This is a loooong one folks, better find a different report to read if you don't like 'em long!
I learned long ago that CET is much more generous with comps for a low roller like me if I book rooms WAY in advance. I always go to Las Vegas in July for at least 5 nights, so I checked the CET website for room options and CP showed as comped for 5 nights in a forum tower room….seriously? By the way, I am a nickel multi-hand VP player, so if massive wins high-rolling and lots of drinking turn your crank, might as well stop reading here!
I really like the VP machines at the Flamingo, but a room there never did show as comped for the full 5 nights. So this was a different trip for me in two ways….first, it’s my first time to stay at Caesars and second…it’s my first trip in years I would stay at the same property for 5 nights and not move during my trip. I was looking forward to both!
Sunday July 3rd:
My usual parking option in STL had been sold to another company and the parking rates doubled to $11.99/day. None of my family would be home this evening, so I decided to book the Hampton Inn Airport using HHonor points and not deal with the 2 hour drive to STL Monday morning before my flight. Plus, they let me park for free with an easy shuttle to the airport. I arrived Sunday night right before severe storms hit…again.
Monday July 4th:
My airline of choice is SW, but they wanted $500 RT direct to STL. My plan this trip was either find reasonable airfare or cancel, which motivated me to search all the airlines every day. I was willing to take a non-direct flight, but not willing to suffer to do so.
5 weeks prior to my trip, AA had a one day sale and I was able to book STL-LAX-LV for $94 each way…great price! I was proud of myself for bargain hunting until SW dropped their price 3 weeks before my trip to $109 each way for the direct flights. Shit. In all my years of traveling to LV in July, SW has never dropped flight prices from STL and I usually have to fly out of KC. Oh well, at least I was going!
Easy shuttle to the airport and virtually no one in security. I was lucky to be in Group 2 so I didn’t have to worry about carry-on room. I had planned to pay the $50 RT to check my bag as I had a 3.5 hour layover in LAX, but when I checked flights; there was a flight to LV leaving 30 minutes after my plane landed. AA now charges $50 for standby (jerks) but it would save me the $50 not checking my bag. IF I could pack a carryon for 5 nights. Fortunately, it’s summer and shorts/tshirts don’t take up much room…mission accomplished.
Flight to LAX was full but I had a nice aisle seat and bought WIFI for $4.95. I thought it was much more expensive for the long flights, but I thought this was a deal for the 4 hour flight. Honestly, I’m usually counting the minute’s enroute to LV and this was the fastest flight ever! I cruised all the chat boards and read trip reports, and kept an eye on the LV flight I wanted, still seats available.
We landed 20 minutes early and the LV flight was only a few gates away, already boarding. I approached the gentleman working the AA desk and asked if standby was available. He said he could get me an aisle seat for $50, rock on. I walked directly on the plane, plenty of overhead space left, thank god, and off we went! Will I trade $50 for 3 more hours in LV and not sitting in an airport…you bet! Quick flight to LV, arrived at 1:10pm local time.
AA arrives at the D concourse so I took the tram to the main terminal and walked out to a very short taxi line. Hopped in a cab, had a great driver, a young Middle Eastern man who took me the right route with no jacking around. Fare was $16 and he earned a nice tip.
There were 4 people ahead of me in the Platinum line. Now, I was really worried for the last two weeks that Caesars would bump me down to the Roman tower since July 4th is so busy. I had done extensive research on the rooms and, even tho the Palace and Augustus Towers are “nicer” than the Forum tower, I knew I would be very happy with the Forum room I had booked. I also knew I would NOT be happy with the Roman tower at all. I travel on business every week and am a room snob. I wanted a nice room for 5 nights and, if they were downgrading me, I was prepared to tip well for an upgrade.
I had one of the nicest checkin gals I’ve ever had. She asked if I was excited to be comped in a Forum Deluxe room for 5 nights and I said “Hell yea!”. She had exactly the room I wanted….King bed, near the elevators and ice machines (although the Forum hallways are not very long at all), no connecting door, robes in the room. She offered me an upgrade to a Forum Suite for only $120/night (usually $400 LOL) which I quickly declined. I was thrilled that exactly the room I wanted was ready at 2pm.
I found my way to the Forum Tower, yep, you drag your bag through the casino. My room was closest to the elevators and the ice machine was right around the corner. Really nice room, looks exactly like the pics on the website. I have a partial strip view, which wasn’t really important to me. I do enjoy a nice strip view, but it’s not a deal breaker for me.
Do some unpacking, which seems odd as I can completely unpack and not move in a couple of days! Walk over to the Flamingo to play my fave VP machines. I hit a number of quads but only enough to keep playing and nothing to cash out. Get hungry and can’t decide what to do for dinner, although I do know to eat early on July 4th as the crowds are bad. End up at MunchBar in Caesars and have an excellent blue cheese & mushroom burger and some really good fries. Pay for dinner with reward points.
Head back up to my room and call home with trip details. Decide to gamble at the Flamingo again…bad decision. Few quads and some degenerate gambling, then back to my room. Shower, lounge around in my robe, and crash….exhausted from the long day of travel. So damn excited my vacation is still all ahead of me!
Observations:
• What possesses people to just STOP, a complete STOP, when walking on a crowded sidewalk or casino? Jag to the side for god’s sake.
• It seems young parents let their 2 year old cry and throw absolute fits on the plane to “express themselves”. My parents would have expressed themselves and I wouldn’t have been able to sit for a week. I can bitch about this…I flew with 3 children and they NEVER EVER acted like that. Geez.
• The first day in Vegas is the most awesome feeling ever…it’s all in front of you!
• Caesars Palace is MASSIVE but I can get to the strip from the Forum Tower in minutes…no worries.
• If you are driving a scooter and pulling a little wagon behind it, it’s just not cool to blast through the crowds walking the strip. Kinda funny though.
Tuesday July 5th:
I’m not only not at work, I’m in Vegas…it’s all good! EXCEPT my Vegas buddy and dentist calle d me at 6am…ugh. I had woken up at 4:30am (6:30am CT) and coaxed myself back to sleep in my dark, cold cave. I dove for the phone when it rang, fearful something was wrong at home. No…he wants to be here so bad he “forgot” about the time difference. So much for sleeping in on vacation!
I walked over for the breakfast buffet at Harrahs ($5 off coupon, paid the rest with points) and man was it awesome! I’ve detailed my breakfast habits in one trip report after another, I just like the basics plus LOTS of crisp bacon. The bacon was perfect, the scrambled eggs very good, biscuits and gravy were great. The real standout was the eggs bene, cooked absolutely perfect.
There was a man dining solo near me and, unprompted, he called to me saying “is there anything cheap in Vegas?”. I chuckled and said no. Now, he was a big guy eating plate after plate of breakfast meats, I would challenge that Flavors Buffet could be considered cheap for the volume he was slamming down. Then he asked where I was staying. Not to be distracted from my bacon, I mumbled Caesars. He hollered that he was staying at the Mirage and was enroute to the WSOP at the Rio. He was seated at least 20ft away and I started getting the feeling he was hitting on me. In the breakfast buffet. Wow.
I squinted to see if he had teeth, most of the guys that hit on me nowadays don’t…LOL. Yep, there were definitely teeth behind that grizzly adams beard. I hurried through the rest of my food to make a quick escape while he went back for a fifth plate.
Back to the Flamingo for more losing VP. I played until tix4tonight opened at Bills at 10am. I have been very excited to see Absinthe, all the reviews have been great, likening it to Rocky Horror Picture Show meets Cirque. I stood in line for an hour to save $25 and bought a GA ticket for $56.
Decided to shuttle to the Orleans and Gold Coast to play some VP for my Vegas buddy dentist. He gave me some $$ to play on his card to keep his points active. I also had $10 freeplay at the Orleans. Lost a little at the GC, cashed out $11.50 from my $10 freeplay at the Orleans. Lost my buddy’s money at the Orleans. I used to be a huge Orleans fan, I still love the property and it still feels like home, but I can’t win a dime there. Ever.
Shuttled back to the Strip. One of the Orleans shuttles had a sign saying those using the shuttle were required to show a room key. The shuttle wasn’t full at any of the stops and the driver didn’t ask.
Played some more losing VP at the Flamingo, I just can’t win a dime this trip. So depressing. I’ve had trips like this before and they usually don’t turn around.
Walked back to my room for a nap. Didn’t nap, but did enjoy several hours of Law & Order with no chores to do. For those of you that worry about the CET motion detectors in the Caesars rooms, my room has stayed nice and cool even when I’m gone.
I had wanted to check out the pools today, but know you need to arrive early to get a lounger. Buying the Absinthe ticket and standing in line so long put an end to that idea, definitely tomorrow!
Went to Jimmy Buffet’s place for dinner using a $30 Groupon I had purchased months ago for $15. There are several items I love here and I go every trip. I started with a side salad, very good. Ordered the Jerk Chicken with an extra side of their island rice, I so love that rice. Iced Tea to drink and my total bill was $29.81! I didn’t calculate what the total would be as I was happy to pay a few dollars more, not sure I could have come much closer. Service was good and I left a $6 tip.
Back to my room to shower and get ready for Absinthe. I was happy this show is really casual as I didn’t feel like dressing up. The said to arrive an hour early to enjoy the beer garden, but I arrived 20 minutes early and people were lined up to get in. People watched for 10 minutes until the doors opened. I only noticed 6 people with VIP tickets who get in first.
I made a crucial mistake and sat in the back row. I had read not to sit in the first row as the close-up action is scary. The back row was still only 20 feet or so from the stage, the problem is there are several rows of chairs on each “level” so you have at least 2 rows in from of you the same height. A guy came in late and sat in the seat right in front of my, he was at least 7ft all. With big bushy curly hair. He moved his head constantly, so it was hard to see. I’ve read there isn’t a bad seat, I don’t agree.
Unfortunately, I only cared that I couldn’t see for the first 15 minutes. How dare they compare this to my beloved Rocky Horror Picture Show? I love raunchy comedy, especially in Vegas, and have seen Zumanity multiple times. The acts were good, some even amazing, but the comedy was so cheesy, it just didn’t strike me as funny. The Gazillionaire stuck his obviously stuffed crotch in people’s faces over and over. It was funny the first four or five times, but good lord, move on already. And his voice….fingernails on a chalk board. I was prepared to laugh my a$$ off, didn’t happen. Vinnie Favorito is funny, Zumanity is funny, this just wasn’t funny to me. I’m pissed I paid $56 for a ticket, and gave up a pool day to stand in line for that ticket.
The show has gotten great reviews from most reviews on the chat board, so my opinion is just my own. They would have to pay me to go back.
I left the show a little early (and I wasn’t alone) and went back to the Flamingo for more losing VP. The only ticket I’ve cashed this trip is one for $40. It’s getting hard to be positive.
Back to my nice cool room and wonderful bed! I was really worried Caesar’s would be too big and, as you can tell, I don’t play here. It’s been a non-issue. I’ve found some nice shortcuts to the strip and would definitely stay here again, if CET decided to over-comp me again!
Observations:
• I can’t believe how many people riding the Coast shuttle don’t tip the driver. By my calculations, only 10% dropped a dollar in the bucket. It’s a great free service, I think they should properly take care of the driver.
• Wow, the gladiator type heels have become all the rage since my last trip!
• The girls tottering on those heels crack me up, although I am jealous of most of them…LOL.
• Shooting off a giant firework on the walkway over the strip is stupid. It blew up everywhere and I had a bunch of stinky firework-crap in my hair.
• Not a good idea to return to the room late night hungry with all the mini-bar items sitting on the dresser. I’m weak.
• Vegas is always fun, but it’s more fun to at least get one or two cashable hits.
• I LOVE the strip at 7am…so empty and quiet…and all mine.
• It’s AWESOME when the Cardinal game is on ESPN so I can watch it in LV! And an 8-1 win over Cincy is even better!
• I’ve seen only one or two porn-slappers in all my walking. I must pay better attention tomorrow.
Wednesday July 6th
Woke up around 7am and lounged around in bed for a bit, enjoying vacation. Walked to Harrahs for my favorite breakfast buffet. The first round of eggs bene were overcooked and I noticed them putting out a fresh batch. These were perfect and the buffet, once again, rates a 10 for me.
Played VP at the Flamingo and actually broke even. Much improved from the prior two days. Dressed for the pool and was excited to check out the pool complex at Caesars for the first time. I arrived at 9:30am and had no problem at all finding a lounge chair.
It’s crazy how every lounger around the pool is a pay-by-the-day bed. These are huge and take up a lot of real estate. In addition, the Venus pool and all of the back pools were closed, so those arriving at 11am couldn’t find lounge chairs. I stayed 2 hours and couldn’t believe how many people put towels on a lounge chair, yet spent the entire time in the pool. I think this is kinda rude. It was an overcast day which made it really nice for lounging and reading. I enjoyed a large fountain soda for $6 and charged it to the room, will pay for these with reward credits.
Also, I’ve read a lot of trip reports saying their bags were searched for carry-in drinks. No one checked my bag or asked for a room key, I just walked right in. Perhaps they police this more on weekends, and I later learned they do.
Back to the room to clean up then back to the Flamingo for more VP. Lost a small amount then made the biggest rookie mistake I’ve ever made. My Vegas-buddy dentist had given me money to play for him at Terribles to keep his points active. I decided, at 1pm, to walk to Terribles. I knew it would be hot, the sun had come out full blast, but figured a little sweat wouldn’t bother me.
I hadn’t walked for long and my feet became very hot. Otherwise it was fine, there was a nice breeze, but my feet were on fire. It was about a half hour walk and by the time I arrived, my feet were really burning. I sat down, removed my Birkenstocks, and cooled them with my hands. Played VP, lost quickly, then looked for a cab for the return trip to save my feet. No cabs in sight, and my feet felt a little better, so I set out walking back.
God, what a mistake, and one that would affect the rest of my trip. The burning started again and it was obvious the sidewalk was burning my feet through my birkies. Unbelievable. By the time I arrived back to Caesars, I was in real pain. A check of my feet in the room showed bright red soles and growing blisters on the ball of my right foot. I applied cold wet cloths and vegged in the room.
I had a ticket for Vegas! The Show! At PH for the 7pm show. Thought about taking a cab, but the strip traffic was jammed and I knew it would be incredibly slow and expensive. Hard head that I am, I started walking, albeit very slow. Limping. Finally made it to the theater and upgraded to a VIP seat for $20 so I wouldn’t have to stand in line for GA ticket. I had purchased my ticket with a Groupon half-off for $45.
I walked to Cabo Wabo and used a $30 Groupon for dinner. Ordered the beef fajitas, iced tea, and a side of rice and beans. The chips and salsa were very good as was the rest of the food. I’ve read a lot of bad reviews for this place, but my experience was excellent. The service was fantastic and the food was very good. I wouldn’t go out of my way to eat there, but the Groupon for $30 in food and drinks for $15 was a good buy. My total bill was $26 and I left a $5 tip. The waitress made a point of saying I had $4 left to spend, but I was stuffed.
Vegas! The Show! Was excellent. I made a great choice upgrading to VIP, the GA line was very long, and my seat was 3rd row center on the aisle. It would probably be better to sit further back for a production show like this, but I enjoyed the view from my seat. The talent in this show was impressive, the dancing and singing outstanding. They celebrated the history of Vegas respectfully, I even got a little teary-eyed at one point. It’s a classic Vegas-Junkie show, do see it if you get the chance. It could fill a much larger stage than the one it’s on.
The walk back to Caesars was very slow and painful. I did stop for a rest break at the Flamingo and won, bringing me even for the day. Finally! I fell into bed, too tired to write my daily trip report, glad to be off my feet.
Observations:
• There was a drunk homeless man surrounded by beer bottles and cigarettes on the overpass between Bill’s and Bally’s. The lady tourist in front of me stopped dead in her tracks (surprise, surprise) and took a picture of him. Wow.
• It’s amazing the size of butts some girls will stuff into a thong bikini.
• The Caesar’s pool has 100x less kids than the Orleans or the old Flamingo pool. I like it.
• The overpass/walkway over Flamingo between Bill’s and Bally’s is closed during the day and was only opened at night. Tourists are running across Flamingo near the overpass. Scary.
• Vacation is so much more fun when you don’t lose you’re a$$ at everything you touch.
Thursday July 7th
OMG my feet hurt. Soles are beet red and I have 2 blisters bigger than half dollars on my right foot. I wear Birkies, I don’t get blisters and don’t know what to do. This prompts an early morning call home to ask my husband (who is a coach) what now? He said to drain the fluid and get to Walgreens for ‘second skin’. He didn’t know what to do about the burns, maybe a cream? I walked (duh) to Walgreens near the Venetian and showed my feet to the pharmacist. She said I had at least first degree burns and, of course, the bad blisters. She recommended a spray for the burns and agreed with my husband on the blister treatment. Felt so much better, walked back to Harrahs and celebrated with a, once again, perfect breakfast.
Played VP at the Flamingo for a couple of hours and won $20. It’s a moral victory to cash a ticket. I thought my pool plans would be abandoned for the day, since I couldn’t go early (because I was screwing around with my FEET), I wouldn’t be able to get a lounge chair. Decided I didn’t care, I would just sit on the ledge of the pool and swim. I did find a single lounge chair available so I spent a nice couple of hours reading and people watching.
Back to the room to shower and purchased the 24 hour internet for $15.99. I’ll pay for that with RC’s. I had some catching up to do and wanted to read the last few installments of Sionow’s trip report. When I read he would be at Bally’s on the 6th and 7th, just across the street from me, I had pm’d Jon and we exchanged cell numbers. He was hitting all the casinos on the east side of the strip today for his Hit ‘em All Nevada trip and we made plans to meet around 4pm. I went back to the Flamingo at 3:30 and played until Jon texted me with an invitation to meet at the PH diamond lounge.
I walked to PH, slowly, but much better than this morning. I had told Jon what I was wearing and that he couldn’t miss me because I was limping! Sure enough, we spotted each other and spent a fun couple of hours in the luxury of the PH diamond lounge with a couple of beers and watching the Cubs get slammed by Washington (yes!). We left before the game ended, and the Cubs were roaring back from an 8-0 deficit, and ultimately won the game (sucks). It’s wonderful to meet a genuinely nice guy, we had a lot to talk about, and it was great to spend a couple of hours visiting during this solo trip. And I’m happy to report there was no mustard stain on his shorts! Thanks for taking the time for me, Jon.
We parted ways and I again played VP at the Flamingo. Within my first $5, I hit aces w/kicker for $100! Shortly afterwards, I hit 2’s w/kicker and four nines. Switched to Bonus Poker 5 play and hit aces twice. Cashed out a nice profit and met a really nice couple from California who had just arrived for a couple of days. When her husband went to the bathroom, she asked how I managed getting a solo trip to Vegas. I think she was jealous…lol. Stuck a $20 in my favorite guilty pleasure Wild Bear penny machine, hit several nice bonus rounds, and cashed out $100. I’ve lost for days and now I can’t lose. Jon must be my lucky charm!
I was hungry since I had only snacked at the diamond lounge so I bought a slice of pizza at the Caesars Palace food court and took it to my room. It was really good pizza and hit the spot. Typed up the day’s report and lights out.
Observations:
• LVA members are the nicest people in the world.
• You will never have a shortage of conversation with an LVA member!
• My feet still hurt, but only when I walk, and not as bad as this morning.
• Everything in Vegas is so FAR.
• A man was killed in the Osheas bathroom last night. Just across the street from Caesars, but seems like a world away.
• I wonder how long I would have to stay before I honestly missed the real world?
Friday July 8th – Last Full Day
My first thought on my last full day is ALWAYS – Thank goodness it’s not tomorrow! LV is one of the few (if not the only) place I travel where I never want to leave.
Woke around 7:30am and accessed the foot situation. Much better! Several new blisters had come up between my toes, took care of those, and could then walk normally…yippee! My leg muscles are very sore from limping for 2 days, but it’s only a nuisance and doesn’t affect my mobility. Very grateful to be healed for my last day. Thank god for New Skin, what a great product.
Slipped into my swimsuit with clothes over the top and went to the buffet. Pool wasn’t quite open yet but I noticed a door to the pool right beside the buffet, cool. Caesars breakfast buffet isn’t nearly as good as Harrahs, and it’s more expensive. Used a $5 off coupon and paid the rest with points. Eggs Bene were cooked ok, but the English muffin was so hard I couldn’t even cut it with a knife. Only ate the egg. Bacon nice a crisp. Scrambled eggs kinda runny. Biscuits and gravy were meh. Left buffet and approached the pool door. The guy standing there said this door is for 7 Stars and Diamond members only….really? Just to walk through the door into the same pool area as everyone else? I walked around to the regular entrance (where the poor people enter) and wow, was it different than prior days. Only one towel per person…period. Guards to search your purse to make sure you weren’t smuggling food and drinks. Had to show my room key.
Good choice of loungers as there were few people here yet. After sitting in the blazing sun for 15 minutes I was parched, so I headed to the bar for a soda. The bartender tells me they don’t open until 9:30….another hour. Seriously? So I can’t bring in a drink and they won’t sell me a drink. I’m a constant sipper so the thought of sitting in the hot sun without a drink was daunting. So I left.
Cleaned up in the room then strolled (normally!) to the Flamingo. Settled in for some 5 play VP, started with DDB. Held 2 aces and scored Aces w/kicker on my 3rd deal…sweet! Hit a few more quads, then the machine began to sour. Changed to BP, no love. Cashed out $120 for $100 profit.
Played a few more VP machines and hit a few quads to keep me going, but no profit. After a couple hours, I decided to try Wild Bear penny machine that hit well for me last night. It was hot again, scoring bonus after bonus, and I cashed $100 profit. Played a few more penny machines, started losing, and decided to go back to the room to use the internet I’d purchased yesterday to read the chat boards and checkin for my flight tomorrow.
Headed back for more VP mid-afternoon, very few quads so a losing session. Dang. Decided I was hungry so, since it was only 4pm, I thought it would be a good off-time to hit Serendipity 3. I ordered the nachos ($12) and an iced tea ($4!!) and paid with points. When I asked for a table, they made a big deal about only seating available outside. I could see plenty of empty small tables inside and called her on it. She said I would have to wait, I said fine. She gave me a buzzer and it went off before I took a seat outside to wait. The nachos were good, but sloppy. Not nearly as good as those at Toby Keith’s but it was enroute back to Caesars. I stopped at the front desk to pay for the internet and pool drinks with points, I’d rather not trigger a playing day tomorrow. There was virtually no one in any of the lines to check in at 5pm on Friday. Surprising.
The suite next door and also the room above me both have parties going on at 5pm. Sigh. Lots of rap music, where do these kids get the money for these rooms? Hopefully they will all go to the clubs tonight and not come back until morning. I pity the maids that have to clean up after these people.
I’ve been a little blue this afternoon and I’d thought it was because it’s my last day. Once I thought about it a little while, I realized I’m just ready to go home. Never thought it would happen. I’ve stayed longer than 5 nights before and not wanted to leave, don’t know why this trip is different. Nonetheless, I’m sure it will evaporate once I’m actually home…LOL. We have a huge shower off the master bedroom and my husband has it all torn up redesigning and retiling it. I will be forced to share the kids shower when I return home…ick.
Returned to the room, showered, and hung out in my room. Did some packing, although I don’t need to catch a cab to the airport until 9:30am or so.
I went back to the Flamingo in the evening, it was raining lightly, and coincidentally sat beside the couple from CA whom I had played beside the night before. They had gotten a crummy room at the Flamingo and weren’t happy. I said they should go back to checkin with a $20 tip in hand and ask for another room. I learned they had done exactly that and were upgraded to a mini suite they said was much better than the original room. We played losing VP for several hours and I enjoyed the company. When I walked back to Caesars at 10pm it was raining hard.
The party in the room across the hall was very loud. I decided if I could hear the thump thump thump of the music in my room, I would call security. I could hear it over my tv, so I did call. Shortly thereafter it stopped.
Watched tv in my nice room until my phone rang. It was my dentist buddy calling from a casino in STL. He was wasted so the conversation didn’t last long…LOL.
Observations:
• I sure have enjoyed staying in the Forum tower at Caesars, especially for free. The room is so quiet and I love the maid service in the early morning when I turn on my light. All staff members I’ve met have been very friendly and welcoming.
• I sure haven’t seen many hookers this trip. Maybe business is good.
• I’m only 1500 points away from Diamond. When I make diamond, I’m going to strut through that pool door by the buffet…LOL.
• Left my players card in some random machine, so had TR print a couple more for me. She entered me in the Great Race promo, Flamingo does not have a kiosk to swipe to enter.
• The girls in high heels had a really tough time walking the strip in the rain!
• I used $80 more Reward Credits than I earned during this trip. I bought a lot of snacks/soda in the gift shop for drinks in my room and while gambling, plus paid for pool drinks, internet, and food. I earn lots of points in STL but never use any there, so I save them for my Vegas trips.
• I saw two 20-something girls seriously making out on the front steps of Caesars. Lots of groping and quite the public display. Made me thankful for my daughters!
Saturday July 9th – Going Home Day
I slept in until 8am enjoying my nice bed. Showered and watched tv until time to leave at 9:30am.
My cab driver was an elderly man who asked me the fastest way to the airport, it was his third day on the job. I directed him up LV Blvd as there was no traffic at all that early, then turned on Tropicana. He said he had lost his job 5 years ago and hadn’t been able to find a job until this one. He had been living in homeless shelters and was looking forward to affording his own apartment soon. I was grateful to not be long-hauled and he was a really nice, well-spoken guy. The fare was $13.50 and I gave him a twenty and said he should keep the change. He was overly grateful, the extra couple of bucks meant more to him than to me, I appreciate him working to support himself and not live off the system.
I was hoping to go standby on an earlier flight to LA and then an early flight to STL, for which I would have to pay $50 each. My flight doesn’t land in STL until 10pm then I have a 2 hour drive home. Security was insane in LV, usually Saturday mornings are empty. The early flight was closed when I arrived at the gate, and the earlier flight in LAX departed early as well, so no earlier flight for me.
Long 3 hour layover in LAX, ate a big salad at Chilis. My plane left late since American can’t figure out how to load a plane. Arrived at 10pm, a half hour late, and it was a long dark drive home. Arrived home at 12:30am, good to be home.
Thanks to all for reading this ‘book’! I return to LV for a conference on August 20th so I will be back quickly, and on my employer’s dime. I’m staying comped at Harrahs on Saturday the 20th then moving to Red Rock for the conference. I always enjoy Red Rock! Best of luck to all of you!
diane
I learned long ago that CET is much more generous with comps for a low roller like me if I book rooms WAY in advance. I always go to Las Vegas in July for at least 5 nights, so I checked the CET website for room options and CP showed as comped for 5 nights in a forum tower room….seriously? By the way, I am a nickel multi-hand VP player, so if massive wins high-rolling and lots of drinking turn your crank, might as well stop reading here!
I really like the VP machines at the Flamingo, but a room there never did show as comped for the full 5 nights. So this was a different trip for me in two ways….first, it’s my first time to stay at Caesars and second…it’s my first trip in years I would stay at the same property for 5 nights and not move during my trip. I was looking forward to both!
Sunday July 3rd:
My usual parking option in STL had been sold to another company and the parking rates doubled to $11.99/day. None of my family would be home this evening, so I decided to book the Hampton Inn Airport using HHonor points and not deal with the 2 hour drive to STL Monday morning before my flight. Plus, they let me park for free with an easy shuttle to the airport. I arrived Sunday night right before severe storms hit…again.
Monday July 4th:
My airline of choice is SW, but they wanted $500 RT direct to STL. My plan this trip was either find reasonable airfare or cancel, which motivated me to search all the airlines every day. I was willing to take a non-direct flight, but not willing to suffer to do so.
5 weeks prior to my trip, AA had a one day sale and I was able to book STL-LAX-LV for $94 each way…great price! I was proud of myself for bargain hunting until SW dropped their price 3 weeks before my trip to $109 each way for the direct flights. Shit. In all my years of traveling to LV in July, SW has never dropped flight prices from STL and I usually have to fly out of KC. Oh well, at least I was going!
Easy shuttle to the airport and virtually no one in security. I was lucky to be in Group 2 so I didn’t have to worry about carry-on room. I had planned to pay the $50 RT to check my bag as I had a 3.5 hour layover in LAX, but when I checked flights; there was a flight to LV leaving 30 minutes after my plane landed. AA now charges $50 for standby (jerks) but it would save me the $50 not checking my bag. IF I could pack a carryon for 5 nights. Fortunately, it’s summer and shorts/tshirts don’t take up much room…mission accomplished.
Flight to LAX was full but I had a nice aisle seat and bought WIFI for $4.95. I thought it was much more expensive for the long flights, but I thought this was a deal for the 4 hour flight. Honestly, I’m usually counting the minute’s enroute to LV and this was the fastest flight ever! I cruised all the chat boards and read trip reports, and kept an eye on the LV flight I wanted, still seats available.
We landed 20 minutes early and the LV flight was only a few gates away, already boarding. I approached the gentleman working the AA desk and asked if standby was available. He said he could get me an aisle seat for $50, rock on. I walked directly on the plane, plenty of overhead space left, thank god, and off we went! Will I trade $50 for 3 more hours in LV and not sitting in an airport…you bet! Quick flight to LV, arrived at 1:10pm local time.
AA arrives at the D concourse so I took the tram to the main terminal and walked out to a very short taxi line. Hopped in a cab, had a great driver, a young Middle Eastern man who took me the right route with no jacking around. Fare was $16 and he earned a nice tip.
There were 4 people ahead of me in the Platinum line. Now, I was really worried for the last two weeks that Caesars would bump me down to the Roman tower since July 4th is so busy. I had done extensive research on the rooms and, even tho the Palace and Augustus Towers are “nicer” than the Forum tower, I knew I would be very happy with the Forum room I had booked. I also knew I would NOT be happy with the Roman tower at all. I travel on business every week and am a room snob. I wanted a nice room for 5 nights and, if they were downgrading me, I was prepared to tip well for an upgrade.
I had one of the nicest checkin gals I’ve ever had. She asked if I was excited to be comped in a Forum Deluxe room for 5 nights and I said “Hell yea!”. She had exactly the room I wanted….King bed, near the elevators and ice machines (although the Forum hallways are not very long at all), no connecting door, robes in the room. She offered me an upgrade to a Forum Suite for only $120/night (usually $400 LOL) which I quickly declined. I was thrilled that exactly the room I wanted was ready at 2pm.
I found my way to the Forum Tower, yep, you drag your bag through the casino. My room was closest to the elevators and the ice machine was right around the corner. Really nice room, looks exactly like the pics on the website. I have a partial strip view, which wasn’t really important to me. I do enjoy a nice strip view, but it’s not a deal breaker for me.
Do some unpacking, which seems odd as I can completely unpack and not move in a couple of days! Walk over to the Flamingo to play my fave VP machines. I hit a number of quads but only enough to keep playing and nothing to cash out. Get hungry and can’t decide what to do for dinner, although I do know to eat early on July 4th as the crowds are bad. End up at MunchBar in Caesars and have an excellent blue cheese & mushroom burger and some really good fries. Pay for dinner with reward points.
Head back up to my room and call home with trip details. Decide to gamble at the Flamingo again…bad decision. Few quads and some degenerate gambling, then back to my room. Shower, lounge around in my robe, and crash….exhausted from the long day of travel. So damn excited my vacation is still all ahead of me!
Observations:
• What possesses people to just STOP, a complete STOP, when walking on a crowded sidewalk or casino? Jag to the side for god’s sake.
• It seems young parents let their 2 year old cry and throw absolute fits on the plane to “express themselves”. My parents would have expressed themselves and I wouldn’t have been able to sit for a week. I can bitch about this…I flew with 3 children and they NEVER EVER acted like that. Geez.
• The first day in Vegas is the most awesome feeling ever…it’s all in front of you!
• Caesars Palace is MASSIVE but I can get to the strip from the Forum Tower in minutes…no worries.
• If you are driving a scooter and pulling a little wagon behind it, it’s just not cool to blast through the crowds walking the strip. Kinda funny though.
Tuesday July 5th:
I’m not only not at work, I’m in Vegas…it’s all good! EXCEPT my Vegas buddy and dentist calle d me at 6am…ugh. I had woken up at 4:30am (6:30am CT) and coaxed myself back to sleep in my dark, cold cave. I dove for the phone when it rang, fearful something was wrong at home. No…he wants to be here so bad he “forgot” about the time difference. So much for sleeping in on vacation!
I walked over for the breakfast buffet at Harrahs ($5 off coupon, paid the rest with points) and man was it awesome! I’ve detailed my breakfast habits in one trip report after another, I just like the basics plus LOTS of crisp bacon. The bacon was perfect, the scrambled eggs very good, biscuits and gravy were great. The real standout was the eggs bene, cooked absolutely perfect.
There was a man dining solo near me and, unprompted, he called to me saying “is there anything cheap in Vegas?”. I chuckled and said no. Now, he was a big guy eating plate after plate of breakfast meats, I would challenge that Flavors Buffet could be considered cheap for the volume he was slamming down. Then he asked where I was staying. Not to be distracted from my bacon, I mumbled Caesars. He hollered that he was staying at the Mirage and was enroute to the WSOP at the Rio. He was seated at least 20ft away and I started getting the feeling he was hitting on me. In the breakfast buffet. Wow.
I squinted to see if he had teeth, most of the guys that hit on me nowadays don’t…LOL. Yep, there were definitely teeth behind that grizzly adams beard. I hurried through the rest of my food to make a quick escape while he went back for a fifth plate.
Back to the Flamingo for more losing VP. I played until tix4tonight opened at Bills at 10am. I have been very excited to see Absinthe, all the reviews have been great, likening it to Rocky Horror Picture Show meets Cirque. I stood in line for an hour to save $25 and bought a GA ticket for $56.
Decided to shuttle to the Orleans and Gold Coast to play some VP for my Vegas buddy dentist. He gave me some $$ to play on his card to keep his points active. I also had $10 freeplay at the Orleans. Lost a little at the GC, cashed out $11.50 from my $10 freeplay at the Orleans. Lost my buddy’s money at the Orleans. I used to be a huge Orleans fan, I still love the property and it still feels like home, but I can’t win a dime there. Ever.
Shuttled back to the Strip. One of the Orleans shuttles had a sign saying those using the shuttle were required to show a room key. The shuttle wasn’t full at any of the stops and the driver didn’t ask.
Played some more losing VP at the Flamingo, I just can’t win a dime this trip. So depressing. I’ve had trips like this before and they usually don’t turn around.
Walked back to my room for a nap. Didn’t nap, but did enjoy several hours of Law & Order with no chores to do. For those of you that worry about the CET motion detectors in the Caesars rooms, my room has stayed nice and cool even when I’m gone.
I had wanted to check out the pools today, but know you need to arrive early to get a lounger. Buying the Absinthe ticket and standing in line so long put an end to that idea, definitely tomorrow!
Went to Jimmy Buffet’s place for dinner using a $30 Groupon I had purchased months ago for $15. There are several items I love here and I go every trip. I started with a side salad, very good. Ordered the Jerk Chicken with an extra side of their island rice, I so love that rice. Iced Tea to drink and my total bill was $29.81! I didn’t calculate what the total would be as I was happy to pay a few dollars more, not sure I could have come much closer. Service was good and I left a $6 tip.
Back to my room to shower and get ready for Absinthe. I was happy this show is really casual as I didn’t feel like dressing up. The said to arrive an hour early to enjoy the beer garden, but I arrived 20 minutes early and people were lined up to get in. People watched for 10 minutes until the doors opened. I only noticed 6 people with VIP tickets who get in first.
I made a crucial mistake and sat in the back row. I had read not to sit in the first row as the close-up action is scary. The back row was still only 20 feet or so from the stage, the problem is there are several rows of chairs on each “level” so you have at least 2 rows in from of you the same height. A guy came in late and sat in the seat right in front of my, he was at least 7ft all. With big bushy curly hair. He moved his head constantly, so it was hard to see. I’ve read there isn’t a bad seat, I don’t agree.
Unfortunately, I only cared that I couldn’t see for the first 15 minutes. How dare they compare this to my beloved Rocky Horror Picture Show? I love raunchy comedy, especially in Vegas, and have seen Zumanity multiple times. The acts were good, some even amazing, but the comedy was so cheesy, it just didn’t strike me as funny. The Gazillionaire stuck his obviously stuffed crotch in people’s faces over and over. It was funny the first four or five times, but good lord, move on already. And his voice….fingernails on a chalk board. I was prepared to laugh my a$$ off, didn’t happen. Vinnie Favorito is funny, Zumanity is funny, this just wasn’t funny to me. I’m pissed I paid $56 for a ticket, and gave up a pool day to stand in line for that ticket.
The show has gotten great reviews from most reviews on the chat board, so my opinion is just my own. They would have to pay me to go back.
I left the show a little early (and I wasn’t alone) and went back to the Flamingo for more losing VP. The only ticket I’ve cashed this trip is one for $40. It’s getting hard to be positive.
Back to my nice cool room and wonderful bed! I was really worried Caesar’s would be too big and, as you can tell, I don’t play here. It’s been a non-issue. I’ve found some nice shortcuts to the strip and would definitely stay here again, if CET decided to over-comp me again!
Observations:
• I can’t believe how many people riding the Coast shuttle don’t tip the driver. By my calculations, only 10% dropped a dollar in the bucket. It’s a great free service, I think they should properly take care of the driver.
• Wow, the gladiator type heels have become all the rage since my last trip!
• The girls tottering on those heels crack me up, although I am jealous of most of them…LOL.
• Shooting off a giant firework on the walkway over the strip is stupid. It blew up everywhere and I had a bunch of stinky firework-crap in my hair.
• Not a good idea to return to the room late night hungry with all the mini-bar items sitting on the dresser. I’m weak.
• Vegas is always fun, but it’s more fun to at least get one or two cashable hits.
• I LOVE the strip at 7am…so empty and quiet…and all mine.
• It’s AWESOME when the Cardinal game is on ESPN so I can watch it in LV! And an 8-1 win over Cincy is even better!
• I’ve seen only one or two porn-slappers in all my walking. I must pay better attention tomorrow.
Wednesday July 6th
Woke up around 7am and lounged around in bed for a bit, enjoying vacation. Walked to Harrahs for my favorite breakfast buffet. The first round of eggs bene were overcooked and I noticed them putting out a fresh batch. These were perfect and the buffet, once again, rates a 10 for me.
Played VP at the Flamingo and actually broke even. Much improved from the prior two days. Dressed for the pool and was excited to check out the pool complex at Caesars for the first time. I arrived at 9:30am and had no problem at all finding a lounge chair.
It’s crazy how every lounger around the pool is a pay-by-the-day bed. These are huge and take up a lot of real estate. In addition, the Venus pool and all of the back pools were closed, so those arriving at 11am couldn’t find lounge chairs. I stayed 2 hours and couldn’t believe how many people put towels on a lounge chair, yet spent the entire time in the pool. I think this is kinda rude. It was an overcast day which made it really nice for lounging and reading. I enjoyed a large fountain soda for $6 and charged it to the room, will pay for these with reward credits.
Also, I’ve read a lot of trip reports saying their bags were searched for carry-in drinks. No one checked my bag or asked for a room key, I just walked right in. Perhaps they police this more on weekends, and I later learned they do.
Back to the room to clean up then back to the Flamingo for more VP. Lost a small amount then made the biggest rookie mistake I’ve ever made. My Vegas-buddy dentist had given me money to play for him at Terribles to keep his points active. I decided, at 1pm, to walk to Terribles. I knew it would be hot, the sun had come out full blast, but figured a little sweat wouldn’t bother me.
I hadn’t walked for long and my feet became very hot. Otherwise it was fine, there was a nice breeze, but my feet were on fire. It was about a half hour walk and by the time I arrived, my feet were really burning. I sat down, removed my Birkenstocks, and cooled them with my hands. Played VP, lost quickly, then looked for a cab for the return trip to save my feet. No cabs in sight, and my feet felt a little better, so I set out walking back.
God, what a mistake, and one that would affect the rest of my trip. The burning started again and it was obvious the sidewalk was burning my feet through my birkies. Unbelievable. By the time I arrived back to Caesars, I was in real pain. A check of my feet in the room showed bright red soles and growing blisters on the ball of my right foot. I applied cold wet cloths and vegged in the room.
I had a ticket for Vegas! The Show! At PH for the 7pm show. Thought about taking a cab, but the strip traffic was jammed and I knew it would be incredibly slow and expensive. Hard head that I am, I started walking, albeit very slow. Limping. Finally made it to the theater and upgraded to a VIP seat for $20 so I wouldn’t have to stand in line for GA ticket. I had purchased my ticket with a Groupon half-off for $45.
I walked to Cabo Wabo and used a $30 Groupon for dinner. Ordered the beef fajitas, iced tea, and a side of rice and beans. The chips and salsa were very good as was the rest of the food. I’ve read a lot of bad reviews for this place, but my experience was excellent. The service was fantastic and the food was very good. I wouldn’t go out of my way to eat there, but the Groupon for $30 in food and drinks for $15 was a good buy. My total bill was $26 and I left a $5 tip. The waitress made a point of saying I had $4 left to spend, but I was stuffed.
Vegas! The Show! Was excellent. I made a great choice upgrading to VIP, the GA line was very long, and my seat was 3rd row center on the aisle. It would probably be better to sit further back for a production show like this, but I enjoyed the view from my seat. The talent in this show was impressive, the dancing and singing outstanding. They celebrated the history of Vegas respectfully, I even got a little teary-eyed at one point. It’s a classic Vegas-Junkie show, do see it if you get the chance. It could fill a much larger stage than the one it’s on.
The walk back to Caesars was very slow and painful. I did stop for a rest break at the Flamingo and won, bringing me even for the day. Finally! I fell into bed, too tired to write my daily trip report, glad to be off my feet.
Observations:
• There was a drunk homeless man surrounded by beer bottles and cigarettes on the overpass between Bill’s and Bally’s. The lady tourist in front of me stopped dead in her tracks (surprise, surprise) and took a picture of him. Wow.
• It’s amazing the size of butts some girls will stuff into a thong bikini.
• The Caesar’s pool has 100x less kids than the Orleans or the old Flamingo pool. I like it.
• The overpass/walkway over Flamingo between Bill’s and Bally’s is closed during the day and was only opened at night. Tourists are running across Flamingo near the overpass. Scary.
• Vacation is so much more fun when you don’t lose you’re a$$ at everything you touch.
Thursday July 7th
OMG my feet hurt. Soles are beet red and I have 2 blisters bigger than half dollars on my right foot. I wear Birkies, I don’t get blisters and don’t know what to do. This prompts an early morning call home to ask my husband (who is a coach) what now? He said to drain the fluid and get to Walgreens for ‘second skin’. He didn’t know what to do about the burns, maybe a cream? I walked (duh) to Walgreens near the Venetian and showed my feet to the pharmacist. She said I had at least first degree burns and, of course, the bad blisters. She recommended a spray for the burns and agreed with my husband on the blister treatment. Felt so much better, walked back to Harrahs and celebrated with a, once again, perfect breakfast.
Played VP at the Flamingo for a couple of hours and won $20. It’s a moral victory to cash a ticket. I thought my pool plans would be abandoned for the day, since I couldn’t go early (because I was screwing around with my FEET), I wouldn’t be able to get a lounge chair. Decided I didn’t care, I would just sit on the ledge of the pool and swim. I did find a single lounge chair available so I spent a nice couple of hours reading and people watching.
Back to the room to shower and purchased the 24 hour internet for $15.99. I’ll pay for that with RC’s. I had some catching up to do and wanted to read the last few installments of Sionow’s trip report. When I read he would be at Bally’s on the 6th and 7th, just across the street from me, I had pm’d Jon and we exchanged cell numbers. He was hitting all the casinos on the east side of the strip today for his Hit ‘em All Nevada trip and we made plans to meet around 4pm. I went back to the Flamingo at 3:30 and played until Jon texted me with an invitation to meet at the PH diamond lounge.
I walked to PH, slowly, but much better than this morning. I had told Jon what I was wearing and that he couldn’t miss me because I was limping! Sure enough, we spotted each other and spent a fun couple of hours in the luxury of the PH diamond lounge with a couple of beers and watching the Cubs get slammed by Washington (yes!). We left before the game ended, and the Cubs were roaring back from an 8-0 deficit, and ultimately won the game (sucks). It’s wonderful to meet a genuinely nice guy, we had a lot to talk about, and it was great to spend a couple of hours visiting during this solo trip. And I’m happy to report there was no mustard stain on his shorts! Thanks for taking the time for me, Jon.
We parted ways and I again played VP at the Flamingo. Within my first $5, I hit aces w/kicker for $100! Shortly afterwards, I hit 2’s w/kicker and four nines. Switched to Bonus Poker 5 play and hit aces twice. Cashed out a nice profit and met a really nice couple from California who had just arrived for a couple of days. When her husband went to the bathroom, she asked how I managed getting a solo trip to Vegas. I think she was jealous…lol. Stuck a $20 in my favorite guilty pleasure Wild Bear penny machine, hit several nice bonus rounds, and cashed out $100. I’ve lost for days and now I can’t lose. Jon must be my lucky charm!
I was hungry since I had only snacked at the diamond lounge so I bought a slice of pizza at the Caesars Palace food court and took it to my room. It was really good pizza and hit the spot. Typed up the day’s report and lights out.
Observations:
• LVA members are the nicest people in the world.
• You will never have a shortage of conversation with an LVA member!
• My feet still hurt, but only when I walk, and not as bad as this morning.
• Everything in Vegas is so FAR.
• A man was killed in the Osheas bathroom last night. Just across the street from Caesars, but seems like a world away.
• I wonder how long I would have to stay before I honestly missed the real world?
Friday July 8th – Last Full Day
My first thought on my last full day is ALWAYS – Thank goodness it’s not tomorrow! LV is one of the few (if not the only) place I travel where I never want to leave.
Woke around 7:30am and accessed the foot situation. Much better! Several new blisters had come up between my toes, took care of those, and could then walk normally…yippee! My leg muscles are very sore from limping for 2 days, but it’s only a nuisance and doesn’t affect my mobility. Very grateful to be healed for my last day. Thank god for New Skin, what a great product.
Slipped into my swimsuit with clothes over the top and went to the buffet. Pool wasn’t quite open yet but I noticed a door to the pool right beside the buffet, cool. Caesars breakfast buffet isn’t nearly as good as Harrahs, and it’s more expensive. Used a $5 off coupon and paid the rest with points. Eggs Bene were cooked ok, but the English muffin was so hard I couldn’t even cut it with a knife. Only ate the egg. Bacon nice a crisp. Scrambled eggs kinda runny. Biscuits and gravy were meh. Left buffet and approached the pool door. The guy standing there said this door is for 7 Stars and Diamond members only….really? Just to walk through the door into the same pool area as everyone else? I walked around to the regular entrance (where the poor people enter) and wow, was it different than prior days. Only one towel per person…period. Guards to search your purse to make sure you weren’t smuggling food and drinks. Had to show my room key.
Good choice of loungers as there were few people here yet. After sitting in the blazing sun for 15 minutes I was parched, so I headed to the bar for a soda. The bartender tells me they don’t open until 9:30….another hour. Seriously? So I can’t bring in a drink and they won’t sell me a drink. I’m a constant sipper so the thought of sitting in the hot sun without a drink was daunting. So I left.
Cleaned up in the room then strolled (normally!) to the Flamingo. Settled in for some 5 play VP, started with DDB. Held 2 aces and scored Aces w/kicker on my 3rd deal…sweet! Hit a few more quads, then the machine began to sour. Changed to BP, no love. Cashed out $120 for $100 profit.
Played a few more VP machines and hit a few quads to keep me going, but no profit. After a couple hours, I decided to try Wild Bear penny machine that hit well for me last night. It was hot again, scoring bonus after bonus, and I cashed $100 profit. Played a few more penny machines, started losing, and decided to go back to the room to use the internet I’d purchased yesterday to read the chat boards and checkin for my flight tomorrow.
Headed back for more VP mid-afternoon, very few quads so a losing session. Dang. Decided I was hungry so, since it was only 4pm, I thought it would be a good off-time to hit Serendipity 3. I ordered the nachos ($12) and an iced tea ($4!!) and paid with points. When I asked for a table, they made a big deal about only seating available outside. I could see plenty of empty small tables inside and called her on it. She said I would have to wait, I said fine. She gave me a buzzer and it went off before I took a seat outside to wait. The nachos were good, but sloppy. Not nearly as good as those at Toby Keith’s but it was enroute back to Caesars. I stopped at the front desk to pay for the internet and pool drinks with points, I’d rather not trigger a playing day tomorrow. There was virtually no one in any of the lines to check in at 5pm on Friday. Surprising.
The suite next door and also the room above me both have parties going on at 5pm. Sigh. Lots of rap music, where do these kids get the money for these rooms? Hopefully they will all go to the clubs tonight and not come back until morning. I pity the maids that have to clean up after these people.
I’ve been a little blue this afternoon and I’d thought it was because it’s my last day. Once I thought about it a little while, I realized I’m just ready to go home. Never thought it would happen. I’ve stayed longer than 5 nights before and not wanted to leave, don’t know why this trip is different. Nonetheless, I’m sure it will evaporate once I’m actually home…LOL. We have a huge shower off the master bedroom and my husband has it all torn up redesigning and retiling it. I will be forced to share the kids shower when I return home…ick.
Returned to the room, showered, and hung out in my room. Did some packing, although I don’t need to catch a cab to the airport until 9:30am or so.
I went back to the Flamingo in the evening, it was raining lightly, and coincidentally sat beside the couple from CA whom I had played beside the night before. They had gotten a crummy room at the Flamingo and weren’t happy. I said they should go back to checkin with a $20 tip in hand and ask for another room. I learned they had done exactly that and were upgraded to a mini suite they said was much better than the original room. We played losing VP for several hours and I enjoyed the company. When I walked back to Caesars at 10pm it was raining hard.
The party in the room across the hall was very loud. I decided if I could hear the thump thump thump of the music in my room, I would call security. I could hear it over my tv, so I did call. Shortly thereafter it stopped.
Watched tv in my nice room until my phone rang. It was my dentist buddy calling from a casino in STL. He was wasted so the conversation didn’t last long…LOL.
Observations:
• I sure have enjoyed staying in the Forum tower at Caesars, especially for free. The room is so quiet and I love the maid service in the early morning when I turn on my light. All staff members I’ve met have been very friendly and welcoming.
• I sure haven’t seen many hookers this trip. Maybe business is good.
• I’m only 1500 points away from Diamond. When I make diamond, I’m going to strut through that pool door by the buffet…LOL.
• Left my players card in some random machine, so had TR print a couple more for me. She entered me in the Great Race promo, Flamingo does not have a kiosk to swipe to enter.
• The girls in high heels had a really tough time walking the strip in the rain!
• I used $80 more Reward Credits than I earned during this trip. I bought a lot of snacks/soda in the gift shop for drinks in my room and while gambling, plus paid for pool drinks, internet, and food. I earn lots of points in STL but never use any there, so I save them for my Vegas trips.
• I saw two 20-something girls seriously making out on the front steps of Caesars. Lots of groping and quite the public display. Made me thankful for my daughters!
Saturday July 9th – Going Home Day
I slept in until 8am enjoying my nice bed. Showered and watched tv until time to leave at 9:30am.
My cab driver was an elderly man who asked me the fastest way to the airport, it was his third day on the job. I directed him up LV Blvd as there was no traffic at all that early, then turned on Tropicana. He said he had lost his job 5 years ago and hadn’t been able to find a job until this one. He had been living in homeless shelters and was looking forward to affording his own apartment soon. I was grateful to not be long-hauled and he was a really nice, well-spoken guy. The fare was $13.50 and I gave him a twenty and said he should keep the change. He was overly grateful, the extra couple of bucks meant more to him than to me, I appreciate him working to support himself and not live off the system.
I was hoping to go standby on an earlier flight to LA and then an early flight to STL, for which I would have to pay $50 each. My flight doesn’t land in STL until 10pm then I have a 2 hour drive home. Security was insane in LV, usually Saturday mornings are empty. The early flight was closed when I arrived at the gate, and the earlier flight in LAX departed early as well, so no earlier flight for me.
Long 3 hour layover in LAX, ate a big salad at Chilis. My plane left late since American can’t figure out how to load a plane. Arrived at 10pm, a half hour late, and it was a long dark drive home. Arrived home at 12:30am, good to be home.
Thanks to all for reading this ‘book’! I return to LV for a conference on August 20th so I will be back quickly, and on my employer’s dime. I’m staying comped at Harrahs on Saturday the 20th then moving to Red Rock for the conference. I always enjoy Red Rock! Best of luck to all of you!
diane
