Las Vegas - June 2013 - Day 1
Heading to the airport in the daytime is a novelty. It's also cold! Ah well, we're heading for warmth and sunshine, so off we head, hauling suitcases up the hill and over the bridge to the bus stop. Stop for a smoke before heading into the terminal, it's going to be a while before we get another chance.
Ottawa/Newark leg is uneventful. Hit Newark and peruse our lunch options. We have plenty of time so, after exploring all options, settle for a diner-style place and settle in. Decent food and a reasonable price. Head for our gate area. Consider asking if they'll put us on earlier flight. Head to the United courtesy desk and ask. Sure she says, but it'll cost you $150+. We ask if they can do it for no charge, since there are a fair number of empty seats on the flight. She is very rude about saying no. Says that there's no way to do it for no charge. Well, yes there is but she clearly doesn't have the authority. I ask who does and she says that no one at the airport has the authority to do it. I highly doubt that but we just walk away and go the gate.
This is where I'm happy to have my laptop, it gives us something to do. No free WiFi? WTF? Still, there is amusement to be had with the games on the computer, so Nyssa does that while I read on the Kobo. Before you know it they're calling us to board. Small peeves when traveling - those who don't understand the carry-on rules and take up all the overhead space and those who don't listen to instructions on where/when to line up for boarding. Seriously folks, you have a ticket. You will get on the plane. You do not have to rush to the lines en masse before your section is called. However, please go ahead. I will only make you get up from your seat so I can get to my window seat. :)
Uneventful flight, bad movie (Oz the Great and Powerful) that put me to sleep. We always order the tapas box on United. $8, I think, for plenty of tasty snacks. A trade is made between Nyssa and I, she gets my almonds and I get her chocolate. Dietary restrictions dealt with. :)
Love seeing the lights as we land in Vegas! Pick up bags fairly quickly, though why, if there are so few flights landing in Terminal 3 at that hour, do they insist on sending us to the farthest possible baggage carousel?
We have booked the VIP shuttle with Bell Trans. Head for the gate, not quite sure where to wait. Nyssa heads back to their counter to ask and I sit down for a smoke. Holy crap it's hot compared to home. The mass of people across the lane move and I see the Bell Trans podium. D'oh. Ah well, Nyssa is coming out the door. I hand her what's left of my smoke and we head over to the podium. She says our vehicle is on its way and we chat with her while we wait. We're the only ones being picked up, so we get a nice black SUV instead of a limo. That's okay with us. Our driver is friendly and chatty and before you know it we're at the Luxor.
Check in is quick and easy. The 2 night stay is courtesy of the MyVegas game, so no charge (reward redeemed before they stopped including the taxes and resort fees). I had thought it was a Pyramid room for some reason and am slightly disappointed that it's not. But only slightly, because I am not at all inclined to complain about free. We navigate our way through this unfamiliar location to the elevators and find our room. I'm happy.
Drop off our bags and head for the casino. It's time to gamble. We take some time to explore the place, noting food options in case we want a snack before bed, pool location, etc. I get hungry and leave Nyssa at the slots and head for the food court. For the first time in Vegas, I opt for fast food and take some McDonald's up to the room. I grab a small fries for her, in case she's hungry when she comes up. She didn't gamble a lot longer than I had, so the fries aren't quite cold when she gets to the room. It's been a long day, so it's a relatively early night for us.
Ottawa/Newark leg is uneventful. Hit Newark and peruse our lunch options. We have plenty of time so, after exploring all options, settle for a diner-style place and settle in. Decent food and a reasonable price. Head for our gate area. Consider asking if they'll put us on earlier flight. Head to the United courtesy desk and ask. Sure she says, but it'll cost you $150+. We ask if they can do it for no charge, since there are a fair number of empty seats on the flight. She is very rude about saying no. Says that there's no way to do it for no charge. Well, yes there is but she clearly doesn't have the authority. I ask who does and she says that no one at the airport has the authority to do it. I highly doubt that but we just walk away and go the gate.
This is where I'm happy to have my laptop, it gives us something to do. No free WiFi? WTF? Still, there is amusement to be had with the games on the computer, so Nyssa does that while I read on the Kobo. Before you know it they're calling us to board. Small peeves when traveling - those who don't understand the carry-on rules and take up all the overhead space and those who don't listen to instructions on where/when to line up for boarding. Seriously folks, you have a ticket. You will get on the plane. You do not have to rush to the lines en masse before your section is called. However, please go ahead. I will only make you get up from your seat so I can get to my window seat. :)
Uneventful flight, bad movie (Oz the Great and Powerful) that put me to sleep. We always order the tapas box on United. $8, I think, for plenty of tasty snacks. A trade is made between Nyssa and I, she gets my almonds and I get her chocolate. Dietary restrictions dealt with. :)
Love seeing the lights as we land in Vegas! Pick up bags fairly quickly, though why, if there are so few flights landing in Terminal 3 at that hour, do they insist on sending us to the farthest possible baggage carousel?
We have booked the VIP shuttle with Bell Trans. Head for the gate, not quite sure where to wait. Nyssa heads back to their counter to ask and I sit down for a smoke. Holy crap it's hot compared to home. The mass of people across the lane move and I see the Bell Trans podium. D'oh. Ah well, Nyssa is coming out the door. I hand her what's left of my smoke and we head over to the podium. She says our vehicle is on its way and we chat with her while we wait. We're the only ones being picked up, so we get a nice black SUV instead of a limo. That's okay with us. Our driver is friendly and chatty and before you know it we're at the Luxor.
Check in is quick and easy. The 2 night stay is courtesy of the MyVegas game, so no charge (reward redeemed before they stopped including the taxes and resort fees). I had thought it was a Pyramid room for some reason and am slightly disappointed that it's not. But only slightly, because I am not at all inclined to complain about free. We navigate our way through this unfamiliar location to the elevators and find our room. I'm happy.
Drop off our bags and head for the casino. It's time to gamble. We take some time to explore the place, noting food options in case we want a snack before bed, pool location, etc. I get hungry and leave Nyssa at the slots and head for the food court. For the first time in Vegas, I opt for fast food and take some McDonald's up to the room. I grab a small fries for her, in case she's hungry when she comes up. She didn't gamble a lot longer than I had, so the fries aren't quite cold when she gets to the room. It's been a long day, so it's a relatively early night for us.