Trip Report- Sat 23rd to Thurs 28th Oct

Greetings From the UK;
Just back from our latest trip, here is a few rambling comments that I am trying to type through jetlagged eyes, hope it is readable !
cast is me
She who must be obeyed. (Mel)
Two Kids. (they like the Disneyland part of the trip after Vegas, but still like all the sights in LV)

Sat 23rd
After flying into LA on Friday and staying overnight, we all woke too early(3am) and decided to have an extra day in Vegas.So after a lite bite, we left at 4am and after breakfast on the way, checked our bags at Buffalo Bills and drove onto LV. Their then followed 40 mins of the kids reciting Viva Las Vegas (well the chorus actually)as Lv got closer.Mel wanted to boost target's annual earnings and then hit the Mall's so we drove to Sunset Station and I was dropped off for my 1st session in the casino. Nothing to report here apart from a 4 6's on DDBP on my second spin of the trip.Tried a bit of Deuces Wild and multistrike poker on the winnings This kept me going for 2 hours until we met up for lunch at the Feast buffet, good selection and I did well to stick to my diet (didn't last long mind you !!)Total cost was $11 for lunch as we used my boarding pass points and my youngest was given free entry even through she is older than 4 ??.

After a good lunch we drove down the strip just to get that old feel and then drove back to Primm for our Sat night stopover. I booked primm as I hadn't expected to get to the region until late on Sat and didn't want to pay strip prices.Anyway got to Buffalo Bills, they were sold out for the night but the check in only took 10 mins, nice room over looking the pool,quite tiday and clean and just what we needed for a 1 night stay. Took the kida for ice cream went on the monorail to Primadonna resorts then after a look round the outlet stores it was time for rest. Back in the room it took me 5 mins to decide I needed to gamble so I went downstairs.Lost around $100 pretty quickly on VP so I walked over to Primadonna again, lost another $40 and was about to call it a day when I decided to play some 3 card poker, good decision as after 10 mins I was dealt 3 Kings and picked up $300. Off to bed a Happy man.
Sunday 24th.
Up before the family (3am again!) so I trotted off downstairs to see what i could get upto. am is my favourite time in a casino, all the tables are open but not full, the casino is quiet but there is still a buzz with the remnants of the saturday night party crowd. Anyway lost about $60 on VP and then sat down at a $5 limit BJ table. I am begining to get used to this game and starting to enjoy it, but I always like to start on a quiet table. Anyway after about 1/2 I was up around $30 when a guy sits down and plays $180 cash for 5 hands in a row. He lost all 5 including a split and a double, I was sitting their quietly stunned at these losses when he plays one last hand, wins and then wins 6 in a row including 2 doubles to more than get his money back. Time for breakfast so went back to the room and then went to the coffee shop for the 2 free full house specials in the LVA POV ( thanks to whoever posted the $10 deal on T2V, what a steal). Anyway the kids managed to charm the staff so much they didn't charge us for anything, and after getting our room comped for my play (175 points) we left Primm with no bill and their money in my pocket.

More Viva las vegas on the way back into town,and we parked in the excalibur to let the kids go on the tram (they love it) and have a look around mandalay place. Mel had forgot something in target so back to Sunset, giving me an hour in their, before we went of to GVR to use the 2 for 1 on their brunch.Very impressed with the food, but what a funny layout, somewhere I would stay if it was just Mel and myself. After a good brunch, where the diet crashed and burned) we set off back to Bally's to check in. Check in was a breeze but Bally's need to get more Bell Hop's, Mel was left with the luggage and my eldest in the middle of the valet for 10 mins whilst I checked in, decided to upgrade for $20 to a remolded room and after getting my coupons for the double down package we set off to the room. After an hours rest we set off up the strip to see the sights and show the Kids the grand canal shoppe's, they loved the gondeliers, especially the ones who were singing. A kripsy Kreme suficed for tea and we walked back catching the volcano and the fountains.mel and the Kids crashed around 7pm and I set off to hit the casino, lost lost lost, down $600 in around 3 hours, went to bed miserable.
Monday 25th
Woke up 3 hours later and decided to try again. The following two hours included, hitting 4'2s on a DWBP, 24OAK 4's, 1 with kicker on a DDBP,and a $75 slot win in the flu ridden flamingn the way back to Bally's stopped by Barbary coast for some low limit 3 card poker.Now I know it is not 5 star, and on the graveyard shift they are not going to have their top dealers, but surely a dealer should know that J,Q,K unsuited is a straight in 3 card poker !! After finally explaining she called over the pit boss who obvouisly agreed with me, and after another similar dispute 10 mins later I decided I could either deal myself or leave, so I left.Breakfast was at the Paris Buffet, very nice then we dicedied to she the new and old Forum shops, went around the new block 5 times before we found the entrance to the old block and as my wife wanted to look for a Christmas present for me a was let off the leash to hit ceasar's. Well my look continued as after only 4 hands of hold 'em challange I was dealt AK of spades and hit a royal on my last hand for $250 dollars. Spent some po the winnings at the cheesecake factory before the family went swimming and I went to use my matchplay coupons. On 5 hands I was dealt, 12,12,13,14,15 !! but still won 3 hands for a net profit.Wife went for a Spa We then all retired early exhausted.
Tuesday 26th
another early morning session yielded another 4 2's on DDBP and after an early breakfast we checked out after getting $75 off the room and $25 cashback.

Mel wanted some Jeans at the Las vegas outlet mall so I dropped them off and went to Silverton, like the new look and especially the new slot card, but the luck gods weren't with me and lost $80 during my hour their. Picked up the famliy and had a light luch amongst the early voters in the mall (wow you have a lot of decisions to make on a voting slip, in the UK we get one, 2 decisions tops to make on one voting day).Checked into the Luxor and got a nice east tower room with a great view of MB.Off to see the lions at MGM, they wern't there, so wal;ked around the sourthen strip and then after a rest decided to find a new place for tea. Set off towards Henderson at around 4.45pm, BIG MISTAKE, John Kerry had been in town and they had shut the freeway and the whole place was bumper to bumper, finally ended up at Mimi's Cafe for a nice dinner of turkey and trimmings before setting off home. Tucked the family into Bed then set off to play. Near security in Luxor is 6 DBP VP machines, with mini progressives, 2 machines stood out as good things, so good I lost $80 in 20 mins, went off around the casino, came back an hour later and tried the other, hit 2 4OAK in 10 mins including aces with kicker, then went off to excalibur to try some LIR. sat at a table where a guy had hit a straight flush 1/2 an hour previously, after around 40 mins I was down around $70 when I was dealt 3,4,6 od diamonds, let the 1st card ride, dealer turns over 5D, let the last bet ride and the dealer turns over.........8h, so near but so far. Oh well off to be at 9pm tied but happy.
Weds 27th.
Up early as usual and went back down, tried the 1st machine I played yesterday and hit 2 lots of 4 4's no kicker in 5 mins, I was right about this machine after all. Played for an hour and then went back to pick up the family for breakfast at Sherwood Forest Cafe (which I always find excellent value).As it was raining we had to cancel going to lake Mead so instead Mel set off to find herself a birthday present, after no luck in the meadows mall, we met up and went to the Fashion show mall, I popped over to TI fore an hour and after realising I had points on my card I played a bit, lost $20 in 5 mins on a DW game on a multigame machine, switched over to DDBP and got dealt 4'2's with kicker on the first hand.Cashed in and then met up with the family so mel could have her gambling session that she likes to have. 3 hours later she returned empty handed so I set off on my last night session. Started off in MB and hit 4'6's for $80, then to Luxor for some more BP, hit the 4's and aces again(same machine) but the rest of the night was a wipe out, including popping over to NYNY to cash in my points and getting two tickets stuck on the only 2 machines I played and then falling over on the walkway back to excalibur on the wet surface infront of 30 people.(it wasn't the beer really).Played some LIR but no hits so off to bed.
Thursday 28th.
The last session
thankgod, lost $300 in quick time, another breakfast at sherwood forest, then got 1 night comped at Luxor(which surprised me). We checked out, went off to the big gift shop near The STRAT (great place) and then one last trip to target to get last minutes items.Mel let me have 1 last hours in Sunset, where I started playing, 3,5,7 poker, won $50, a final meal at the feast then off to LA and Disneyland.

Final Thoughts
1)wish I had stuck to DDBP, what a rush of 4 of a kinds I had.
2)the Luxor comp policy confuses me completely.
3)why wasn't the 6 of diamonds there for me !!
4)diet's suck in Vegas.
5) Leaving Las Vegas hurts, which you all know.
6)Next trip will be late next year at the earliest just me and Mel this time.And I will play Craps and live Hold 'em.

Thanks for reading if you got this far.
Cheers
Graham

 

Nice report, graham. Maybe I'll have to look up the sherwood forest cafe, most of the cafe's on that end of the strip are pretty overpriced.

 

Thanks for the nice write-up. Yes, we all do know that leaving Vegas hurts... we also all know that diets in Vegas suck too!! I've managed to lose somewhere between 35-40 lbs in the past six months, but have 3 trips to Vegas planned in the next four months - plus the holidays! I have to be Very careful not to put it all back on, since I've given away all my clothes in bigger sizes now

 

Thanks for the report Graham, I've been waiting for that one, glad everyone enjoyed

I've only got to wait until a week sunday - it's always the longest week of the year

 

Thanks all.
NBG are U in the UK I cannot remember ? If so e-mail me your address and I will post You my LVA POV coupon book if you want it, only used a few and I know I won't be back this year.

Have a good trip.
Graham

 

Thanks for the generous offer Graham, I’ve sent you a private message

I know the getting up as everyone is hanging and heading to bed routine in Vegas, some of it ain't half entertaining

 

nice report...

 

Great VP action Graham, nicely done

Face down in the gutter in Vegas Join the club

 

great report but I was lost on some of those letters like ddpb dp or whatever they were. I would like to try some of those games what were they?
thanks for sharing with us.

 

sorry had to use abbreviations too many words to type.
I played mostly double double bonus, double bonus and deuces wild.

NBG
The POV is on it's way... enjoy.
Kikky,
just checked And I didn't put on any weight, so the sharing meals worked for me, although the buffets are hard !!

Thanks all for the positive feedback.
cheers
Graham

 

Nice trip report.

As a fellow UK based Vegas-addict I'm sure you'll agree when I say you lot out in the US are sooo lucky to be able to just jump on a plane for a few hours and be in Vegas, instead of travelling halfway round the world and saving up all year for an annual trip.

 

Couldn't agree more St George, also hard coming up with reasons to go again to the good lady, what the hell though it is worth it.
Cheers
Graham

 

a very splendid TR graham...

So, you're saying you dont like to shop ?

LOL

take care my friend
mK

 

i love waking up in the middle of the night and going down to the casino.

thanks for sharing your report!

 

Great report. I have to agree with you on Sherwood Forest. Everytime I am out an dabou tin the wee hours of the morning partying over there.....nothing beats there hash browns. Slightly crispy on both sides and soft in the center.

 

Received today Graham, and enjoy it we will, many thanks I'll be sure to pass it on to someone else when we are done.

Only 2 days of work left

[ November 08, 2004, 01:46 PM: Message edited by: nbg ]

 

excellent, the Royal mail does work sometimes, don't work too hard and enjoy your trip you lucky s%d !!

Cheers
Graham