My Vegas Vacation
2/13
As you know, I was called by the automatic notification system that the flight I wanted (9:15am) was cancelled.
2/14
Since the new flight was moved out to 11:45am, we decided to leave in the morning rather than stay in the terminal overnight. Laura, Dave, and I left my place around 7am and got to the Philly airport around 9:30am. Got our tickets from the self-serve kiosk and headed up to the security check point. After we went through security, we sat down to put our shoes back on and Laura left her bookbag on the seat. We decided to get foodies after finding our gate and that's when she realized that her bag was missing. I told her that any unattended bag is considered a security issue - when we go to the bench it was left at, there were already 2 security guards there and a canine unit was on the way. We hadn't even been there for 30 minutes!! *giggles*
The plane was going to board at 11:15am, but didn't start until 11:20am. No big deal... So we sat out in the plane as the baggage was loaded and everyone found their seats. We taxied out the to the line for the runway and the Captain states that we need to be de-iced and that we are 20-something in line. *ack* A couple hours later, we find out from the Captain that we are still many planes back. I called the American Airlines customer service number and had our flights changed since we would be missing our connection. **Please note that we ended up being in that friggin' plane for 4.5 hours before actually taking the 3.75 hour flight!!** They bumped us over from the 4:35pm flight to the 6:05pm (Dallas to Las Vegas); we actually didn't fly out of Philly until 3:50pm. Since we missed yet another connection, we ended up with a 8:15pm flight and amazingly our luggage followed us the entire way! Grabbed the taxi from the airport and checked into our hotel rooms at Circus Circus; you have to love the fact you pay an additional $1 a day for staying at any of the hotels for some electricity excise tax - or something of the sort. Laura decided to stay in for the night while Dave and I went down to the casino, picked up some necessities at Walgreens, and grabbed a donut and strawberry milk for me before calling it a night.
2/15
Got breakfast at the Circus Circus buffet - yum!!
Took the monorail down to the other end of the strip to save some energy for the rest of the day.
Grabbed Cold Stone ice cream with James - he scarfed his down and I enjoyed mine...
Sat down at Blondie's in Desert Passage before Chrissy and James went to see Ka and Dave, Laura, and I saw the Fab Four. *yay!!*
2/16
Since my feet hurt so much from the previous day's activities, I ended up having to stop at the Fasion Mall and pick up some comfy socks. That was fine since I needed to go to the Sanrio store anyway. And I got a bonus dish of Haagen Dazs to help my foot pain "go away". *giggles*
Took the monorail down to the opposite end of the strip again, but this time at night to get pictures of the lights and to see the fountain show at the Bellagio.
Grabbed a quick dinner at New York, New York; I had a turkey club from Greenberg's.
2/17
Had brunch at the Las Vegas Hilton - it is the nicest buffet I have ever been to. Dave and I had gone to it the last time we visited LV, too.
We all made sure we had a one day pass on the monorail yesterday - my feet hurt and I know that everyone else was also VERY tired. It was a welcomed rest between things we wanted to do...
Picked up Laura a NASCAR "gas can glass" so that she can play pit crew when at home. *giggles*
Went up the Eiffel Tower at Paris around 5pm and got to watch the Bellagio fountains while at the top. It was a neat view of the city that I can imagine would be extraordinary at night!
Finally got to visit Madame Tussaud's wax museum. Once Laura had the pictures posted (I hate taking my camera places it can be lost/stolen), I'll be sure to share!!
Grabbed dinner around 7:30pm at the Venetian, but only at a place in the food court (Shake -n- Burger).
Used the monorail to speed down to the Stratosphere and get a few nighttime pictures of the strip. Much like he had done at the wax museum, Dan was able to get a "local" discount for us.
Picked up a couple drinks to last us the night before we headed over to the airport (around 10:30pm) while Chrissy, James, Laura, and Dan stopped by the Hilton to pick up his car and move it over to Circus Circus.
We meandered around the Adventuredome and then Midway to pass the time before we had to pack and say our goodbyes. Once James and Chrissy headed back to their hotel, Dave grabbed a shower while Dan, Laura, and I played Rummy. Damn Laura!
2/18
Dan actually hung out with Laura, Dave, and I until we had to go to the airport to save us $$$. We checked out of our rooms around 3:15am - our flight was to depart at 6:15am. We figured that since we should be at the airport ~2hrs before a flight that there was no reason to go to sleep - especially in a town that doesn't sleep! We got there after 4am though because everyone and their mother was out partying for the Chinese New Year and (more so) for the 2007 All Star game. No one knows how/when to cross a street nor how to drive in that town!! Thankfully, the trip back was uneventful and were back home around 3:45pm.
I was pleasantly surprised when I got home that my car and the area around it had been cleaned off. It was more than appreciated and I made sure to call so that my mom's boyfriend knew that I was grateful for his kindness. It was Laura's car that we had to work at - it took a good hour (?) to get out of the snow/ice. She left a few minutes before 7pm... I made sure to call Chrissy and Dan to let them know we got here okay and with no mishaps.
I'm definitely tired, since I keep getting distracted by things other than LJ. So I am going to head to bed now and perhaps add more tomorrow about Vegas...
As you know, I was called by the automatic notification system that the flight I wanted (9:15am) was cancelled.
2/14
Since the new flight was moved out to 11:45am, we decided to leave in the morning rather than stay in the terminal overnight. Laura, Dave, and I left my place around 7am and got to the Philly airport around 9:30am. Got our tickets from the self-serve kiosk and headed up to the security check point. After we went through security, we sat down to put our shoes back on and Laura left her bookbag on the seat. We decided to get foodies after finding our gate and that's when she realized that her bag was missing. I told her that any unattended bag is considered a security issue - when we go to the bench it was left at, there were already 2 security guards there and a canine unit was on the way. We hadn't even been there for 30 minutes!! *giggles*
The plane was going to board at 11:15am, but didn't start until 11:20am. No big deal... So we sat out in the plane as the baggage was loaded and everyone found their seats. We taxied out the to the line for the runway and the Captain states that we need to be de-iced and that we are 20-something in line. *ack* A couple hours later, we find out from the Captain that we are still many planes back. I called the American Airlines customer service number and had our flights changed since we would be missing our connection. **Please note that we ended up being in that friggin' plane for 4.5 hours before actually taking the 3.75 hour flight!!** They bumped us over from the 4:35pm flight to the 6:05pm (Dallas to Las Vegas); we actually didn't fly out of Philly until 3:50pm. Since we missed yet another connection, we ended up with a 8:15pm flight and amazingly our luggage followed us the entire way! Grabbed the taxi from the airport and checked into our hotel rooms at Circus Circus; you have to love the fact you pay an additional $1 a day for staying at any of the hotels for some electricity excise tax - or something of the sort. Laura decided to stay in for the night while Dave and I went down to the casino, picked up some necessities at Walgreens, and grabbed a donut and strawberry milk for me before calling it a night.
2/15
Got breakfast at the Circus Circus buffet - yum!!
Took the monorail down to the other end of the strip to save some energy for the rest of the day.
Grabbed Cold Stone ice cream with James - he scarfed his down and I enjoyed mine...
Sat down at Blondie's in Desert Passage before Chrissy and James went to see Ka and Dave, Laura, and I saw the Fab Four. *yay!!*
2/16
Since my feet hurt so much from the previous day's activities, I ended up having to stop at the Fasion Mall and pick up some comfy socks. That was fine since I needed to go to the Sanrio store anyway. And I got a bonus dish of Haagen Dazs to help my foot pain "go away". *giggles*
Took the monorail down to the opposite end of the strip again, but this time at night to get pictures of the lights and to see the fountain show at the Bellagio.
Grabbed a quick dinner at New York, New York; I had a turkey club from Greenberg's.
2/17
Had brunch at the Las Vegas Hilton - it is the nicest buffet I have ever been to. Dave and I had gone to it the last time we visited LV, too.
We all made sure we had a one day pass on the monorail yesterday - my feet hurt and I know that everyone else was also VERY tired. It was a welcomed rest between things we wanted to do...
Picked up Laura a NASCAR "gas can glass" so that she can play pit crew when at home. *giggles*
Went up the Eiffel Tower at Paris around 5pm and got to watch the Bellagio fountains while at the top. It was a neat view of the city that I can imagine would be extraordinary at night!
Finally got to visit Madame Tussaud's wax museum. Once Laura had the pictures posted (I hate taking my camera places it can be lost/stolen), I'll be sure to share!!
Grabbed dinner around 7:30pm at the Venetian, but only at a place in the food court (Shake -n- Burger).
Used the monorail to speed down to the Stratosphere and get a few nighttime pictures of the strip. Much like he had done at the wax museum, Dan was able to get a "local" discount for us.
Picked up a couple drinks to last us the night before we headed over to the airport (around 10:30pm) while Chrissy, James, Laura, and Dan stopped by the Hilton to pick up his car and move it over to Circus Circus.
We meandered around the Adventuredome and then Midway to pass the time before we had to pack and say our goodbyes. Once James and Chrissy headed back to their hotel, Dave grabbed a shower while Dan, Laura, and I played Rummy. Damn Laura!
2/18
Dan actually hung out with Laura, Dave, and I until we had to go to the airport to save us $$$. We checked out of our rooms around 3:15am - our flight was to depart at 6:15am. We figured that since we should be at the airport ~2hrs before a flight that there was no reason to go to sleep - especially in a town that doesn't sleep! We got there after 4am though because everyone and their mother was out partying for the Chinese New Year and (more so) for the 2007 All Star game. No one knows how/when to cross a street nor how to drive in that town!! Thankfully, the trip back was uneventful and were back home around 3:45pm.
I was pleasantly surprised when I got home that my car and the area around it had been cleaned off. It was more than appreciated and I made sure to call so that my mom's boyfriend knew that I was grateful for his kindness. It was Laura's car that we had to work at - it took a good hour (?) to get out of the snow/ice. She left a few minutes before 7pm... I made sure to call Chrissy and Dan to let them know we got here okay and with no mishaps.
I'm definitely tired, since I keep getting distracted by things other than LJ. So I am going to head to bed now and perhaps add more tomorrow about Vegas...