Paneristi Public Forum: Dream Believe ........ Magic Happens >>>

Geeday Mates from the Land Down Under ............

I have been trying to get the time to post a follow up report on the Madness that was my trip to Pday and Italy ,, I keep finding a few hours here
or half a day there but always I think that wont be enough time , I mean so much happened and all those images to resize , rename , edit and post ,
add text , BUGGER

I have finally come to the realization that there will NEVER be enough Time ................... Don't ya hate That

There were just so many Memories worthy of mention , thus I have concluded that it would be impossible to even try , I just want to share some and
in my heart I will always have the others for the rest of my Life ..................

Dreams ............

For me the DREAM has been since 2000 to visit the Birthplace of my Passion , and to 1 day attend a PDay and meet the many mates I have posted with for so long ,
Mates that mean the World to Me , Mates who we've shared Good Times and some Bad ,, it was with such great Excitement that I departed on my first
trip in years to head to PDay 4 and on to Italy ,, All Ports of Call

Well what can I say .................

Perhaps I have said it BEST already .............

What a RUSH it was , of that there can be NO Doubt .............

Departing home it took me some 2+ days to get to Europe , I arrived to meet my beste maatje Philip and his Wife Nickie ,
what a time we had Maatjes , The Ride of my Life Begins

Who so kindly collected me from the Brussels Airport to deliver me via a stop over at my Authorized Panerai Dealer in Knokke ,
Vincent from Gilson's and his Lovely Wife , Dank U Always a Pleasure to be back with you Again

Of course I go directly from International Flight to my Panerai AD , Normal Right

My Maatje Vincent had these Treasures for me to Collect ...

The Omeris Pam 210 .....

Ohhhhh My Baby Pam 217 Destro Marina Militare ....

Note :
Both shots taken in shower recess of hotel in Volker's town at 03:34 (Damn Jetlag) 72 hours and 2 with sleep , going GOOD , Not Really but who Cares

After the visit to my AD and the Cartier Shop it was then forward to my best mates (since 11) place in Bruges to meet his First Baby , A Son "Mattice" ..

We just had a blast , having not seen each other in 1 year was just great to hang and relive old memories again and make some new ones , after a big night
we went to sleep (lol) 03:00 ,, needing to be up at 07:00 to be ready for that Bugger Asi to collect my then VERY Sorry arse for the trip to the Holy Land , VolkerVille

After a 08:00 kick off were were in his pimp daddy mobile and on the way to Greisham , BUT , Along the way we had to make a Down Under Drive By at
PANEREX and a Coffee with our mates Philip and Nickie

My Dear Maatjes again , Dank U for Everything

But oh NO is this a sign of things to COME ...........

Speaking of Volker , After Asi collected me from Bruges we went directly to the HOME of the DUNNERKEIL for something really GR8

Full day drive and we find the hotel with just enough time to shower before meeting some very Special Mates , Frank & Esther ,, You RULE

Volker , Barbel and Emily , Everyone .. Danke so Much

A simply Splendid evening was had by all , you know after like 5 years of mails to Volker I had seen images from his home , and there I was actually standing in familiar surrounds , SURREAL U Bet

Next morning EARLY , what a surprise , (having had a cracka night hyped with Jetlag and PDay Excitement plus 0 sleep but a couple of very happy hours shooting images in the shower , ) Asi and I meet to drive to Frankfurt

Thanks Bijo you keep it under 200kpm , I have a young Family

We dropped his wheels (Luxury Bijo) at his Frankfurt Office and headed to the Hilton and the Venue of PDay ... Venue of my Destruction more like

Just a nice shot of something I saw across the road from Asi's German HQ , we don't see that kind of thing DU

Batter Up .... 4 days of PDay Festivities , Oh Heart Be Still .................

In NO Bloody Order at all , most of these images are mine but some I just had to pinch they were too GOOD , Sorry mates let me know if you mind and will edit instantly , but big THX if O.K.

These were just a snippet of those captured for Prosperity .......

Volker your the Eternal Spirit of Paneristi My Friend ..............

The Sinn Factory and Tour , Bugger Me , Danke so much to the PDay Organizing Committee for this TREAT , to actually venture into a real working factory is rare and I know I speak for all when I say very much Appreciated

The Assembly Line .. Gotta love the Feng Shui

I am so SORRY I have not noted this kind blokes name , he was the HOST with the Most from SINN , Taking time to Answer All and being very Open and hospitable ,,, Sending a DU Tanks Mate

Here Scoop is asking him if he can do the German Chicken Dance

Martin and his Rubber Fetish ..........

Just in case one forgets , Instructions are always Good .....

Testing the Spec's of some Watches , No Doubts , Precision , Precision ...

Vintage 1940's Panerai 3646 Rolex Cal Dial under Test , Kinda Old Sckool goes High Tech .. Only in Germany

Not bad really , after like 50+ years and never had a Service

(treat em mean keep em keen)

Thought this was KOOL , Who can Guess what it Does >> ???

Winds up to 150 Watches at Once (might be good for you JB

)

Looking for a Case .......... Project Watch Anyone .......

ATM Testing ,, Where are those Vintage Panerai's .........

One of the Star's of the SINN range is a deep and I mean DEEP Depth Rated Divers

To Achieve this the case's are filled with a GAS , Here the Machine pumps in the Gas and Tests Backflow ,, Unreal ...

The First BIG night of PDay , Insane on the Membrane , I was so running on Empty , Oh MY....... 02:00 Hilton Asian Bar ,, Not Good , not good at All

The LADS .. First to Arrive ,,, LAST to LEAVE ...... Respect

Seems they knew I was coming and wanted to warn everyone , cant say I blame em really .... BUGGER ....

Here is a Face that I wont Forget .... Is that a Feckin Large Panerai on your wrist or U just Happy 2 C Me

Speaking of that , how can we ever forget the De-Railing Incident ,, Incredible ....

I just could NOT believe the level at action this got from Authorities , would take a WAR DU (down Under) to see that many response people at once !

Heck I don't think we have that many in my Whole City

If this happened DU you would just get off and hope you were close to a Pub

OR ...... I know we can NEVER forget this Strange Unit ( I am still thinking he was an Anonimo Spy)

I MEAN check this OUT , Look at his Moves .... Man >>>

Can you Sing ,,,,,, Y , M , C , A ......

Or who could FORGET that SWEET Music , Respect Brudda U blew me Away , Vodka Helped but you were GOOD , Berry Good

What's all this Powder Lad's ???

Hair Conditioner Mates , Try it wont Kill Ya

Couple MORE Pictorial Highlights for me of Pday .....

Tom , You Da Man you should be in Movies

P61 on the SOUL Train .........

Esther getting Funky ... Photog's BEWARE .........

Super T , Finally we meet , Was Grande , Best Bunch of Mates

Diego getting Serious .... You said *WHAT .........

Meeting the Legend Piero from Club Panerai ..........

And another ,, Meeting JB was a Treat ....

Orange & Yellow , Bill & Ben ....

Don't see this every day , a Bear , an Old Lady and a BUNCH of Paneristi

Easy Tiger ..................

Wanna buy a watch ..........

Ralf from Germany shares is vast knowledge on Vintage Watches , and how fast you can drive in Germany

Vanni from Italy just enjoying the Moment ...

The Bezelator ponders his Possibilities ...............

Time to get Physical ........

I see ORANGE ............

Just suckin down some Chillin juice , Maxin , Relaxin that Ain't to Taxin , The Samurai & Gary get Real ,,, real STRANGE

Couple at the SINN Tour P61 & Mossy ...

Excuse me do you know where is the Toilet .... Does it Cost ?

I Really was in Heaven , Simona & Benedetta got stuck with me for Dinner (cant help bad luck hey)

Buggered U Bet ............. NO ,,, All I need is a Top UP .......... Apple Beer ... Ouch ....

Volker , Jacopo (your the best beralios), Tom and Frank P61 ......

I just can't keep my Eye Open , oh will I ever SLEEP

Israeli Aussie PDay Connection ........

Passion ,,,, U Bet ..... The Funk Man .....

The Lovely Nicky , The Pleasure was ALL Mine to meet you Mate , Enjoy that world Timer

Multi National Mod Squad , USA Jay , U.K. Andy , Aussie Twit & Euro Orange ..

Another Top Bloke I was look forward to Meet ... Geeday Deano

Scoop goes DU Tropo , See in Nov DU Lewis

Here is a bloke who I never really got to party with and one of my regrets , Hola KH , No idea who the heck that was in Black (I mean Orange) , Piero & Yella Terror ..

Bed at 04:00 and at 06:00 Big Day ahead , first cab off the ranks is to Reunite 3 Old Mates at Breakfast and have Jay SHOOT Them , watches mates , watches .

3 Special Kampfschwimmers reunite after 60 years

I feel so in LOVE with this Baby at Pday .........

Thanks (U Bugger) for getting me this Daytona for Breakfast Last Day , Very Excited to see it ...

Meeting Philip and Asi the DREAM Continues ..... 3600km in a car to Italy and return in 3 days with the BEST Maatjes

Can you Imagine , A Belgium Bugger , An Israeli Bijo & An Aussie Digger ,driving in a Swedish Car through Europe , An Accident waiting to happen imho >>>

Philip and Asi and thier GPS Systems (yes 2 , one Swedish , one Hebrew) but that is another story for Later , Just ask Me

Come on Asi , Smoke Up Bijo , Only another 12 Hours to Go

Coming from Aussie the last time I drove over 100kpm was like 10 years ago , so this was SURE to make me WORRY

(not to mention Mario Andretti Fastre behind the Wheel)

Italian Road Tolls (well that is another Story) (bit like paying to use toilets)

Finally we arrive ,, well not that fast actually , once we entered Firenze we had to find the Hotel , at one stage the GPS said we were 3km away , great I thought but why then 1 hour later did it say 7 ,, mysteries >> ??

Mind you better than taking that flight that Gary , Kurt and Other Took

Stopping at The Spiritual HOME of Panerai ,, Firenze to collect A USA Kool Cat & A Canadian Wild Man so now we have A Belgium Bugger , An Israeli Bijo , An Aussie Digger , A USA Kool Cat & A Canadian Wild Man , Driving in a Swedish Car through Italy .. That is RICH

An Accident Absolutely ABOUT to happen imho >>

Don't Mix with This >>>

Onwards we pushed in 18 hours we saw Portofino (A Stunning Paradise) I am Feeling the Spirit of Italy

Just DEVINE ....

Can it really be ....

Yes ..... It CAN ,, The Portofino Boutique >>>>>

Meeting the ONE & ONLY Gabriella

Sorry we made you miss your Lunch , BUGGER , but we all Appreciated your Time , Thank You Gabriella and please watch out for the Cats (lol)

No .. Impossible is this the LAST BNIB Fiddy in the World

No Flies on you Philip , Stole right from under me Eyes

BUGGER

I am SURE I Hate YOU ;-( (Well more than I did before)

On we push like mates Possessed and Thirsty for MORE ......

La Spezia (still pinching myself) Totally Over POWERING .......

After reading every book and resource I could many relating to these Legendary SLC's to finally meet one in the Flesh , I can't believe it ..

Imagine wearing those suits and riding on an SLC >> BRAVE Men IMHO ..

SLC Sub Cylinders used to hold the SLC's on journey to Mission's ....

Anti Sub Defense Cutters carried on the SLC and used by # 2 ........

The HOLY Grail Vintage PASSION ...

And the Famous Owner is .....

So Many DREAMS , SURREAL The Olterra 4 REAL , Words fail me ...

Olterra Plaque

The Olterra Bow with SECRET Under Waterline Hatch .....

Pinch Myself AGAIN .......

Quick we must Go ,,, (running in fact , true , true) destination Ferretti Watches in Monticantini ,, Oh My ...

Can you Imagine this day , Portofino , La Spezia & Ferretti Watches >> I have died and am in Heaven .....

Just to DROOL Over Mates .....................

Mr. Ferretti had one more Secret , This New Watch >>>> Very 1000m Ish ........ Massive Case ,, TASTY >>>>

The Initials BB come to Mind >>> Cracka Size >>>

OMG .......... The MOTHER LOAD

I am in HEAVEN

The First & Only Ref 2533

Cali Dial Lovin

Grazie Mr. Ferretti

For all your help and assistance I am HUMBLED , Grazie , Grazie

As a Dial FREAK I loved to see and touch , lol , these

This is the watch that haunts me these days , the Baby Egiziano 6154 ...

Look at this Dial ...... If ONLY it could Speak .....

Just a MAGIC day arriving back into Firenze at 23:00 only to drop Kirk and Gary at the Hotel then push on ,, To the Wildest Italian Villa you could ever Dream of (Merci Mon Ami) in the Hills of Tuscany outside Firenze (Absolute Nirvana) arriving 00:30 ish and after the BEST meal I had had in Italy thus far (a bread roll , slice of cheese and can of Coke) we headed back to Firenze and our Hotel arriving at 02:30 , Feeling GR8 (NO)

But Honestly can you imagine the day I had , I was BUZZIN Like a Bee in Honey

Tried my luck at Entry into the Boutique , I kept a Knocking but could NOT come in ,, Bugger they were Closed , Who would have Thought

A shower and shave and up at 06:00 for breakfast with Simona & Benedatta which was then my Best and LAST meal in Italy

So many things I wanted to Try , Experience , Eat & Drink , It was NOT to Be but what was had was ..... MAGIC

Now I dream of my next visit to Italy , I shall stay a Year , Just so Thirsty for MORE

The Highlight of Highlights , The Firenze Boutique ,, The SOURCE ...

And my LONG overdue meeting with a Berry Special Lady & Mate ,, Patrizia ... (my luck is unbelievable)

All the Crew were there , Barbara, Paola , Crazy Mate Giuseppe and Leonardo the Great .......

Panerai , History Matters ,, Can it get any Better ,, U Bet

Now ..... To The MUSEUM , What a RUSH , I am Here at Last >> Kool Door Huh ?

Meeting my Old Friend Leonardo we venture into the Panerai Museum , This Completes Me

Sorry No Pic's in the Museum , I will leave that part to your Imagination , Passion Baby , BUT , It was GOOD , So Good , U Bet

Again coming from a country like Australia Firenze was mind blowing , I mean anything older than 20 years were I live is torn down and rebuilt , to see and learn about this country , This City (thanks for the history lesion bijo) was out of my world , just made me Stop ...... Look & Gaze in AWE this city is Breathtaking , You can Feel it in your Soul ,, Viva Italy

Rushing to leave by 12:00 , just one for my mate Gary (your a Class Act Gazza ,, THX for Everything)

More BEAUTY It's EVERYWHERE ..........

From my Hotel Window , it just NEVER Stops , Do I love Firenze ... Confirmed .....

Can you Believe our very own *()R()* has Retail Outlet in the Panerai Holy Land ,, Opa

Shame it was closed seems the bar was open and ()R() was Caning On like a Mongrel ......

No MORE Beers , I NEED Sleep

No Luck

Just on 12:00 , We , the 3 Amigo's depart Firenze for the LONG drive back 12+ hours to Frankfurt to drop Asi at Airport at like 23:45 and still forward to Belgium arriving at like 03:45 or such , sleep , no way we up at 06:00 for some good times and my FIRST Real Italian Feed , albeit in Belgium and then back to Bruges arriving at 17:00 , Dank U Mates for the Road Trip from HELL , I will NEVER Forget it

At this point I was a mess , simply , but still high on the Passion of my Adventure ...

One day and night to recover with mates in Belgium , There is a God , I so NEEDED That

Up at crack of Sparrow Fart and Jump a train trip to Antwerp to meet up with the Belgium Crew for what was a Gr8 Time to say the Least

The Crew , Mr. & Mrs. Orange , Patrick and Princess of the BUGGER .......

Straight to a Belgium Pub , of Course , Orange U Bugger feel free to share the story of the owner and his DAUGHTER for us , lol , small World

I collected that 6 Pack when I got home

And this one also please maatje , I know I shall bugger it up ........

WTF is this , do these Exist , No ?? (maybe Stereo MC's Courtesy Vehicle)

This is Rich ,, Blessed >>>>

A Special Meeting , Mr. Yellow the One , The ONLY , my Mate ....

Your HARDCORE and we all want MORE

DUVAL me Baby , I earn my Red Cap

(Initiation was a Bi-atch)

Followed by 2 days of Meets and Greetz with Mates in Bruges and Knokke , time with the Baby , Breakfast with my Cartier AD , Isabel and her Family , Visit to Vincent from Gilson's to discuss ALL things Panerai , then a Trip for 1 day to London for a night with some of the U.K. Mods and Guy The Founding Father or Paneristi >>> This just keeps getting BETTER

Deciding to take the Ero-Train , I was Amazed , Better than flying from Brussels for sure , freaky really , one minute we were reading and speaking Dutch and Flemish and then it goes dark and soon after were speaking and seeing English , Spacey , Arriving into London to be greeted by the man himself Paul & Pday Party Man Andy , Quick Chat and decided best to take the directions given from Rapers (always a GOOD Idea) and purchased Tickets on London eye , this I never *IMAGINED*, WTF , Oh what a *RIDE .....

Paul / Andy tell us all about Branson's marketing for the Launch of the BA Eye , that is Funny

The VIEWS , Hey is that a Cucumber I see or is London just Horny , lol ......

More ........

Just Amazing in SIZE

This is REALLY Rich

Meeting the Paneristi Heavy Weights , WTF ya cant find a Pub OPEN at 22:00 in London ? Should be Illegal

Guy , Paul , Rapers & Andy , You Blokes R Good Eggs , Thanks for the Memories

Special Moment , Meeting the Paneristi Founder Guy ......

Even saw my First SUBZILLA ,, Me Like , Me Like , Dreaming about that SlyTech Zilla

Hey Andy , Fess up and SHARE your special Thought with us >> Will Ya ?? Dare Ya .......

After this Dinner I felt I was better educated about 3 things :

1/ My Understanding of just HOW Important Good HiFi is

2/ Everyone in London has an Ipod and the Batteries should last longer than Rapers does

3/ Congestion tax is Bollacks

Thank God for Close

Rapers kindly offered me a bed for the night and the chance to meet his family , well some of them anyway , Rapers and I had if you will the first Panerai GTG DU a few years back so really was nice to be a guest in his home after so long , Thank You and Your Family

(thanks Andy you were right , toffee worked a treat)

Off to bed , lol , Awake at 06:00 for a nice breakfast with the Family, hitch a ride to the station for 1 train to another station for another Train to Heathrow , 5 hours till board for a 3 day trip home with a 13 hour stop over in Singapore where I took advantage of the freakin long lay over

(trying to keep positive and all) I had another Kodiak Moment

Meeting my BESTEST Mate Bosman from Visiotime and his Brother , We been trading together for 5 years , U 2 are the KOOLEST >> Dudes >> EVER

Thanks Bosman for all the Years of Mateship

Back to the BEST Airport in the World imho (what would I know , lol) Changi finally to arrive in Australia , Only to have 2 more domestic flights to get back , to , HOME , Covering some 30,000km's in 17 Sleepless Days , I was a tired and shattered man , but >>> A HAPPY ONE , Best time of my Life ... Living La Vido Loco

Didn't want to miss a Wink , Can u blame me >> ?? ,, Still I will say it only once ,, LOL >> So MUCH More than just a Watch

So important to share my Trip of Dreams with my Mates , Surely no one else is interested , lol ...

So MANY Moments , I Shall NEVER Forget , So MANY Special Mates , So MUCH More than just a watch .....

Dreams do come TRUE

Report Pending ................ Report Completed

Sorry for Typo's Spelling & Grammar Sent from my BlackBerry. ( U Bet )

My life changed when I bought a Panerai , Oh YES it DID

(praying my Bandwith Holds Tru Blu)

PDay , We Came , We Kicked Arse , And Oh So MUCH More than just a Watch .......

Cheer's & Beer's ,,, Hoo Roo Hammer