Now it’s Marty’s time! Let’s go skiing!

So, now it’s our Anniversary. Denise got her present roaming around Tokyo Disney Land and swimming through Tokyo Disney Sea. So what better way to cap our anniversary than to head to the Japanese Alps to see some snow and do a little skiing on the other side of the world!

To make it even better, we get to take a Shinkansen (a bullet train) too! Talk about a little kid in a candy store. I’m living my best life right now! Once again, Darren took care of us and helped us get to the train station. Arriving about an hour before our train, we stopped at a little cafe outside the ticketing area as Darren wasn’t sure if there would be food through the turnstiles. It was here he left us and it was here we got to enjoy a little blood pressure drama - because why not. As a side note - Darren, there is food on the otherside of the turnstiles for the Hokuriku Shinkansen - now you know and knowing is half the battle.

Anyway, finishing up a quick breakfast and our Latte’s, Denise decided to use the restroom before going through the turnstiles, this was a “I’m going now” moment. What we didn’t know was that the bathrooms were located on 1BF. Well, that designates a floor level which we didn’t realize. There were also a bunch of train ticketing counters. Denise went out and went right and then downstairs. When I went out to look for her, as we were now within 15 minutes of the train, I went left. Both ways designate the bathrooms on 1BF which we didn’t realize just meant downstairs. Now, understand, this station is massive, which why Darren took us in the first place.

So with that backdrop, a bunch of frantic texts started flying. Where are you? I’m at 1BF! No you’re not, because I am! No, I am. Okay, go to the ticket counter where we checked in… Okay, I’m at the counter! No you aren’t, because I am! No I am! Uh, I don’t know where I am!!!! Where are you! We’re going to miss the train!!! Marty, I don’t know where I am!!!

Yeah, there was some emotion in those text and some four letter words being muttered by both text typers under their breath! Fortunately, I tower over just about everyone in Tokyo and Denise finally saw my fat head and I saw her beautiful red hair (and bright red furious face!). So, we did make the Shinkansen, but our blood pressure was a little high. Glad I got her the upgraded seats!

The trip was lovely, train is a great way to travel here, especially at 160 mph! Once in Nagano, the weather was gorgeous - 60 degrees, blue skies and sun. Absolutely wonderful! We found our bus to Hakuba valley, which was almost a private charter until an Aussie couple crashed the party. But with about 60 seats and only four of us on there, it worked out pretty well! Driving through the hills and over the ridges was very neat and beautiful scenery - though I found it interesting that Tokyo, a city of 30 million, was almost spotless while the surrounding areas around Nagano an on into Hakuba Valley were not quite as well kept.

Once to our hotel, we got out an stretched our legs, walking around town, venturing into a Patagonia store, hoping they had Disney prices (They most certainly did not!), had a snack at the local grocery store (their grocery store sushi puts our grocery store sushi to shame!) and then found a store to rent our ski equipment and procured our ski tickets… we’re going skiing, we’re going skiing!!!

After a quick happy hour and some tasty apps at a local pub, we headed upstairs to take advantage of the room provided theraguns! Because our bodies are not going to know what hit them - it’s been 4 years since we last skied, the longest drought since I learned how at age 8!!!!Read more