We`re off the see the wizard!

With the first set of parents touching down at Narita we began to get really nervous. For weeks we had counted down to Vivienne and Lewis' arrival and here it was just hours away. Was Japan going to be too busy, would they not like the food or would they not enjoy the culture as much as we do? As soon as we met up with them at the busiest station in the world and took them to a small izakaya (drinking and eating place) by the hotel our fears were gone. Over the course of two weeks we all sampled some of Japan's best sights, smells, tastes and people. I think my highlight of the trip was being able to share our new life with them and seeing how much they enjoyed it. It was typified with the comment that they could easily live here. But, I feel our highlights were different, it wasn't the monkey onsen, beautiful gardens or amazing scenery that impressed them the most. It was the daily trip to the supermarket to arrange dinner for us all. With each day came a new story and new adventure from just down the road. Thanks Vivienne and Lewis, a trip to remember.

Enjoy!

 Enjoying the first taste of a cold Japanese beer.

 Matsumoto castle

The color coordination was never planned, it just happened. 

End of the snow.

Japan is a land of extremes, extreme kindness, extreme food, extreme beauty and extreme seasons! Summer consists of sweltering days of 30 degrees plus and restless night of 25, with winter being no kinder. For over four months the temperature never troubled the positive 5 digit of the cars thermometer, with an average temperature of -1. This meant basic everyday duties became difficult. At this point I would like to officially thank our heated toilet seat. A gift from the winter gods. Everywhere you went entailed 4 layers of clothes, slow trips walking in the snow and the feeling that you’re slowly dying from the inside out. Maintaining sanity was paramount in winter and what better way to do so than with a small trip to the nearest mountain and enjoying the white fluffy stuff. With ‘redbull’ in the belly, boards strapped to the car and good friends in tow, we would take over the mountain every weekend. Turning the tide on the strong hold that the snow has on us for the weekend. In these moments the snow did not control us, we were not at the mercy of this villain. Using it for entertainment we conquered it down the chutes, through the trees, over cliffs and in the powder. We spent 35 days of our long winter claiming something back for human kind, overcoming mother nature and finding the balance between sanity and insanity. As I sit here writing this, as the last remnants of winter are slowly slipping away to make way for greener pastures, I would like to reflect on the season via the apt words of one Joe Moore, “Seems that the boarding season is over. I’d like to thank our sponsors: Burton, 7-11, Snickers, Redbull, Aquarius and the people who make curry and rice” well said sir.

Enjoy.

 Myoko-san, our local mountain.

 On a good day you can see the road. Life in the freezer.

Our weekend view. Hard to complain about life with this on your doorstep.