So, being this cold (-9°C) can really bring a guy down. Especially when you’re from Sunny South Africa, where -2 is super cold and usually only something you feel if your up during the coldest part of the night. So, when the opportunity came to turn “C-c-c-c-cold” into “Woohoo” we were super keen.

I’ve skied before, back in Salt Lake City in America, but that was only for about two hours, and we had no idea how a day in the snow would be. Skiing was fun, despite spending most of my time in the snow, and I always wanted to try snowboarding, because as the saying goes: “you always look cooler when you fall on a snowboard.”

So a bunch of us went up to Minakami station, grabbed equipment and then headed for the slopes with an instructor from Australia.

Proper snowboarding kit: the red panda hat is the most important item. Even more important than the board.

We learnt how to “skate” with one foot locked in, for boarding the snow lift, and how to “heel-slide” with the side of the board, then headed up with the lift. The view was absolutely amazing, snow was falling as we went up, my first experience of snow fall. It was truly beautiful.

Then, after tumbling off the ski lift, we learnt how to “toe slide” and how to fall properly (the falling comes naturally). That was the end of the theory, the rest was all good practical practice.

Julz pulls off a difficult “toe-side half twist, back Morgan,  1080° Falsie”

The day was good fun, and I’m already planning my next trip. Anyone have a pair of size 30 snowboard boots they don’t need for the rest of the winter?