(these posts take a while, as I have to edit and upload all the photos first)
I woke up before the alarm again, at 6.30am, but spent the next 3 hours on the computer and then getting myself ready.
The mess of my room by Sunday, which would all need to be packed up before midday the next day.
The first panel was at 10am, so I wanted to get down to the Dealer Room and grab some at-show exclusives for some people first.
Since I got a big box as well (to pack my stuff in for the journey home), I had to go back up to the room, and then back again to the Panel Room (it was good to have a room on a lower floor, but would have been better to be in the main section of the hotel which had 6 lifts, compared to our wing's 2 lifts).
The Script reading was interesting, but was plagued with technical problems as most of the microphones were not working.
It only went for less than 30 minutes, but since it started 15 minutes late, it finished really early.
Activision had their panel, showing off a couple new TFPrime Vehicon designs, that hopefully make their way into the cartoon and toyline (a Tank and a Helicopter).
The next panel was Simon Furman, detailing the "lost" Dreamwave issues, as well as covering the new Regeneration One comic.
Since the previous panel finished about 10 minutes to the hour, I had to rush off to my room to send some PMs to people before they woke up (as the panel room was out of range of the wifi I was paying for - and I couldn't wait until after the convention ended 5 hours later).
Typically, that next panel was one of the few that started on time, so I ended up missing the first 5 minutes. (any other panel, I'd have been able to go up to the room and be back down before it started at its 10-15 minute lateness).
Jagex then did their panel on the upcoming MMOG, and when that ended, I went back downstairs to the Dealer Room for the remaining 90 minutes of this year's convention.
I wasn't expecting to buy anything, after spending most of my cash on Friday, and not having access to a quarter of my money... I was mostly there to bug official people with questions I had (and other fans back home had), to Hasbro, IDW, Activision, Furman, FunPub. Most of whom I was able to track down, and get some decent answers from. (to be mentioned in my actual report - which will be up in about 5 hours)
I did however find a cheap set of the latest Kabaya models (the Protectobots), which I didn't realise had been out, or out long enough to make it to the convention. But that was the only toys I bought outside of Friday.
The Sunday "haul"...
That also includes the signed scripts from Simon Furman (from the Friday), the freebie items Hasbro was giving out at their exhibit (Kreo Jazz, Rescue Bots book), a Spychanger Mirage (it was free with the Kabaya models, and I already have it), the non-BotCon version of last year's BotCon comic, some free stickers from IDW, UK catalogue & Auto-Assembly sticker from Colin/THC, and a wristband & lanyard from Jagex. A very exciting haul this year... :p
I also took more photos of the dealer room and the Hasbro exhibit, including the updated Hall of Fame display.
The annual prize drawing (free entry and domestic flights to the next BotCon) was done at 3.15, and the convention closed 15 minutes later.
The final photo of BotCon 2012...
Since this was one of those years that I wasn't sharing a room, or meeting up with anyone after the convention ended, coming down from such an intensely fun & exciting, jam-packed few days, was a feeling of sadness that I hadn't felt for a few years. It wasn't as debilitating as early years, but it was still a significant feeling of sudden emptiness, after being so emotionally charged for several days.
To help overcome that, I offloaded all my stuff in my room and headed off for some "food therapy"... :p
I headed back too the Sonny Bryans (from the first day), specifically to try their "cobbler" (something I'd heard about on TV, but didn't have a clue what it was until I looked up online later)... which is like an apple-crumble pie, without the pastry base.
I ended up buying a "sloppy joe" as well, since that was the feature item on "Man Vs Food", plus some deep-fried cheese sticks (a favourite of mine).
But I didn't stop there... Noooo... (voice of BW Megatron) :p
As my last "meal" in Dallas, and no prospect of getting to a Burger King before leaving America, I went across the road from Sonny Bryans, to a Hoffbrau Steakhouse. (I wanted a giant steak dammit... even if it meant takeaway).
Inside the Hoffbrau Steakhouse I checked out the menu looking for the biggest steak they had... but got distracted by the "Chicken Fried Steak" - something that was recommended by someone at work... and again, something I was unfamiliar with until looking it up online. (it is steak, coated and fried like KFC - but it ended up being more like a thick veil schnitzel)
I ordered one of those, plus, another item that caught my eye - Dr Pepper Chicken.
It is chicken, marinated in Dr Pepper syrup (among other ingredients) to give it a richer, bitey flavour. I ordered that as a burger, which was cheaper (and hopefully
smaller) than the meal version. It still came with a serve of wedges, as did the Chicken Fried Steak... so I had myself well and truly stocked up for Dinner AND Breakfast.
And it was all so cheap too... although, a tip/gratuity is expected if dining in, which would add to the cost (I wasn't sure if a tip was required if you takeaway). But each of those 3 meals (and the cheese sticks w/ Cobbler) were $10 or less. Much cheaper than fast food franchises in America, which are the same or more than Australian prices.
On the way back to the hotel I stopped by the 7-11 once again, to grab a couple bottles of Diet Coke to help wash it all down with (it was on special, so I kept going back there).
I was feeling tired, so didn't plan to do much that night except eat and watch TV.
But as I looked at how much mess I had to pack up, I force myself to start sorting out things, so that it was easier to pack the next morning (to prevent last minute panicked packing - and to see for sure that everything would fit in the 2 boxes and bag I had with me).
In the end, my compulsion to not have things left half-done, I ended up packing everything before going to sleep, AND, I only filled the two boxes, leaving me with my big bag empty (which could now carry my backpack, leaving me with just two check-in items... which are free). All I had to worry about was taping up the boxes and changing clothes before checking out.
Plenty of time... or so I thought.
I kinda got caught up watching a marathon of Law & Order on one of their channels, until about 3am. That meant waking up some time after 9am... to finish off the food from last night, and get cleaned up and finished packing by midday.
But the events of the Monday, and the return home, will be covered in the 7th and final part of the adventure... probably posted up later today.
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