Author Archives: jennifer

Dear Diary: I Left My Apartment and Traveled for Ten Weeks

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Remember that time there was a worldwide pandemic that put a halt on all travel?   I do.

Sigh.

I spent a lot of the pandemic traveling to Las Vegas.  But then I got sick of that.  So I booked a month long trip on Amtrak.  Guess what?  That was an insanely expensive reminder that the world is so much cheaper when you are outside America.  So I booked a flight to leave America.  For ten weeks.  And then sat back and waited to leave.

I had great plans for this trip.  I was going to be working remotely, but still had time to see things during the day and on weekends.  I purposely picked countries that were not too overwhelming with things to do and see.  Azerbaijan, Georgia, Armenia and then ending in Turkey.  I want to see all of Turkey but also thought this would be a great time to cross just Mount Nemrut off the list.

I was going to blog nonstop.  Every day.  Okay not every day.  But weekly. Multiple times a week!  I was going to be very conscious of the things I post on my personal Facebook page.  Should I be posting this here, or on my blog, where people follow it because they want to read about your travels?   Blog it is! Continue reading →

Jennifer and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day(s)

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If you are familiar with my blog, you may already know that every trip I take, has a bad day.  It has yet to be anything tragic.  I haven’t been assaulated, robbed, physically damaged, or anything like that.  There just always seems to be a full day where every single annoying, not tragic, simply annoying, thing will happen to me.  Well dear readers, yesterday AND today were those days.

I am on week six (?) of a ten week trip so I guess I was overdue.

Last night, I boarded an overnight train from Tbilisi, Georgia to Yerevan, Armenia.  There are 2 beds per room. I was hoping for my own room.  I tried to buy 2 tickets to have my own room, I was told no.

I board and so far, so good.  Own room.  But then in the room next to me, a couple is standing in the doorway, berating a man for sitting on one of their beds.  I ask him if he is in seat #6, in my cabin.  He starts to move his stuff but shows me his ticket which clearly states he belongs in the cabin the couple just kicked him out of.

The train attendant comes over and checks everyone’s tickets. The couple does not belong in this cabin, they don’t even belong in this car.  This car #3 for sleeper tickets.  They have row 3 seats in car #4.  They do not like this and begin insisting they bought sleeper seats, which their tickets do not show.

The guy though, is a nice guy and says that he can move if they want the beds and THE TRAIN ATTENDANT LETS THEM STAY.  And now I have a roommate that I don’t want.

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Las Vegas Trip Report: The Only Constant is Every Trip Must End

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Yet another “last day I am going home today waaaaaahhhhhhh” day in Las Vegas.

I wake up at Cosmopolitan at 7:00 AM.  I am supposed to go back to Luxor for my massage but I don’t want to.  I don’t.  I don’t want to, can’t make me.  I call and cancel and tell them they can charge it to my room since I have resort credit to cover it.  They seemed to feel bad for me that their policy is to charge for it if you are a no show.  It is fiiiiiiiine, just charge it.  Let me off the phone.  Bye bye.

I decided to walk through the casino to get to Starbucks rather than through the 3894873 mile walkway from the Chelsea Tower.  I played along the way, losing money.

Armed with coffee, I head back to MY Ultimate X video poker machine.  What a run I had.

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Las Vegas Trip Report: ACES!

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Day 10 Las Vegas trip report!

I woke up at Cosmopolitan.  At 5:00 AM.  View from my balcony:

Was on the world’s longest Starbucks line at 6:00.   That’s a thing in Las Vegas in current times, Starbucks lines.  They are fucking insane.   I stayed at Luxor, where Starbucks opens at 6:00 AM.  I moseyed over at 5:59 and the line was incredibly long.  Don’t even get me started with the Flamingo Starbucks of death, where the line never ends and goes out the door.  These places used to be 24 hours.  I fear this is never coming back.

I played my favorite Ultimate X Double Double Bonus video poker game and whoooooahhhhhhhhhhhh yay.

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Las Vegas Trip Report: I Hate the Chelsea Tower at Cosmopolitan

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Good morning Las Fucking Vegas!

I wake up at Treasure Island at 9:45.  I am out at 10:45.  I am not staying here tonight but since I am burning them, I booked the comp for tonight so I did not have to check out until I felt like it.

Reservations at all restaurants are still needed in Vegas during this trip.  I was able to score one for 12:45 at The Pantry at Mirage.  I cannot wait until the days of going to eat when you are hungry are back.   I hate having to keep track of time for meals.

I stopped at Starbucks, and then went to my Ultimate X video poker machine.  Lost 2 $100 bills before hitting this:
Also hit this:
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Las Vegas Trip Report: Visiting MY Buffalo Slot Machine at Linq

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Day 6 Las Vegas trip report starts at Fremont.  I am up early today to go to the spa at Flamingo.  I need a break from all the losing.  My breakfast was some left over chips from Saginaws that I have been holding onto for a couple of days.  Then off to Flamingo we go!

I booked a Happy Feet Remedy.  I had this on my last trip and it was great then, and it was great now.

After the spa, I obviously got Starbucks and went to visit my Buffalo slot machine at Linq.  Someone is playing it.   Fine, I will play another machine with you in my line of sight.  Holy shit this chick had a death grip on my machine.  I am not leaving.  I won’t be back around here for the rest of the trip, so I wait her out.

Some guy comes up to her with a bunch of to go food, including boxes of pizza.   I think okay, she is going to get up now.   Nope.  She is playing and keeps hitting bonuses.  When she does, she stops and sits back to watch.   Forever.   She sat there with her food getting cold for a good half hour before she fucking FINALLY got up.   MINE.

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Las Vegas Trip Report: Going to Jerry’s Nugget

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Day five Las Vegas trip report begins at Fremont.  I love this hotel so much.  I love it so much, I love it so much, I love it so much.

First stop is Dunkin Donuts where there is a penny on heads on the floor.  YAY.  I pick it up and put it in my bra.

I allow myself $360 for the day.  I am not too sure I understand daily budgets any longer.  I think my daily budget has officially gone from $200 to $400, without ever taking a stop at $300.

I played Buffalo Cash Express Luxury Line.  I played this on my last trip at Klondike in Henderson.  It was nicer to me today.
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Las Vegas Trip Report: Leaving Plaza YAY

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Day four of my losing Las Vegas trip report.  Yeargh.

I am up at 8:00 AM.  I shower and finish packing.  I am gung ho to move hotels.  I don’t want to be at The Plaza anymore, I definitely do not ever again want to be inside the casino.  I don’t have change for housekeeping so I leave a $20 because I do not want to go downstairs to break a bill.

I attempt to leave through the South exit as I had yesterday and today it is locked.  So I now need to walk alllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll the way through the casino unnecessarily.

I cash out my Golden Gate TITO on my walk.  And ahhhhhhhhh I am at Fremont.  My favorite hotel in all of Las Vegas, which I know is crazy but I love it so much here, I love it so much, I LOVE YOU FREMONT.

I got room 626.

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