My Trip to Hokkaido

UPDATES FROM HOKKAIDO!!!

Weather is really crazy here!!! Just yesterday I got to experience like -20 degrees Celcius. Is that cold or what? That's not even freezing man...that's 20 degrees BELOW FREEZING temperature. Brrrr~~~

Too many pictures, though not too much of myself. Been helping Mummy and Sis take most of the pics. =D

Here's what I have from Day 1!!!

This is Mum and Sis fresh out of the Hokkaido Domestic Airport (we transferred from Narita International). I mentioned that this is their first snow, but I've never mentioned that this is also their virgin winter experience...

Guess what they're doing?

Blowing smoke!!!! Lol!!!!! They got sooooooo excited when they got out and realized that they are emitting "smoke" when they talk that they just started "Haaa-ing". Lol~ Yes I got my sampat-ness from my Mum, if you're one of those closer ones who got to see that side of me. =D

Me being all composed. Actually the first time I experienced winter I did EXACTLY the same thing. I'm sure that's true for most of you yes? YES DON'T LIE!!!! Nothing to be ashamed about. It's good to be able to laugh at yourself. ^.^

Very rushed tour schedule (we went on Chan Brothers), so we settled our first meal with food packed from the airport. Me and Sis - MOS Burger.

Eyeing my rice burger....

(Psst...after I finished it, I conclude - the Singapore one tastes better, somehow)

Mummy got TEMPURA DON!!!!!!!!!

I didn't walk to the other side of the airport or I'd have bought this too~~~~~~

Someone told me that tour packages follow this pattern:

上车睡觉,下车尿尿，再上车睡觉，到了拍照。

Anyone who has done a typical tour package (other than the ones in Singapore because we are just too small) will have to agree with me. Lol.

My first photo stop: Jigokudani, also known as Hell Valley.

Beautiful as hell...and no, no pun intended, really. It IS so beautiful...

There is snow everywhere!!! I've seen snow in Seoul, and Milan, and atop Mount Titlis in Switzerland, but seeing snow just there, piled high, WHITE, on the landscape...that's only my first. First time was in Vancouver, and I didn't even play with snow then!

I've to remember to trim that fringe when I get to the hotel room... NOT cool.

Jigokudani is actually an explosion crater formed about 10,000 years ago. It still gives off hot water (which has become snow and ice here) and volcanic gas, and the whole place smells strongly of sulphur.

The floors are very very slippery due to melting snow and ice on the pathways, so we didn't get to cover any of the trails. I've heard that they're worth the walks. Maybe next time. ;)

Playing with snow. Snow fight!!!!!!

Captured Mum's snowball in mid-air!

P.S. I'm SURE my sister was trying to kill the photographer (me) with that thing she's holding...

Another of Mummy's throws!!!!

Huixian is still trying hard to make that snowball snowrock bigger.... O.O

Say Cheese!!! ^.^

Since everyone's in the mood to play and take nice snowy pictures, Mummy decided to "borrow" a snow spade from the uncles who were shovelling the snow. Nice!!!

Sis at it too, pretending to be a worker. =D

And it's time to 上车睡觉 again! Before I went to Lala-Land this was what I captured from the bus...

See those prints on the floor? They were very small footprints, and I kept seeing them across the smooth white snow. Too small for a man/child's. Fox? Raccoon? Whatever they belong to, I think these prints are really cute.

Next: Lake Toya. The view was nothing short of impressive. I mean, look at this:

Lake Toya is a volcanic Caldera lake, and is said to be the lake that NEVER freezes. (You can ice-skate on lakes that freezes, but you can't with this one.) It is also the 2nd most TRANSPARENT lake in Japan.

It's really a challenge to walk on snow, especially when each step you take, you never know how deep your legs are gonna stick in.

But I still find thick snow easier to walk on than thin ones which have melted to water then frozen to become ice (understand what I'm saying? Lol~). Those are slippery, and you can fall and hurt yourself if you're not careful. I nearly fell, too many times. If you fall on snow, however, you'll just end up sitting on the thick cushion of snow, which is soft. ^.^

God bless the people who come here to picnic in negative 5 degrees weather. One thing we're sure of - the food won't go bad even if you don't have the styrofoam box, and cold drinks remain cold, the WHOLE day. Lol~

We wanted to capture both of us jumping, but Mummy was cold and had her gloves off to take pictures for us so this was the only jump-attempt shot we have. Got 层次 hor like that? I like my sis' expression. Lol~~~

Water freezing!!! But only on the plant, creating some form of natural ice scupture. You can click on the picture for a clearer look.

Can tell that this is a half-frozen smile? LOL!!!

Next we're brought to this place where you can view and feed bears. We didn't go in, but we got a good view of a young active volcano in Hokkaido -

It feels kinda scary and exciting to be right at the foot of an active volcano. I mean, how do you know for sure when it will explode? Winter cold...so won't la hor? #Likethatalsocan

Just outside the Bear Farm we saw 2 guys selling HUMONGOUS scallops!

Smells really good...will KIV for later. Go into the Bear Farm for some shopping first.

Feeding bears are not in our itinerary. We're here to get this supposedly very very good Horse Oil, which is excellent for moisturizing your skin. Horse Oil is famous in Hokkaido (maybe even the whole of Japan), and this one is ONLY available here. Show you guys in the next post!

Anyways, yes, bear farm...

Mum and sis in a drama moment. LOLOL!!! See my Mum's face?!!!

While they're busy shopping, I'm outside doing the blow-smoke effect...

Trying to pretend to look pretty when I'm freezing my ass off. I wanted to take more shots, but I looked more and more stupid with each shot that I gave up in the end. Wanna see?

Don't drink water now okay?

You have been warned...

FAIL!!!!!!!!!!

FAIL FAIL FAIL FAIL FAIL!!!! WAHAHAHAHAHAH!!!!!

Can't believe I was doing this and thinking I was doing a pretty shot, IN PUBLIC!!!!

*smacks face*

Sis was persistent in trying one of these... (actually me too, but I just kept quiet. Lol~)

They sell strawberries and other fruits too. But if you see the guys selling scallops, GO BUY!!!!!

Worth every bit of the 500Yen per piece...because it's so big! And the taste is...Oh my gooood....yesyes YES~~~~

OISHII DESU NE!!!

Taken at Odori Park. This is where the annual Ice Festival is held. We miss it by a week!!!! It's going to be on next week onwards!!!! ARGH!!!!! I heard that the Ice Festival is really beautiful, and ice sculptures will be carved and displayed here. I want to see~~~~~~ *sobs*

Head down the underground tunnel (the same entrance as the train station), and you will discover a shopping paradise that is independent of the weather (I like! Especially during mad crazy winter like this.)

This made me feel a bit better (only a slight bit) about not being able to witness the Ice Festival... Still...you know... ONE WEEK!!!

And the night ends with dinner with a piece of pork that is big enough to be a facial mask sheet.

These are just the tip of the iceberg! Updates from Day 2 onwards coming soon!!! ;)