griffin's BotCon 'blog'

[lcz128]

ah yeah! THat's this weekend, ain't it! Forgot it was already so soon! Have fun and looking forward to the updates!

[Bartrim]

Hersheys Cookies and Cream Yummo. 2 of my favourite things

[i_amtrunks]

pretzel flavoured m&m's.... different, I'm sure.

Cant wait to hear about the NASA trip, that's something I've always wanted to do.

[autobreadticon]

look at the food snacks, total bosss consuming all that, but remember its gonna come out the other end eventually...
Exciting times , i hoping for some new generation toys this botcon

[griffin]

Hershey's Cookies & Cream - I think I've seen it in AUS, but I just like anything 'cookies & cream', so had to buy it.

Cheese in a can - I don't think we have it in AUS, but I've seen it on TV shows, so really wanted to see what it is like. It's almost like that party string stuff you get in a can, but edible (probably about as healthy ).

The KFC Double Down Sandwich - it's 2 Original Fillets with 2 bits of cheese and bacon in the middle. The wall poster looked a lot more oily and disgustingly unhealthy, and I ended up eating it the next morning, with ketchup and canned cheese.

I can't fit into my pants anymore...
(just kidding)

Pretzel M&Ms - very nice, but very similar to Maltizers.
Most of this food will be eaten over the next 7 days, not all at once, because I don't trust the variety and price of food at the Disney 'compound', which is at least 10ks away from the nearest food source.
I think I would be dead from blocked arteries if I ate all that in one day and went back for more.

Mighty Muggs Jazz - unfortunately was the only one there. (I know at least 2 people who'd want one)

Gathering at the Nemesis set - It's bigger than I expected, but 3 Voyagers in one pack... I guess it was gonna be big.

Just saw an ad on TV - the 2007 Movie is on TNT this Saturday and Sunday, the same weekend of the convention. An amazing coincedence.

-----
My last post with photos was done in a hurry as I was falling asleep. Now 8 hours later, details on my first day.

A little after 10am here (midnight Brisbane time), I left the hotel expecting to find the mall open (the hotel has a big passageway connnecting to the mall), but saw signage that said it didn't open until 11.30, so had to change my plans.
I went out the front of the hotel, and walked around the Mall to the Target store on the other side, and found it was open until 8am.
Went straight to the toy section - found the NEST Bbee/Swave 2-pack (I want the bonus iron-on patch, so never bought our version), and two Marvel TFs Hulk/Bulldozer, Spiderman/car.
Bought some washing detergent (in case I need to wash clothes to last the week here), and all those snacks in the last posting. Couldn't find the Coconut M&Ms, so might have to get them at the airport on the way home.

I walked back to the hotel via the Mall (which was open by the time I got back), and changed into some white cloths (it was a really hot day here, and I was wearing a black TFs t-shirt).

I went out again at midday, and even wearing white, I was sweating out in the open. In the Mall there were no significant chain stores that sell toys (mostly just clothing department stores), but they did have an independant toy store, called A-Z toys. Prices of their toys were close to AUS prices, but in US$, making them even more expensive (a lot were double US retail, and very old, due to the hefty pricing). They did have a few imported items, including the 2007 Transcanning Optimus and Bumblebee for US$60 each.
I didn't buy anything from there though.

Outside the mall was a huge ToysRUs store, which had a lot of shelf space for TFs, but looked to be light on stock ready for the new mid-year stuff.
They had a huge amount of exclusive mult-packs (Bludgeon vs Whirl, Hoist Vs Mixmaster, Scavenger Vs Icecream twins, Gathering at the Nemesis) and about 50 Animated Ratchets (no Arcee).
I grabbed 3 of the 4 latest Mighty Muggs (Jazz, Shockwave, Movie Bbee), A FAB redeco Sideswipe and Gathering at the Nemesis (redeco Megatron, redeco Soundwave, Fallen).

One of my priorities here is the Crossover TFs, and I've been having trouble finding them this year. Last year they seemed to be everywhere, but maybe they aren't doing too well in America either.

Next stop, Kmart about a Km away (in the heat).
There are very few footpaths here, and no taxis anywhere. I saw 3 busses all day, and one taxi late in the afternoon, but if you don't have a car, it'd be very difficult getting around here.

Kmart had the Lights and Sounds Optimus and Bumblebee (I forgot all about them - and we won't be getting them in AUS). I got one of each, plus an RPMs pack (Rollbar Vs Sideways), Marvel TFs Dark Spiderman/bike and Grey Wolverine.

Then about 3Kms away, was a Walmart. Three long and hot Kms away, along the side of a busy road with no footpath...
It'd better be worth it.

It was a huge store, but like the TRU store, this one was clearing out its stock, so only found a Star Wars TFs Anakin/Twilight.
Ah well, coulda been worse - coulda done the 6km round trip to Walmart and not found anything.

Back at the hotel at 3pm, I had to have a shower (to clean off the sweat and dirt) and change into my third set of clothes for the day.

15 minutes later, the afternoon storms hit, with a little bit of rain and lightning. But I was 'trapped' until it eased a little after 4pm.

There were supposed to be 2 comic shops near the hotel. At about 4.30 I went out and found one (didn't have anything I wanted), and couldn't find the other.

Went back to the hotel via the Mall.
In the Mall, I checked out:
Disney store (they didn't know anything about the Disney TFs)
M&Ms store (a store of merchandise and bulk M&Ms in different colours, but they don't sell actual regular packs of M&Ms - what the???)
KFC - got that Double Down 'Sandwich'
Foodcourt outlet - Deluxe French Fries (covered in cheese and bacon)
And my personal favourite - Giant pretzels... mmmm, yummy.

Back in the room by 6pm, took photos, washed clothes, ate, posted on the Board, and fell asleep by 8pm.

Woke up at 5am (thought I would sleep longer after going a day without it and walking around so much).

Breakfast consisted of a healthy dose of cold KFC, cheese in a can, and cookies and cream chocolate...

Not feeling the best right now.

Today's itinerary is still up in the air.
I want to go to Universal Studios, but would have to leave my luggage here and then come all the way back here before going to Disney hotel in the afternoon. So maybe I'll have to waste half the day, and head to Disney after midday (checkout here is 11am), drop off my luggage at the hotel, and maybe check out one of the small Disney parks today (then returning to the hotel after 4pm when my roomie gets in).

Will try to go to the other TRU store (it's 4kms away), and post home some breakfast cereals (love the Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal).

[Krayt]

How much is Hoist/Mixmaster going for? some of us still dont have it.... damn exclusives

[griffin]

Sorry, don't remember. A lot of figures were discounted though, as they were trying to clear out the old stuff for August's new stuff.
It's a big box though, and would have to be posted back IF I had the time to go back there and then go to a post office. After all that, surely there'd be one on ebay somewhere that'd be about the same. The store had so many, it shouldn't be too highly priced on the secondary market (it's not rare enough to be scalped).

[Zippo]

Kmart had the Lights and Sounds Optimus and Bumblebee (I forgot all about them - and we won't be getting them in AUS).

Thats odd, cause we got them in New Zealand and Hasbro New Zealand is a sub branch of Hasbro AU. Mind you, New Zealand got the Universe Legends and Animated Wreck Gar.

Hope I can find those Marvel Tfs over in Singapore during my visit. I supect that after Wave 1-3 were clearenced here for $15 each we wont see anymore.

[liegeprime]

A TF umbrella is your friend, bossbot sure people may think you look silly but then it shades you from the searing sun and keeps you from getting wet Of course youd need a wider one if you have a lot of shopping bags with you....So there's not a lot of other Ozformers who are attending BOTCON, not like the last time?

[optimus1]

Sounds like you are having a tasty time over there so far

Can't wait for the Botcon write ups