We're going to Japan!

Konnichi-Wa!
Tsukahara!
Yamashita!
Domo Arigato, Mr. Roboto!

These are but a few of the Japanese words I know.  Never mind that two of them are the names of vaults in gymnastics, named after male Japanese gymnasts of yesteryear.

Seamus, Keagan, and I are very lucky to have the opportunity to take the TRIP OF A LIFETIME! together beginning on Saturday, July 13 - Sunday, July 28.

This trip of a lifetime for us is made possible thanks to gymnastics.  Really.  We are going to stay with the Ellers who have been in Kawasaki, Japan since last August (Havi and Kai are on our team, Amy and Olaf are Bowdoin professors on sabbatical), and the Suckarts (Bryn was on the team for several years until her dad, a proud Navy Commander, was transferred three years ago) on the Misawa AFB.  You truly never know what opportunities gymnastics will afford your family!

So, in taking a leap of faith that the finances will take care of themselves, I purchased our tickets for both our flights and the shinkansen (the bullet train) in April...and off we'll go! (What you may not know about me is that I'm very uptight about money, and to actually spend money rather than squirrel it away for emergencies, disasters, or a zombie apocalypse is highly atypical behavior.)

So, what's with the name?  If you know Keagan, then you know his love for all things Pokemon.  It is in honor of his passion that I named the blog.

Did you know that there are over 100 pipe organs in Japan?  Yes, yes there are.  And of course Seamus has researched, learned how to use Google Translate, and in fact we are possibly visiting an organ on July 20 Tokyo, but we will have to see...

If you are interested in following our adventures, please subscribe or follow this blog.  I'll post some pictures on Facebook, probably, but this will be the spot for commentary, observations, and the real story that is likely to be going on behind the Facebook facade.

For more information:

Pokemon Regions
http://bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wiki/Pok%C3%A9mon_world_in_relation_to_the_real_world
(Yes, yes.  Bulbapedia is wikipedia for Pokemon.)

Pipe Organ
http://www.suntory.com/culture-sports/suntoryhall/index.html
"ORGAN ADVENTURE"
SUNTORY HALL ORGAN PROGRAM

Very special exciting day for kids to get to know the pipe organ. Kids will have widerange of experiences which are only possible at Suntory Hall. We also present an authentic program for grown-ups.

Sun, Jul 21

Misawa Air Force Base

http://www.misawajapan.com/

Kawasaki, Japan

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3250.html 

The Ellers:
http://www.iad.titech.ac.jp/ifr/international_exchange_party/2013JAN/interviews/AmyJOHNSON.html

Seamus, Keagan, and Bryn, Thanksgiving 2008