The initial plan was to write a daily post during the expo. But I’m old and get tired easily. Plus as you will see I had great company in the evenings.

So this post has been written a day or two after getting back from the expo.

Be warned it is a long post. So if you don’t have the time to read it, here is the to;dr – I had a good time, met friends, bought some games.

Thursday – Day 0

Thursday was as usual my travel day to the expo.

For one person my car was pretty loaded up. Mind you this wasn’t a backpacking trip across Scotland or the Lakes. This was car camping after all, and I’d paid for a pitch with an electricity hookup.

I had booked a pitch with an electrical hookup at the Mousley House Farm Campsite. Which according to Apple Maps was about 25 minutes away from the NEC.

After doing my final chores at home, such as walking Dolly, and getting mum some meals, I set off around midday.

Two and a half hours I was checking in at the camp site.

The pitch I had been given was ideal. Close to the facilities, water tap, and no cars going past me.

After setting up camp I thought I’d make a coffee. Out came the brand new unused Jetboil Genesis Basecamp.

All setup I switched on the gas. Nothing. I reattached the fuel regulator. Still nothing. Pushed the fuel line in and gas flowed. The fuel regulator wasn’t being held tight enough to allow gas to flow without extra pressure.

I tried using plaster tape to hold the fuel regulator in. But that didn’t work.

It was basically unusable. I couldn’t cook and constantly hold in the fuel regulator.

I was kicking myself for taking the Kelly Kettle out of the boot that morning whilst packing. I did have a BCB Firedragon folding cooker with a couple of fuel blocks. Just about enough to boil a kettle of water. Not enough to get me through the long weekend.

Still I boiled the kettle and had a brew.

I tried calling Jetboil customer support but they had gone home for the day.

Unable to cook my planned meal, I was lucky I had some Greek yoghurt I could have for tea.

I was emotionally drained, embarrassed, seething, going through a whole range of emotions.

This Jetboil wasn’t cheap (none of their stoves are) and here it was no better than a very expensive paper weight.

I would need to find an outdoor shop the next day and buy another stove to get me through the weekend.

After watching a little bit of YouTube to try and calm down I had an early night.

Friday – Day 1

I woke bloody early. Still fuming I wasn’t going to start the day as planned.

I’d also hurt the back of my tongue somehow during the night. Which made swallowing a little painful. But more importantly I would find out later talking harder. Something that would inflict me for the whole of the expo. Basically I’d sound like I had a lisp, or just plain incoherent. I’d have to slow down and concentrate on what I was saying. It was very frustrating at times trying to make myself be understood. Some words were definitely a struggle to say.

After having a shower in facilities that put to shame the “hotel” I stayed in at the start of May.

I left the camp site a tad after six, trying not to wake the rest of the campsite. Which was harder to do than you would think when you have to drive over gravel for half of the campsite site.

Using Apple Maps I found a Tesco Express ten minutes drive away that also had a cash machine.

Sadly the express didn’t open until seven. But I still got the cash I needed for later.

I then headed towards the NEC and the expo.

By the time I had parked in the east car park and taken my traditional stroll in the expo halls I had arrived exactly at the right time to be Starbucks first customer as they finished opening up.

After having an over priced coffee, muffin, and cheese and ham toastie it was time to join the queue to collect tickets.

Yes even at 7:15am I was not the first in the queue! But I was pretty close to being so.

While waiting in the queue I spotted a fellow union rep I knew walk pass and head towards the halls. Were they helping on a stand? I thought they never mentioned they were into board games in Blackpool. Then I thought wait I could have been playing board games in the evening at the ADM.

My objectives for the day were to do the trade for Root, pick up The Lord of the Rings: Fate of the Fellowship, and meet up with Ben, and spot my friend.

The first two on my list were done within minutes of the doors opening to the exhibit halls and me getting a shop and drop box.

I met up with Ben and his sons. We then spent the rest of the day systematically walking up and down the aisles going from one hall to the other. Despite doing that I still missed my union friend. But I did bump into Diego and his daughter Lizzy.

After mid day I had to find the Trespass at the Resort World complex next to the expo halls. I needed a stove to cook with. Ben and sons joined me so we could also look for food afterwards.

I found the Trespass, and they had a cheap Coleman stove. But no butane fuel for it!

After that disappointing experience we had lunch at Five Guys burger chain. My first time ever with them. Whilst the others went the burger and fries route, I went hot dog and fries. I liked how you can personalise your burger/dog with toppings. The fries were good and a decent portion size. Plus the soda drinks were unlimited refills. I thought it was still expensive for what it was. But thinking about it was on par with Burger King, and better value. I should say thank you once again to Ben for generously treating me to lunch.

Once fed and watered Ben and his boys headed off to the bring and buy stand while I said my good byes to head off and find a Go Outdoors.

There was indeed a Go Outdoors about 18 minutes away from the expo. It was near to the Fort Dunlop Travelodge where I’d stayed previously.

I bought an OEX Savo stove. The reason I went for this stove was because I hadn’t got a stove like it. I find it hard to believe that I never had a stove of this style in the fifty odd that I own. But I didn’t, and now I do.

When I got back to the camp site Diego was set up in the pitch next to mine.

Finally I was able to cook my food, I had the ribeye steak I had bought with me. I think ribeye is my favourite steak. I don’t do anything special. I season it with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. That’s it.

After tea, the three of us played some of the board games Lizzy bought at the expo or had with her. I enjoyed this gaming session. Although I didn’t record any of the games.

Then it was time to sleep.

Saturday – Day 2

Saturday morning got off to a much better start. It was much more relaxed.

There was no pressure to get to the show early. I could have breakfast, coffee, and chill. I even made Diego a morning coffee after he discovered he had left his mocha pot at home.

The OEX Savo stove and Firemaple kettle with its heat exchanger worked really well. It boiled water so fast. Rivalling a Jetboil for boil times easily.

I was still finding making myself understood frustrating.

My agenda for the day was pick up a game for Marcin, meet up with Byron, and find my friend.

Early on I met up with Byron who gave me a copy of his kickstarter game that I backed called War. He then went off to look for a couple of games.

A little later we met up in the open gaming area to play a game of War.

The first game was real quick with Byron taking the honours. Game two was more tactical and psychological. My plan nearly worked while Byron was distracted by my forces on the right, my artillery slowly got closer and closer to targeting his base. But he eventually cottoned on, burst through my distraction to grab the win. Our third and final game saw me drawing tank after tank. So they just advanced rolling over all before them and getting me a win.

I may have lost 2-1 on the day. But I’m 4-2 up if we include our earlier games from a couple years back.

Earlier in the day I bumped into Charlene and family buying games. I think Charlene and Ben must easily have larger collections than mine.

While wandering the halls I looking for my union friend I did bump into my friend Dean from Chatteris. It was good to see him. However I still didn’t see my union friend.

While waiting to meet up and collect Marcin’s game I was messaged by him asking if I could collect another two games for him. Which I gladly did.

After a bit of hide and seek I did also manage to pick up a free copy of a roll and write game called Grave Keeper that the game designer was handing out.

About 2pm time I was done with the show for the day so I headed back to camp to chill.

I have to say it was nice being able to just sit and relax outside my tent. If I’d gone back to a hotel room and stayed in the room I don’t think it would have been nearly as relaxing.

Diego and Lizzy arrived a little before our planned tea time. Yes it had been planned. The previous day Diego had booked pizza from the camp sites little bar/pizza bar for the three of us.

The pizza was pretty nice actually. Just the right size for one. And went down well with the pint of cider I had.

After chilling for a little while outside our tents it was time to hit the sack again.

Sunday – Day 3

The last day of the show.

After packing up camp and using the morning sun and breeze to dry out the ground sheet and tent outer. It was time to say goodbye to Diego and Lizzy, wish them a safe journey home, and head off for the final day of the expo.

I usually head off home around lunchtime so I arrive home mid afternoon. It gives me a chance to unpack, get any chores that cropped up while away done, and cook tea.

With that in mind my aims for the morning were to give Marcin his games, get the Star Wars Unlimited promo. Later I’d add to that short list after seeing an Osprey post on Bluesky that my friend Duncan shared.

So I headed over to the FFG Star Wars Unlimited stand to “try” the game and get this years promo card.

For the expo they were using the Han and Boba starter decks. Sadly not the new ones coming out next month.

I got to play against a visiting American to the expo who had never played the game before.

Even with the demo person helping them it wasn’t a fair matchup. They had the Boba deck while I had the Han deck.

For the demo purposes we both started with 15 points of damage.

My opening hand had two chewbacca’s. So I took my mulligan drawing into a couple of 1 cost units and the Falcon.

After playing the Falcon the fourth turn saw a pilot added to it, plus a +2/+2 buff on top, allowing it to swing in for 8 points of damage. It was game over really.

After getting the promo card I went browsing the retail stalls. Whilst browsing one a friend was helping out the retailer. So we had a brief catch up.

I then found a spot in the open gaming area to rest my wary feet and wait for Marcin to arrive.

Eventually I thought while waiting I’ll treat myself to an overpriced lunch. So I headed to a burger stand, bought their Diablo burger (meant to be a spicy hot chili burger) and a side of fries with nacho cheese and jalapeños. It was pretty tasty.

I’d not long finished when Marcin finally arrived.

After handing over his games I quickly taught War to Marcin. If Byron had still been at the show he could easily have sold a copy to Marcin.

While chatting it was revealed Jonathan had also made it to the show and the traditional show photo was taking place at 1pm.

While waiting for the photo time I headed off to the Osprey stand looking for a copy of Hairfoot Jousting. Sadly they had sold out. But the stand staff took pity on me and sold me the display copy. I then went to another stand that they pointed me to buy minis for the game. The minis were not bad price wise. The box was enough for two players to play a game with.

After catching up with Jonathan and the group photo being taken I headed back to the car and home.

The Haul

I don’t like putting photos of the games I bought at the expo on social media. It’s all to do with not wanting those in a worse place than myself feeling bad about themselves and the situation they are in.

I even have second thoughts about putting up the list of what I got on here.

None of these are big expensive games. The majority are £20 or less. Oh and Vegetable Stock although technically not bought at the expo was ordered Saturday morning over breakfast at the camp site because I couldn’t find a copy at the expo. So I’m calling it a show purchase.

Final thoughts

The expo was definitely bigger. Thanks to a “last minute” thing the organisers also got hall 1 that was used for ticket collection/purchase and the bring and buy. Which meant the aisles were wider allowing better movement on the busier days.

I’d hate to see how they would have squeezed the hall 1 stuff in if they didn’t have it. More cramped for starters I think.

For me I think the highlight of the expo as always was meeting my friends. Sadly I somehow missed my union friend. Which is the only regret on that side.

I really enjoyed the campsite and my time with Diego and Lizzy. It was amazing we were able to have pitches next to each other.

Camping I found was definitely more relaxing than staying in a hotel. A lot more chill.

The campsite itself was perfect for me. Having the on site bar and pizza was a nice bonus. The camp site shop was basic but you could get breakfast stuff plus ice cream.

I’ll definitely use the site again next year.