Viva Las Vegas
Sunday

Geoff is up way early (5am) because he's so excited about Vegas. I get up around 7:30. We plan to leave some time after 12:30 for the airport. Our flight leaves Denver at 3:10. We get to the airport with no problems, and it appears our flight may be delayed. But we get to the gate and it looks okay. We find out the Las Vegas flight before ours hasn't left yet. It's been delayed, and is now just boarding. Geoff asks them if it will impact our flight, and they say yes, we won't be leaving until 6! So he asks if there is room on this flight, and lucky for us there is. We get two seats together in the very last row of the plane. That flight leaves and we arrive in Vegas at nearly the same time we would have if our flight had been on time. Thank goodness. I really wanted to see Lisa!

It's pouring in Vegas, and we're kinda bummed. We meet up earlier than anticipated, but not by much. There is much rejoicing, and we come to find that Chad & Lisa also encountered flight problems. They were supposed to arrive around 12 or 1, but had delays in both Edmonton and LAX. But we're all together now, and all hungry so we hit the buffet. It's buffet food, so I don't need to go into detail, but Geoff discovered they use pretty hot horse radish, and we talk about hockey, Canadian politics, and general catching up. Even though it was still raining and we couldn't go to the strip, the hotel offered plenty of options. After dinner, we go check out Lisa & Chad's room to see what the new tower looks like. They are on the 20th floor (there are 21 floors) and Lisa doles out goodies for me from her and my mom. The view from their window shows the Palms and the Rio. Hanging out in the room makes us tired, so we go downstairs to gamble. Geoff, Lisa and I hit the Blackjack table. Chad cheers us on, and after a few hours of play, I'm up $45, Lisa is up, and Geoff is up $15. We're all pretty tired, so we decide to go to our rooms.

Monday

Geoff and I go downstairs to the Courtyard Cafe for breakfast. We are able to find affordable food, and it's pretty tasty. We go back up to our room, and Lisa had called to say they were going to the strip, and we'd all meet up at M&M World to see if we could get tickets to a show for that night. We had a 10am appointment at the spa, so we arranged to meet at noon. At 9:30, Geoff and I head down to the spa. We don't need to bring anything with us, the spa provides everything. We go into our changing rooms, and I open my locker to reveal a robe, some sandals, and a towel. I take a shower in the large shower there. There are bottles of water chilling on ice when I get back to the sink area, and I grab one and go wait on the couch for Geoff. He took advantage of the Jacuzzi in the changing room, I only could have soaked my feet if I wanted to. Once he joins me, we have a few minutes before our masseuses come get us. We are led to our private room, and they leave us to get under the sheets. My table is all padded and I have a pillow to rest my head rather than the face hole Geoff has. The two ladies return and the massage begins. It's so peaceful and relaxing. I didn't know how tense my back and shoulders were, but it all feels so wonderful. The music playing reminds Geoff of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. The 50 minutes didn't feel so short, which I feared it might. Once it's over, we don't want to get up. We just want lie there for a while. But we get up and go. We go back up to our room and get everything we need to head to the strip. We catch the shuttle and then book it to M&M World to meet Chad & Lisa. When we get to the half price ticket place, they have no tickets for the show we wanted to see. We shrug and then continue with our day. First stop is to find food. We're all starving. After seeking out a few different places we settle on a food court in Excalibur. Lisa and I have McDonalds, and the boys have Quiznos. We then check out the Krispy Kreme, but the hot light isn't on, and no one is up for donuts, so we make our way to the Luxor. After seeing the pyramid from the inside, we head back towards the strip so we can visit the Coca-Cola Store. My favorite. I offer to treat everyone to a Coke, and we sit for a spell and enjoy a nice cold Coke. I buy myself a little something, and then we head towards the shops at the Aladdin, where I promised Geoff I would buy him something if I had won $40. We seek out Hilo Hattie where I try to buy Geoff a shirt. We look and look, but there was nothing he really liked. I'm disappointed, since I planned this for a while. But I guess I'd rather buy him something he really likes, than something he just sort of likes. We are all feeling tired from walking, so we go back to the shuttle to get to the Orleans. Chad is debating going into the pool and hot tub outside. Geoff wants to get in some Blackjack before dinner. Chad decides against the pool, and we all head to the casino. We manage to convince Chad to play some Blackjack, but the cards are not being nice tonight. I get out while I am ahead (up $47), but everyone else is less lucky. For dinner, Lisa is keen on taking in the Player's Choice at the Courtyard cafe, prime rib or 16 oz T-bone steak for $10.25. Geoff was able to earn the two if us free dinner there with all his gambling. We're getting the hang of how comps work. Geoff and Lisa have the prime rib, I have the steak, and Chad has jambalaya. We decide that we are going to go 10 pin bowling following dinner. Lisa gets her shoes, and we all change into something better for bowling. The first throw of the bowling ball, I fall down. I didn't think that trying to bowl like normal would be a problem. So now I have to adjust my bowling method. I am able to get the ball to go down the lane a few times, but my form is all awkward. This makes me sad. I love to bowl. Lisa is awesome (as always), Geoff kicks butt, and in the second game, Chad beat Lisa! We had fun, it's nice to do something different. We go back down to the casino and play the slots before we all crash at 10:30.

Tuesday

We all manage to sleep a little better, and Lisa, Geoff and I meet up at the Courtyard Cafe for breakfast. Chad doesn't feel like eating, he spends the time walking around the casino. A quick bite to eat and we head back out to the strip. Before we leave the hotel, Geoff calls Top Of The World (the restaurant at the Stratosphere) to make reservations for lunch. We head in the opposite direction of where we went last time, but this time Geoff and I get to look around the Forum Shops at Caesars. We make our way to the Venetian, and I cannot convince anyone to go on the gondola. But I don strike a deal with Geoff, he owes me a gondola ride. Either on a future trip to Vegas, or he takes me to Italy. The shops here are so upper class, we feel underdressed. We hop in a cab to go to the Stratosphere, knowing we'd never make the walk there. It's only $10. Once there, Geoff takes advantage of some coupon and plays 2 hands of Blackjack. He wins $15. We check in for our reservation, and have to pass through a security check before we can ride the elevator to the restaurant. Top Of The World is a revolving restaurant at the top of the Stratosphere. The views are amazing, and the food was pretty good. Lisa, Chad and I have cheeseburgers, Geoff has the Ahi Tuna. I am almost willing to forgo lunch and head straight for dessert. They have a chocolate Stratosphere for $15. It looks divine. I had to take a picture. As soon as we finish lunch, we take two flights of stairs up to the observation deck. It's a hazy day, but you can make out the strip. We congratulate ourselves on planning a lunch here, because it's something like $10 just to take the elevator to the top. It was free for us because we had lunch there. We take some pictures, and watch people scare themselves on the rides at the top of the Stratosphere. We hop in a cab back down the strip, getting off at Treasure Island. On the cab ride, we pass by the Crazy Horse Too. I nudge Geoff and we share a chuckle, and wonder if Charmaine is working. At Treasure Island, we look around the pirate ships, and then go next door to the Mirage. We try to peek around and see what there is to see for free, but it's only a sleepy white lion. We go back through the Forum Shops at Caesars so Lisa can buy her girls some souvenirs, and then we visit the conservatory at the Bellagio. We hope to catch the 5pm fountain show. We stake out a great spot, and wait for the show to begin. It has gotten dark, so Geoff and I are happy to see the show at night. This is Lisa & Chad first chance to see the show. The pop music stops, and the fountains start to rise. The music begins. It plays
The Vice Of Killing from For A Few Dollars More. It's fantastic. It plays so well with the dancing water. It's far too short, you want the magic to continue. We leave the strip, and catch the shuttle back. Lisa & Chad plan to leave the hotel by 9 to catch their midnight flight home. Geoff and I play some Blackjack together, and end up getting the fun dealer from 5 months ago. Lisa plays at the $3 Blackjack table, and seems to be doing well. Chad goes between the two and roots for us. Geoff and I quit while he's up $65, and I'm down $10. We grab dinner at the buffet since all of Geoff's playing the first night won us our meals free. We meet up afterwards with Chad & Lisa to take them to the door to say our goodbyes. Geoff and I decide just to turn in, since he's starting to feel under the weather. I stop in at the gift shop to buy us each a litre of water to drink. His throat is starting to bother him.

Wednesday

Geoff is full on sick. I go downstairs to get him some orange juice, and I grab myself a croissant. We leave the hotel at 9:30 to make our 11:30 flight. When we get there, we find there is an earlier flight for Denver leaving right then. We get on it, and head home. I drive home from the airport since Geoff is sick, and even at 2pm, the traffic is crazy on the 225. We get home, Geoff goes to bed, I take care of laundry and calming the cat down. She is trying to tell me she needs food, but the neighbors already told me they fed her that morning. That's it, that our Vegas story. We had so much fun, but it's great to be home, and it was nice to get in one last trip before Elijah comes.

I'm closing with a great quote from Futurama.

Nibblonian : You are the last hope of the universe.
Fry : So I really am important? How I feel when I'm drunk is correct?
Nibblonian : Yes - except the Dave Matthews Band doesn't rock.