just to pass the time: Winter Holiday in Tohoku Region - 31st Dec 2011 (Tazawako 田沢湖)

Woke up early today for ski. The guest house owner sent us to the shop where we could rent ski wear. We also bought the lift coupon from him because it was cheaper than to buy at the ski resort. This was my first snowboarding session. My friend said that it was cooler to snowboard than to ski. First, I wanted to take a beginner lesson, however, there were no instructor for snowboard that morning, so my friend decided to become our couch although she herself only played once. She said that we only had to learn how to start and stop. Plus, she said if we couldn't control and fall down, it's ok because the snow was so soft. She was right on that. I felt that my legs were so tired with the shoes. So heavy.

At first, I kept fall down. Even if I could move for a distance, I would become scare if the speed was too high, I would fall down myself. Luckily, another friend of mine was a novice too, so we had each other back. We would fall and got up, but we always met each other along the way. After snowboarding and fall, and repeat again, me and my friend made it to the middle of the slope where we had lunch. My other friends had a few rounds up and down already.

After lunch, I made it to the foot of the mountain. Since we will only gather at 3pm, I decided to go up once again. We saw our friends when we were on the ski lift. So funny. However, this time around, I got stuck behind because I fall frontwards, and the area was full of soft snow, I could not get up, and strangely, there was no one passing by. I kept trying until so tired that I just lied there until I noticed that it was almost 2:30pm, so I used all my strength to detach the snowboard from my feet and finally free myself. Since walking down the slope was quite out of question, I snowboarded down. Luckily, I didn't fall like that anymore, although I kept falling down. When I finally reach our gathering area, my friends were waiting for me anxiously, worried that something had happen. Luckily, I was still in one piece.

Changing room - the rental shop

Learning how to get up

the vast ski resort

Posing for photo with the ski wear

Having so much fun!

After we return the ski wear and board, we waited for the hotel bus (田沢湖プラザホテル山麓荘) to fetch us. This was the most expensive hotel that we stayed. 11500 yen per person. However, they had an indoor and outdoor onsen, which was very nice after a long day of snowboarding with all the falling. The dinner was provided too, it was a very luxurious meal until I couldn't finish it.

The hotel having a lucky draw session for New Year's eve

our bingo sheet

After the dinner, a lucky draw was held at the hotel lobby for the new year's eve. Between us, we had 3 bingo sheets. Well, everybody got one gift for the lucky draw, it's new year! We got ourselves a pink wine, beer and etc. So, we had a drinking session again while waiting for the clock to strike 12. So tired, halfway through, some fall asleep. We were so happy when 2012 came because finally we could go to sleep after wishing everybody "Happy New Year"!