Techie TR - 08/05 - 08/14

Hi all,

TT here, long time lurker, first time poster Myself and the GF are going on a trip to Vegas, back to the place where we met!! We will be going during a conference (BlackHat and Defcon) as the GF will be on a panel at BH and we will be both dipping into Defcon whilst going to various parties, trips and some gambling.

The GF is not a massive gambler where as I enjoy a flutter on the slots My budget for gambling is around $100 a day so not a High Roller!! Hoping to find some Moo-lah cash machines and play some LOTR and Willy Wonka!

Here is a rough itinerary of some of the things we have planned:-

08/04 - Staying at Holiday Inn Gatwick Airport on my IHG points to be fresh for the flight the next day!

08/05 - Car dropoff at Gatwick Airport then lounge booked at the airport with our flight due to depart 12:00 noon (BA Premium Economy)

Hotels
08/05 - 08/09 - Booked into treasure island and haven't stayed there before so will be a nice experience. Last time I went I stayed at the Flamingo and the last time GF went she was at the Bellagio so a new place for both.
08/09 - 08/14 - Staying at the Holiday Inn Vacations comped on my IHG points, off strip so will be a different experience but they have shuttles and the ability to walk to the strip so will report back on how that goes.

Parties/Trips etc... (the good stuff)
So we have a few parties that we have been invited to which may not be the same as other people have done previously. A few of the highlights below, not data specific but will try to do my best to update this as we go along:-
Party at the D&D mansion - this should be interesting as an off-strip location - heres the link https://totalmaxhome.com/D&D
Party at the Rio nightclub.
Mandalay Bay Ice Bar
Mandalay Bay Cigar Bar
KA performance
Skyfall Lounge - Mandalay
All of these will be free (If we are in a good enough state to attend) so will make sure we take pics etc.

Trips
Hoping to do a helicopter trip to the Grand Canyon and a trip to freemont street is definitely on the cards. We both just love wandering around the strip as well (being from the UK we find almost anything in Vegas bonkers!

Hope to update as we go on, so excited!!!

 

If this is your first time to DEFCON/blackhat..get a burner phone; don’t take any credit cards with RFID and don’t take your laptop.

 

Hope you have a BLAST!

 

Good Luck

 

Have a wonderful trip!

RICHARD

 

Thanks for the tips , have been before plan to bring no phone when we are at the event and just cash as is tradition

 

I just saw this! What is a DEFCON/Blackhat thing?

 

If you have to ask you have already been hacked

 

Haha )

 

Ooh this should be good. Will be following along.

 

Hey all Quick update, we have arrived at the Holiday inn Gatwick and are just having some dinner and beer or two. Hopefully early night for us, but obligatory photo of who we left behind (twinkle).

Both buzzing for this trip now!

 

Good luck, dude!!!

 

Thank you , hope you manage to make it out, family first though !

 

Update #

So today is the day that we fly, it’s almost 6am and have been up for an hour now, the GF woke me up excited saying she couldn’t sleep. Guess who is fast asleep again now and who’s wide awake!!! 6 hours until we take off, will post some pictures of the lounge at Gatwick we have booked and general stuff before we fly. Nearly time!!! [emoji4]

PS as this is now the day of flying can it be moved to trip reports

 

So we are at the airport and breezed through security. We booked a club rooms lounge access for anyone flying from Gatwick , we saved £12 using code EXCLUSIVE20 so it cost £60 for both of us not bad for a couple of hours of free flowing champagne! T-2.5 hours

 

Lounge breakfast .

 

About to set off , see you there !!

 

We have landed , we got a taxi to the treasure island and didn’t get tunnelled , cost about $25 , not too bad . Tried the $20 trick at the TI and got upgraded to a panoramic view room on the 35th floor , bottle of comped champagne and late checkout on Wednesday. pictures to follow! Shower to freshen up then down to casino !

 

Have a great trip, and best of luck!

 

Enjoy your trip!