Part 1 - No rest for the weary

Although uneventful, my flight is nevertheless almost 45 minutes late and Wednesday has now turned into early Thursday morning. But as we descend through the clouds on our way to land, we pass by Luxor’s high beam beacon and I utter a small sigh of relief. The Strip’s bright lights have turned night into day. It’s early yet.

A well-seasoned traveler, I have everything I will need packed tightly into my carry-on. So by-passing baggage claim, I am shortly free of the airport and standing at the shuttle stop, when my phone starts to ring.

It’s Bill.

I’m late… and he’s calling to make sure I got in ok. Amid the roar of arriving passengers and their awaiting transportation, combined with the aftereffects of altitude adjustment, I can barely hear him and the shuttle driver is waving me onboard. I’ll call you when I reach the hotel. I scream into the phone… hoping he hears me.

As a business consultant to the tourist industry in a former life, I can still travel quite frequently at insanely low prices. The jacket I brought home from Cache in the Forum Shops was nearly double the cost of my entire trip. (Although as it turned out, the jacket ended up costing me nothing. That story a little later.)

The key to unlocking the freedom of regular travel is all about LOCATION. I require some necessities, but anything beyond that is merely window dressing. Lovely? Yes. But never having much time to spend admiring such luxury, I prefer more sensible accommodations… with a view the requires no dressing up. I knew the top floors of the Island Tower at Tropicana would provide such a view, so I smiled broadly as I approached the night clerk and my few requests were easily granted.

Making my way through the small casino a short time later, I feel the energy of Vegas surround me… and I find my second wind. Picking up the pace, I stride down the long hallway over the pool and past the now-closed buffet to a bank of elevators.… and my phone rings.

It’s Bill again. We are headed down the strip just a little way… Mix, the new club high atop Mandalay Bay. He’s never been there yet, but heard the patio has a fantastic view. He’ll pick me up in front of my hotel. Just tell him what time.

The elevator doors swing open and a party of happy travelers stumble out destined for their own early morning entertainment. Give me twenty minutes to change. I reply. Entering the elevator, I press 15 and the jing-jing-jing of the nearby slot machines quietly fades. As I quickly ascend past the lower tower, I turn toward the open face windows overlooking the strip and the beacon of freedom to many a weary traveler slowly emerges, the smiling face of Lady Liberty. Ahhhh yes... Vegas.

 

So far so good. I guess the elevator cant do ya wrong.

 

Waiting for part two. You do have a way with words. I can't wait to get there.

 

If I wanted a Jackie Collins knock-off read, I'd spend $1.99 in K-mart. I can picture the dark bare-chested stud embracing the maiden on the cover already...

Get to the good stuff, and leave out the lace, Lacey.

 

Good job so far, Lacy, keep it up. There's no by-law here that says you've got to stick to the "dropped twenty bucks in a quarter wheel-of-fortune then went to the buffet" format.

 

Doc, I'm sure Ms. Lacy can take a friendly dose of old-fashioned ribbing like a pro. Of course we love diversity here, and Ms. Lacy brings some with unintended humor to boot.

 

Being that I've been on that elevator and that part of the hotel back in April 2002 I can picture myself looking out that elevator - ah that was a fun time!

 

Dark bare-chested stud? Hmmmmmmm..... *raise eyebrows*

As for 'getting to the action' part.. all in good time, my dear.

Relax and enjoy the tale, I see lots of clocks here with close to triple digit days and although this tale will not last that long I believe it's the small details that give a story real life. Close your eyes like Kathy did... finding herself riding up the elevator to the Tropicana Island Tower with me.

Part 2 soon come.

 

Are you so sure my humor is unintended?