Around the world in 3 weeks.

((big inhale and exhale.... wooossh)) Ok, now I'm ready to write. I've finally caught my breath and am back in snuggly ol' Portland after a 3 week whirlwind tour. When I tell people, guys like my barber, that I'm heading off on some exotic business trip the first thing they always ask, "is the business of selling airbrushes really that big?"

The query is peculiar as it suggests. Some people think that the only people using airbrushes anymore are those airbrushing Playboy models (www.playboy.com), or the guy on Motorcycle build off on shows. The reality is that Art, Hobbies, Crafts, Automotive, T-Shirts, Bakery and Beauty markets (just to name a few) all use airbrushes. AND, within each of those markets is a distinct user who may use it for a reason totally different then his counterpart in the same market. So in a sense even though it is a small niche, it is still big business. Aaron, if you are listening, the world needs airbrushes and compressors, that’s why I go.

Will Naemura (the boss) and I headed over to Europe where we hosted our first International conference with our key International distributors and with our local sister companies.

Our first stop was in the UK this would be our European hub. We had to transfer from one airport to another to catch our flight the following morning to Italy. We decided to use Ryan Air (www.ryanair.com) as our inter-Europe airline. Prices are great and the availability to cities we needed to travel to was perfect. Later in our
travels we needed to go to Gothenburg, Sweden. Ryan Air had a flight for $40 ea, round trip and return on the same day!!! That price included taxes.

The International conference took place in Genoa, Italy the Italian Riviera. More specific in the Voltri area of Genoa, last train stop in the Genoa line to the west. The meetings went well; we showed new products, discussed issues with territory, fielded a few complaints and service issues and broke bread. Also, during the week a small airbrush event was taking place put on by Airbrush Art Magazine of Italy (www.airbrush.it). Giuliano Rappetti is the publisher of the magazine and promoter of the show. He was a gracious host and his event featured a couple of American artists too, Craig Fraser (www.gotpaint.com) and Steve Vandemon (www.vandemon.com). Fraser had attended school in Italy in years past so his Italian speak was passable. Vandemon had never been to Italy before and may have starved to death if it wasn't for Fraser's ability to order for him. At the show they whipped out a kick-ass graphic scheme on some local guys Jeep Wrangler as a show demo. They both seemed to have enjoyed their stay and the Italian wine of course. Will and I enjoyed the wine too and the pizza; we ate it 3 nights straight - a personal record for us both.

During our stay in Voltri we travel by train to visit Genoa. We visited the harbor, a museum, a couple of Cathedrals, a ride up the BIGO, a medieval fortified wall and of course local resident Christopher Columbus's house. It was during one of these train rides that I noticed that my camera was gone. That hurt, you can replace the camera but not the pictures! Sadness ensued and a full day of police reports and forms for insurance followed.

After the Italy trip we traveled back to the UK so that we could fly out the next day to Gothenberg to meet with our counterparts in Sweden. When we arrived at Stansted airport we had a 1/2 day to kill. Will and I decided head up to Cambridge which was about a 30 minute ride by bus. If you have never been to Cambridge go someday. Unfortunately for us it was a Sunday and everything was closed. Too Bad. But we did get to see some of the glory and prestige that is the Cambridge University (www.cam.ac.uk) system and its various colleges, most of which whose grounds were indeed open for a public stroll. The next day we flew for our quick visit to Sweden then back to the UK for one more night before heading home. We had originally planned a jaunt to Russia at the end of the trip to meet with a customer there. But it was still cold in Moscow and at the last minute we aborted the trip citing inclimate weather.

Rest at home was brief as we had just enough time to change from trowsers to shorts and head to Hawaii. We hooked up with ARTOOL (www.artoolproducts.com) Products President Gabe McCubbin in Maui where we would be staying. We commuted to Oahu to meet with our distributor in the Automotive market ASET (www.asetusa.com). Ray Odette from ASET was assiting in putting on a jobber workshop taught by renowned airbrush artist and custom painter Dennis Mathewson. Dennis is the owner of Cosmic Airbrush (www.cosmicairbrush.com) in Honolulu and is also the developer of our new series of templates appropriately dubbed TIKI MASTERS. As Dennis also carves Tiki's it was only natural that he develop airbrush templates with a Tiki theme. Later we were able to take a break and enjoy a fine traditional Hawaiian meal prepared by Dennis and his wife Susan. We watched 1 last Maui sunset before returning home. Trust me it was beautiful, I would have taken a picture if I had a camera.