Our trip did not begin well -- our plane sat on the runway at Midway airport for more than 3 hours. By the time we got to LV, my husband could barely walk (he has bad knees) but once we got there, things improved. Our rental car (Dollar) experience was quick and painless. We got to Treasure Island and checked in. By now we were STARVING -- do not fly Southwest if you are going to be delayed!!!! SO we went to the buffet with about 20 minutes remaining before they closed so we could pig out. Then we went to bed.
The next morning I was up by about 5 am and desperately seeking coffee. One thing I seriously dislike about TI is that there are no coffee machines in the rooms. So I went down looking for caffeine. About 8 am hubby woke up and we went for breakfast, after which we planned to hit the pool and vegetate in preparation for a strenuous evening of funfunfun! Well, the pool was CLOSED due to 60 mph winds.
Plan B -- uh.... guess we'll have to gamble! Spent some time at TI, although I was XXXXXXX that they have still not switched over to comping 25-cent machines. We decided to walk towards the Westward Ho and their 99-cent margaritas (it was ALMOST noon) and stop along the way at whatever took our fancy. Meandered along, got to WWH and spent about 2 hours there. Had an unexpectedly great time! Enjoyed playing, people watching, margritas, etc.
Walked back to TI getting whipped by the wind and ate lunch over by the sports book so hubby could lose $$ on ponies.
Pool still closed; must gamble some more! Decided to rest then have dinner at Monte Carlo Brew Pub en route to NYNY piano bar. I planned to show hubby the "tram route" but . . . after taking tram from TI to Mirage, walking around Mirage (which hubby liked ALOT -- oh no!!!) then going to CP on the walkways, going through the FOrum shops and getting lost (AGAIN) in the casino, then taking walkway to Bellagio and walking through to get to tram to MC, we found it CLOSED due to . . . high winds!!! So we walked to Monte Carlo.
Dinner was okay once we were discovered by our waitress, although I think she got mad when I got my own water refill from the pitcher at the station after waiting 15 minutes. The beer was good, though.
Played for a while at MC (hubby at tables) and then walked over to NYNY where we walked past the Times Square Bar and I asked the bouncer when the piano shows started and he said in about 5 minutes so we went in and sat down and didn't leave for 4 hours!!
It was a LONG walk back to TI, especially for the idiot in 3-inch platforms. More later.

MOM, so far so good! One suggestion. We always take a coffee pot. You know the kind that is made of plastic and basically just heats water. That way we can have coffee in our room in the am, even if it is instant. That beats crawling down to the coffee shop with a hangover<G> And I know what has been heated up and poured through my coffee pot, unlike the coffee pots that come in some of the rooms.
You sound like you fit right in with the talkvegas crowd. You should come to a meet sometime when you are in Las Vegas. We have a lot of fun and it is always great to meet new friends.
I look forward to the rest of your report.

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John
Moderator Dining Forum
john@talkvegas.com

The rest of the story -- Yes, we did make it back to TI! THe next morning, I apologized to my feet and we went to the breakfast buffet. The pool was going to be open today, but not until about 10:30 because they had to clean it out from all the debris, so we went across the street to the Venetian. I had been there last summer just after it had opened and had been talking about it since then, so I wanted my husband to see it. He was suitably impressed, and so was I because this time I got to go up to where the shops were (last time, they were still working on that area from late at night until the shops opened, and I was there too early). I like the way the casino part looks, too, and it seems to me that they have a large assortment of 25-cent and even 5-cent machines.
Went back to TI and packed for our checkout, but went to the pool first. Spent about an hour down there, then checked out, had the bellman check our bags, and went back to the pool! Spent the afternoon there (we kept our room keys and just deposited them when we actually left for good) and consumed adult beverages with fruit, which makes them nutritious.
Late afternoon, we left and went to Sam's Town for the last 2 nights of our stay. We had some ice cream there and then explored the casino. We went into the bowling alley area where ESPN was filming the finals of a women's bowling tournament, so we watched that. We had a 2-for-1 for the dinner buffet so we used that (not good but no food poisoning, I wouldn't have wanted to pay full price for it.) Then we finished looking around; when that was done we had to ...gamble! But I had to be upstairs in the room by 10 because it was Thursday night and ER was on - season finale. Actually went up to room about 9 and rested (all those fruit-laced drinks were catching up with me) until ER. Hubby left after the show to play the tables and I went to bed.
The next day (Friday) we got up early and drove to Death Valley through Pahrump and using the State Line road (not on all the maps) which cuts a straight line across from Pahrump to DV Junction. Had a wonderful time there!! It was a beautiful day, we went all the way up to Scotty's Castle and down to Dante's Peak (?) stopping at several places in between. Not a bad drive at all. We got back to LV about 7 and went to the Rio (we had brought clean clothes along) for dinner -- I had a coupon for 2 free buffets from my Mom. Sometimes God smiles on fools -- the door we went in had an auxiliary slot club booth right there with no line and when I went to sign up for the card (a requirement for the coupon) the lady said to me, Oh, you must have a Harrahs card! (which I did but this coupon was my Mom's so I thought I was busted) but she said, "Here you are in our computer (NOTE: miracle -- haven't played there in over 2 years!)" and gave me my Rio card, told us to get into the line around the corner from where we were and it was the comp line! NO wait at all. SO we feasted at the Rio for free. IT's still good, folks. Hubby was still eating well after I was full so I left to wander around and was ...forced to gamble in order to take advantage of the payback offer (up to $100 in losses for your first 30 minutes of play) since I was a new card member. Ordinarily I won't do these kinds of things but since I am going back in July this was going to work out fine! Went back in 20 minutes to meet hubby and noticed a HUGE line of people for the buffet we had just waltzed into. That was kewl.
We hung around for the sky show and I finished my 30 minutes (it's actual playing time, so you need to check w/the slot desk to make sure you've got enough time in.) And yes, I lost but not over $100 and got a check in the mail about 2 weeks later.
Went back to Sam's Town for our last evening -- Country heaven combines with God's waiting room! But it was fun. Left early the next morning - 9 am flight with Southwest's no-assigned-seat policy means get to the airport EARLY. No problems on the way home.
Overall -- had lots of fun, saw lots of stuff, didn't gamble too much, lost overall when I did play but will get $91 back of that plus whatever is in the TI account, got a couple of meals free, a couple of them comped, had casino rate on all the rooms, so it was a good trip. I must say, though, that those 3- and 5-play poker machines will be the death of me!!! Am looking forward to my solo trip this July.

[This message has been edited by supermom (edited June 07, 2000).]

Thanks for the report. Sounds like you had a good time. Those winds can be nasty. It was real windy this past Monday when I was walking down the strip. Went past a construction site and was almost blinded from the dust being blown.

jm

supermom,
Thanks for posting the second half....I was hoping you wern't going to leave us wondering how the second half of your trip went! <VBG>
You didn't let any grass grow under your feet....that's for sure! <s> I liked the comment of country meets Gods waiting room! LOL
I'd say over all you did pretty good, on your trip, even if you did lose a few $$$.
Thanks for posting, I enjoy reading these reports so much.....you made my day! If I can't be in Las Vegas, I want to read about it! Great reporting job!
Lee-PA

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Lee-PA
Moderator, What's New Forum
lee@talkvegas.com

Lee, I learned from the master (you!).

I'm blushing!
[img]http://www.talkvegas.com/ubb/redface.gif[/img]
<VBG>

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Lee-PA
Moderator, What's New Forum
lee@talkvegas.com



[This message has been edited by Lee-PA (edited 09 June 2000).]

Supermom, just booked a sw flight,how does the no seat policy work?? line up early?--cattle call charge to the plane??--heard they load by zones??

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D.A.G.SEATTLE
furdoo3@aol.com

D.A.G. -- How it worked for us was, you lined up at the check-in desk at the gate first, where you get a numbered card for each person. These cards determine which "group" you are in for boarding. 1-30, first group, 31-60, second group, etc. But you do NOT line up by number (1 does not go first, 2 next, etc.) just by group.
What usually happens is that someone will get in line at the gate desk early and a line will form there to get the numbered cards. THEN, some other person will line up by the boarding door early so everyone will start to line up there, too! SW seems to be pretty good about not letting people board early (before their "group") so that helps a little.
They have the usual preboarding (kids, disabilities, etc.) but other than that, you can sit anywhere that's open when you get on.
The key is to get in the first or second group if you have a crowded plane, especially if there are 2 of you and you want to sit together.
The SW policy makes me nervous because I feel like I'm in a race, even if I'm in the first group -- which I try to get into which means I end up getting in line right after people start lining up. (Hubby watches the bags and just runs up at the last minute to show his I.D.)
So, the upshot is, if you care about where you sit, you need to get to the check-in area about 1 hour before the flight leaves (when check-in usually begins) to get in an early group unless you know that your flight is not crowded. Good luck!!

Supermom, thanks for the report! Sam's is really my main HQ in Las Vegas, but I wish TI would implement their quarter VP tracking since I like to spend an occasional couple of nights on the strip, and I'm looking for a new home there.

I do agree with your description of Sam's buffet. [img]http://www.talkvegas.com/ubb/frown.gif[/img] Did you try Smokey Joe's coffee shop? It sounds like we start our mornings at Sam's in the same place...the coffee hut in the atrium<g>.

SuperMom,

Thanks for the report. We took first timers to LV last May and were very disappointed when the wind shut many things down. If you try to get the tram from Bellagio to Monte Carlo and it's shut down, you'd better have your walking shoes on.

We took a tour of Death Valley a few years back and the temperatures were staggering even in the month of April. How were they in May? The desert was in bloom at that time and it was beautiful.