Ali G said:
Just don't get sucked in by all the nifty yes-you-absolutely-need-these knick knacks!
Plenty of them on show.
Ended up spending $0.00 extra (not even food, which was pre-purchased) and really got my money's worth (staying 6.5hrs but still not seeing everything).
2005 must go down as the year of the massage machine. Electronic Chairs, springy things, feet vibrating things and Transcutaneouse Electronic Neural Stimulation units; you name it, it was all there!
More seriously, there were some useful talks from the Reno Bros (not to be confused with Reno Kings), Consumer Affairs and more.
And there was actually a stand selling investment property. One could have put a deposit bond on an OTP $400k 2br hotel appt unit in Northern NSW if one wanted to. And of course it's cashflow positive, will grow by 7-9% pa, 'free' financial advice and flights up if you sign!
Next stall, please.
Heaps of stuff on roofing, solar heating, kitchens, bathrooms, furniture, etc. Very nice but mostly above my budget or current needs. Still useful though to gather awareness of what's new. For instance, steel building frames and a softer concrete alternative for playground areas appealed to me. Some clever things are being done with coloured concrete cladding, as demonstrated in the model house.
The stands were well-presented, with some great widget demos (and fun people doing them). Most impressive was the guy who was painting with a sponge thingy much more effectively than with a normal brush. A close second was the bathroom tile cutting tool.
'Most helpful staff' award was won by the Victorian Garden Cottages Stand, where, though we weren't talking about his product, gave some very handy renovation tips (making a 1970s property look 1980s style).
So overall, a worthwhile day.
Regards, Peter
