griffin's BotCon 'blog'
This will be mostly about the non-TFs stuff on my annual American adventure (but will include comments on the convention as well).
I will still be posting news postings from the convention in the News section.
It has been a hectic 20 hours already, with now being the first chance I have to log in (and it's while in flight between LA and Orlando).
After the Toy Wholesaler I ordered 100+ toys from to take to BotCon for their trade value, was unable to get them before I left, I had to spend 2 1/2 hours Saturday Morning with JustOwen toyhunting. And mostly for the 17 toys I hadn't yet bought for myself, of the new mid-year figures (I was waiting for the wholesale order to come in and save myself some money).
We checked out 6 stores, and I got my 17 toys, plus a dozen duplicate figures to take with me.
(so I have the entire mid-year range with me for the benefit of American fans to play with, and a number of extras to trade with)
I got back home about midday, and gave myself 2 hours to clean up, check up on the messageboard, and pack (yes, last-minute as usual).
Unfortunately, I didn't account for the time I needed to unpack my 17 new toys so that they didn't take up as much room in my luggage. So quickly cut bubbles off card backs and inserts, and spent the 40 minute taxi ride to the airport, pulling toys out of bubbles (those new strings are just as annoying as the twist ties).
So I was a little past my 2pm deadline (by an hour), when I was ready to call the taxi. The flight was 5pm, so only needed to be there by 4-4.30pm, so wasn't late.
Checked in a bag of clothes and my toys, and a box of toys to trade, leaving me with just a small backpack to carry-on with me with my electronic essentials, and four Deluxe toys to play with (Ironhide, Drift, WFC Bumblebee, WFC Optimus).
With no time at the departure gate to log on with my mobile broadband, I figured that I would have a couple hours in Sydney while waiting for my International flight.
I was wrong.
Either the flight was 2 hours earlier than it was originally scheduled 4 months ago, or I wrote down the time wrong.
The Brisbane flight was 5pm-6.45pm, and the Sydney to LA flight was 'supposed to be 10.30pm, but was really 8.30pm. With only 15 minutes to check in (90 minute minimum for international flights), I grabbed some Red Rooster for dinner, before heading over to the Transfer desk to check in.
Was stuck in the queue for 15 minutes, and then told the bus would be there in minutes, so didn't bother logging in while waiting. The bus came 20 minutes later, and took about 10 minutes to make it's way to the V-Australia check-in part of the Internation Terminal. (for those playing at home - it was about 7.45pm at this time, and the flight was already listed as boarding). This was the first time I'd been in the Sydney International Terminal since it was expanded a few years back, but damn its huge!!!
It takes over 5 minutes of brisk walking before you even start seeing departure gates, and then my gate was the furthest one, so when I got to the gate, I was one of the last to board, so no time to log in before leaving the country on a 13 hour flight (I wanted to at least send out a news email before it was a full week late).
The late check in for the international flight (and Virginblue wouldn't check me in at Brisbane for both flights - QANTAS does), I was stuck with a window seat (my long legs *need* an aisle seat to stretch out).
13 hours cramped in a seat, but had enough movies and games and music to pass the time long enough to survive...
Arriving in LA at 5pm Saturday LA time (10am Sunday Brisbane Time) at a small temporary terminal way out the back of the airport), it took 45 minutes to get through customs (ever noticed that there are no white people working for US Customs?), and another 15 minutes to get to the Delta Terminal to check in for my Domestic flight.
Had a problem with the luggage, as the computer already registered 2 items checked in, so wanted to charge me US$325 for an 'extra' 2 pieces of luggage. After proving that the two items I had with me were the 2 items in their system, it was fixed up without a problem (I just hope they are underneath my seat as I type this).
So within 45 minutes I was at the departure gate (after going through security and grabbing a drink and some 'Coconut' flavoured M&Ms (a weird flavour, I have to bring back some to share).
With it just being about 7pm LA time, and the flight leaving at 9.15pm (boarding from 8.30), the fee of US$8 was too much for 90 minutes of internet access, so decided to just wait until I get in Orlando.
Fortunately, I was surprised to have this flight outfitted with Wi-Fi, with only a US$6 fee for the 5 hour flight.
I'll try to do up at least one news email, and maybe grab some sleep.
The lady in the seat across the aisle from me keeps doing stretches, and I keep getting this huge ass, literally, 20cms from my face (as she bends over, facing the other way)
Uuuugh, she's doing it again...
Well, next I log in, I should be at my Olando Hotel (it's like the best hotel, as it is within walking distance of TRU, Walmart, Kmart, Target, Postoffice, 2 comic stores, and importantly... BurgerKing and Wendys - the hotel has a convention centre, so if it is big enough, this would make a great BotCon hotel).
This flight is meant to land about 6am Sunday Florida time (9pm Sunday Brisbane time I think), which may be too early to check in at the hotel, so will spend the day toyhunting until I can check in, then go out and post stuff home.
Some things about the V-Australia flight - since we leave in the evening, we arrive in the evening in LA, but get served Breakfast just before we land.
I miss the snack bag that QANTAS gives out on their international flights, as well as their snack bar (if I could get up for it - the two sitting next to me slept most of the time).
The weather forcast for Orlando is Thunderstorms for the next 4 days.
The next four days are planned to be Toyhunting, Disney, Universal Studios (maybe), and NASA...
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Originally Posted by griffin
