Yes, I am delighted to say that all went well on the journey and that US Customs stared unblinkingly at my passport picture before letting me in.
The hotel is splendid, the food is fine and the natives are friendly.
I do have a couple of mild complaints, though.
Firstly, when we arrived the temperature was 29 C. Not 50 C as had been claimed earlier in this very thread, just 29 C. Now this would still paralyse the UK (Heatwave strikes - stay indoors!), but it’s simply not good enough.
Also there were a couple of drops of rain!
Still Las Vegas has lived up to its reputation:
the journey from entering the hotel to reaching reception takes longer than it takes me to walk to work!
Welcome glee! Recent weather forecasts did say there was a jet moving weather from the UK in our direction, so we can only assume you did indeed smuggle some rain and humidity into our country. So much for Homeland Security. Never fear - you will see ample sun while you are here and it will warm up a tad, trust me.
OK everyone, our plan is to have a final schedule (with directions, etc.) to email to you all by Sunday. We need your help.
The Friday night, August 10th meet up for drinks is set. We will meet at **8:00PM, in the bar towards the back of Hooters **casino. Should anyone suddenly decide to come at the last minute, please join us! The casino is located on Tropicana, directly behind the Tropicana Hotel Casino.
However, we still sort of need to hear what people are interested in doing in order to finalize the other plans:
Friday dinner before drinks? Yes or No
Friday Bobby Slayton comedy show after drinks? Yes or No
Do any of the early Saturday events interest you: Movie outing to see Rush Hour III? Yes or No Shark Reef aquarium visit in Mandalay Bay? Yes or No
Planning on coming to Saturday afternoon BBQ? Yes or No
BTW, due to weather, we will probably extend the time from 3-8, in case anyone wants to arrive after the sun is starting to set in the distance. We will also talk about menu and drinks, etc. in the email. Oh, and will you need a ride if you are coming? We have volunteers to carpool for this, and other events.
Saturday night Boogie Nights at House of Blues? Yes or No?
BTW, Ted Nugent is performing there earlier that night, should anyone be interested.
Sunday breakfast or brunch? Yes or No
Please email me (my email is in my profile) so we can take a final headcount and then, hopefully by late Sunday night, we will email everyone back with the specific directions, cell phone numbers, etc. It would be helpful if you also let us know where you are staying and feel free to give us your cell phone (or hotel) numbers so we can contact you if there are any last minute changes. Let us know ASAP. Thanks!
Great - and you will be happy to learn there is an In 'N Out Burger practically right next door to your hotel! (And if you don’t know what that is, you are in for a tasty, cheap treat!)
I got your email and one from silenus - thanks, and keep those emails comin’ people!
Friday dinner before drinks? Yes or after, I’m easy (but you guys knew that)
Friday Bobby Slayton comedy show after drinks? Hell Yes
Do any of the early Saturday events interest you: Movie outing to see Rush Hour III? Shark Reef aquarium visit in Mandalay Bay?
Either one is fine
Planning on coming to Saturday afternoon BBQ? Yes I’m cooking… As far as what, you kill it, I’ll grill it. I’m driving and staying at the Emerald Suites so I can drive.
Saturday night Boogie Nights at House of Blues? Yes Sounds like fun, or if anyone else is interested, I would not mind the Blue man Group.
Sunday breakfast or brunch? Breakfast, yes, I will need to hit the road not too late in the day.
Please email me (my email is in my profile) so we can take a final headcount and then, hopefully by late Sunday night, we will email everyone back with the specific directions, cell phone numbers, etc. It would be helpful if you also let us know where you are staying and feel free to give us your cell phone (or hotel) numbers so we can contact you if there are any last minute changes. Let us know ASAP. Thanks!
E mail will be sent as soon as I hit submit.
We are getting ready to send out the final email with directions, cellphone numbers, etc. so, if you haven’t emailed me yet, do so as soon as you can and we can get that info to you!
Wed Aug 1:
Arrive safely at Macarran. Hot.
Luxor hotel big and well-themed. Look out of window. See Mandalay Bay - even bigger. Then notice THE hotel. This place is an architect’s paradise!
Thu:
Explore Luxor. Get lost. Ask hotel staff, who are v. helpful. They think I have an Australian accent (strewth!) Hot.
Fri:
Meet up with DMark (my first Doper face to face!). Thoroughly hospitable chap. He teaches me slot poker. Win $5.26! Hot.
Sat:
Explore Mandalay Bay (huge, glossy, currently hosting convention for 8,000 Walgreen staff). Explore Excalibur (looks tired / worn-out). Another staff member thinks I have an Italian accent (wassa up wit’ that?!) Still hot.
Sun:
My finest hour!!
Take TexasHold’em lessons (I’ve watched it on TV. but never played.) After 30 minutes, the dealer says “Now you’re welcome to play for real money.”
I wasn’t expecting that. Think quickly. The others are all new too, plus a stunning girl on my right is chatting to me (and there are two more good-looking women at the table.) The girl says “You must meet my friend, who’s coming soon.”
I buy $20 worth of chips (last of the big spenders!). Ponder my poker nickname (Lucky? Gladiator? Limey? Voldemort?).
We’re playing $1-2 limit. ‘In a journey of 1000 miles, the first step is the hardest’. Resolve to only play premium hands and not to bluff (surely beginners are more likely to see you through to the end?).
Quietly fold entire first round of hands. (Best hand was K5o). Girl’s friend turns up. Sadly not another stunner, but her boy-friend. Meanwhile half the players lose all their chips to other players.
Then pure skill and relentless concentration pay off. I play weak hand, but draw flush on river. Another player makes straight on river. (Heh heh!) Just before showdown, one player says to me “So you made a flush on the river?!” While gathering in winnings, decide to keep an eye on him.
Decide to buy further $20 since stack getting low. Pick up pair of 3’s, then make trips on flop. Bet enthusiastically and so does smart player. Finally push in my last chip, declaring "All in’. (Table completely unimpressed.) Opponent sees me with Aces up.
Remember to tip dealer and cocktail waitress. Feel like I’m at the final table of the WSOP…
Pick up 27o in big blind. Several callers. I check. Flop is 46K rainbow. All check. Turn is 10. All check to me. I bet big (OK, just $2!). All but one fold. River is 8. Last opponent thinks for ages, then shyly bets $2. Confidently, I call. He smiles ruefully and shows 23. Dealer actually hesitates before announcing that my 7 has won!
I cash in, keeping $3 profit even after tipping the dealer and the waitress (who brought me 6 lemonades).
I love Las Vegas!
Shhh…we haven’t told glee about the initiation rites yet. He is too busy breaking the bank. Green Valley Ranch Casino is still smarting from the $5.26 he won and they have put their hotel expansion plans on hold.
So, your house is the one with the solar water system on the roof and the pool in the back? One bush on the left side of the driveway and three on the right? That’s one large vacant lot across the street!
thanks for sending me the plan of events for the weekend. I must regretfully withdraw from any of the festivities. I had an emergency appendectomy on Sunday morning. So far it’s still kicking my ass, but if I do feel up to it I’ll try to make some of the meetings.
As far as what, you kill it, I’ll grill it. I’m driving and staying at the Emerald Suites so I can drive.