Please don't tell her this but I think I now agree with my wife

For years my wife and I had a different opinion about when our Las Vegas vacation begins. I used to believe that when I left work for the last time before departing for Las Vegas, even if we didn't fly out for a day or two, I felt like I was on vacation when I got to my car for the ride home. She always said that she did not consider herself on vacation until we have checked into the room, dropped off our stuff, and stand by the door to the room and say, "are you ready?"

I know this topic has been discussed before and many of us have a different point when we consider ourselves being on vacation in Las Vegas. I liked my idea because that gave me more time to feel like I was on vacation, but the past few trips to Las Vegas, and our upcoming trip in a few weeks, are Monday-Friday, so while I will leave work at 5pm on Friday knowing that I do not have to return to work for 9 days, having the weekend off but not leaving for Vegas until Monday evening makes it really hard to keep trying to convince myself that I am really on vacation.

I like all of the other things I read from people about feeling like they are on vacation when they leave for the airport, or board the plane. Some go with when the flight touches down or when they get out of the cab at the hotel. All are really good, but I think I have now come around to the dark side and agree with my wife. That feeling of having all of the obligations taken care of and the thrill of knowing that the fun is about to start once we open that hotel room door is very exciting and I must admit that she was right and I was wrong.

 

That was once our mood : at the moment we were about to leave the hotel room.

Now, that has changed a bit. We got an annual pass to AA club rooms at the airport... so early FREE drinks. And, if flying through Dallas we get in the AMEX Lounge... more free drinks. We actually picked flights with a 2 hour layover in DFW to visit the Amex lounge, and maybe the AA lounge. That gets us started. And, on arrival in Vegas, we will stop into the Amex lounge there as well.

 

It hits me as soon as we leave for the airport! Tomorrow we leave and I have to work right up until about 2 hours before the flight. Hubby picking me up from work (I work right outside the airport) and heading right over to the terminals. Although I think my brain has been on "vacation" mode since yesterday morning, it really doesn't have that Vegas feeling until I'm actually not working, without kids and headed for the airport! There's really nothing like it!

 

And that is the REAL moment. We have the process down to a system upon checking into a room. Bags maybe unpacked. Anything to hang in the closet. Crap on the sink. A/C turned way down. Maybe even curtains pulled for max sleep later. Text each other with the room number (we forget).

Then see who is ready to go first!

 

My countdowns are always tied to the time I anticipate leaving the house for the airport. Normally from my door to landing in Vegas is about 6 hours. Those 6 hours are full of anticipation and feels very much like a vacation. Especially because once I'm in the airport the drinking begins (well, once I'm safely past TSA)

Our last trip the flight was delayed by a couple of hours, and although I was in the airport drinking some extra drinks, it was a bit hard to convince myself I was on vacation.

I'm still inclined to consider my vacation as starting when I leave for the airport, but I can certainly appreciate waiting until I'm in Vegas.

I think the latest for me personally would be the limo ride to the hotel. We always request a bottle of "bubbly" and there's no doubt in my mind that killing off a bottle of wine in the 20 minute limo ride with my wife as the bright lights and sights of Vegas glide past is certainly vacation.

I know for my wife, that is her favorite part of the trip, because there's no risk of losing (yet), its just all anticipation of the possibilities.

 

Last night I read about a study that pinned most of the after-the-trip "satisfaction" associated with a vacation as being tied to the planning and anticipation of said vacation.

We road trip a lot, and depending on the destination that to me is part of the getaway. Not so much now going to Vegas because the drive has turned into a long ugly bitch of a slog, but like last summer when I drove 3400 miles essentially by myself going from course to course in the PNW, the drive part was part of the gig. I guess with Vegas the anticipation hits coming down from Mountain Pass, or in Sloan when we make the bend. And as Sonya noted, and particularly at night, coming down from the dark dark north into the valley is pretty damn cool. Actually in the big picture, driving trip or getting on a plane, I'd say vacay starts whenever it is Terri gets back from the office, be it the night before or the day of. That's the signal.

 

As soon as the plane takes off...I figure no one can stop me then!!!

 

For me vacation starts when I am walking out the door at work. I don't mind the packing and flying as much as my wife, she has to travel for work more so the hassle of the airports is more of an issue for her.

 

For me it is when the plane lands at McCarran.

 

Same. Vacation begins for me on that Friday at 5:01!

 

My vacation starts and restarts at multiple points. When I get out of work the day before I leave, I enjoy the moment because I know I will not be at work for a few days. Then the next morning when I exit my front door, again I enjoy the moment because I am beginning my travel. I hop on the Light Rail from the station across the street from my townhome complex and get to Union Station in 15 minutes. Then I take the Flyaway bus and enjoy the half-hour trip to LAX as my next start to the vacation because it's actually a relaxing ride. I reset my start time again when the plane is ready to take off, and again when I see the Strip out the window of the plane (I sit on the left side of the plane). Then my start time resets again when I'm walking into Diamond Registration with a smile on my face. I go to my room, unpack, go to Walgreen's to get a couple gallons of water to bring to my room, take care of natural human business, and I am now beyond any starts to my vacation.

 

For me it's when you get your first beer at the airport bar after having been through the 'delights' of traffic, airport parking, bag drop and security.

 

Definitely starts for me at the airport, that's all part of the fun for me. I understand your position though, it's a great feeling once you have your room and are ready to head out and have fun.

 

It starts for me when I walk out the door at the office. It's VERY rare for me to completely shut off the technology as I own a business and run another, but when I know I am not tied to my desk for a week or more and can only check the phone once or twice per day as opposed to every minute of every day, that's vacation. Of course, you never know when that phone will ring because someone can't figure something out but for the most part I am left alone on vacation. I love the entire process. I find planning the trip (finding deals on flights/cars/hotels to be so much fun, I almost look at that as a vacation itself.

For me, walking out of the office is when it begins. It's like that last day of school when you walked out and took a deep breath and realized it was OVER for a few summer months!

 

I agree with Bonde 4 Ever...when the plane takes off because there's no turning back now!

 

Our vacation begins as soon as work ends!

 

Vacation begins at the first sight of Vegas lights. Either from the airplane at night or the slots in the concourse during the day.

 

Thanks for the dinner conversation! I too love the planning process so getting to the airport is the beginning of the beginning. Lol. It feels real finally when I get into LAS and hear the sound of the slots -that's- it!
My husband said as soon as he is in the rental car and has left LAS.
Wherever that point is for you, it's a glorious feeling and can't be wrong.

 

I don't travel well so it starts for me the second I'm in the room.
It is an awesome feeling!