Japan Trip

Well, we made it back from Japan, all in one piece. It was certainly an interesting trip, marked by some highlights and some lowlights. Very fortunately we stayed with our two awesome hosts - Carla and Alex - without whom the trip would have certainly been a disaster. I cannot say enough about how helpful and kind they were - I just hope we haven't deterred them from having children of their own ;)  We got to experience a fair bit of Japanese culture though, particularly the healthcare system (and let me say, I have never been so thankful for socialized medicine before!) We probably won't be taking any more international trips for a while - at least until everyone on the trip can clearly convey what, exactly, is bothering them. For a run down of the trip, read on...

Thursday: Departure day. Edison oddly vomits just before getting to the airport, but otherwise seems ok. He then starts screaming while in the security line, so we get out of line, discuss changing our flights, and ultimately (because of the impending typhoon, and Edison subsequently falling asleep) decide to forge ahead with the trip. This, of course, seems suspicious to the security people, but we still make it on the flight. Edison then wakes up on the flight screaming in pain. For over an hour. Did you know United no longer has Tylenol or Ibuprofen available? And that you have to declare an emergency to break open their medical kit to use the thermometer? Neither did I. So we decided not to declare an emergency, thereby saving everyone a detour to Iwo Jima, and covered Edison with ice packs instead. We survive the (very turbulent) flight, and Edison is miraculously fine when we land. We find some kind of suppository for fever, I have no idea what it is, but it seems to work ok, so we go with it. We then make it to Osaka and head to the aquarium to see the whale shark. But guess who's ALSO on vacation? The whale shark! 

Friday: Because of the "tropical depression", we opt to hang around Osaka on Friday. Typhoon apparently means pleasant, sunny day in Japan, so we go to the botanical gardens and find a nice playground that Edison loves. We also venture to the zoo, where several more animals seem to be on 'vacation'. We discover the awesome grocery next to Alex and Carla's home - where you can buy all kinds of sushi and baked goods - and we buy pretty much every meal during our trip from there. Edison's not eating or drinking much, but I'm not really thinking anything of it. Yet. 

Saturday: This is where the trip took a turn. Edison wakes up looking ok, but about 10 minutes later starts crying. Then screaming. No one knows why, he's just in pain for some reason. After letting this go on for an hour (I'm sure Alex and Carla thought it was more like 4 hours - sorry again guys!), we get Alex up and decide to take Edison to a clinic. The only place open is a hospital several blocks away, so we head there. To put this in perspective, I'm wearing what I wore to bed, and Edison has a diaper only half on and is screaming. But we go marching through the park where lots of people are getting their morning exercise...The first hospital doesn't want to see Edison, so they send us to a clinic. They think this is a virus and send us home. Edison screams/passes out/screams/passes out for the next 7 hours. We take him to another hospital where he gets IV fluids and a higher dose of Tylenol. He perks up a bit, AND stops crying for the first time all day. We finally head home. 

Sunday: Edison seems ok. Almost as though nothing had happened. We decide to get out of Osaka and head to Nara. Edison has a great time seeing the deer (that are everywhere!), and we get to see a couple of temples. Edison appeases us by eating some noodles and drinking lemon water. This is definitely the best day of the trip - probably because we're so relieved that Edison is ok.

Monday: The last day of the trip. We decide to venture to Kyoto so we can go to the Monkey Park. This required a lot of train riding, but once we got to the little town with the monkey park, it was definitely a worthwhile side-trip. I can't remember the name of the town, but I definitely could have spent more time there. I think we could have spent a lot more time in Japan in general, and probably some day we will - but not for at least a few more years.      

After explaining his thesis, Alex points out the mating behavior of these fishies. 

Edison pointing out the mating behavior of frisky otters.

The Osaka Aquarium is no match for Edison's mysterious disease.

But the next morning he feels well enough to pummel daddy with a dangerous weapon.

Edison helping mommy write emails.

I guess they were boring emails.

Edison rides a rocking thing.

Edison loving this lemon water beverage.

Edison is either tired, cranky, or playing peek-a-boo...daddy can't remember.

Edison is quite ambivalent about this gummy Japanese pastry.

Edison crawls his way into a T-Rex footprint at the Natural History Museum in Osaka.

Edison's first giraffe sighting at the Osaka Zoo...a 5m one!

"What the hell, why is this fence here, I want to go pet the lions."

Edison's first swing ride!

And he loves it.

Good find Edison!  That's nearly as good as a brand new one.

Edison taking on slides headfirst now.

Now let's do it 30 more times.

Edison's illness returns with a vengeance...

not even this delicious ice cream squeezy thing can help.

Even though it doesn't look it, Edison feels well enough to go to Nara.

Why does it look like Edison has a receding hairline and a mullet here?

Oh dear, first time petting a deer!

"I'm gonna get you"

"What's up?"..."nothing, what's up with you?"

Edison is more interested in mommy than the 2nd tallest pagoda in Japan.

Apparently the fake ones are just as cool as the real ones.

Edison is more interested in sleeping than this massive temple.

Oh, but he'll wake up for green tea ice-cream.

Edison throwing a fit outside of the Buddha Museum

(he wanted to continue playing in the elevator).

Alex and Edison pose for a Facebook post.

Alex and Carla, our two amazingly gracious hosts and tour-guides

giving victory signs upon getting us all safely to Kyoto.

Edison introduces himself to a cousin (a few million times removed).

Instead of eating it himself, Edison shares some food.

Edison is always happy to help out family.

Edison is totally impressed at the balancing act displayed by Carla and Alex.