Note:  This is an older Las Vegas trip report that I am posting for the entertainment of Las Vegas addicts and anyone else who loves fun.  It was written back in 2008.  Most of this information is now outdated and some places mentioned no longer exist.

Sunday, December 14, 2008 – Day Three of Twenty One

I’m up at 4:00 am – not on purpose. But since I AM up, I start getting all panicky. I have an appointment at the Palms spa to use my 50% off coupon from the Las Vegas Advisor.  I’m all freaked out about getting there on time. See, this is why I don’t do well with having plans that revolve around a clock in Las Vegas. It is 4:00 am and I’m having a near breakdown because I don’t think I have enough time to do all the things I want to do before getting to the Palms by 3:00.  Mind  you, the only things I have to do before arriving at the Palms in ELEVEN HOURS are  (a) eating breakfast (b) eating lunch.  Sigh.

I’m out the door at 5:20 am. I head to Binions for breakfast only to find out their coffee shop is closed – opens at 7:00. It’s a Sunday; there are people here from Saturday. Are you kidding me?   I end up at McDonalds (yes, on vacation, yes in Las Vegas – suck it)

After eating I hit Binions. I play a Reel Riches slot machine that’s hidden all the way in the corner.  For some reason,  someone has put a palm tree over here so it sits on top of your head while you play.

I then move over to a Survivor slot machine and I hit a bonus for $42.50.  Next I get a line win with a whole lot of Jerri’s for $53.40.

I’m up $110.  I revisit the Happy Days slot at Las Vegas Club and accidentally hit MAX BET.  Thankfully, I get a line win for $45. Whewwwwwwwww.

After this I celebrate with an iced coffee from Starbucks and head back to my room. On the way I of course gamble. I try Hitchcock. I turn $40 into $70 and then I turn $105 into ZERO. Asshole. I’m back in my room at 7:55 am.

I take a shower and get dressed and head back out. I am staying at the California on two different reservations.   One is an offer I got for two comped nights, the other is an additional two nights I booked via Expedia.

I now need to stop at the front desk to check out of the first reservation and check back in on the second reservation. I start off by saying “I have two reservations and I need to check out and check back in” and I hand her my room keys. She doesn’t take the room keys and says she needs my ID and credit card. That’s fine. I hand both of them to her and she hands me back new room keys and a new room number. I explain that I want to keep my room. She says “I didn’t realize you had a room”. I started off by saying this! I swear! But what I did learn about this is that you can check in as early as 9:00 am at the California and they will not bat an eye.

I hit Binions and try a Press Your Luck slot machine. It had been so nice to me on previous trips. This time it’s hitting the Big Event bonus a whole lot, but each bonus is like less than a dollar. I go and find a quarter Double Double Bonus video poker machine and I hit sixes twice. I get up to 500 credits and cash out at 300 credits. I don’t understand WHAT is wrong with me.

At 11:03 I am on the Deuce bus to the strip. I bought a 30-day pass online before leaving home.  As I try to use it the first time, the driver grabs it out of my hand and takes it before I even swipe it, and tells me “go ahead”. Not until you give me my bus pass back. He tells me I don’t need it back. Um, give it to me? Is this funny? It turns out he thought I had a one RIDE pass. No, it’s 30 day and it’s mine.  GIMME.

The Deuce is uncharacteristically empty. Even at Circus Circus, which is the stop of death, where you normally have enough people to fill a stadium waiting.  Today, there were only a couple of people.  Circus Circus is now a “time stop” (this was also new to me)  We had to wait four minutes. We pass the Frontier (rip) and they are dismantling the sign. Later in my trip they were putting in trees. I overheard someone say that Steve Wynn paid for both of these things because he wanted his guests to have a better view than a view of barren space. No clue if this is true.

View from the bus:

I get off at Caesars and walk around Las Vegas Boulevard to catch the 202 bus, which is also at a “time stop” so it was waiting for me when I got there. I get off at the Gold Coast and venture inside.  Wouldn’t you know it, I gravitate towards video poker WITH A WHEEL. This game lets you spin a wheel when you hit four of a kinds.  So you win the four of a kind win, and then you get a bonus on the wheel!

I play nickels and hit 4’s and get an extra 250 nickels.

I also hit sevens on two lines:

I head to the buffet. I did not realize it was brunch. I use my Las Vegas Advisor coupon for half off and pay the balance in points.

After eating, I try video poker WITH A WHEEL again and get to spin two more times. I hit nothing major though. Head over to the Palms. I get up $125 and this rules because I neeeeeed it. Then I do that “let me smoke a cigarette before heading to the spa” thing and I put $120 into a quick quads machine and leave with zero. HATE.

Check out this son of a fucking bitch:

At the spa, I got the Green Tea and Ginger Enzyme Body Wrap treatment. it was soooooooo good. I wish I were back there now getting it again rather than sitting here NOT being pampered. Come out and play a bit. I go up to $125, down to $50.

Why do I do this?

Sigh.

I attempt to take the 202 bus to the 108 bus to head back downtown. I don’t realize that the 108 towards downtown runs on Swenson rather than Paradise.  So I got off at Paradise and I walk on Paradise and I make it all the way to the convention center before I see a bus stop. This is such a long walk!  The entire time I was walking, I was so confused as to why there were bus stops on the other side of the street and not on mine.   Idiot!

I finally get back downtown.  On my way to my room, I play my way through Binions – stopping at Survivor of course. As I’m playing this game, Survivor the television show is broadcasting it’s season finale on the East coast. I am dying to watch it. Finally it’s almost 8:00 so I need to go. I stop for a to-go sandwich at Binions Deli and bring it back to my room with me.  I get in my pajamas, get ready with my dinner and Diet Pepsi and it is Survivor time!  I watch all three hours and go to bed.