17th December 2010
Wow! What a difference 5 days make. I started work from this Monday and I have absolutely been loving it. On Monday I had 4 guests from Melbourne who were all students and were super nice. We started from the beginning and I got along so well with the group. It was really nice to have a lesson with the group all day and teaching on the hill here in Hirafu is so much better than in New Zealand. I find the terrain much easier to teach on and just focus on having a great time. Subsequently I had the same guys on Tuesday all day and Wednesday afternoon! By the end of my time teaching them we were turning down some red runs and went from the top of the hill to the bottom. They were massively stoked and so was I. Gave me a great feeling and was such a good start to the teaching season. I went out with my guests and we had such a fun time talking in an empty bar called wild bills. The nightlife isn’t really crazy on a Tuesday night but it was a nice affair and it was thoroughly enjoyable. I have done 14 hrs this week and the teaching is going well. I am happy and getting more confident with fixing peoples problems I just need to work on more analogies and figure out how to teach kids better. I havent had a childrens lesson yet however i am sure I will get through ok!
We hadn’t really been freeriding much till last night and it was sooo on last night! It was dumping and we shredded for a couple of hours after work in the evening. The snow quality is incredible. The terrain isn’t as steep as RED but the powder is incredible. Even better was this morning. We got first lifts and rode some seriously deep fresh snow for a couple of hours before work and it was amazing. I got a taste of the niseko snow and I am slightly addicted – its amazing!
I can honestly say I have made an incredible decision coming here, the people are amazing I am getting along well with the crew I love teaching and Japan is amazing! The snow just gets me so happy and nothing is beating this right now.
My knee is getting better I really tested it with the freeriding and its responding well. I am getting ongoing treatment and I am really happy with the physio I am getting.
Another amazing news is Tony Hill has joined the crew and its great to have him on board.
Peace and love
Thursday, 16 December 2010
Saturday, 11 December 2010
JAPOW - KABLAM!!
12 December 2010
Wow I cant believe how quick time goes, 8 days since my last bog but to be honest not a lot has happened really, the hill hasn’t been open, therefore all the guests booked in for lessons have had to have their lessons in Kiroro a neighbouring mountain which is pretty much for the locals. They have been hammered with snow so to keep the guest happy SJ are driving them across which is nice! The returners and people up the top of the priority list are starting to get work which is good, apparently the rest of us are booked out from the 18th December for lessons from 8 till 3 which will be good.
Between the 4th and now I have had my knee checked out by a physio and turns out I tore my meniscus. She gave me a load of exercises and its feeling pretty good. I have to make sure I stay regimented with the exercises and stretch, survival is key this season I need to make sure I stick the programme and practise all i need for CASI 3 and thats it pretty much. Its super hero snow but I am super fragile.
I went for my first slide since the injury today as the hill opened up today – but only the beginner chair called family run! It was good as it gave us a chance to scope out the beginner terrain and have a bit of slidy fun – I spent the time getting used to my new board. I havent ridden a different pair of bindings since I started snowboarding so to move to another model was a bit strange with the board but it works, I just need to get used to it. I think i prefer my bigger board more but only because my old bindings are on there! They are so sweet still and only 4 years old – gotta love ride gear!
We’ve had a couple of nights out one was the Ski Japan staff party which incorporated free booze and curry, the seasonaires favourite night out. The food was awesome I drank though I wish I didnt there was no way I was getting drunk with that much curry inside me, but it was still good times. Last night was the VBG opening party and it was like being in an Australian bar, hardly any Japanese and loads of people binge drinking including me! It was a super fun night caught up with the crew threw down a few shapes then called it a night.
Right now in Niseko its finally dumping, we are all very happy as we have spent the best part of 2 weeks indoors with cabin fever waiting for the mountain to open. My friends from Turoa Tony and Tom are coming to work for our ski school and they timed it perfectly, they will be here on the 16-18th December and thats when the mountain in its entirety will look like its ready from shredding.
Apart from a few trips to the local city Kuchan for some shopping thats all we’ve been upto!
Peace and love people
Wow I cant believe how quick time goes, 8 days since my last bog but to be honest not a lot has happened really, the hill hasn’t been open, therefore all the guests booked in for lessons have had to have their lessons in Kiroro a neighbouring mountain which is pretty much for the locals. They have been hammered with snow so to keep the guest happy SJ are driving them across which is nice! The returners and people up the top of the priority list are starting to get work which is good, apparently the rest of us are booked out from the 18th December for lessons from 8 till 3 which will be good.
Between the 4th and now I have had my knee checked out by a physio and turns out I tore my meniscus. She gave me a load of exercises and its feeling pretty good. I have to make sure I stay regimented with the exercises and stretch, survival is key this season I need to make sure I stick the programme and practise all i need for CASI 3 and thats it pretty much. Its super hero snow but I am super fragile.
I went for my first slide since the injury today as the hill opened up today – but only the beginner chair called family run! It was good as it gave us a chance to scope out the beginner terrain and have a bit of slidy fun – I spent the time getting used to my new board. I havent ridden a different pair of bindings since I started snowboarding so to move to another model was a bit strange with the board but it works, I just need to get used to it. I think i prefer my bigger board more but only because my old bindings are on there! They are so sweet still and only 4 years old – gotta love ride gear!
We’ve had a couple of nights out one was the Ski Japan staff party which incorporated free booze and curry, the seasonaires favourite night out. The food was awesome I drank though I wish I didnt there was no way I was getting drunk with that much curry inside me, but it was still good times. Last night was the VBG opening party and it was like being in an Australian bar, hardly any Japanese and loads of people binge drinking including me! It was a super fun night caught up with the crew threw down a few shapes then called it a night.
Right now in Niseko its finally dumping, we are all very happy as we have spent the best part of 2 weeks indoors with cabin fever waiting for the mountain to open. My friends from Turoa Tony and Tom are coming to work for our ski school and they timed it perfectly, they will be here on the 16-18th December and thats when the mountain in its entirety will look like its ready from shredding.
Apart from a few trips to the local city Kuchan for some shopping thats all we’ve been upto!
Peace and love people
Saturday, 4 December 2010
Japow!
04/12/2010
Howdy! Its your boy Koo reporting from N-town down!! Its been a pretty quiet first few days in Niseko, the hill hasn’t been open yet so we have been very busy getting to know each other in our house. More and more people are arriving in drips and drabs and the house is filling up to its capacity of 27 which is great. Other amazing news in Tom Summerville from the Turoa crew has managed to secure a job with us at NBS and should be arriving in the next couple of weeks!!
Right now I am missing out on a fun night out at the opening of Wild Bills, because I have successfully managed to tweak my knee doing nothing more than jumping a step and landing awkwardly on my left knee. I am a little bit worried as my left knee has been troubling me for a while now, all the way through New Zealand and even with the short break between seasons I have managed to give it a tweak. We don’t start on snow for a couple of days and we have a day off tomorrow however with the hill not open and there being no I don’t think I am missing out on too much. Hopefully a bit of rest will help. I think the I might have swam a little too hard in the pool last night and just wore it out, then with all the walking around town last night it might have not enjoyed it.
We went out for a couple of drinks in bars around Niseko and I found out today that the place has about 30 nightclubs/bars which is pretty insane! The one thing I noticed when I was out what how commercial the place was, loads of Geijin (foreign) people and not many Japanese it was crazy. We are definitely in the “Whistler” of Japanese resorts – its insane. The night out we had was a lot of fun, but at then end I went for a leap across a piece of mud and thats where the knee incident happened. Soul destroying – hopefully I will get better the icing is helping and Like I said there are a couple more days of training indoor and I have a day off tomo so just rest – perfect opportunity to work on the manual. Ill try to get up super early tomo and get some shit done for sure. I am looking to try and have the CASI LEVEL 3 manual ready for review by Rob and Matt for tomorrow! See how it goes.
Another fun night was Rach’s birthday. I decided to share a bottle of Vodka with Chloe to celebrate and it was a super fun night we played loads of drinking games, loads of people turned up met new faces and really good banter. One of the highlights was when Tammy one of the chefs who works for Ski Japan came over and made up super authentic sushi – it was delicious.
Other than those fun times, we have been in Staff induction training which was pretty thorough. We spent a day going through the staff policy handbook and just got to know more people.
I have been swimming to keep up the fitness and in the Hotel where we go to swim there is a traditional Japanese Onsen, this is a natural spring water hot pool in stone like baths. It was incredible! After a days riding I can imagine that would be a great place to go to help heal the body. And even more amazing is there is an outdoor balcony Onsen where you can chill in the warm water and can have a view of the cold snowy mountains! Incredible!
Right now my main concern is my knee and I am slightly worried its going to be a niggly one all season! I just gotta rest it up over the next couple of days be patient and it will be all good!
I better roll out
Much love
Koo
Howdy! Its your boy Koo reporting from N-town down!! Its been a pretty quiet first few days in Niseko, the hill hasn’t been open yet so we have been very busy getting to know each other in our house. More and more people are arriving in drips and drabs and the house is filling up to its capacity of 27 which is great. Other amazing news in Tom Summerville from the Turoa crew has managed to secure a job with us at NBS and should be arriving in the next couple of weeks!!
Right now I am missing out on a fun night out at the opening of Wild Bills, because I have successfully managed to tweak my knee doing nothing more than jumping a step and landing awkwardly on my left knee. I am a little bit worried as my left knee has been troubling me for a while now, all the way through New Zealand and even with the short break between seasons I have managed to give it a tweak. We don’t start on snow for a couple of days and we have a day off tomorrow however with the hill not open and there being no I don’t think I am missing out on too much. Hopefully a bit of rest will help. I think the I might have swam a little too hard in the pool last night and just wore it out, then with all the walking around town last night it might have not enjoyed it.
We went out for a couple of drinks in bars around Niseko and I found out today that the place has about 30 nightclubs/bars which is pretty insane! The one thing I noticed when I was out what how commercial the place was, loads of Geijin (foreign) people and not many Japanese it was crazy. We are definitely in the “Whistler” of Japanese resorts – its insane. The night out we had was a lot of fun, but at then end I went for a leap across a piece of mud and thats where the knee incident happened. Soul destroying – hopefully I will get better the icing is helping and Like I said there are a couple more days of training indoor and I have a day off tomo so just rest – perfect opportunity to work on the manual. Ill try to get up super early tomo and get some shit done for sure. I am looking to try and have the CASI LEVEL 3 manual ready for review by Rob and Matt for tomorrow! See how it goes.
Another fun night was Rach’s birthday. I decided to share a bottle of Vodka with Chloe to celebrate and it was a super fun night we played loads of drinking games, loads of people turned up met new faces and really good banter. One of the highlights was when Tammy one of the chefs who works for Ski Japan came over and made up super authentic sushi – it was delicious.
Other than those fun times, we have been in Staff induction training which was pretty thorough. We spent a day going through the staff policy handbook and just got to know more people.
I have been swimming to keep up the fitness and in the Hotel where we go to swim there is a traditional Japanese Onsen, this is a natural spring water hot pool in stone like baths. It was incredible! After a days riding I can imagine that would be a great place to go to help heal the body. And even more amazing is there is an outdoor balcony Onsen where you can chill in the warm water and can have a view of the cold snowy mountains! Incredible!
Right now my main concern is my knee and I am slightly worried its going to be a niggly one all season! I just gotta rest it up over the next couple of days be patient and it will be all good!
I better roll out
Much love
Koo
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