Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow...

To the next day then, and what I can dimly recall another lengthy walk around Odori, this time by day, which much stopping off at various cafes and restaurants to get out of the cold. Make no mistake, Sapporo in winter is a bitterly cold place, putting my rantings over the past few months about winter in Kansai into some perspective. The average was -5 degrees while we were there, or thereabouts, resulting in a level of personal discomfort alleviated only by judicious use of 'heat packs' (plastic pouches designed to be stuck to the back, torso or feet that emit small amounts of heat when pressure is applied) or popping into a well-hidden Japanese restaurant below ground for a huge round of soba noodles, rice and bento.

After the cold finally got the better of us all, we all retired to Safro for a luxurious session in its well-equipped spa facilities. Or at least I and fellow lads Sean and Jared did. Owing to lack of space at the hotel, the girls we were with said they'd find something to do while we were off pampering ourselves, only to end up sitting in the hotel's lobby for nigh on an hour and a half. Did we feel guilty? Well, the thought did cross our minds, yes...

After this, off we went to another nomihodai, this time a huge affair organised by Sapporo's JET population, only we never knew the start time before we arrived and were given the wrong information by the venue. After securing a seperate table ourselves, we then proceeded to consume an unholy quantity of Kirin Beer, whiskey cocktails, barbecued lamb and sushi. 100 minutes later, we were last to leave the aerodrome-esque indoor Kirin Beer Garden in the company of a group of Japanese pharmacists. Consciously taking pains to avoid the spontaneous snowball fight that took place as soon as we left, I scampered off to a convenience store, only to come a cropper in the middle of the road when my legs shot out from underneath me and leaving me painfully winded, which I managed to feel even through my beer armour. It still twinges even now.

Once again, the booze blinds descend over memories of the rest of the evening, suffice it to say that another bar and a club by the name of 'Booty' were involved at some point. To say that most of us got up the next morning somewhat the worse for wear would not be putting too fine a point on it...