My boring trip report.....

Airline: AirTran from Milwaukee. Since I had $83 in flight differential cost credit, I used it to upgrade to business class. It would not be worth paying the extra $75 for, however, it was nice & comfortable. The kids were using my vehicle due to some car trouble so I was dropped off at a park & ride and took the Badger Bus to MKE. Sure beats driving through city traffic during rush hour yourself. Arrived around 12:30. Quick ride to the car rental facility to pick up an Emerald Aisle vehicle. After months of monitoring, my final price for 5 days was $111. Not too many vehicles on a Monday morning, but there was a Sebring & a Sebring convertible. With no familiarity of
working a convertible top I figured I was safer taking the regular model. Had a quick ride to Flamingo & dropped the car with valet.

At the Flamingo Platinum check-in is in the same room as Diamond. It was only one-ish so I wasn't sure if my room would even be ready yet. I had $20 slipped between my id & cc to attempt a GO upgrade - but she said right away that they already had me in a GO room. However, room was not ready - I had wanted double Queen right? I really just wanted to dump my stuff (yes - I know I could have used bell services!) & find lunch so I asked if there were any Kings available as it was just me this trip & I just wanted to get my room. She played on computer for a minute, called up to verify with housekeeping and had me set up in moments. She slid the $20 back but I told her to keep it for getting me in right away. Room overlooked the courtyard - 20th floor. I was on the backside of the front building so view was east overlooking the trees & gardens. Room was very nice - there is a bit of the shock factor in a GO room, but very comfortable and I wouldn't hesitate to stay in one again. In fact by late the 2nd day I seriously considered calling down & asking if I could drop my 3 nights @ Paris and just stay at Flamingo for all 5 nights. But figured I would never get down that direction if I didn't change.....

Its a shame I don't even remember where I ate lunch!! So obviously it was nothing outstanding. I played basically for the afternoon at the Flamingo. My goal for supper was Coconut Shrimp at Margaritaville so I waited until 9ish and ate on the patio upstairs - thanks for the tips. Kept a book in my purse so had a nice relaxing meal. I did discover that getting ill from the Coconut Shrimp at Red Lobster was obviously not Red Lobster - but me having a reaction to large amounts of deep fried coconut. So much for that favorite dish. The next few days meals were VERY light due to not much appetite. However, service and atmosphere was great.

Tuesday was another loaf around the Flamingo day. A very light breakfast at Bills to use up some food comps left from the last trip. Did see a sign later that you could now use your comps as the Harrahs properties so they are evidently starting to integrate the card systems. I also wandered up to Harrahs for awhile as normally I am luckier on their penny slots. Not this go-around. I layed around the pool for awhile at noon and soaked up some sun. Had a slice of pizza from the stand near the garden entry (1 fork to steal a phrase). Back to the slots and keeping my daily fruit supply up with strawberry daquiries. Even with the tummy troubles I was craving nachos so finally back to Margaritaville around 9 again. I knew the dent I would make in the volcano nachos would be microscopic but I really wanted them. When I was leaving a 3-some was coming in and the lady said - oh no - maybe we don't want to eat here - the food must be bad because they hardly ate any - seeing my mass of nachos still left on the table. I did stop & explain that it was one poor little person trying to eat them & believe it or not I had eaten a lot!!! I managed to keep my money rolling so I still was only out of Mondays money. Did recoup what Harrahs had taken from me at the Flamingo. Discovered I loved the Dean Martin game - love to just let the music run during the bonus. Survivor has a very boring bonus, but still is addicting with the re-spin function. Neither of these available at my local tribal casino.

Woke up Wednesday still debating cancelling Paris stay & finishing it out at Flamingo. The bed was super comfortable and room was very nice. But I wandered down to the snack shop down by the side garden entry, had a latte & crepe and checked out about 5 minutes before deadline. Drove down to Paris, left bags with bell services this time & hoped for an early check-in. Tried the $20 trick to get a remodeled room but they said those now required a $45 per night upgrade but she would see what she could do. Received a view room (1584) that gave me partial fountain view & nice view of Eiffel Tower. Worth the $20 as I had only booked a non-view room. In retrospect it ended up giving me a lot of noise from the bar on the corner off the end of Planet Ho. Normally I would be a night owl but still feeling some of the after effects of the shrimp issue, LOL, so it was noisier at night. Standard room with 2 Q's. Spent the afternoon at the outlet mall, dropping a bit too much in Coach outlet & Volcom. I had goofed & used the smaller of my 2 suitcases so this then required a trip to Super WM to purchase a $10 collapsible tote for the trip home, as I had no room for purchases.

Wed night I was able to cross an item off my to-do list. I visited the piano bar located between Paris & Bally's with a group of people who work at my weekend job & were there for a conference. It was very entertaining, but not something I would do if I were alone.

I ate breakfast at Paris buffet twice & once at Nosh. Lunch once back at Harrahs with a coupon for a free buffet, and once at the outlet mall. Supper late one evening at LeCafe St. Louis and the Ceasar's food court (turkey dinner) before Elton. And room service for a treat one night so I could watch CSI. Of course as you can figure out this means I am missing about 1 lunch my list.....hmmm....and I didn't even have that many daquiries......

Played a long time on my money at Paris & Bally's. I was still basically on Wednesdays money at the end of the week. So I have some traveler's cheques still tucked away for the next trip. Whew.....

The Elton Show (first mezz seat) was absolutely awesome. I nearly went back to box office to see if I could get a ticket for Friday nights show so I could see it again but figured I would wait until the next trip. The sound in the theatre is awesome - it just works its way right into your skin.

Wandered up to Wynn on Friday and signed up for the Red Card. No free buffets - only $10 more in free play, but I bet that $75 I cycled through the machines will just get me a TON of free room offers, LOL. Only down $20 when I left there. Stopped at Sephora and then left my bag from Sephora at the 3Card poker table (discovered I can only afford a $5 minimum table at that and they didn't have those!), which required another run from Paris all the way back to the pit at Flamingo. So skipped my planned trip to Rio that night & never made it there at all this trip.

No seat upgrade on the way back, but still going home with money in my pocket. Only downside was even though I KNOW I had my camera in my purse when I left the airplane, it is now missing. Not sure if I knocked it out of the car at some stop on the way home or what. But it is nowhere to be found. Luckily I had pulled out the memory card with kids pics on it before I left home & put a new one in. So I only lost my Vegas pics. Keep hoping I stuck it in some obscure spot when I got home & just not finding it.

Sorry this report is kind of dull......It was an enjoyable trip and I would go again tomorrow if someone would get me a plane ticket, LOL.

PS - drink service was good at all casinos. Only one snippy one at Flamingo that told me SHE didn't carry napkins on her tray......well...ok......all the other servers had them. Those really must weigh the tray down!!!

 

Sounds like you had a great time! Always wanted to see Elton but I think I'm going to miss him on my next trip (think he's done after that).

 

That wasn't a boring report. I quite enjoyed it. Have you found your camera yet?

 

No such thing as a boring report. Any trip to vegas is better than not getting there at all. You know those of us at home reading live vicariously through everyone else's trips.

 

not boring

Nice report ...thanks

 

NO CAMERA YET.

I even looked behind all of the stuff in the fridge last night. (I had to put my insulin away when I got home). I just don't even know where to look next. It was last years model and I can pick up a used one on eBay for about $50 and will probably just do that. I am just so glad I only lost the Vegas pics and not the ones of daughter & b.f. from homecoming, etc. since I pulled that card out before I left.

Tomorrow I am flipping the couch foward (need help for that) in case it is down in there somewhere - its not under it and I can't feel it between cushions but maybe it slid down into the bottom drape part.

 

Nice to hear you still had some money leftover. I hope your camera shows up. I recently found something I'd hidden from myself about 3 years ago...

Gosh, don't you really hate it when those napkins are too heavy! :evillaugh
Maybe she had PMS or something....

 

Saturday update......camera not in the sofa. X#!@%!!!!!!!!!!

 

Sorry to hear about the camera and the shrimp; bummer! Not boring at all...I enjoyed reading about your exploits! Always makes me feel like I was there. Thanks for taking the time.

 

Thanks for posting your TR.

later, GVJ

 

Since coconut shrimp is no longer in the diet I had to steal the coaster from Outback yesterday that says "If you love that Coconut Shrimp so much, why don't you marry it?" Just really hit me as funny!

Bidding on a camera on ebay now that is missing the charging dock - HEY - no problem!!! I have that yet!!! Not mine I know because it's missing the battery door - no big deal. So hoping it will go cheap. They are charging outrageous shipping but hopefully camera will stay lower priced.

As an afterthought I did sit at Bill's one night and listen to Big Elvis. Geez that voice just melts your heart. First time I have actually sat at a table and listened to a portion of the show. Such a wonderful voice.

 

good report

i liked your trip report-it IS always interesting to see what others are up to and what they saw and did. The title made me want to read it and I enjoyed it very much.I totally agree about the Go! room-it is a shock at first and then you get into it, especially the huge TV and cool sound system.

 

I enjoyed your report. Not boring at all. You describe your day basically how we do Vegas too. We mostly just like to unwind, go from one casino to another and play machines. Eat when we're hungry too. Thanks for sharing your trip. I hope your camera shows up.

 

I surrendered to the camera demons and ordered a Nikon Coolpix S550 from Walmart for $149. So I figure the old one should show up any day now.......I am still going to try to pick up a duplicate to the old one on eBay but I think might be cheaper after holidays. That way I have one I can take with that 'won't matter'.

I did call airports on both ends, rental agency, hotel, Airtran lost/found, etc. No luck. Although I swear the people at Paris were PRAYING that I would tell them one of the cameras they had was mine. She kept going 'are you sure it wasn't a .......'

Living in frustration here as I should be sitting in Vegas right now. Wanted to take my daughter for the 4-day weekend. Priced at Allegiant for flight and they were dropping rates on half full flights just a few days out from leaving - all except this weekend. They ended up nearly doubling the price on half full flights. So here we sit...................