You Simply Can't Lick It!

THE vibrators are back in their boxes, the costumes have beer packed away and New Zealand! - first Erotica Expo is over. The Expo was heralded a huge success by all involved, its colour and flair dazzling all who walked through the doors of Auckland's Greenlane Expo Centre over the three-day weekend.

Included in the 16,000 were many couples and women, with the show exceeding the organisers wildest expectations. "It's utterly phenomenal," says Fiona Gibb. "It's so great to see this finally come to fruition."

Gibb organised the expo after seeing it in Australia a few years ago.

It featured a tattoo parlour, an erotic art exhibition, various - educational promotions and stands selling videos, sex aids, sexual potency potions.

At the private stands, fans had their photos taken with gorgeous Hungarian adult entertainer Vivienne.

And Australian Penthouse pet Bree (pictured at bottom with, from left, Truth sales manager John Cozens and reporters Marcus Forbes and MR POPULAR: Jamie Mclk Steve Hopkins), was on hand to sign copies of last weeks issue to raise money for Project Timor.

Comedian Mike King and a concert party go to Timor in September to cheer our troops up with some fine Kiwi entertainment. Continuous live entertainment provided a backdrop to the commercial concourse.

Adrian Jones, who had one of the biggest stalls with her adult concepts collection from The Den, whipped up a lot of interest with lashes, leather and rubber wear.

"Everyone's happy, it's gone really well," she says.

Susie Seymour, Bodybitz exhibitor and a judge for the Miss Erotica pageant, told Truth that the expo compared very well with those that have been held in Australia, where she now lives.

In fact, the weekend was both a breath of fresh air and a new and effective answer to relationship problems. "Forget counselling or therapists just go to Erotica," laughed Susie.

Susie returned to Auckland especially for the weekend extrava-ganza.

Many of the expo goers said Erotica had given the sex industry more respectability.

With stands already booked for next year's expo, Gibb says the show can only get bigger and better.