Day one of skiing - and we saw Cam!!

It turned into a bluebird clear day today - with snow pouring out of the sky as we woke up - how good is that? Paddy and me at the top of swinging monkey - and just as the photo got taken a cloud descended on Mt Yotei.
We skied Gondola; Swinging Monkey; Hanazono - including a couple of sensational tree runs; early lunch - Charlie and Jem - guess what Paddy had? Pork cutlet curry, then back to the top - up the pizza box and over to Annapuri. I had 2 stacks - one I just went into a powder clump and the only part Paddy saw of me was my head ... and the other I lost a ski when i hit a hidden tree and spent some time digging it out - with help from luke and Paddy (sort of).

And then we finally heard from Cameron -even better and we had a plan to meet him at his work at 4pm. He had 6 hours of lessons today and so had no time to see us at all - until 4. He had a 6 year old boy today and again tomorrow - todays lesson was based on Iron man - tomorrow they are doing Transformers and then Hot wheels task force 5 (no - i have no idea).
We have just had dinner in the apartment and Luke and the boys have walked down to the Seico mart to buy ice-cream before Cam needs to be back at NAC to get a lift to his house which is 15 minutes out of Niseko - and Luke is down in the bottom village

so this is Mt Yotei with the setting sun illuminating it. It was visible most of the day. Cam and his mates plan to hike to the top ( a seven hour hike), then ski the crater and then ski down. best not to think about it too much i suppose.

Cam and paddy - Cam already seems so much older. We have heard a few interesting stories. He is mainly teaching kids and loving it - and has earned a couple of extra 500yen for repeat requests. He says that a house with 18 people and one bathroom is fine ....although no time to shave -  we did tell him that we had 2 toilets here! we are going to have Ludo and Alex for dinner as well and apparently they would like steak .....

These are our apartments - they are really nice and in a great location. Ours is on the second floor and faces the slope - but one of the balconies you see is ours.  Haven't been into the ice bar - tonight is its first night - and it looks cool. literally. The door is like bear fur. Brrrr

me and the gorgeous boys

Paddy Chilling (well listening into some hilarious ski instructor stories ....)

The boys and Luke

Cam holding onto one of his early Christmas presents - we opened a couple tonight - this is a box of nutrigrain and snake lollies - thanks Liv, Jem, Charlie, Rob andLucy.

PS - Rob - bought myself a new lens at the airport and it is great - portrait lens f1.8/45m. Loving its work

Tomorrow is Christmas. We will start with panettone and then ski until we see Cam at 4 again!

Merry christmas all.

Meg