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Rental of MPV and driving in Hokkaido during winter


Atrecord
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14 hours ago, Atrecord said:

Not sure until we get there and see it, but when booking the vehicle, even van also can choose AWD... dunno real or not...

ok tks, will take note that the arrow denotes the kerb position.

bring some v strong torch lights. cree type.  will come in handy in times of situation 

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18 hours ago, Atrecord said:

OK tks... all these very informative.

wah lao... 3 pm = night 😓

we better change our routine... on weekends, we usually have lunch at 2.30 pm... will feel like dinner liao 😆

is there anything much to do at night, even in the cities/towns?

You're right about MPVs. i knew long ago when bringing kids and parents to Genting in a Wish, that there's almost no luggage space. Had to make 3rd row quite upright to squeeze luggage behind, and it was v uncomfortable for wife...

Even for the full-sized MPVs now, they tend to prioritise passengers instead of luggage. In fact, when i went BM to check out Alphard, the SE said Alphard is more executive and it's mostly used to impressed business associates. He recommended that if it's more for family use, Previa is better - got more luggage space.

Having said that, i'd rented Hyundai iMax twice in Aust, and went to Komoco to test drive Starex. The luggage space is huge and beats Alphard/Elgrand hands-down anytime. It's a van and looks like one, but if it's available in Japan - which it's not - it would have been ideal for our case. sigh...

wanted to suggest u go korea for winter next year and rent a starex!

u got a plan for next yr liao!

gogogo!

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10 hours ago, Atrecord said:

OK tks... all these very informative.

wah lao... 3 pm = night 😓

we better change our routine... on weekends, we usually have lunch at 2.30 pm... will feel like dinner liao 😆

is there anything much to do at night, even in the cities/towns?

You're right about MPVs. i knew long ago when bringing kids and parents to Genting in a Wish, that there's almost no luggage space. Had to make 3rd row quite upright to squeeze luggage behind, and it was v uncomfortable for wife...

Even for the full-sized MPVs now, they tend to prioritise passengers instead of luggage. In fact, when i went BM to check out Alphard, the SE said Alphard is more executive and it's mostly used to impressed business associates. He recommended that if it's more for family use, Previa is better - got more luggage space.

Having said that, i'd rented Hyundai iMax twice in Aust, and went to Komoco to test drive Starex. The luggage space is huge and beats Alphard/Elgrand hands-down anytime. It's a van and looks like one, but if it's available in Japan - which it's not - it would have been ideal for our case. sigh...

yeah the sun will set early. so like when you hit 7pm for dinner, you kinda feel like half the night already gone. not much i guess. mostly shopping and such until the shops close, which i think quite standard 2000. after that eat lor. sapporo got this ramen alley. maybe every night you can try different shop.

 

9 hours ago, Atrecord said:

Not sure until we get there and see it, but when booking the vehicle, even van also can choose AWD... dunno real or not...

ok tks, will take note that the arrow denotes the kerb position.

it's true. most people don't know but most japanese cars you know that is a FWD production worldwide is offered in FWD and AWD in japan. the only example i know off the top of my head is the mazda 3 BM series. (which is my project car) but i had an axio (i think) that was AWD in japan

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18 hours ago, Jusnel said:

bring some v strong torch lights. cree type.  will come in handy in times of situation 

hmm... this is new - in that i've not come across this before.

Is this to shine at the road side when driving, or walking, or ...?

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16 hours ago, Davidtch said:

During winter, Beijing night starts from 5pm.

Beijing is 39.9 deg North.

Sopporo is 43 deg North

ha ha ok ok. I still remember the implication of this from my Geography learnt few decades ago 😅

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16 hours ago, Tohto said:

A check on AccuWeather. Sapporo sunset set on 8 Dec. Sunset at 4pm.

Screenshot_20191124-164005_AccuWeather.jpg

Thanks! I just searched this Accuweather site (on my comp), but it doesn't show the Sunset time. How did you get it to show leh?

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15 hours ago, Wildfaye29 said:

wanted to suggest u go korea for winter next year and rent a starex!

u got a plan for next yr liao!

gogogo!

Wah ha ha... if we really do that, will be making more/better use of all the warm clothings that we bought specially for this trip [idea]

But we're not bringing my parents along for this trip, as it's too cold for them. Am trying to bring them along for our trips as much as possible, so this will have think carefully...

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9 hours ago, louisbosco said:

yeah the sun will set early. so like when you hit 7pm for dinner, you kinda feel like half the night already gone. not much i guess. mostly shopping and such until the shops close, which i think quite standard 2000. after that eat lor. sapporo got this ramen alley. maybe every night you can try different shop.

 

it's true. most people don't know but most japanese cars you know that is a FWD production worldwide is offered in FWD and AWD in japan. the only example i know off the top of my head is the mazda 3 BM series. (which is my project car) but i had an axio (i think) that was AWD in japan

Wah like this i think go there keeping eating and do nothing (much else), come back sure put on weight many many [laugh]

OK, really hope have AWD as stated on the website. Will update here when we finally reach there.

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18 minutes ago, Atrecord said:

Wah ha ha... if we really do that, will be making more/better use of all the warm clothings that we bought specially for this trip [idea]

But we're not bringing my parents along for this trip, as it's too cold for them. Am trying to bring them along for our trips as much as possible, so this will have think carefully...

Get some Uniqlo Extreme warm heattech for your parents

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1 hour ago, Atrecord said:

hmm... this is new - in that i've not come across this before.

Is this to shine at the road side when driving, or walking, or ...?

its for emergency use in the dark, just in case. 

v cheap now. buy online. 

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1 hour ago, Tohto said:

Get some Uniqlo Extreme warm heattech for your parents

These are what we bought last month - when there was promo - for ourselves...

My parents early-mid 80s leh. When we went Aust (in Dec, summer, but could be cold at nights), my father already shivered 😅

Actually i know he would love to go with us - and he said so himself - but my mother scared... And wife and I also very scared...

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1 hour ago, Jusnel said:

its for emergency use in the dark, just in case. 

v cheap now. buy online. 

OK tks! Yah, i just checked. will do...

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2 hours ago, Atrecord said:

Wah like this i think go there keeping eating and do nothing (much else), come back sure put on weight many many [laugh]

OK, really hope have AWD as stated on the website. Will update here when we finally reach there.

got some sightseeing to do for sure. but winter usually will eat more to keep warm. i usually will eat 2 times more. AWD confirm will have. like corolla if i say is AWD car, people think i crazy. but in fact, corolla is produced in AWD but not sold outside of japan. go wiki and see the japan details and if you wanna see more go look at the Japanese website of their Japanese dealers.

 

27 minutes ago, Atrecord said:

These are what we bought last month - when there was promo - for ourselves...

My parents early-mid 80s leh. When we went Aust (in Dec, summer, but could be cold at nights), my father already shivered 😅

Actually i know he would love to go with us - and he said so himself - but my mother scared... And wife and I also very scared...

body easy to keep warm. it's the feet that's the hardest. because you walk on snow, if you're wearing normal shoes, the coldness can easily transfer. 

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32 minutes ago, louisbosco said:

got some sightseeing to do for sure. but winter usually will eat more to keep warm. i usually will eat 2 times more. AWD confirm will have. like corolla if i say is AWD car, people think i crazy. but in fact, corolla is produced in AWD but not sold outside of japan. go wiki and see the japan details and if you wanna see more go look at the Japanese website of their Japanese dealers.

 

body easy to keep warm. it's the feet that's the hardest. because you walk on snow, if you're wearing normal shoes, the coldness can easily transfer. 

For feet, there are 2 ways:

1. Wear wool socks. Put heat pack on top of inner sole

79977599-AC93-4AC2-8C6B-3A78CCF1E810.thumb.jpeg.2280275453599ef62f24e50e98d5a414.jpeg

2. Buy UGG boot

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On 11/29/2019 at 7:17 AM, Hiphiphoray said:

Currently at AYA Niesko for 3 nites. It's absolutely freezing here. Heavy snowing. About -3 deg. 

IMG_20191128_151927.jpg

 

wah... thanks for sharing this...
I'm going on my trip in less than a week... let's see how it is.

What car are you driving there? Is it an Alphard/Noah?

In the clip you showed, for the road, is it one-way or two-way huh? you're driving in the middle of the road? Is it necessary to keep to the left?

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