Ok, after the trauma of day one I get up early and ask some Vegas veterans at the Mirage Sports Bar where they would suggest for a breakfast buffet, the Rio is the unanimous choice so I pick up Angie and tell her 'It's Ok, we can walk it from here' which TECHNICALLY, is true, but as you folks will know, its quite a hike! Fortunately she's forgiven me for dumping her at Macarron and its a really nice morning for a brisk stroll (ahem)down to the Rio. The buffet is Fabulous. Off the top of my head I think its around 11 bucks, but the choice is awesome and the refills of coffee and juice just keep on coming in huge quantities, really you could live on the Rio buffet all day, every day. I can't recommend it highly enough if you're into that sort of thing.
The morning is spent lounging around the pool (crowded, but very nice) before lunch at the Outback Steakhouse in Casino Royale - very nice too. I have an afternoon in the Mirage casino, Blackjack and Double Bonus video poker, a few nice hits and I end up ahead about 400 dollars.
After 7 straight hours in 100 degrees plus heat Angie is imperceptibly browner than the day before (she uses a tanning studio practically daily back home), all I tell her is her face has gotten red, but I get away with it 'cos shes had her first experience of being 'hit on' by a couple of All-American boys at the pool so she knows she's actually gorgeous looking
We decide to hit PF Changs for a chinese dinner, the one in the Alladin is a bit pokey so we get a taxi to the larger one out near the Hard Rock. Its 6:30 pm and empty! Can't understand why, because I have one of the best meals of my life, even if half of it ends up on the floor (not an expert with chopsticks, but I like to give it a go)Can't remember exactly what I had, although I know I had Barbecue ribs for starters, but whatever it was it was great.
Only problem is getting a Taxi back to Mirage, had to cross over to Terrible's and wait half an hour for one to turn up. Back to Mirage for 9:00, Angie is 'Knackered' (as we say) and hits the room, while I blow $200 on BJ and VP in the casino, hit the sack around 11 and only woke up three times because of the volcano (and Angies snoring - hey, I love her but she ain't perfect
)
Get ready for this...
Up at 7:30, nip downstairs to see how much the Mirage buffet costs ($9.50) have a $100 dollar bill on me and notice a bank of Bonus Poker machines buried within wall to wall slots. Sit down at the second from the end machine ( I never play the end machines in a row, dunno why, some dumb superstition I suppose) put in the $100 bill and on the 3rd hand I get 10,Q,J,A of clubs, throw away the rag and BANG! I'm $4000 richer when the K drops
Unfortunately at this time of the morning, there aren't many casino personnel on hand to pay me out, but I spot a guy in a red jacket in the distance and wave him over, the usual pleasantries ensue, but then a supervisor appears and tells me I need to get some ID before they can pay me out. I saunter nonchalantly back to the room where Angie is ironing one of the 1400 miniscule vest top things she has brought with her -
'Breakfast is on me,dear'
'How come?'
'I just hit for $4,000'
after a lot of squealing and stuff I disentangle myself from her and dig out my passport. It takes 25 minutes to get everything straightened out, what with checking my ID, getting me a tax code and signing my first 1042-S form. Feels a bit strange with 40 wadded $100 bills stuck in the top pocket of my shirt, but hey,its a GOOD feeling...
to be continued
(let me know if this is too long-winded and I'll pep it up a bit for the rest)
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