We started out making the short 1.5hr hop to Singapore, then spent the next 10 hours catching up with friends and relatives. In retrospect it was actually a really nice break seeing as I have no idea when we'll next be back. Also, it was a great opportunity to tire the kid out so that she would sleep on the overnighter to Tokyo. Which she thankfully did. Crashed at 12 midnight before the plane even took off and we woke her at the other end at 7-ish when we landed at Narita. We flew the A380!! I'd like to say how fantastic the facilities were and all that, but seeing as I pretty much slept the whole way, all I can say is the movie selection looked good... The man was obviously not best pleased as he kept mentioning the flat beds in business class etc etc. WHATEVER! If you fly the whole family to Japan using points, you ain't gonna have enough to go business... Still, we all got our little sleeps. Me with enough space to really stretch out (Ha! All you people who laugh at my height! Always told you it's better to be 5'1"!! See who has the last laugh now!!), kiddo sleeping horizontally with her legs propped on this little box-like storage space (good seat, space beneath the seat in front and also next to you) next to each window seat (Yup, she takes after her mummy)and the human pretzel also known as daddy... I looked over at some point during the flight and couldn't believe my eyes. He was sleeping diagonally with his head kind of balancing on the head rest, with his legs propped up next to the kid. I'm sure if the plane hit turbulence, he would have hit the floor. Heh...
We got in to Narita at 7ish. Bundled the kid into the toilet (all of you out there with kids would immediately understand why this is even mentioned) and went out to catch the airport transfer to Haneda, our domestic airport transfer to Chitose in Hokkaido. This was another 2 hours-ish in a bus. Which was smooth and really comfy. We all slept through. Which was a bonus as the Man and I were anticipating a lot of 'are we there yeeetttt's. On reaching Haneda, we caught up with my cousin L and his wife P and went to check in for our domestic flight. ANA (the airlines we used) was really helpful, we were early, there were seats on the earlier flight, so voila! We flew early.
View of south Hokkaido from the plane
Another 1.5 hours and more sleep (yay!) for all later, we landed in Chitose airport in Hokkaido. More meeting up with friends N and JT (not THAT one), and we were complete as a group. On to the bus transfer to Niseko... There was a lovely lady giving out what looked like really important information, but I didn't understand a word... Oh well. Unfortunately, we had to wait a bit outside for the bus. It was FREEZING! Poor kiddo had never been this cold in her life, and I REALLY didn't want her woken up fully. The bus ride takes 3 hours. And I was hoping she would sleep more...!
Another lovely, comfy bus. The Man asked kiddo if she wanted to sit with him. Nope, she replied, she wanted Auntie N. After some woeful looks from daddy, the kid replied with, 'Sometimes it's not all about you Daddy...' Hee hee... Got you there. Quoted verbatim!
More sleep...
1.5 hours later, we had a rest stop at a truly amazing rest area. It had fresh produce, lovely little cake things (I tried some of N's 8 then went and bought 16) made fresh with all sorts of filling. The caramel ones are terrific! It also stocked some winter wear, souvenirs...
More sleep... (more like zombified staring at this point)
Hirafu Village!! Finally!! It was probably about 5-ish in the evening and we had been on the road since 9am the previous day. Us parents were pooped. Kiddo was full of beans... Bustling around the welcome centre like a little Michellin man. So comical... We then had ANOTHER transfer, but luckily this was only to the next street where our apartment, Kira-Kira, was. Now this apartment was really the bees knees. 3 separate bedrooms, 1 ensuite, 1 shower/bath, 1 WC with typical Japanese heated seats and warm water washer/ dryer to save you wiping... Cool, but apart from the seat warmer, I couldn't bring myself to use the washer. Lots of partial attempts, but I always chickened out in the end... The apartment had cooking facilities, a full complement of crockery, a dish washer, vacuum, washing machine, tumble dryer... Wall mounted shampoo and soap dispensers, clothes washing powder... And a lovely large dining table and sofa set (that to my mind could easily sleep 2 people ).
Then it was showers all round and out to dinner at Sou. A truly FABULOUS shabu-shabu (Japanese steam boat) restaurant. The beef and pork slices were melt in your mouth tender. And the salmon sashimi absolutely to die for... L had a drink called calpis (try saying it fast... Hee hee) which is some yogurty drink. But don't let that put you off. It's really, really yummy. The girls had Umeshu sodas. This is a plum wine that says 4% alcohol on the box, but obviously if you mix it with soda, it's practically non-alcoholic right?? In any case, it's lluuurrrrvvveeely.... Had LOTS of it in the one week we were there.
After dinner it was a 10min trudge back to the apartment. Uphill!! It had also started snowing heavily and was a wonderful 1st time experience for the kid. Tongue sticking out tasting the snowflakes... Pelting the grownups with snowballs... Or actually I think it was the grownups that were doing the snowballing... Hmmm...
Then the stops for snacks. Hokkaido is famous for it's food. We went back to the apartment laden down with local cereal, bread, milk, umeshu (of course!), ice cream (I know... crazy isn't it. But the apartment was really, really warm), chocolate...
That wrapped up our 1st day in Japan. Next would be the beginning of our ski holiday and all round eating fest.
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