Teeny tiny train vacation

Leave Tucson at approximately 10:30 pm by Amtrak. Animalia is overly interested in the train, asking if it's her train and if she's on the train. Also, she needed to go potty. Many times. Midnight lecture was necessary. I think I told her that she needed to go to sleep around midnight in my most exhausted threatening voice. Then she asked me if she could talk. I said no.

Arrive in Los Angeles at approximately 7:30 am. No sleep, or very little, since Animalia was hogging. Drop off luggage, eat breakfast at Olvera St, deal with unanticipated issues, take bus to museums where Animalia sees dinosaurs, animals, airplanes, roses, and other happy things. She keeps asking if we're in California.

Check into hotel, conveniently located near many delicious foods in Little Tokyo. Animalia loves the hotel. Eat an early dinner. Buy some pastries. Head back to the room. Animalia falls asleep early, before dessert.

Next morning, wake up, get dressed, get coffee and pastries, head to Santa Monica. The beach! The rides! This is Animalia's happiest part of the whole trip. Hotel, naps, wandering around, late dinner.

Next morning, wake up, eat breakfast, go to large Japanese supermarket, check out of hotel, head to train station. Train departs at 2:30pm. It's slightly delayed, then we're delayed en route. Animalia has good times. Spends time in the observation car which she correctly names unless she's calling it the raisin car. Home at 12:30pm (about an hour late). Asleep by 1am.

Spend the entire next day tired, though Animalia was missing the hotel, train, and Japanese food. Have I mentioned that she loves Japanese food? Miso soup, sushi, cucumbers only slightly pickled in vinegar, soba noodles. All of it.