Finally Our Turn: Taiwan - Japan Day 6: Snowboarding Day 1

We woke up and were down for bfast at 7.30am. Meal time feels like a big affair at the lodge. We gathered around at the big table and met the other Singaporean family. They have 2 little ones at 3 and 1 respectively and would be spending 1 week at the lodge. So brave. 

There was free flow of bread. They were hot from the oven and absolutely good. 

Several spread options too. 

The also provided cereal, juices, coffee and tea. The main course for the morning was quiche. Yummy, yummy. 

We geared up and left for the slopes at 8.30am. Bcos there was no major snowfall, we had to head for the other mountains where they have the snow machines. Nana is unable to join theSB-ing. We were hoping but Dr Lam asked us not to risk it and said that it would be a good few more months before she can go back into more aggressive sports. Snowboarding and skiing are both out. We joked that she could stayed in the lodge and build a snowman army but there was no snow. Zzzzz. 

She did tag along and we had to leave her in the cafeteria with her Harry Porter. The car ride to Shiga Kogen for the lesson was 1 hour long. Along the way, the sun was shinning brightly. 

Look at the mountains!

We started the lesson in the learning slope, after getting Nana comfortable, where all the rest of the people were also learning. It was crowded and very hard work, learning how to drag the board around on 1 foot. After a short while, we were perspiring. 

Then we started to try to SB down the learning slope. That was easier, except for the need to climb up the slope after coming down. We did this the whole morning before we stopped for lunch. My greatest achievement was to be able to stand up. The last SB trip in Korea, I didn't join the kids on the slope bcos I fell and hurt my tail bone but more importantly, I wasn't able to stand up after putting on my board or falling down. I can't be relying on somebody to help me up every time and bcos I can't stand up, I didn't dare go up the slopes. 

Lunch!

I had been wanting to try this corn soup that comes in a can. 

It tasted like Mos burger's corn soup but your mind plays trick on you - it just felt funny to drink soup from a soft drink can. 

We headed back after lunch and this time, we bought ski lift to try the slopes. The scariest part was to get off the ski lift with one foot straped onto the SB. I felt very helpless. It was a steep slope off the lift and then a turn towards the actual slope. Daddy Lim and Zaky took the lift together while I stayed with the instructor. We all fell (except for the instructor) and the slope was icy hard. Ouch for my knee. 

Getting down the beginner slope wasn't as hard as I thought. I think I fell but it wasn't too painful and I brought butt guard from Singapore. Just when I thought I was able to stand up, I couldn't again. I can't do the Asian squat and when I got tired, it got more difficult to stand up. I was so frustrated and thought that I had to end my SB lesson again, the instructor taught me to lean 45 degrees to my left to stand up and it worked! It was so much easier. I can cry tears of joy. I think it is bcos by leaning 45 degrees, it allows my feet my leeway (off the board) and thus easily to maneuver my body weight and eventually stand up. 

We went up and down the ski lift several times. 

The 2nd time I tried to get down from the ski lift, I fell again and this time, I knocked the instructor down too. Then we realised that the resort allows us to carry our SB/ ski on the ski lift! The instructor originally thought that it was disallowed. That was a life saver. It was so much safer for the other people and myself. I became such a pro running down the ski lift and Daddy Lim joined me in that "run" later. 

It started snowing very little later in the afternoon and we took a break. Nana joined us. The kids tried snow fighting, which actually is very cold and painful. 

We went for another few runs. Zaky went 2x more than us bcos we were too slow and he still had so much energy. 

Bcos he was in a dark coloured suit, it takes skill to spot him. I was actually very proud to be able to spot my kid in the sea of people. 

The last lift was at 4.20pm and that ended our 1st day of SB. I learnt how to heel-heel and toe-toe. Most importantly, I can stand up! Woohoo! Time for a snow angel! 

The snow was too thin to do a proper one. 

Daddy Lim was happy doing the heel-heel and the toe-toe too. Only Zaky was able to turn and switch from heel to toe and back. He learnt a little of that in Bangkok on the stimulator snow carpet and was able to pick that up easily on real snow. 

Iiyama town was on the way back to the lodge and we decided to stop for dinner. The instructors are mostly part-timers and it was our instructor's very 1st season in Madarao. She only know the sushi train restaurant and that sounded perfect for us. 

This is almost like Sushi Go. We ordered via the tablet. Even though we can't read Japanese (or will take me forever to try), we managed to easily order by looking at the pictures. The only thing is that my arm was super achy scrolling the pages over and over again. It was only at the end of the dinner that I realised that the tablet can be taken down. Lol. 

The restaurant is 2 blocks away from Diaso.  Come Japan, must go Diaso. Nana was very happy with her shopping; it washed away her blues of hiding in the cafe the whole day.

Back at the lodge, it was degearing. I was sure that I had blue-blacks on my knees. I was right. This is the bigger one. 

The boots also left painful imprints on my calves. Other than that, all good. 

Mummy Lim