we’re all squeaky clean and stuffed with everything we can’t shove in a cooler bag, so it’s off to the convenience store to spend all our ubiquitous change on japanese candy. so much. change. every time i’d buy something i’d be so overcome with awkward fumbling i’d inevitably get sweaty and give up with the coins and throw bills around, so i acquired a full butt ton of change.
moving on.
the turtle/mack was in tiny dictator heaven because we put him in charge of grabbing all the candy at his level and shoving it into the basket. he got to be super disruptive and in control of the food. i don’t think i’ve ever related to him more.
we get into the car with awesome iso again and head to osaka. we planned to make a quick stop at the osaka castle before heading to the airport. turns out we underestimated traffic and we’d have only about 40 minutes for the stop. say goodbye to finally getting ramen, no time for lunch. (for whatever reason, every time we planned for ramen something, ie, the children, would get in the way) but we’re cultured af so we head to the castle and are not at all bitter about the food.
which is fucking majestic. they have all be pretty amazing, but this one stands out. so does the level of tantrum from both boys. i’m left lugging them both around because neither one will put up with their baby car (japanese for stroller, no translation, they just call them baby cars) and will only accept mommy. i’m thinking this bodes extremely well for the upcoming travel home. travel anxiety is beginning to set in and i’m feeling a bit panicked. so i am trying really hard to be patient with this castle experience. i’m just done. but then i see how much the little turtle is digging the sticks and birds and i, again, am amazed at how quickly he can adapt and how much has been asked of him. he gives exactly zero shits about the castle and just wants to feed the pigeons and play with dirt. he’s two. this makes sense. i take the kids to a swatch of grass and let derek have castle-time. their moods improve just in time to stop them from playing and take them back to the car. and i’m back to lugging two sacks of child around again.
derek and i do a tv show quick change into airport appropriate attire on the way and the big fish is left wondering why he doesn’t get to take off his clothes in the car. there was no acceptable answer we could give. i just hope that the nuance isn’t lost on him and we don’t encounter a kid who wants new pants on the way to the grocery store.
with a lot of help from iso (we’re really grateful, he keeps going above and beyond) we get the bulkhead seats again and are all checked in. but it requires a lot of translation from him for us to understand that at japanese airports you are not allowed to use your own stroller. you must check yours and use the ones provided by the airport. we are far from pleased, but ok. whatever. we need to go.
and go we did. we figured out how to sleep bug without him puking and kept mouse entertained. after all that it was o’hare that beat us. i cannot stress enough how much i loathe that airport. in fact, i am so enraged that i find it impossible to be glib. long story short, i’d rather be on a 14hr plane with a puking kid and another one crying the entire time than step foot in that place again. we are home now and it feels good.
Travels with Larson and Co 