Picture the scene: an endless supply of exclusive Pokémon merchandise lies before you and you have a pocket full of savings. You pass a plush toy, a playmat, a bag; before you know it, you’re at the checkout counter, paying thousands of dollars straight up. It’s all a bit of a blur.

I’ve been incredibly fortunate to be able to attend Pokémon events before, including the past two World Championships. While the Pokémon Center in Tokyo was in a league of its own, nothing beats a Worlds pop-up store, and Hawaii had such great theming and teasers that I was willing to break the bank when I got to the store.

Most items at these events tend to sell out within a day or two, so with that knowledge I spared no expense in scouring the aisles and grabbing anything and everything I wanted. I never have a plan for these kinds of things and don’t do any prep work by looking at pictures and streams of people who’ve been there before. I just grab a bag and go – ignoring the desperate cries of my wallet.

There were the obvious things I wanted to buy, like the exclusive plush toys and TCG products. But there comes a point at these Pokémon events where your head goes blank and before you know it, you have a few bags full of shirts and a ukulele that you have to struggle to fit into your suitcase.