'Pain' : A Nagano Snowboarding Adventure

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Well, my addiction won out again. Instead of saving my ￥en and being responsible, I signed up for another snowboarding tour, this time to Nagano. A lot of people from the Niigata tour would be there, and this time, there were 2 buses going, and 60-80 people.

The pattern was much the same as the last trip. Meet up, get on the bus - this time our seats had been allocated - make sure you stock up on drinks, and then off we went. I found it a lot harder to sleep this time around, Even though I was tired, and desperate to sleep, my brain wouldn't switch off and I was focused on all the things I would need to get done in time for my departure.

I met a few new paople on this trip, and we formed a group for the first day as well. It's easy to make friends when you're sleep deprived. Anyone who is still awake is your friend basically. We stumbled in and out of combini's and loos, said hello to whoever we bumped into, picked up breakfast at about 6am and went to our lodge.

The lodge didn't look like much from the outside, but once you got into the room it was lovely. I was in a room with 3 other girls, India, Rachel and Rayna, and our room looked out onto the mountain we would be skiing later on.

We got kitted out, picked up our gear, collected our lift passes and then trekked up the road to Madarao Kogen. Conditions were not nearly as impressive as they had been in Niigata. Apparently the season was winding down, so instead of racing through powder, we were skating on ice. I think I spent most of that first morning sliding down on my backside.

Honestly, despite the odd styles you see, I know the full necessity for wearing a one piece suit. WHen you stack it, flip around and go sliding down backwards on your back, you tend to scoop up snow using your pants. I don't care if I'm dubbed the 80s queen, next time I go snowboarding there will be NO opportunity for that to happen. Saying that, japanese suits are awesome! I saw some killer outfits, everyone looking Kakoii!

The runs were pretty short, so some of us decided to give the ski park a try. Located halfway down the main slope, we slid in and lined up for the first jump. We bypassed the 10m jump knowing that none of us were skilled enough to attempt it without getting injured. As it was, the 5m jump was good enough for that. We watched other people going before us, doing clean Ollies, 180s and 360s, skiiers and boarders alike. As they went for it, I wondered what exactly I was doing standing there...what was I, a second time boarder doing at the jump?

Well it's like this. I knew I wouldn't get another opportunity before leaving, so why not just go for it? When it was my turn I lined myself up and set off soen the hill. I banked a couple of times to lose speed as it was my first go, and perhaps that was my downfall. My heart was racing, my head was trying to work out the logistics of it all, and then the jump was upon me.

I went up the ramp, into the air, and then the world came tumbling down...well the part of the world completely made up of nikky that is. As i'd launched intp the air, my legs had come up into a kind of sitting position which meant the result was a vertical drop onto the descending slope. Ow. I recovered, and bunny hoppd to the side to watch the next jumpers....who sadly, did not fare as badly as I had. It would have been nice to have some aching company.

After the jump we tried the giant can, which theoretically, you boardslide across. I couldn't really sort out my balance so i kind of made it on, felt that moment of elation, and then gravity caught up with me and brought me down HARD.

We skipped the rail and went straight for the box, a low lying platform you slide across. The first time I went I tried a 90 boardslide, but probably only made it halfway across beofre going down. My later attempts were much better, but I decided to just go straight across it and stop trying fancy stuff. It's probably good that I did, as some of my boarding companions ended up with cuts and bruises on shins and knees from catching the edge of the box during a tumble.

We broke for lunch and met up with about 15 other people from our tour in Heidi's cafe. Basically a giant food hall where you gould take your pick from ramen to curry to iazakaya fare. A few of us got some beer to take away the ache from the morning, and far to soon it was off again.

We went up higher this time before going back to the ski park and by the end of the afternoon we were sore and bruised but elated. Afte all, we thought, If we're in this much pain then it means we've been putting in the effort. HOpefully that effort pays off. 4.30 rolled around and we took the lift up one last time before boarding out and trudging back to the lodge.

Once there, we got our things together for onsen, boarded the smaller of the two buses and went to soothe our muscles. It was onsen in a hurry though as the bus was only waiting an hour before going back. It would have been ample time if the place wasn't PACKED with people who had the same idea. Standing around isn't my idea of fun, but standing around naked? That's just plain awkward. I felt like doing that false nonchalant i'm not awkward whistle, but it would have only drawn attention to myself. Finally it was my turn and it was a superfast scrub followed by the shortest of onsen soaks. Back on the bus we all radiated heat from our pores, and everyone looked happy and content.

Back at the lodge it was party time, though most of us felt like going to sleep. We doled out drinks, played little drinking games, and some of the boys tried to assemble a can tower that would reach the ceiling. At 9pm we filed out to watch the fireworks back at the ski run. A 5 minute walk to watch a 2 minute light show. We went back to the lodge, partied some more, and then it was off to bed in preparation for the next day.

SLeep is a funny thing. Sometimes you pop awake like you haven't been to sleep and other times the dregs of sleep cling to you like barnacles to a ship. When it's 3am and you hear a noise, it's understandable to take a moment to find out what the hell is going on. Especially when there's still alcohol in your system. 'Hmm...noise....whatsthat.....rmmmm...oh wait....my alarm?.....too early.... wheresthephone?.......ah, got it..........who am I calling......no wait......someone is calling me.......' A blurry squint showed that it was danilo so i clicked answer and waited to find out what he wanted. I think I was still half asleep/drunk at the time so I don:t think I was much of a conversationalist. What he had to say was quite sweet, but he basically got grunts in response. He'd been best man at his friends wedding, the boys had partied it up, and then feeling romatic (and probably tipsy) he called to say he missed me. He also told me I sounded tired, which didn't win him any points where his other sentiments had. I said/grunted goodbye, hung up, and fell asleep so fast I didn't realise it had happened until I woke up at 6am.

Getting up was a problem. Not waking up, that was easy this time around, but the actual act of standing up. Wrists, abs, bum and tailbone all complained loudly at any kind of movement or pressure, and Rachel and I just laughed at the slowness at which taska like getting dressed, which had taken seconds the day before, were now taking long minutes. As well as gaining muscle tone the day before, it looked like we had lost brain function. It took her 5 minutes to realise she was trying to put her socks on, whereas I almost went downstairs to breakfast in my underwear.

We ate and went out to the mountain again, to try our hand at the jumps and rails once more. I thought ahead, and rolled up a towl to shove in my ski pants. It helped with most of the impact, but a lot of times I had some particularly hard landings which to this day (2 weeks on) still ache. I think I managed to bruise my tailbone but it only gives me trouble if i'm standing up or alternately, sitting down for too long. It:s a good incentive to find balance.

Far too soon it was time to go. The day's highlights inclosed doing a jump where the landing didnt hurt, nailing the box, attempting the can again even though it caused the most pain, getting to almost the end of the rail before toppling, doing presses and trying buttercups, and a half hour snowball fight that ended up with Yoshi looking like a bowl of Omochi.

The bus stopped at Kyoto on this run so I wasn't as rushed in my journey home, and I was able to relax for a bit before going to sleep and getting set for the week ahead.

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