t was great that I finally met Georges Helm, but also met other famous people who did not come last year in Brisbane. The experience was once again overwhelming, and I wish the Puzzle Party main event could last more than one days.

Participating in the exchange event was another exciting experience. I loved the amazed expressions I was receiving when I was explaining the way the "Eledone from Kastellorizo" puzzle works.

Most of the time, I enjoyed the awesome company of the Verdes family, at the two dinners and at the puzzle party. It was also the first time I met Mr Verdes' beautiful daughter.

The competition popular puzzle award AND judges' award was won by an extremely clever wooden design, the ODD puzzle. It was the year of the wood, as the only non-wooden winner (1/5) was Vesa Timonen's Tangerine puzzle (which is also take-apart puzzle). I voted for twisty puzzles, because I believe this year they were all very good. Probably, I am asking too much to have twisty puzzles win a top prize three years in a row!

I was very honored by some flattering comments by mostly Japanese and Europeans regarding the Cubedron, especially from Oskar and Takashima-san (I think they were two of the judges???)

From the Twisty Puzzle Forum, it was a pleasure to have some folding puzzle discussions with Juozas Granskas, meet Daryl,
and exchange puzzles (as usual) with Milan and Hendrik. I was glad my magics went away so that my weight for travelling back had been reduced. However, I got so many other puzzles, that I have exceeded the weight I had when I left Australia. Among some of my good finds, were the Marylin Monroe Rotascope, a Supernova, Rolling Cubes, and an old cylindrical 2x2x2.

I hope in the future to also meet Geert Hellings, Tony Fisher, David Litwin and many more others.

Some more interesting facts:
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- Hendrik Haak produced my favourite exchange puzzle, a version of panex with... rotation!!!

- There was a Dutch guy who was selling lots of rare puzzles... this is where I got the Marylin Rotarscope!

- There was a list to sign up for $20 Void Cubes!!! (I am NOT joking here!)

- I was initially charged 500 euros at the airport to send 25kgs of puzzles to Australia.
Luckily, I was early at the airport and went to the Czech Post and did the job for 90 euros.
(I will have to wait 2-3 months though, for the puzzles to arrive!!!)
I could have used the parcel service for $200 euros, but I took the risk. My advise from experience:
Always use Singapore Airlines, they always allow you a LOT of excessive luggage. ;-)