Brisbane Energy Drink Journey 2017

Journey to Receive Rare Cans in Australia

The reason I suddenly went to Brisbane was to receive some rare, old energy drink cans from Australia. It's a pretty typical setup for an energy drink enthusiast, and I can't help but laugh at myself, but I think it's interesting as content, so if something like this comes up again, I'll keep doing it in the future lol

To explain a bit more about Australia, the cycle of new energy drink releases here is incredibly fast. This is my 7th overseas trip this year, and based on my personal experience across different countries, I don't think there's anywhere where the cycle is as fast as in Australia. So, if you're trying to get energy drinks from five years ago, it's almost impossible through regular hunting—it's practically hopeless, to be honest.

By the way, the ones I was able to get this time were flavors of V Energy, Monster, Rockstar, and other energy drinks that no longer appear on store shelves, which were all previously only available at inflated prices when I tried to get them two years ago. All of them were in perfect condition, and I was able to receive them at retail price per can (●´ω｀●)
I'm glad I didn't buy them back then ε-(´∀｀*)ﾎｯ

Receiving the Cans After Arriving in Brisbane

I arrived in Brisbane around 6 a.m., picked up my suitcase, and headed straight to the collector's house. It was a quiet residential area, about an hour from the airport.

I had researched beforehand, so I knew it was a quiet area, but the station was empty, and the houses were scattered beyond a forest like this.

After passing through the forest and coming out into the residential area, I saw Monster Import stickers on the road...

I thought, "There's probably only one person doing this around here," as I walked along...

Next, I saw a new design can of Mother's crushed underfoot... lol
Since it’s a quiet residential area, there's almost no littering, so energy drinks stand out lol
And this kept happening on the way to the house.

I finally arrived at the house, and after receiving over 30 cans and bottles, which weighed more than 15kg, I couldn’t carry them all in bags or pouches. So, I opened my suitcase at the dining table and carefully packed everything.

From talking with the collector, I learned they weren't a super hardcore collector; they had just kept some old cans they didn't drink. I was lucky! ((o(´∀｀)o))

If I had met a more hardcore collector, there probably would have been more hidden stock, and I might have had to forcefully bring them back. This amount was just right, lol

Hotel in Brisbane - The Hunt

A few hours after arriving in Brisbane in the early morning, I returned to the city from the suburbs and finally checked into my hotel. I was able to check in early ( ´∀｀)bｸﾞｯ!

I unpacked everything and washed them all with hot water to remove dust, grease stains, and any sticky residue. While drying them, I started sightseeing and hunting in Brisbane. Feeling energetic! lol

The area around Brisbane's Central Station is really compact, so you can walk to most places. There were plenty of convenience stores, and I think there were about four supermarkets.

Unlike in Sydney, 7-Eleven stores are dominant here, and I found one EZ MART.

There was just one city convenience store. It’s interesting how much it varies from city to city (●´ω｀●)

Securing Rockstar at a Steep Discount in Brisbane

Energy drinks are definitely expensive in Australia due to the cost of living. However! This time, I found an amazing store!

It’s a convenience store called Night Owl. It looks like a regular convenience store, but they hold regular sales, and this time, Rockstar was only $2 per can!

On top of that, there was a new Big Star release with a design renewal, which was a surprise. They told me that new products usually go on sale, so I was lucky this time. Although it was a limited sale, the Kickstart 355ml, released in 2017, was only $1 each! So cheap (*´艸｀*)

In addition to Big Star, all other Rockstar products were also on sale for $2 each. Normally, Rockstar goes for $5, lol.

I found two Night Owl stores near the Central area. If you're in Brisbane, this is definitely a must-visit convenience store lol. I had never seen one near Sydney, so it was quite a shock.

Big Haul After Two Weeks in Australia

The design of Monster's Ab Zero was renewed, so I picked that up. I also managed to secure two new SKUs of the original that I couldn't find in Sydney last time. I never expected to find so many new items after just two weeks since my Sydney trip (*´艸｀*)
But it's expensive...

I had previously avoided buying the overpriced 28BLACK, but since it was only $2 at the supermarket, I bought the black and white cans. At convenience stores, it was priced at $4.5, so it’s definitely better to grab them from the supermarket. By the way, most of the large supermarkets are underground, so you might skip them. It's best to check the map beforehand or stay alert while walking.

I also managed to get the Red Bull Kiwi Edition, which had just been released a few days before my Brisbane trip (●´ω｀●)

This whole hunt was completed in the afternoon after receiving the rare cans, so I wrapped it up in half a day. Brisbane is really compact, and everything from shopping to meals is easy (ｕ_ｕ*)

Relaxing Without Doing Anything...

Since I finished all the energy drink-related tasks on the first day, I relaxed and enjoyed Brisbane from the evening onwards. I had beer day and night (*´ｪ`*)
Since life is busy, even though it was a quick trip, I really wanted to enjoy this relaxing time in Brisbane.

The city is compact, so if you're an active person, you can walk almost everywhere. The climate is stable, and it's comfortable. I mostly went bar hopping this time ( ´∀｀)bｸﾞｯ!

I also went to Mount Coo-tha, which overlooks all of Brisbane, and the vast botanical gardens. I had beer there too lol
Considering it was a quick trip, it felt like I had a really fulfilling time. I covered most of the city, so next time, I'd like to go to an island (*´ｪ`*)

Honestly, Brisbane doesn't have many exciting tourist spots (sorry), but if you prefer to take it easy and soak in the local atmosphere rather than rushing around for tourist attractions, it’s a great place. If you have time, you can visit nearby islands or head down to the Gold Coast ( ´∀｀)bｸﾞｯ!
Even for those who can’t take a long vacation due to their busy schedules, it's a great place to refresh.

I don't think I’ll be traveling as much as I did in early 2017, but I hope to continue sharing the excitement of getting energy drinks abroad in the future (●´ω｀●)