Today is not only Christmas Eve, it is also unfortunately day nine of thirteen, my trip is almost over.
I head downstairs at Orleans for breakfast with $25. Breakfast is actually at Starbucks because I have a $100 gift card. Starbucks is supposedly only two blocks away from Orleans but this is Las Vegas so that two block walk took about fifteen minutes.
Tuesday, December 23, 2014: Day Eight of Thirteen
I woke up insanely early today in my comfy Cosmopolitan bed and have what I recognize as an uncontrollable urge to go degenerate gambling. I want to gamble. I want to gamble NOW. I want to put every dollar I own into the pretty machines downstairs.
I have been pretty good for days, but that was only because I messed up so badly on day one that I had a choice to either continue doing things that would send me to the ATM, or to slow down gambling. I chose the latter but I am CRAVING a binge session on video poker.
The sun isn’t even up yet and I am FIENDING. What to do? I don’t really understand how I came up with this plan, but I decided to: Leave all my money in the room safe, walk to Walgreens across the Strip, get a Diet Pepsi, get $40 cash back and use that and only that to gamble. It seems like a pretty good idea. If I win, great. If I lose, the walk back to the room to get more money might cool me off. Right?
Sunday, December 21, 2014: Day Six of Thirteen
I am growing more and more tired every day but still cannot sleep. Today’s excuse for getting up is that my room at Main Street Station came with a buffet offer that needs to be used before I check out. It actually came with two buffets, which worked out great because the credit was actually only good for two regularly priced breakfast buffets. Since I am here on a Sunday when there is no regular breakfast, only brunch, I would have had to pay the difference. But while brunch is more than a regular breakfast buffet, it is not more than two breakfast buffets, which is what my credit is for.
I am tempted to play after I eat. But again, since I paid for this room, I do not have to earn my keep. Any play I put through a machine is wasted since it will not be covering my room on this trip and I swear I am never coming back so I do not need to play for a future trip. This is the train of thought I need to keep me away from playing and I am happy to have it.
Saturday, December 20, 2014: Day Five of Thirteen
Today I am checking out of MGM Grand and moving to Main Street Station. Since I am fully paying for my room at MSS through an Orbitz sale, I do not have to play to earn my keep. Therefore, I have decided to use today to repair my budget by not gambling at all except for using my free play.
I called the Bell Desk at MGM to have my bag stored. Then I try and check out of the room. The televison check out is giving me an error (remember when it told me I was checked out days ago? Clearly this thing needs to be fixed.) However, MGM emailed me a link to check out on my phone. Guess what, doesn’t work and it gives me a 702 area code to call. I am not going to direct dial the MGM Grand so I pick up the phone in my room and dial the front desk. It took all about one ring before I realized that screw this, why am I putting effort in to check out of your malfunctioning hotel? So I leave my room without checking out. Interestingly enough, a few days later I discovered that I was charged for two night’s resort fee, not three. This probably has to do with the two different room confirmations. So I guess I owe MGM Grand $28, but damned if I am going to contact them to tell them that. Serves you right for having ridiculous resort fees to being with.
Thursday, December 19: Day Four of Thirteen
I swear, every trip I take to anywhere always has to have one day where everything goes wrong. Today is that day.
This morning I wake up at MGM Grand, and go about getting ready to start my day. This morning’s plans were to go to Green Valley Ranch to use a MyVegas reward, and then off to the spa.
This was all suddenly halted when I realized I did not pack one of my medications. How did I not realize this until today? Easy. I had a pill box leftover from my trip to Seattle a couple of weeks ago that I had been using. When it came time to refill the box this morning, no meds.
Thursday, December 18, 2014: Day Three of Thirteen
This morning I got up at 7:00 to get my day started. I planned to eat breakfast at the Bellagio buffet. I have not eaten here and years and wanted to treat myself.
I walked over from MGM since honestly, it is the quickest way to go. Public transportation here is awful. Even when it is available, it takes forever to go ten feet. I took pictures along the way.
Las Vegas: December 17, 2014, Day Two of Thirteen
This morning I woke up at Palace Station at 6:33 am. This means I had about four hours sleep after a very exhausting and very long day. This is what Las Vegas does to you. It doesn’t matter than I need about fifty more hours of sleep, there are video poker machines downstairs, who can sleep?
I have a free buffet at Palace Station courtesy of MyVegas. Actually I have two because there is no option to get just one, which is kind of annoying. They are obviously going to track the play to see if the cost of giving away free buffets was recovered via play. My account shows I used two and I only used one. They should consider offering single options.
The buffet was really good and my only complaint is that the entire room reeked of ketchup for some reason.
YAY!
I always leave for Las Vegas from work, so that I don’t waste a night at home when I could be in Vegas that much earlier. As always, I spent that last day at work all kinds of crabby and just dying to go.
I cannot believe I am actually going to say this but my flight left on time. Wait, what? Yes, it left on time. I have never had an after work flight to Vegas do this, not ever. So that was a nice kick off.
When it came time to board, they first called for people who need assistance or have small kids. Zero people went to the gate. Then first class, zero people went to the gate. Then business class, about five people went to the gate. Then it was my turn! The flight was mostly empty which is something I have not seen in so long. My flights to Vegas are usually empty due to the time I go, but last year I went during Thanksgiving and missed out on the empty flight the week before Christmas.
Once again, I am spending Christmas in Las Vegas. It is my favorite place to be on this holiday. See how pretty it is?
However, this trip is going to be slightly different. Why, you ask? Well let me tell you!
Friday, July 31, 2009: Day (Something) of (Something)
[If you would like to start from the beginning, the first day of this trip report can be found here.]
Today is a weird day. I am checked into Harrahs in Las Vegas but I am leaving for California – the state – not the downtown hotel. I will be leaving my stuff in my Las Vegas room while I am gone for three days.
My time in California is actually the intended purpose of this trip. I just decided to book some Vegas days around it since I have the vacation time and I’m right here.
[2014 called, it wants you to know I have no freaking clue why I kept a booked room in Vegas when I was going to be in California for a weekend?]
Monday, August 3, 2009 – Day Two (Three? Four? ) of (I DON’T KNOW ANYMORE)
My flight from Oxnard back to Las Vegas is pretty empty and we land at 8:30 am. I have to switch planes at LAX. I cannot believe the security lines at LAX. They wrapped around outside and hit the next terminal. But it did move fast.