my 2011 botCon tavel blog

**griffin** · 2nd June 2011, 11:44 AM

Toys I bought on the way to LA, bringing the total to 80 at this point.

At the Sheraton Pasadena when we checked in, the BotCon signage was already out in the lobby two days early.
http://www.toycollectors.com.au/bc11/m16.jpg
http://www.toycollectors.com.au/bc11/m17.jpg

Our room on the inside.
http://www.toycollectors.com.au/bc11/l08.jpg
And our view, which is on the Convention centre side.
http://www.toycollectors.com.au/bc11/l09.jpg

Demonac's family stayed at the hotel while I went out for a couple hours to check some nearby Targets and a Kmart.
The toys I found, bringing the total to 88 so far.

On Tuesday we went to Disneyland from 11am to 7pm.
LA Downtown on the way.

And the entrance to Disneyland.

A couple of food items I had at Disneyland...
A Beef soup in a hollowed out bread roll.

And a Pretzel in the shape of Mickey.

(the rest of the pics will be in my main report later)

On the Wednesday (today) I went out the front of the Convention centre to see those going to the Universal Studios tour. I met up with Simon (the UK fan I shared with last year) and Paulbot.
http://www.toycollectors.com.au/bc11/m17.jpg

The front of the Auditorium next to the Convention Centre had up TFs banners and posters for the Hall of Fame event on Saturday.

http://www.toycollectors.com.au/bc11/l12.jpg

A refresher of what the Convention Center exterior looks like.
http://www.toycollectors.com.au/bc11/l04.jpg
http://www.toycollectors.com.au/bc11/l05.jpg
http://www.toycollectors.com.au/bc11/l06.jpg
Across the road, a yellow BT Skids parked in front of the Gelson's grocery store.

I spent most of the day on the computer, and went out for a walk in the afternoon to the nearby comic shop (bought Sector 7 TPB and the TF3 Movie TPB).

In about half an hour is the Aussie dinner meet.

**tron07** · 2nd June 2011, 05:42 PM

how nice....

Try IHOP, international house of pancakes, they serve nice pancakes :tb:

**Autocon** · 3rd June 2011, 12:10 AM

so do we know if waspinator won?

**griffin** · 4th June 2011, 08:09 PM

I just found that some how I have managed to lose/delete a day's worth of photos without transferring them to the computer first. I thought I had, and musta cleared the camera this morning without checking first...

Not much TFs related though, as it was the Wednesday night dinner meet and the Six Flags Theme park on the Thursday. But there were some great junk food shots in there, and about 70 photos from the theme-park (looks like I'll have to raid flickr again, like I did in 2009 for the Universal Studios day in which my camera ran out of power after 3 photos), as well as some of the global fansites for photos of the Wednesday and thursday night Toy pick-ups/purchases.
But the photo of our dinner meet is irreplaceable.

**Sleeve** · 4th June 2011, 09:40 PM

Originally Posted by griffin

I just found that some how I have managed to lose/delete a day's worth of photos without transferring them to the computer first. I thought I had, and musta cleared the camera this morning without checking first...

Not much TFs related though, as it was the Wednesday night dinner meet and the Six Flags Theme park on the Thursday. But there were some great junk food shots in there, and about 70 photos from the theme-park (looks like I'll have to raid flickr again, like I did in 2009 for the Universal Studios day in which my camera ran out of power after 3 photos), as well as some of the global fansites for photos of the Wednesday and thursday night Toy pick-ups/purchases.
But the photo of our dinner meet is irreplaceable.

Make sure you don't format your card before you get back. If you've got a spare one, or can buy one while there (should be cheap as hell) use it for now and leave the one with the deleted photos tucked away. When you get back I'll have a look at it. Five years managing a photo lab = a few tricks up my sleeve.

**Hursticon** · 4th June 2011, 10:00 PM

Originally Posted by Sleeve

Five years managing a photo lab = a few tricks up my sleeve.

Nice!

I like what you did there, also, good man on helping Griffin out.

**griffin** · 5th June 2011, 01:58 AM

Originally Posted by Sleeve

Make sure you don't format your card before you get back. If you've got a spare one, or can buy one while there (should be cheap as hell) use it for now and leave the one with the deleted photos tucked away. When you get back I'll have a look at it. Five years managing a photo lab = a few tricks up my sleeve.

Thanks for the offer... it might be too late though because I've been using it a fair bit since it was last deleted. (and it was really just the one meet photo that was most important, which was one of the first ones in that lot I lost)

It's just past 8am here now, Saturday morning, and I realised a little earlier while showering that I only have one sleep left on this year's BotCon adventure. The year long wait and week long adventure is almost over once again.

Currently munching on my 3rd box of Cinnamon Toast Crunch Cereal for the week... it's like a crunchy Cinnamon Donut cereal. Very yummy.

So a rundown of what's happened since my last posting.
The Wednesday dinner meet went well. We all showed up at about 7pm and Paulbot was already waiting (returned from Universal just minutes before) and we wandered off until we came across a place that seemed to serve just about everything, as they had a 16 page 'newspaper' style menu.

(this is where my meet photo would be...

)

We finished up at about 9pm, and walked back to the convention centre for the 9.30 pickup (for those of us eligible for the Wednesday pickup).

Thursday was the Six Flags theme park, which was full of rollercoasters and other rides.

We returned from that with about 15 minutes until the Convention opened up for pickup and purchases... and the line was already massive. Paulbot was in the queue at about 4.30, and it was opening at 6pm.
Getting in was late, and the club store was slow... but not as slow as the regular registration line. Loophole was in the 7pm block, but didn't start going in until 7.30. He was close to the start of the line, but it was 10.40 when he (and his brother) got through the registration line and the Store line (to purchase the extra goodies). 4 1/2 hours!!!
And there was still most of the 7pm block behind him, plus the 8pm and 9pm people... Somewhere around midnight the organisers closed up and told those left that they had to come back the next morning. Some of those people would have travelled from parts of LA or surrounding areas, and would have been waiting around 4-6 hours, just to have to come back and queue up again.

Friday.
I missed most of the film fest, working on my computer (and apparently deleting photos at this point), but stuck around for the Script Reading and the 2pm Dealer Room opening.

Dealer Room:

Stuff I bought

That night was the Dinner, Casino and Auction event... people play or buy Casino Dollars to use for bidding on items at the end of the night.
I managed to win David Kaye's script from the Script-reading event during the day, signed by four of the Voice Actors. Plus, also won a bottle of water with the 2007 Movie labelling on it.

**Sleeve** · 5th June 2011, 12:15 PM

Originally Posted by griffin

Thanks for the offer... it might be too late though because I've been using it a fair bit since it was last deleted. (and it was really just the one meet photo that was most important, which was one of the first ones in that lot I lost)

As long as you don't format the card the photos can be recoverable. Just use 'Delete All' for now. I've brought back photos that were deleted three years prior from cameras that had regular use, all because the owners never formatted their cards. Always worth a shot.

**Hursticon** · 5th June 2011, 03:35 PM

That script is an insane Prize to win Griffin, congratulations mate!

Also, damn nice find with that Road Caesar giftset man - Bet that cost a pretty penny or two.

**griffin** · 5th June 2011, 07:16 PM

From the HOF event...

My Saturday was mostly taking notes at the panels, photos of the Hasbro display and artist display, and packing up ready for departure tomorrow.
Unfortunately, when the time came for me to head off to the HOF event, I couldn't find the wrist-band that would let me in. I ended up finding it inside one of the boxes I had taped up... creating a bigger mess than before I started packing.
It also meant I was 2 minutes late getting in, and they were just closing the doors.
The event itself was good. Short, but good (only an hour and 40mins).

Toys I purchased today - Shuffler for US$500!!! (thanks to Demonac), BWNeo 'Torca', BWReturns Silverbolt, and a cap (lost mine at Six Flags) and 2 t-shirts.

I still have a fair bit left to spend if I want, but I think I've had enough this year... 127 toys so far this trip is more than I had expected, and there is still the journey to the airport (which will include some stops in stores).

Tomorrow is the last day, full of panels and other things I need to do before the 3.30pm close. And since I leave for the airport soon after the end of the Con, I may not post too much more until I return home (unless something really huge and exciting happens before the end of the convention).

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