Nytrydr

Percy is a Headmaster? And his toy looks like that? There goes the next pay-packet.

To commemorate the release of Rise of the Beasts, Sketchers have produced an unlikely Tie-in. Sketchers TF Themed Shoes. I bought the white, red and blue Optimus Prime themed ones, but the darker Optimus Primal ones would have been a more practical choice. I just couldn't pick Primal over Prime, despite the movie really, really wanting me to. I have pretty big feet, and getting the right size in HK was a bit tricky, but I managed and after a bit of a wear-in period, they are very comfortable. You can get a Bumblebee and a Megatron one too from memory. Look them up, they are cool. I don't know if you can get them where you live, btu they seem a good shoe so far!

OK, I'm back from Hong Kong. I can honestly say that The Ark is the best thing in that country. It's 2 storeys of pure TF indulgence. The downstairs bit is all displays of 9 foot tall Optimus prime coming through a gate, for photos, figures, and toys, with a small eating area and a little party area with amazing freaking metallic balloons. You can order and eat there, but I don't know why you would when you can go upstairs. The shop has a small range of figures you can get in store, but quite a good selection of big figs, like the Ark figure, Robosen Prime and Grimlock (they do not sell those, but you can buy either at the space museum, oddly enough). They also have hats, cardboard masks, and other kiddie stuff. But then you go upstairs, and you find the walls are all screens. Bee and Wheeljack come along and chat, Megs breaks through the ship windscreen and attacks, Unciron flying overhead etc. Generally, the place is cool as!! Food is all Autobrand shaped, which I loved to bits. The Happy Meal, as it were, comes is a big box shaped like the Ark (kinda), and the back opens and you pull out the food. The only issue I had is that all the drinks are boba or bubble tea and they are, each and every one of them was disgusting in both texture and taste, you can't get a Coke or a Pepsi branded drink in the place but you can get Evian water, and it is served chilled, and you can get a cup with ice, which in Hong Kong, is virtually unheard of. The prices, by HKD standards are very, very cheap, the quality of the food is good, the place is easy to find (Central MTR, Times Square exit is directly opposite) and the staff are friendly, if not as knowledgeable about the Transformerverse as they ought to be. They have a special offer on at present, if you go there and buy food, you get a discount on Transformers Branded Sketchers shoes (I'm wearing the Optimus Prime ones as we speak) and it's a good deal. Brand Name shoes are cheaper by far in HKD than in Australia. When I bought my shoes, I also got a free thermal drink bottle with Autobot branding. You can also buy one of 2 "hampers". One comes with a baseball Cap with The Ark logo, a drink bottle and a keep-warm mug. The other comes with a reversible bucket hat with Ark decals, a BIG Autobot symbol cushion and an Ark international travel adaptor (which saved my electronic ass in HK tbh). I'm biased, of course, because I have been a TransFan since 1985, this put me in a vastly different age group and demo than I think they were expecting, frankly. I was older that everyone except the boss, and he didn't seem to know a thing about the toys or the show (though he was atypically nice, friendly and helpful for someone who lives in HK). I could not, therefore geek out with even the guys in the shop about how amazing the place was. My 17 and 14 year olds were likewise impressed by the place. I can't recommend a visit to HK but if you do go, go to the Ark. You will not regret it. Till all are one!