This trip was my first attempt at a snow sport, and yes the snow is obviously man-made :-) After taking an hour and a half on the first run (most of it not upright), the second went a lot better, the third time I face-planted once, and the fourth I didn't fall at all!! Never quite managed getting back up frontwards, but got the hang of getting up backward then doing a 180 degree jump round, and starting off front-on. ... read more

I missed a white Christmas by only 3 days, but after having driven in the stuff in less than ideal conditions I now have a new respect for snow. My train to Okayama (and then on to Takamatsu on Shikoku) left from Shoyama station in the neighbouring prefecture of Tottori. I left home around 5:30am ( -5 degrees, still dark) on the 29th December, giving myself more than twice the amount of time I would normally need for the trip. Thankfully the snow ploughs had been working during the night so I was able to leave in the first place. Snow may be pretty, but it can completely change the appearance of roads - to the point where I thought I had got myself lost driving along a road I had driven along numerous times, both ... read more

.... read more