Dispensor and I in Hong Kong with guest star Bladestorm

[griffin]

A month ago I spent five days in Hong Kong, for toys, food and friends... boardmember Bladestorm, and, well, Dispensor.



DAY 1 - (FRI 28th September) -- Daytime journey to Hong Kong, with toy shopping on the way to the Hotel on the Hong Kong Island.
DAY 2 - (SAT 29th September) -- Toy hunting and lunch at Kowloon.
DAY 3 - (SUN 30th September) -- Toy hunting and lunch at Causeway Bay & Tin Hau.
DAY 4 - (MON 1st October) -- Day Tour to Shenzhen, China.
DAY 5 - (TUE 2nd October) -- Toy hunting Whampoa and Kowloon.
DAY 6 - (WED 3rd October) -- Checkout, toy hunting Taikoo & Shau Kei Wan, and journey home (arriving Thursday 4th, via Sydney)



Some sample photos...

[FatalityPitt]

I literally spent a few hours reading your travel blog and admiring the photos. Hong Kong's like Mecca for a TF fan! That place you visited on day 6, the one with the MISB Fort Maxes, Scorponoks, and Black Zaraks; it's is like an Aladdin's cave. Thanks for sharing such an adventure!

[griffin]

Hong Kong is like BotCon - I recommend serious toy collectors to go there at least once... you will not be disappointed. And the maps I did up will make it so easy for you to be able to hop around the different toy hot-spot locations. (I might even add in some photos later of some of the actual buildings to make it even easier.)



Basically if you can save up a couple grand, consider 5-7 days in HK... even if you don't come back with bags full of toys, it is an experience to go from location to location and seeing more toys than you'll even see at a Toy convention.


If you can keep an eye out for a flight sale, you can get there and back for about $800, and look for a cheap place to stay that's about $100 a night (too cheap and it probably won't be too good). That would leave you with enough spending money on food and transport, and some toys.

The amount of spending money you take is then up to you... I usually aim to take about 2-3 thousand, and not buy too much locally before I go (unless there is a good toy sale, like there was this time - Target and Kmart had sales a week before I left, so I bought up a fair few toys I would have bought in HK).

[FatalityPitt]

Yeah, BotCon minus the crowded spaces. I now know where I'm going for my next holiday

What's so amazing to me is that there's Transformers nearly everywhere. There was even an MP Ultra Magnus and an SDCC Throne of the Primes set at the airport

[Galvatran]

(Smashing eight donuts in a single sitting. Respect)

[kovert]

The lanterns would have been for Mid-Autumn Festival (the reason for the moon cakes you see sometimes at Asian retailers). The dates change every year because it's based on the lunar calendar.

[griffin]

Good to know...

[Fungal Infection]

That was an awesome read - it actually inspired me to make a list of things I need to look out for when I visit Singapore next year (I just looked at all your pics and added what I was missing from my collection - even if it wasn't shown, I'd see an Alternity Optimus and then remember, 'Oh! I need to grab the Super GT versions!'). Love the food pics too! One thing that did frustrate me though (more so for you though) - not having any funds to spend on stuff. I don't know how you survived, I would've necked myself out of sheer frustration - just wanting to grab food and having to hold back, wow! You couldn't check your balance online through netbank or change your card settings to allow you to use your card?

[valkyrie_76]

That was an awesome read - it actually inspired me to make a list of things I need to look out for when I visit Singapore next year (I just looked at all your pics and added what I was missing from my collection - even if it wasn't shown, I'd see an Alternity Optimus and then remember, 'Oh! I need to grab the Super GT versions!'). Love the food pics too! One thing that did frustrate me though (more so for you though) - not having any funds to spend on stuff. I don't know how you survived, I would've necked myself out of sheer frustration - just wanting to grab food and having to hold back, wow! You couldn't check your balance online through netbank or change your card settings to allow you to use your card?

Just come back from Singapore and the whole place has changed for toy stores and their locations.

[Fungal Infection]

Just come back from Singapore and the whole place has changed for toy stores and their locations.

I've never been so as far as changes go, I'm clueless. All I'm expecting is that there'll be more than what's on Australian store shelves.