I was doing some calculating and realize that my situation is more manageable now, so I can have enough budget for one trip. Since the New Zealand trip is a family trip (ie free of charge, and also due to the fact that it is a birthday gift to commemorate the start of a new decade *sob sob*), I can actually join my friends for a skiing holiday end of the year!
Maybe it is foolhardy of me to go on another holiday so soon after the family trip, but after slogging for almost another year, I feel I really deserve a break. Perhaps it is not nice to take leave again so soon, people may gossip, but then again, they have been gossiping about anything and everything under the sun anyway, so whatever I do now will not make any difference. Furthermore, the pull factors why I intend to join my friends skiing are too great.
One, I have always wanted to experience skiing, ever since the time in Korea when we stayed at a ski resort but unfortunately, it was the wrong season. And I will not be getting to ski at New Zealand too, since it will be the wrong season as well. Two, they are planning to go to Hokkaido, and I have wanted to go to Hokkaido again since the last time I went there. Three, not just Hokkaido, I want to experience winter per se, something I will never experience where I live. And the last pull factor is because I was invited by a certain someone to come along. Now, that about clears all doubts! :-p
So there will be four of us – one guy and three girls. Any guy in this situation will be ecstatic, but not this guy! In fact, he was complaining that he would have no male bonding while we girls do a “Sex And The City” thing! Whereas we girls will like a guy around to sort of look out for us! Since the rest of them are all earning big bucks by the nature of their work (except me), and they go on frequent business trips, they have enough mileage to claim free flights. Thus, I ended up sourcing for the cheapest flight.
Our itinerary is as proposed :
23rd to 24th December - Hakodate
This is one place I have not been to, and I heard it is a pretty quaint city with Western influence, so it will be a good place to spend Christmas eve.
25th to 26th December - Noboribetsu
I can never forget the sulphur thermal natural hot spring bath! And this is the place where the ryokan (Japanese inn) have options of having a geisha serve you food in the room! What a good life!
27th to 28th December - Sapporo
The place to shop and get all necessary equipment and gear!
29th December to 3rd January - Niseko Ski Resort
Since we will all be going at different times, we agree to meet up on the 23rd in Hakodate. I believe the rest of them will be taking a flight to Tokyo or Nagoya, then take a domestic flight up to Hakodate. Apparently, the flight to Hakodate, despite transfers, cost four times as much as just merely flying to Tokyo!
My original plan was to fly to Tokyo on the 22nd, then take a domestic flight up. But I am trying to cut cost, so I thought of taking a flight up on the 20th, then taking a train all the way up to Hokkaido. The train services run from Tokyo, change at Aomori, go past the underground tunnel from Honshu to Hokkaido, then stop at Hakodate (last stop Sapporo). But that will take about two days, so by the time I emerge, I will end up having a sore back and bum!
Thus, after sourcing various websites, I finally came across a good deal from Northwest Airlines direct to Tokyo (return trip), but I have to fly off on the 21st. Which is just as well, because with the extra time, I can visit my penpal in Yokohama! Then take the bullet train from Tokyo to Hachinohe, and the limited express train to Hakodate, all within six hours! With the Japan Rail pass which I can purchase as a visitor, it will be much more cost effective!
We are also trying to cut cost for hotels and ryokans. Luckily the guy managed to negotiate for a further discount at the ski resort, so it will not be too heavy for all of us. Currently, we are still sourcing for the best rates for hotels in Hakodate, Noboribetsu and Sapporo, although I have done up a list of hotels that cater to four, provide meals and not that expensive per person at the same time! If we can book a place that will not cost more than S$100.00 per person per night, that will be great!
Maybe it is foolhardy of me to go on another holiday so soon after the family trip, but after slogging for almost another year, I feel I really deserve a break. Perhaps it is not nice to take leave again so soon, people may gossip, but then again, they have been gossiping about anything and everything under the sun anyway, so whatever I do now will not make any difference. Furthermore, the pull factors why I intend to join my friends skiing are too great.
One, I have always wanted to experience skiing, ever since the time in Korea when we stayed at a ski resort but unfortunately, it was the wrong season. And I will not be getting to ski at New Zealand too, since it will be the wrong season as well. Two, they are planning to go to Hokkaido, and I have wanted to go to Hokkaido again since the last time I went there. Three, not just Hokkaido, I want to experience winter per se, something I will never experience where I live. And the last pull factor is because I was invited by a certain someone to come along. Now, that about clears all doubts! :-p
So there will be four of us – one guy and three girls. Any guy in this situation will be ecstatic, but not this guy! In fact, he was complaining that he would have no male bonding while we girls do a “Sex And The City” thing! Whereas we girls will like a guy around to sort of look out for us! Since the rest of them are all earning big bucks by the nature of their work (except me), and they go on frequent business trips, they have enough mileage to claim free flights. Thus, I ended up sourcing for the cheapest flight.
Our itinerary is as proposed :
23rd to 24th December - Hakodate
This is one place I have not been to, and I heard it is a pretty quaint city with Western influence, so it will be a good place to spend Christmas eve.
25th to 26th December - Noboribetsu
I can never forget the sulphur thermal natural hot spring bath! And this is the place where the ryokan (Japanese inn) have options of having a geisha serve you food in the room! What a good life!
27th to 28th December - Sapporo
The place to shop and get all necessary equipment and gear!
29th December to 3rd January - Niseko Ski Resort
Since we will all be going at different times, we agree to meet up on the 23rd in Hakodate. I believe the rest of them will be taking a flight to Tokyo or Nagoya, then take a domestic flight up to Hakodate. Apparently, the flight to Hakodate, despite transfers, cost four times as much as just merely flying to Tokyo!
My original plan was to fly to Tokyo on the 22nd, then take a domestic flight up. But I am trying to cut cost, so I thought of taking a flight up on the 20th, then taking a train all the way up to Hokkaido. The train services run from Tokyo, change at Aomori, go past the underground tunnel from Honshu to Hokkaido, then stop at Hakodate (last stop Sapporo). But that will take about two days, so by the time I emerge, I will end up having a sore back and bum!
Thus, after sourcing various websites, I finally came across a good deal from Northwest Airlines direct to Tokyo (return trip), but I have to fly off on the 21st. Which is just as well, because with the extra time, I can visit my penpal in Yokohama! Then take the bullet train from Tokyo to Hachinohe, and the limited express train to Hakodate, all within six hours! With the Japan Rail pass which I can purchase as a visitor, it will be much more cost effective!
We are also trying to cut cost for hotels and ryokans. Luckily the guy managed to negotiate for a further discount at the ski resort, so it will not be too heavy for all of us. Currently, we are still sourcing for the best rates for hotels in Hakodate, Noboribetsu and Sapporo, although I have done up a list of hotels that cater to four, provide meals and not that expensive per person at the same time! If we can book a place that will not cost more than S$100.00 per person per night, that will be great!
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