The Big Surprise

Caitlin and I have been planning for months to give the girls a surprise - a day at universal studios Japan in Osaka.

The train station is called Universal City. So we told them yesterday we were going a planetarium - giving the cover for the name of the station.

Isabelle was so believing that even after seeing signs saying “Universal Studios” she said “hey, that makes sense!  Why not have a store selling universal studios stuff at a planetarium!!”

I had to confess that I lied and there was no planetarium. At which point she started jumping and screaming for joy. 

Josephine needed a few confirmations.

Looking into line ups (1-2 sometimes 3 hours) we spring for the Express Pass x4. Which gave us priority access at a scheduled time. Not cheap. But we only had 1 day and this has been long trip. It was a good decision. I had to go early (woke at 6am, park opens 8:30, Caitlin and the girls arrived at 9:15). 

The girls decided they needed new wands. Expected and a good memento. Josephine was selected for the wand ceremony!! The wand master was Caucasian and I wondered about race bias. But put that out of my kind as I thought of how Josephine can literally correct the mistakes in “Harry Potter Edition of Trivial Pursuit”) and decided no one can possibly deserve and enjoy it more. 




Isabelle was excited for her sister. So cute. 

Isabelle got Sirius Blacks wand.

Josephine is not big on roller coasters. Isabelle is totally for it. Last ride of the day was Jurassic Park Flying Dinosaur - the most intense foster I’ve ever been on (full body and leg braces; no hats, eye glasses, keys, coins, phones, necklaces nor rings!!!). I don’t have a video of it, but imagine being put into an smoothie belender and you get the idea. 

Here is Caitlin and Isabelle finishing the “normal”
Jurassic Park ride. 



Immediately after Isabelle wanted to go again with me. We got much wetter sitting in the second row. 

The day ended at about 8:30. We headed home and are now about to crash. Tomorrow is going to be 100% close to home base. Relax and reload for Kyoto the next day. 
. 

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