THE WORLD CUP ASIA 2006 DREAM...

As in the previous two years, the pressure to deliver has arrived and with it the dreams...

Rather than the hazy dreams that I have had in 2004 and 2005, the dream seemed vivid and almost real. Anyway...this is how it went after the initial incomprehensible bit.

I was walking into a huge building with people in serious attires and walked into one of the most well-equipped conference room I have ever seen. There were tons of press and tv crews there and a minister was giving a speech. There were a lot of important people in the room...among them even a guy from the Olympic Council...

My dream then takes me to where I saw international friends who arrived early, doing TV and press interviews. Hell...there were even a few doing a “live” session in the studios. When I switched on the TV...there were, paintball adverts galore. I ran through the channels and seemed to see paintball on...it was fuzzy...was it ESPN or AXN? (Man, it was quite a dream).

Zooooooom….I was at the launch and I saw all the paintballers by the beach. Speeches were made by important looking fellas and pretty ladies...suddenly a guy did something and there was an eruption, and the waves started to come in.... on them I saw some California pros (wonder it was the Ironmen or Dynasty guys!) surfing towards me. There was a thunderous sound and the next thing I knew, I was signing a historic document and one by one, friends from the region come forward to sign it too. Some looked red faced...they told me it was because of the free beer...(so now we have f.o.c. beers?). It was funny but I could have sworn that somewhere in there I also saw paintballers strolling around looking pretty vain in 2007 paintball products. There was a full on stage with lights and sound...hell...we even had a live band and cultural shows...hmmm…

Tournament day came...hey, I had my full paintball gear on and no one came rushing to me...hell...I'm playing!!! All the early preparation paid off...(wow...now this dream is getting corny)

There were 2007 goods on display and I could see the whose who’s in the paintball world everywhere I turn. Best of all...I saw spectators….lot & lots of them. Nope...not our regular friends and family members but actual spectators. There was a carnival like atmosphere and the crowd was taking an interest in the games going on while getting a ton of freebies from a special draw and quiz that went on. More red faced VIP guys walked by.....(ohh...free beers there too?).

The place had lots of flags and there were at least 15 different national flags on display. Girls seemed to be everywhere...outside the field, inside the field and many people seemed to be heading to a tent for massages...(happening!!)

As how a great dream should end...I was at the closing night function and I was on the podium...now was I giving away prizes, saying goodbyes or was I receiving a prize? The closing ceremony-party... was magnificent… with some of the grandest trophies ever given out...(I woke up & wiped the saliva off)
Well... dream or vision? They say that dreams do come true and in keeping with the spirit of PALS where the dream is also yours...with your support...we can make it a reality.

Cheers...too many late nights does this to a guy...See you in December!!!

The Dreamer,
Gungho Paul