9 sept 2 weeks no gambling some panic

2 weeks in Vegas not all went well, 3 hour drive to Manchester airport we managed a good price for a direct flight but paid with a puncture on the drive to the airport.
Flight was ok landed on time and cleared the airport in under an hour, car hire with National not Alamo, booked an intermediate had to wait 30 mins for the car when it turned up it was a Pontiac grand am with 20k and Illinois plates on it, getting a little tatty and turned out to have a broken heater knob.
On to Harrahs, Check in it was ok no problem getting a coffee pot this time room ok with view of volcano but internet $1.50 for first 20 min then 30c a min after that!!
Sunday off to Sahara free upgrade ok room view of Strat tower, free ($1 a day local call) internet and next to the Strat which was where my Nieces for Australia have booked. 21-30 arrival Sunday night tell them to take a cab from the airport will meet them at the hotel, well not having a rich uncle with them they take the airport shuttle and I have a 20 min wait, book them in ask for a premier tower room and get it thanks to this message board, so steak and egg midnight specials all round and off to bed
Monday partner not too well so leave her in Sahara with the internet and take the Nieces off shopping, get back partner still not too well but makes the effort for circus circus steak house with the Nieces, meals all very good the price seems to have gone up a little but still excellent value.
Grand Canyon was planed for wed-thurs with stop over in flagstaff wed night so look for motels at a good price as 2 rooms needed found super 8 @ $40 a night with high speed wireless (partner needs to keep up with her online game) so book it I have hopes of Lowell observatory at this point but not much support.
Tuesday the real fun begins partner wakes up with frozen left side of face panic off to UMC ER which was just up on Charleston about ½ a mile away, well the reception nurse said it was not a stroke and she thought it was Bells Palsy great relief even think of phoning Nieces tell them to do there own thing for the day. In to see the doctor confirm nurse diagnoses and course of steroids, course of anti viral, eye drops and extra anti inflammatory for her sciatica prescriptions, travel insurance kicked in no charge and no problems. Off to Wal-Mart to fill prescriptions $100 still don’t know if we will get that back but at this stage don’t care. Much better after steroids (make her feel great) so trip to Grand Canyon is still on.
Wed leave 10 am slow through Hover Dam took 4 hours to flagstaff then missed the first super 8 off the I 40 next to Barns and Nobel Book shop found the second Super 8 and they sent us back to the first lost 40 mins. Left partner on dial up internet as wireless not a strong signal, off to south rim 2 hour drive make it for sunset but mostly in shadow for photos and the observatory trip is fast fading, well gone as the tour starts at 19-30. Back to Flagstaff for a late dinner in a local restaurant which was ok except they closed off our road for resurfacing so had to go through the gas station to get into the motel.
Thurs booked the Sahara again over the internet for following Sunday then checked out and off to the canyon stop for fuel and doughnuts panic2 no credit card, search car, case, wallet. partner “did you leave it on the lap top†me “no I would never do thatâ€.
Back to motel search room about to cancel card and sure as …… she finds it in the lap top I had closed the lid on it myself. Quiet drive to canyon, impressive hole in the ground but I an still missing the observatory but cant say a thing as I have lost the time. Nieces back to Strat and we book into Harrahs for the thurs fri sat Nieces off to Orleans on sat (place not hotel) some concern about weather but seems ok.
Fri chill out let Nieces shop them self’s and take them to the range in Harrahs for last night in vegas didn’t do too bad for Harrahs and did have the chocolate soufflé on so left a good taste
Sat took Nieces to airport no problems chill out back on holiday
Sun moved to Sahara no upgrade this time Tunis Tower rough old lifts clean but old room still free internet but would not return ip is better for same price
Wed check out, airport no queue at security at terminal 2 back to rain in Manchester but the M6 toll road worked 3½ hours back to London
Thoughts:-
2 Parking garages at Sahara with a ramp on the 5 floor between them and 3 sets of elevators never really found my way round, not any better at Harrahs but I sort of understand it.
Travel insurance feels good when you need it
Listen to her she might be right and if she is you will pay
Internet connections and charges can make a hotel bill scary
I am getting old for a 3 hour drive 3 hour check in then a 10 hour flight might just pay the extra and accept a stop over to fly from Heathrow
Nieces can be expensive

 

Nice report Nick, hope your other half is ok, we had the same kind of issues with the kids 3 years ago and spent a few hours in UMC, excellent staff there. Who did you fly with to make you travel up the M6 to get your flight, we normally travel (from leiceter) down to London, overnight with free parking and fly to LAX and start our hols their, lose a night in vegas, but save £80 to £100 on the flights.Booking for feb this week £1000 for 4 so T minus 5 months to Vegas.
Cheers
Graham

 

Graham try
http://www.bargainholidays.com/flights/flight_service.asp
Ex airtours now my travel check charter flights at above web site direct flight Manchester-Las Vegas Wednesday have to wait for price drop but can find some cheap deals in the summer small seat and full flight though!!, winter deals from London are normally ok price wise virgin from Gatwick are ok might get a deal on priceline otherwise we just watch
http://www.cheap-flights.co.uk/
north west or united out of heathrow is normally our best option
hope you have a good time weather is guaranteed
She is going to see consultant on wed but should be fine,got go see the real ER, after told not stroke it was just like watching TV show, good luck nickm

 

Glad to hear you had a good time Nick

We live in Bristol, so it's either a trip to Mancester or London, that drive home is always a killer

We tend to book an airport hotel and parking going out with holidayextras

As for flights, we try to go AA for the extra legroom, if we can't do that we'll go Continental. I try to avoid Vigin becase of the lack of room in cattle class.

 

I read last week that Continental (?) were starting flights from Bristol to New York, it might be an option to take that flight and get a discount internal flight to LV.

 

Aye, services start next May (IIRC), can't wait!

The last couple of times we've had a couple of nights in NY on the way to and back from Vegas to break up the journey - helps with the lag and gets you to Vegas ready to hit the floor running

[ September 28, 2004, 04:20 AM: Message edited by: nbg ]

 

Thanks Nick,
don't know if the weather is guaranteed though,1st time we wen to vegas was in Feb,8 years ago and it snowed, i will check out the sites you gave.
cheers
Graham

 

NBG,
I find cattle class Ok with Virgin, and I am a big guy,
maybe we should have a forum on the board for travel to vegas from the UK !!
Cheers
Graham

 

It's not that I'm tall Graham, just dodgy knees, I need to stretch the legs often.

There are a lot more UK visitors here these days, which is cool as we have a different take on things and a lot of the getting there talk ($39 flights for some of our Merkin friends in LA) makes me wanna

 

As we seem to have a uk theme here I just wonder about the 2 week 1 week options as the car hire from holiday autos runs by the week I tend to the 2 week as I have to fly 10 hours it seems to be obvious to stay the 2 weeks but my partner the gambler wants one week as she has to control the gambling on the first week of a 2 week and is unhappy doing this. I have worked the Virgin solution and fly out Thursday and back following week Sunday with the last 7 days car hire this worked well but virgin price can be expensive in comparison and I have to add in airport parking (its just a tube ride for us to Heathrow) what is your optimum stay from the UK?

 

We've never done more than 7 nights, but in Vegas that feels like 7 weeks

We'll generally travel over the pond for 10 nights or so and stop over in NY for the first couple of days to start getting used to the time zone difference and do some tourist bits.

Although I've not hired a car in Vegas, we are looking to do so for our next trip in November for a couple of nights. I've just taken a look at the holiday autos site, but think the prices are better at yes car hire and airline network.

 

2 weeks in vegas, paradise but expensive on the budget if the cards don't hit !! We normally do 10 days, but usually flying into LAX as we combine disney for the kids with Vegas for me. Flights to LAX are cheaper and I find the immigration and car hire quick to pick up. Stay overnight in Ontario on the outskirts then up early with jetlag and 3 hr drive to stateline for 1st gamble and only 40 minutes to the strip.Usually arrive mid morning, 5 days in town then back to LA.

On the car hire I have signed up for all the firms deals via the web, Alamo and Avis are my favs, will never use Dollar again, once has a 3 hour wait at LV as everyone on the flight had booked dollar.
have a great trip in November, cannot wait for Feb.
Cheers
Graham

 

Maybe we'll give that one a try next time Graham - my parents are moving to LA soon, so would be good to stay with them a few nights