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Well, after a hiatus of 7 years for international flying, it's finally back on. Decided to bite the bullet and a friend on mine on AFF @rugbyskier is a Thredbo ski instructor (21 years) and he also has international qualifications as well. Saw him last week and finally decided we need to get away. Brought home the idea to Mrs QF WP and she was onboard from "skiing" and "Japan". Phew, that was easier than I thought. It's been 20 years since our last ski holiday (Big White in Canada, the final holiday prior to having kids).
Then broaching the subject with Master QF WP (14 yo) and Miss QF WP (17 year old). She'll have graduated high school and done Schoolies so this will be her holiday before off to Uni. They both love Japanese food so that's a bonus. Daughter wants to ski (well, snowboard); my son is a little less enthused but will probably give it a go.
Tour details:
Total Amount: $7960 (6 nights) [$1000 deposit paid today]
Accommodation Details:
Hotel: Urabandai Lake Resort
Number of Guests: 2 Adults, 2 Children
Room Type: Twin share with private ensuite bathroom (x2)
Date In: 12 January 2025
Date Out: 13 January 2025
No. of Nights 1 night
{this is merely a positioning hotel, as the main ones isn't available until the next night}
Hotel: EN Resort Grandeco Hotel
Number of Guests: 2 Adults, 2 Children
Room Type: Twin share with private ensuite bathroom (x2)
Date In: 13 January 2025
Date Out: 18 January 2025
No. of Nights 5 nights
Transfers/Travel:
12/01/2025 Koriyama or Inawashiro station to Urabandai Lake
13/01/2025 Urabandai Lake Resort to EN Resort Grandeco
18/01/2025 EN Resort Grandeco to Koriyama station
Equipment Hire: TBC To be organised at Resort
Other: 5 day Aizu region lift pass (x4)
Silver Foxes Ski Tours
www.silverfoxesskitours.com
[email protected]
So off to @madrooster to ask him some questions:
He came back with:
So I bit the bullet today and booked the flights:
![1717832153012.png 1717832153012.png](https://www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au/community/data/attachments/378/378045-adfb34f34669222de0a48a20cdcad893.jpg)
So a number of initial questions that I thought I would pose to the brains trust (trust me, there'll be more):
1. The only negative I see is flying into Haneda at night (arriving 8pm, so may get through C&I by 10pm) and having to transfer to the hotel where we'll meet @rugbyskier and the other people on our tour (max 10) a couple of days later (still awaiting confirmation of Toyko hotel). We want to go to Toyko Disneyland on Friday which also muddies the water (and makes it imperative to get to the hotel on the night we arrive so we got from there the next day and not schlepping bags everywhere). Is this a fairly good review of the options and if you've done it, which did you take and why?
2. We'll come back to Tokyo on Saturday 18th but we may be best to head to a hotel at/near Haneda so the next day we can check out, store our bags and see some of the sights before the late night departure. Any suggestions about hotels?
Then broaching the subject with Master QF WP (14 yo) and Miss QF WP (17 year old). She'll have graduated high school and done Schoolies so this will be her holiday before off to Uni. They both love Japanese food so that's a bonus. Daughter wants to ski (well, snowboard); my son is a little less enthused but will probably give it a go.
Tour details:
Total Amount: $7960 (6 nights) [$1000 deposit paid today]
Accommodation Details:
Hotel: Urabandai Lake Resort
Number of Guests: 2 Adults, 2 Children
Room Type: Twin share with private ensuite bathroom (x2)
Date In: 12 January 2025
Date Out: 13 January 2025
No. of Nights 1 night
{this is merely a positioning hotel, as the main ones isn't available until the next night}
Hotel: EN Resort Grandeco Hotel
Number of Guests: 2 Adults, 2 Children
Room Type: Twin share with private ensuite bathroom (x2)
Date In: 13 January 2025
Date Out: 18 January 2025
No. of Nights 5 nights
Transfers/Travel:
12/01/2025 Koriyama or Inawashiro station to Urabandai Lake
13/01/2025 Urabandai Lake Resort to EN Resort Grandeco
18/01/2025 EN Resort Grandeco to Koriyama station
Equipment Hire: TBC To be organised at Resort
Other: 5 day Aizu region lift pass (x4)
Silver Foxes Ski Tours
www.silverfoxesskitours.com
[email protected]
So off to @madrooster to ask him some questions:
Looks like BNE (VA) CNS (ANA) HND is the preferred option, or BNE (VA) SYD (NH) HND. Last option is BNE QF NRT QF BNE, but not my preferred If it’s going to be VA, do I just do the bookings or can you (and charge me a fee)?
The tour dates are Sunday 12th to Saturday 18th January 2025. We'd like to go a few days before to see Toyko, maybe fly out of BNE Thursday 9th (see Disneyland on Friday 10th).
Flying back on Sunday 19th ex-NRT. We'll have made it back to Toyko (Narita or Haneda) on Shinkansen on Saturday afternoon, and have an overnight ready to fly out.
He came back with:
The CNS route is wholly VA operated so it’s VA aircraft the whole way. VA have taken a leaf out of QF’s book where they now apply a mild surcharge on GDS bookings. For the VA routing I get 2070 AUD each, so it’s a little more than the VA website. ANA via SYD is a bit more at 2388 AUD each.
Given the difference I’m inclined to say do VA. Your call as to whether I book it or you do.
So I bit the bullet today and booked the flights:
![1717832153012.png 1717832153012.png](https://www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au/community/data/attachments/378/378045-adfb34f34669222de0a48a20cdcad893.jpg)
So a number of initial questions that I thought I would pose to the brains trust (trust me, there'll be more):
1. The only negative I see is flying into Haneda at night (arriving 8pm, so may get through C&I by 10pm) and having to transfer to the hotel where we'll meet @rugbyskier and the other people on our tour (max 10) a couple of days later (still awaiting confirmation of Toyko hotel). We want to go to Toyko Disneyland on Friday which also muddies the water (and makes it imperative to get to the hotel on the night we arrive so we got from there the next day and not schlepping bags everywhere). Is this a fairly good review of the options and if you've done it, which did you take and why?
2. We'll come back to Tokyo on Saturday 18th but we may be best to head to a hotel at/near Haneda so the next day we can check out, store our bags and see some of the sights before the late night departure. Any suggestions about hotels?