Las Vegas

[adrian_turtle]

I've never been to Las Vegas. I don't like extreme heat. I don't like gambling. I don't like spectacle. I don't like travel for its own sake. I've been on the east coast long enough to realize I belong here

Comments

[_o_pixiedust_o_]

My mom has been there, if you have questions I can ask her for you?

[adrian_turtle]

Thanks! That's really great. Could you ask your mom if they have strobes or other flashing lights in front of the casino? A lot of places put them over the slot machines, so people will come over and play (and lose track of time...it's hypnotic.) The Mandalay Bay place is set up so you have to walk through part of the casino to get from the hotel to the convention center. I think that's how it works, from the map. Did your mom notice flashing lights?

I'm really ridiculously sensitive to these things. Flashing lights cause migraines for a fair number of people, but a lot of them mean something like a fire engine strobe when they say "flashing lights." Blinky lights on a christmas tree can set me off on a bad day.

Thank your mom for me! I can't trust the people at the hotel information desk to tell me the truth...their job is to convince me to rent a room.

[wordweaverlynn]

If blinking lights set you off, you'll have to go through the slot areas in a blindfold. *Everything* in Vegas is set up so you have to walk through the casino to get there.

That said, I actually enjoyed Las Vegas, though I thought I would hate it. It's not nearly as sleazy as I expected; in fact, it's like a theme park. Very clean, very expensive.

I did not expect to find beauty that moved me to tears, but I did. The Chihuly glass flower ceiling at Bellagio--along with their re-creation of the Monet garden. The lifesize replicas of the Winged Victory of Samothrace and Michelangelo's David. (I've never seen either one in person.) The frolicking white tiger cubs.

I went with a serious poker player, so I had a lot of time in my room to write while he played cards.

[_o_pixiedust_o_]

no problem, I'll ask her if they do have flashing lights if she knows about any other hotels as well

[therck]

The casino floor with all the slot machines and such in the Aladdin (where my sister got married) was dreadful in terms of noise and lights, and everything was set up so that you couldn't get from your room to anywhere else without crossing the floor. Another consideration is that that area (and pretty much all of the public space) was open for smoking. I think there were non-smoking areas in the restaurants we tried, but I'm not positive. I know that the shopping mall area was reasonably safe that way, though. And I think the lights and noise there would have been tolerable for you

[adrian_turtle]

Yikes! I hadn't even considered the smoking issue. I've been in Massachusetts too long (that is, almost long enough.) I'm not concerned about shopping, restaurants, or visiting...this is a business trip, and I can skip all those and stay in my hotel room with a book when I'm not working. The critical question is what it will do to me to go from my room to the convention space, and do what my employer is paying for me to do.

[darkrosetiger]

Nevada in August is a hostile climate in ordinary years, and this year, the heat out this way has been worse than usual. I'm finding the dry heat is much easier to bear than East Coast style hot and humid, but it's still not something you want to be outside in much.

[anonymous]

From my understanding in the slot machine area there will be lots and lots of flashing lights and noise but once you get through there into the convention area it should be calmer without likely migrane triggers. If you could safely make the journey to and from the convention center I would recommend going. The hotel will provide free air conditioning while giving you a great opportunity to learn a great deal.

[fairion]

Previous comment was from me. Sorry new computer. Did not realize I was not logged in.

[adrian_turtle]

I'm so glad your new computer is up and running! Thanks for the advice.

[therck]

Something that just occurred to me-- The hotel probably has calmer employees only corridors that bypass the slot machine areas. It's possible that, if you could use those, you might be okay. Of course, if they agree and then break their word, you're screwed because you're there and stuck in your room.