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New photos have been posted in the gallery from weekend skiing in Karuizawa, Nagano – Japan.

We set out from Tokyo central station early on a Saturday morning (after a late & loud Friday experiencing the nightlife of Tokyo)
A rapid breakfast before jumping on the shinkansen (bullet train) to Karuizawa, which does indeed move like a bullet. FAST. Along the way we caught sight of Mt. Fuji in the distance, the perfect symmetry of Fuji-san made for a magnificant backdrop to our journey.

After a full day skiing, we headed to the nearby onsen, for a scorching hot soak in an outdoor bath, surround by snow. It was perfect, all the muscle aches soothed away

from the spring water.

View the photos here

and some moblog shots here

4 comments

This is an interesting book. Norwegian Erling Kagge has attempted to summarise the meaning of life into 173 pages. To some degree, he has been successful.

A significant portion of the book is dedicated to Kagge’s personal achievements, and one can’t help but feel that Kagge has been just a little too narcissistic in his writing.  And this is despite Kagge’s own admission of egocentricity.

It would be highly erroneous to suggest that Kagge has not achieved greatly. He has been exceptionally successful as a mountaineer/explorer; and to gauge from this book, in most other pursuits he has put his mind to also.

When Kagge isn’t singing his own praises, he consumes quite a large portion of his book to quoting others from history. Kagge has selected from a wide variety of influences, from Clinton to Magellan, even Paris Hilton.
Those that Kagge has chosen to quote do in fact bring value to the book.

Kagge covers philosophical ground very deftly, in the chapter titled “The kind of loneliness that’s good for us” he walks through importance of being introspective, and the value of being able to be content with only ones own company. Concepts I myself subscribe to.

In summary, Kagge has written an interesting and challenging book, and worthy of reading. In writing this book, Kagge has revealed alot of himself and encourages all of us to consider our place in the world. (even if we will never become polar explorers)

A small view into Kagge’s book can be made with a quote of the author himself from the second chapter. I particularly liked this thought.

“If you say it’s impossible and I say it’s possible, we’re probably both right.”

Google has today released GoogleMaps for Australia.

http://www.google.com/gmm/index.html

This is amazing stuff.  Now you can obtain driving directions, maps and search for businesses or locations all from your mobile phone, for free!

Gone

are the days of carrying a street directory. Now you have the latest street directory in your mobile phone for every city in Australia (and some other cities worldwide)

Of course Google plans to fund the service through sponsored advertising.

You ought to check this out on your phone today.  It is amazing.

Seems someone at the Sydney Morning Herald

has got a bee in their bonnet over Sydney’s rail network.

See the following:

http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/despair-on-trains-with-no-loos/2007/02/01/1169919474130.html

http://www.smh.com.au/news/NATIONAL/Sydney-train-services-getting-worse/2007/01/29/1169919238511.html

http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/stand-and-sweat-on-the-sardine-express/2007/01/29/1169919274731.html

http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/commuter-tells-of-trains-open-doors-scare/2007/01/30/1169919320488.html

http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/commuters-express-scare/2007/01/31/1169919391640.html

Sure CityRail has problems, and they should be written about. But 5 articles in 3 days?  Has there really been a sudden surge of rail problems?  Has someone at the Herald made it a personal quest to take a torch to CityRail?

Or is there just no other news?