6/19 to 6/25 Off strip/on strip

Ron, you fly out of CMH, right?

 

yup, sure do!

 

hahahahahaha, that's some funny shit. Why the hell did your buddy even bring this chick??

 

You from C-bus Ron?

Didn't realize cmh was that busy now. I flew out last month to Orlando and it wasn't too bad. I think gate C if I remember correctly.

 

yup, sure am. Live about 30 mins outside the city. We used to get gate C, got gate A the last two trips and that is when we hit the lines at security.

 

Oh cool when you check in online will it say what gate your out of, or do you need to wait until day of?

I'm In the Polaris area

 

We didnt find out until we got to the baggage check, lady told us then. I live around Granville.

 

I used to golf out there growing up .

Thanks for the trip report pretty good read!

 

I am starting to believe he loves to be abused by dysfunctional women.

 

loving this report....nice combination of drama from buddies gf, drama from crappy cabbies, and good drama from the royal. looking forward to the rest.

 

This is a great report. That Angel story is killer. Thanks for the heads up on CMH. Flying out in a week or so and will get there early.

 

The final days........

Sunday Sunday, not much at all planned, ran pretty hard Saturday, so just decided to make use of the pool. The pool wasnt crowded at all and weather was perfect. We once again got our favorite spots located under a few strategically placed palm trees and spent some serious time pool side. That eve we would have some drinks and then dinner at the Italian Restaurant Pasta Cucina, located inside Sunset Station. After dinner we had another drink or two and then decided everyone was exhausted. The last five days had been great, but catching up to us all. Hit the room about 10:30pm.

Monday

Monday we awoke and had a final breakfast as Sunset Station, hit the cafe for a final huge meal. We cabbed it over to the strip where we would check in at Luxor. As we approached the valet, I noticed the kids waiting in the cab line, they were mostly EDC'ers, based on their t-shirts and they looked like the walking dead! It was hilarious, I thought we ran hard the last few days, but they truly did.

The check in line was long, but moved rapidly. 20 mins and we were at the desk, checked in using myvegas comp and luckily they had a room ready for as at our 1130am check in, one condition $22.50! The room was free and I dont really gamble at MLIFE joints, so I ponied up the early check in fee and we were off to the room. Our 9th floor room had a great view of the pool.



The pool looked really enticing, but after 5 straight days of it, I had enough. I proposed we just hop around the strip and enjoy our last day. We met at the Flight bar I believe it was called and took the tram to Excal. We then walked to PH where everyone had some souvenir shopping to do. Hunger was setting in so I suggested the "Worlds greatest sandwich shop" at PH, well they are obviously onto something because the line at Earl of Sandwich was a mile long!! As we walked back out towards the strip noticed the same thing at Gordon Ramsey's new joint Burger, line for days! I cant imagine wasting vac time waiting in line for a burger or sub, so onward we marched.



We decided to walk towards Ellis Island, that dive is a tradition for us to have at least one steak special there. Snapped a pic of the Linq wheel progress on the way. $8.99 steak special was good as usual, played even money on the VP machine, cashed out and moved onward.

We walked to Harrah's and bought some more junk to take home for the kids from Toby Keith's store. We had been discussing where to stay for our next trip, while we loved Sunset Station, it would be nice to be just a bit closer, well a lot closer to the strip. So we attempted to cab over to The Orleans, we get in the cab, J is up front and tells cabbie where to go. I was talking to the gf, next thing I know we are on Sands passing the convention center, I ask why in the hell we are going this way? cabbie says there was traffic the other way. I said bullshit, you should have went another way, by now we are dead stopped in traffic in front of the Wynn trying to access LV Blvd. I ask him why this is better and offer two alternative routes I believe would have been better, he now realizes he is had and starts blaming the timing of the traffic signals and rush hour. I tell him rush hour is the blame, its why he is long hauling us and not attempting to take the shortest route. I tell him pull over and let us out, I am not paying a dime or I am calling the commission. He starts getting really nervous, J is trying to talk it out. Long story short, he convinces J and J pays the $27 to get from Harrah's to the Orleans. We sat forever trying to get down LV BLVD to Flamingo. I wouldnt have paid a dime, J doesnt like confrontation and just decided to pay it.

We explored the Orleans, even checked out the pool. It was packed for a Monday, we decided it is not for us. The crowd was a little shady, some guy at the Black Jack table was drunk and flicking his ashes on the floor, telling everyone how to play. Pit boss comes over and basically just tells him hes wrong anyways and to stay quiet when he isnt playing and just walks away. I went to Players Club to get a copy of my card, was gonna try some VP. Two thugs in line in front of me, they let another thug cut in front of them, I just ignore it and take if for the sign it is, maybe this place isnt for us. We check the pool and it is packed, packed with kids. Really packed for a Monday. We then were sure this places isnt for us. We left without playing a bit. $9 cab ride gets us back to Luxor.



We would then head out for what would be the only dissapointment of the trip. I had a $75 myvegas comp for the Piano bar at Times Square, NYNY. We got the comp no problem. Arrived at bar at like 830pm. Stood in line, place wasnt very packed. Got to front of line, guy asks if we have a res., I say no. He says seats are $15 but he doesnt have anything available, the place isnt even half full. I say okay, we will just go to the bar. The bar looks odd, there is something missing, NO STOOLS!! In an obvious attempt to force you to buy a chair, they dont have stools. No problem, we stand. Piano guy is panhandling the crowd hard, playing Eminem, Dr. Dre etc, asking for $11 to make him stop. No takers. it keeps up, then he plays the Wisconsin fight song, over and over wants $20 to switch schools, says he knows over 180 fight songs, again no takers. We have drank a full beer and haven not heard anything other than badgering the crowd for money. This may be more easily tolerated if folks were not paying $15 a chair, $8 a beer and $10 to $12 a mixed drink. The $75 comp got us 8 beers, he said I would need to pay for the 9th beer on the last round. I couldnt hear him and he couldnt hear me because he was wearing ear plugs. He brings my tab over and it shows $64.99, says the final $10 will be eaten with taxes. Whatever, we tabbed out and left. We still had seen anything that resembled a show, I have visited the Harrah's Piano bar and the one at Paris, had fun at both, not so at this one. I dont mind paying for entertainment, but this guy didnt entertain, just panhandled.



So off we headed to Mandalay Bay, we had a drink in the Casino and then headed up to our favorite bar/club in the city, Mix Lounge. I cant say enough good about Mix, the prices are reasonable $7 a beer, $9 a mixer. We never tire of the view and of the atmosphere. Mix is where it is at for us, the crowd is around our age and place is visually amazing. We saw an interesting site, if you are sitting on the glassed in terrace you can see what appears to be High Roller suites to your left if you are facing the north strip. We saw a crew lay out white table clothes and prepare the patio. We then saw an obvious quadraplegic be wheeled out in his chair by one of the more amazing blondes I have ever seen in LV. They hung out on the patio for a bit, then another male came out and got really close and personal with the blond while behind the guy in the wheel chair. They all then went back inside and the staff removed the table clothes. Another only in LV moment.




We left Mix about 100am, 8am flight was approaching quickly. We stopped at the Mcdonalds in Luxor for some drunken food and off to the room.

Closing thoughts.......

Staying off strip I really enjoyed staying in a relaxing environment with reasonably priced food, drink and fair gambling. Sunset station was great. The staff was great, room was great and they keep a clean safe joint.

Cabs, LV style.

I guess I have been lucky over the years, no really bad cabbie experiences while staying on strip in past years. This year was different, one cabbie getting completely lost and costing us 30 mins of vac time. Two cabbies long hauling us. I feel others were borderline and that was with me telling them I knew where we were going. It really detracted from the experience of staying off strip. LV Taxi commission really needs to get a handle on these clowns.

Food

I think I forgot to mention how amazing the buffet at Paris was! We both loved it and will do it again. We are not buffet people, but will make an exception every trip for this one. No hard complaints, received great value for the dollar at Sunset Station. Ellis Island was a great value as usual as well.

Gambling

I dont speak too much about gambling in my TR's, I play VP and it just isnt very exciting to write about unless you hit a Royal, which I did! I felt I got a ton of play for my dollar at Sunset Station. I brought home much more than I left with for the first time ever.

Drinking

I am def slowing down a bit in this area. I just cant and dont want to do it like I used to. I still have my moments, but I am more into relaxing and sight seeing and enjoying the atmosphere rather than drinking till I lose my vision. This does not take away from my experience a bit, it actually makes it better.

This was on of my best trips ever, I will continue to bounce around on strip/off strip. I will make arrangements to eliminate the use of cabs as much as possible on future trips. I go to LV to relax and be in paradise, the cabs cause stress and harsh my vibe, so they gotta go.

Thanks for reading and happy travels!!

 

I enjoyed the entire report, but you the guy from Ohio, having to listen to the Badgers fight song, made my day! Torture huh?:evillaugh
Go Wisconsin!

 

Funny Joe! I never thought I would be more annoyed by the person playing the fight song, rather than by the fight song itself!! My buddy was gonna pay the $20, but I told him dont give the jerk a dime!

 

We always rent a van or SUV, but have to cab when we first get there because of so much luggage (golfers), last time we were there the cabbie to our hotel "forgot" which hotel we told him to go to. I'll be paying better attention this time and they will be reported if there are any shenanigans. Thanks for the heads up.

 

Boy, he really is a bit of a milquetoast isn't he?

 

Nicest guy in the world, get walked on by everyone!! I am trying to life coach him, ha! Whatever girl lands him would have it made, if I had a sister I would do an arranged marriage.

 

Great trip report, thanks! So annoying when cab drivers pull that crap, and you know there are tons of people who don't know better and get totally taken.

 

That was a great trip report. Making me think twice about the Times Square Myvegas reward. Might have to find something else. My hubby won't deal with that junk on vac. Glad that you had a great time over all.

 

They pull that crap because enven the poeple who know better, like Ron, pay. Push back, don't pay, you are in the right.