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The Final Countdown

Discussion in 'Misc. Vegas Chat' started by Sonya, Sep 12, 2016.

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  1. Sonya

    Sonya Queen of VMB

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    Well, it is finally here. The last minute items for my To Do List have appeared on the app that tracks that kind of thing. I know my countdown timer says 2 weeks, but that reflects my arrival in Vegas. My actual road trip starts sooner as I'm going to swing through Idaho to see my parents for a bit.

    This is also the time when I have to start deciding if I have time to do all the things. :) Mani/pedi or not? New clothes shopping or not? New purse or make do with the old cross body bag that I don't love? Make sure the husband has food to eat or let him fend for himself? That kind of thing.

    I've got to call my little local bank this week and let them know I'm going to want some cash. Haircut is already on the books for this week. I've also got to convince Verizon to give me a new phone a couple weeks before my contract says I'm due for one. I'm meeting a new member of my pet sitter's team to introduce her to Ruby so she can help out on the days when Dan will be doing other things. I'm lucky that he's able to work from home most days I'll be out of town.

    I'm also trying to decide if I want to try to do a Live TR, and whether or not to include the non-Vegas part of my trip. I'm not sure if anyone is interested in hearing about Idaho and seeing beautiful downtown Jackpot, NV. :haha:

    When do you start your "final countdown"? And what do you make sure is included in there and what are the things that you never seem to get around to?
     
  2. blackjacker2

    blackjacker2 Never ever play 6:5, it is not blackjack

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    HI Sonya, you deserve to have a great trip. Thank you for all you do for us.

    I am on my countdown now and I have 25 weeks to go! I have a plan for the week, a list of chores such as currency, visa, transports etc. I sorted out my flight in May and I now have the hotel booked. I only go once every two years so it's a big build up for me. VMB keeps me up to date in the meantime with what is happening and I am always changing my plans on shows, things to do etc. Can't firm those up until nearer the time. I love the planning and anticipation.
     
  3. shokhead

    shokhead No big spender unless eating drinking having fun!

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    I'm with blackjack2, I start about 6 months.
     
  4. The Stig

    The Stig VIP Whale

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    My countdown is usually about 2 weeks before, I'm usually counting the work days down before I can look forward to Vegas. I don't tend to plan a lot for Vegas theses days unless I've booked for a particular show or trip. I kind of just take it as it comes the only thing that I will do is visit my usual bars.
     
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  5. Jimbucc

    Jimbucc VIP Whale

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    I would say for me about a week before the trip I start getting serious about it. I start checking the 10 day weather forecast hoping for nothing but sunshine. Make sure I got all my flight info in order and my ACG and MRB coupons ready. Fantasize about how every hundred dollars I bring will turn into a thousand. Have a great trip. Are you meeting up with any of the old school cronies? :woohoo:
     
  6. Sonya

    Sonya Queen of VMB

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    I am leaving in just a little over a week and the list is starting to feel overwhelming. It would be helpful if you could all stop needing things from me and finding problems on VMB. :haha:

    Weather has been checked. It will be in the 90's which is too hot for a tundra-dweller like myself. ;) I've double, triple and quadruple checked my hotel reservation. I'm driving, so no flights to check, but oil has been changed, car has been looked over and new tires are scheduled for later this week. I've dug out all my slot club cards. I've started getting together all the computer stuff I'll need so I can work from the road. Hubby even included a HDMI cable so I can stream my Tivo shows on the TV in the room. (presuming they have a HDMI port)

    I am going to be meeting up with a smaller group of Buffoons than on previous trips, but enough of them to ensure there will be some serious shenanigans going on. :headbang: I haven't seen one of the girls since her bachelorette party a few years ago. Her stupid husband moved her across the pond. And today a last minute addition ensures that I won't be the only person there who does not possess an "inside voice". :haha: You oldbies on the board would recognize the names for sure. I'm still hoping for a couple surprise appearances, because it wouldn't be quite the same without them. (How can I be in Sin City without Sin!?!?!)

    Gaming will be mostly VP, but I do want to try some of the new (to me) slots. I hope to put some decent play in at CET and reboot my status at Cosmo, TI, MLife and downtown at MSS. Tringlomane needs to hurry up and get home so I can pick his brain about my VP options. :)

    I have some loose ideas on my schedule for my solo-time. I have a couple restaurants I want to check out. I want to wander through The Park and see what that is about. I'm not planning any shows this time. Some of my schedule will need to be loose as the group sort of spontaneously decides what is going to happen, but I'm wondering if there is any "Must See" thing I need to include and have forgotten. It has been too long since I was last in Vegas for stupid health reasons. I'm hoping to make up for lost time.

    I didn't schedule a VMB MeetUp, like I usually do. I'm just not sure about my schedule and stamina this time around. But I'll toss some extra wristbands in my bag, so if you're in town, keep your eyes peeled and say hello if you see me around. I'll keep my eyes open for green wristbands and t-shirts.
     
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  7. Camp Rusty

    Camp Rusty VIP Whale

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    For the most part we always head to Vegas in the Fall so all the seasonal packing and decisions are more or less set already from over the years. We usually make our reservations for flights, rental cars, hotels, three to four months in advance, then like The Stig two weeks out start the more detailed plans, Groupon for restaurants, weather checking as I drive down from near Seattle, local bands schedules, local events.

    Sonya.....good job on new tires.........FWIW.....one thing I always do before I start my drive down, even in a rental, is clean the windows on the inside. If you are driving at night at all it really seems to help, me anyway. My car windows are always covered in dog nose smudges and dried condensation from his bad dog breath......when I clean the windows it feels like a new car ! The rentals always seem to have that new car vinyl haze on the windows, I don't think Hertz ever cleans the windows inside.

    If you have the time I know I would enjoy a trip report of the drive and Jackpot.


    Have a great trip ! ( try and keep it under a hundred in school zones ) :biker:
     
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  8. Joe

    Joe VIP Whale

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    Well at least you didn't call it the frozen tundra. Anyway, have a great time and win lots!
     
  9. Sonya

    Sonya Queen of VMB

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    Nah, we rarely get frozen. We go ahead and let you have that kind of weather. :wink2: But 80 seems to be the temperature where I start really complaining. WA has made me weak! I was at an event here on Saturday and was constantly looking for shade. It was only 75. I may melt in Vegas. :haha: I was hoping it wouldn't be mid-90's by the end of September. Oh darn. Another excuse to not leave the comfort of the casino.

    Thanks for the interior window tip, Rusty. I am sure there are more than a few nose smudges on the passenger window. Not sure how much it matters as by the time I cross WA, OR, ID and NV, the window will be covered with bug splatters. The valet must love seeing me arrive.
     
  10. Richard Alpert

    Richard Alpert LOST

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    Hi, Sonya! Have yourself a fantastic trip! Sounds like you're feeling well and ready to get your Vegas on!!!
    Hopefully you're wearing one of the lucky wristbands this trip! The one you sent me has been working pretty good!
    Safe travels!!! I'm going to stop now before I break the exclamation point/1 key on my keyboard...

    RICHARD
     
  11. Aces and Eights

    Aces and Eights VIP Whale

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    My trips are usually planned months in advance where I may have a couple planned at a time. What I mean is the airline reservation? I always plan around the cheap airline fares. Then I text my host a couple months in advance. Around a month before the trip, I plan what I want to do there. Since I go there a lot, I usually plan for any group of people I go with. The annual trip I make with a few people for the birthday of one particular person, we always do our traditional list of things: sparkling wine and caviar at Petrossian, brunch at Mon Ami Gabi, coffee and pastries at Palio, a show somewhere, dinner at SW Steakhouse or some other high-end steakhouse, sometimes brunch at Bouchon or Paris Buffet. A few days before my trip I make a list of what to bring, i.e. articles of clothing, camera, VMB wristband, checkbook, player's cards, cell phone, wallet, toiletries, etc. I start packing two nights before, then I'm off on the Gold Line (15 min) and Flyaway (30 min) to LAX. My roundtrip ticket on this next trip was only $86.

    I look forward to reading about your adventure, any and all of what you decide to post. Have a great journey!!!
     
  12. MikeOPensacola

    MikeOPensacola El Jefe

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    First things first, have a great trip Sonya. I know its been a while for you and hope the long hiatus makes the trip that much more enjoyable for you.

    I start my final countdown usually about two weeks out. However, about a month out I'll take a look at the concert scene to see if there are any musicians/comedians that I want to see. I always make a checklist of things that I have to do at home before I leave (stop mail, get someone to water my plants etc.) and make a list of all the things that I need to pack. I finally got wise and put these lists on an Excel spreadsheet on my PC. I'll typically make a list of five or so restaurants to go to that I've never been to.

    About the only thing that I never get quite motivated to do each trip is go on the High Roller or go on those insane rides on top of The STRAT , even though they are always on my list.

    Anyway, have a great trip and I hope Lady Luck is your companion!!!

    Edit: Oh yeah, most definitely do a Live TR. They are fun to do and, IMHO, really capture the spontaneity of a TR.

    :peace::beer:
     
    Annual CCA (Casino Collectibles Association) Show at South Point
    Long Overdue Stay At The Golden Nugget
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  13. johnnytwofingers

    johnnytwofingers Low-Roller

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    I'd love to hear about Idaho, and lots of pictures please, you don't ever hear much about Idaho.
     
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  14. JosieCat

    JosieCat VIP Whale

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    I'm in countdown mode too. Pedi scheduled. New clothes purchased. Clothes to bring are isolated in the closet and ready to be ironed before packing. Things are getting checked off the list. Looks like we will be there at the same time as I'm 11 days out. I'll have my wristband on! Have a great trip!
     
  15. carolineno

    carolineno VIP Whale

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    Have a great trip Sonya, you deserve it!

    My final countdown is around 10 days before the flight. If I start counting down any earlier, it is torturous, but once I start checking the weather and packing, then it has begun!
     
    Ladies getaway, somewhere on the strip with a pool :)
  16. Sonya

    Sonya Queen of VMB

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    I have had one of those good news/bad news days today. I woke up with a stuffy head and scratchy throat. I also have that thing where all my joints feel like they are stuffed with broken glass, but that happens to me now and then for no apparent reason. :yuck: I'm mainlining vitamin C and am trying to convince myself it's just my fall allergies starting early this year. That's the bad part, but still plenty of time to recover if it's a virus I caught from one of the kids at our gathering last weekend.

    Good news is that I had to go pick up something in "town" and decided to do some other errands while I was off the island. I managed to talk Verizon into giving me a new phone, so I won't have to use that old brick in Vegas. I hope this means lots of photos and updates if I can get this thing set up again. :p I also remembered that I had an old gift card with some money on it. Got a couple tops, a new cross-body bag and a wallet with lots of room for all the cash I'm going to win. Check out - $3.11! First big wins of the trip and I haven't even packed my suitcase yet.

    Now.. to take care of myself, drink lots of water and get rest so I don't end up with Vegas Plague before setting foot in Vegas. :wink2:
     
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  17. Richard Alpert

    Richard Alpert LOST

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    Remember, the VMB shirt is your most sensible top! I believe they go with pretty much every shoe!

    RICHARD
     
  18. breanna61

    breanna61 Super Moderator

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    Yay.....new phone; live updates!

    Have a wonderful trip; you deserve it!
     
  19. Sdebruyne

    Sdebruyne Low-Roller

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    Rest up and get well soon. Just a couple days of rest can do wonders.
     
  20. Sonya

    Sonya Queen of VMB

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    The new phone is close to being all set up and I'll finish this weekend with getting the rest of the email addresses in, adding music and downloading some podcasts to catch up on. Most of my shopping is all done, but I still need to get some emergency Lara Bars for the snack-stash. Hair has been cut. Nails are still undecided, but I may have time for a mani/pedi next week before I leave for Idaho, or I may wait until I'm in Idaho and take mom along to treat her to some girl-time.

    Last time I took out cash from my little local bank for Vegas, they didn't have enough hundreds and I ended up with a bunch of 50s. Blasphemous!! They said that if I was going to take out a "significant amount" to call first so they have enough hundreds on hand. So, today I called and said I was going to take out some cash on Monday. I was politely informed that the amount I was asking for didn't qualify as a "significant amount". Someone should tell my bank balance that. It feels pretty significant to me! :haha:

    This weekend will be all about getting the car cleaned up and ready for the road, finding where I stored my suitcases and starting to make my list and check it twice. I'm also going to do some cooking so I can stash some things in the freezer so my poor husband won't starve. I'm the best wife ever. ;) I'm also going to try to do a bunch of yard stuff before the rains come in tomorrow and catch up on some housework so I don't leave a hovel for poor Dan. The rest of the next 5 days will mostly me be trying to contain my enthusiasm and not start just randomly screaming...
    :woohoo: VEGAS!! :woohoo:

    I guess this means my Final Countdown has morphed into the Final-Final Countdown. I can't wait!!!!!
     
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