - the ski patrols were there in a jiffy, whistling, rounding him up and confiscating his lift pass. Bummer for him ... and for his ski-mate. Those few early turns were ultimately just not worth it! Day over for him ...
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