January - that must mean it's time to start the new year with a big ski trip to Japan! I'm off with my ski buddies to the land of the rising sun to grab some of the finest powder this side of the world. I catch aflight with Sammy, ahead of the pack, with horrendous layovers in Cairns and Brisbane (courtesy of our free Qantas frequent flyer flights). We chug shots of sake throughout our Jetstar flight between playing games of Tetris on Sammy's iPhone.
We land in Narita, bleary eyed and drunk, and check into Narita's finest, the Holiday Inn. Immediately, i knock on the door opposite and whoop in excitement at seeing my mate, Guro Vik, opening the door! Guro is my crazy Norwegian friend - Dr Vik by day, crazy Anna by night!
I collect the other Scandi and we're off to explore Narita by night. First stop is an izakaya - a Japanese pub - for some good Japanese food and more sake. After getting kicked out of that joint, we move to other late night haunts - following the drunken singing of salarymen around the corner. We spy some bright pink neon lighting up a Japanese sign and ventured in to find an entryway dominated by a wall of pigeonholes filled with bottles of XO brandys and room keys. A little, old lady in a kimono immediately rushed towards us
as Guro reached for a bottle of brandy and a key. The little Japanese lady made a huge 'X' sign with her arms and said firmly, "No". We stood in the foyer confused at this reception. I took a closer look at the scene and realised that we were not in an ikazaya but a brothel! Laughing at our folly, we headed into the inky Narita night and stumbled back to the Holiday Inn to call it a night.
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