Jailhouse Rock LIVE! (TheBucket is Baaack 5/14-5/19, Westgate, CCDC)

Background: Pre-TR can be found HERE in Misc Vegas Chat.

Here we go, folks! Forum rules say I can't post here until the day I depart, and as the clock strikes midnight (ok, ok, I don't actually have a clock which strikes midnight, but it sounds cool, right?) tonight, it is officially the day of my departure!

Today (technically), I will be climbing aboard a Southwest 737 for a 'three hour tour' that will hopefully not land me on a deserted island. Given the geography involved, that is unlikely in the same way that Steve Wynn declaring Circus Circus to be the finest hotel ever built is unlikely, but hey... Assuming that I don't get stranded on a desert island on my way to Vegas, I get to count that as my first win, right? Yep. I'm so confident in my likelihood of success in this regard that I'm not even going to bring a volleyball.

So welcome folks, one and all, ladies and gentlemen, to a live-reported tale of debauchery to an extreme the city has not yet been exposed to! Well, that might be a bit of an exaggeration. It is possible that I'm a convention going tourist with a smartphone and a plethora of snappy remarks. It is also possible (though somewhat less likely) that I'm the reincarnation of Frank Sinatra, Elvis Presley, and Jay Sarno all rolled into one. Stay tuned, folks, 'cause it's time to start the TR.

Those of you who may have read my earlier trip reports may be familiar with my ongoing efforts to title these in a unique way, often something music related. Therefore, in honour of my first stay at Westgate LV, formerly the Las Vegas Hilton, formerly the International...

Ladies and gentlemen, may I introduce to you...

Jailhouse Rock!

 

My hotel for tomorrow, circa 1969:



And the Big Hotel, which I'll try to avoid given the lack of free parking there (also their overly complicated check-out procedure would be annoying):

 

Allrighty, here's the deal. Immediately after getting a room at Westgate this evening, I'll head down to put a Benjamin down on roulette. I'll put the full amount down on either Odd or Even... First response here to call it is the bet to be made.

Let's hear it, folks!

"One for the money..."

 

Well, I'm headed out to Sin City in 3 hours and my Benjamin is going on "red". I'll pass the dice and let the next poster make the call for you.

Good luck!

ron.

 

Looking forward to reading your trip report as my trip comes ever closer.

Will be nice to hear about The Westgate also.

Have a great trip.

 

Bet on Odd.

 

Odd it is. That bet is gonna be so odd that it could have it's own Monty Python skit. Just 8 hours until I take off... Whee!

 

Hey, that means you'll be there before me. That's entirely not fair!

As a matter of fact, as soon as I get there myself, I'm going to drive right on down to that 7-Eleven on Tropicana just west of LVB, ask for the manager, and file an official complaint.

More seriously, good luck with that red bet, and have a fabulous trip! Just holler here if you'd care to meet up sometime.

 

And, the adventure begins! I'm at the airport now, both me and the plane are on time... As usual I've got my vintage boarding pass folder on display, it's all sorts of fun to see who does a double-take. [emoji3]

 

Almost zero line at security, things are starting our great!

 

Gotta love that lead-in time, I often find trip planning and anticipation to be nearly as much (but on my trips to date fortunately not as much) fun as the trip itself.

Stay tuned, unless things take a really weird turn, there should be plenty of information, stories, and photos of Westgate here.

Best of luck on your trip, I hope it's coming g up real soon. [emoji2]

 

Got to the airport, got thru security nice and easy, got my bag checked, and even scored one of the few luxury (by airport standards) armchairs in the waiting area. It's almost time to board, but we seem to be missing one little detail... Just a little thing, I'm sure we don't really need one for a Vegas trip, right?

 

Ahh, that's better. I'm now comfortably situated up in the front of a nice shiny big blue airplane. The flight is entirely full, so I grabbed a seat in the second row to cut down my wait to get off at McCarran.

I should get this sent before they ask for phones to be turned off or put in airplane mode. Has anyone other than I thought that the 'airplane mode' on smartphones ought to cause two little wings, a tail, and a small propeller to pop out and send the phone flying out of one's hand? Time to go, see ya at McCarran!

 

Have a good flight.

Make sure you fill the slots up for me at The Westgate for when I arrive

 

So far, so good... hope you keep the TR going [emoji483]

 

Touchdown!

 

I'm just on the tram in the airport, and can't quit grinning like an idiot. Headed off to charge this nearly dead phone. Damn, I love this town!

 

I was thinking more along the lines of being personally responsible for an entire chapter in the history of the place... Chapter 11. [emoji6]

 

Yep. I'll be all over that like ants on cheese. Do ants even like cheese? Oh well, it sounds good.

 

Off to the rental car center to see what my premium from Alamo turns out to be. This will be my first skip-the-counter car, I'll enjoy not waiting in line. And I got my battery pack out of the suitcase, so the phone lives!