Random Musings: Semi-Free Play-palooza, the trip to Las Vegas, Day one

At the airport bar.

Well, I figured I should get my last trip report written before I go on my next one (although that hasn't stopped me in the past).

What was originally supposed to be a trip with quite a bit of free play from several different casinos turned into less than half of what I was expecting. But still, it's a trip to Vegas, right?

I had purchased the flight tickets back on April 15, for $377.47 r/t. That's pretty pricey, but I did use my Southwest Credit Card to get the $75 travel credit, plus I used $15.08 of existing travel credit. Well, my friend Kip had some travel credits to use, plus she has a Southwest Companion Pass, so she rebooked our flight using her credit and added me as her companion. The problem with that is that we would have to fly out of the same airport. That hasn't been a problem for me in the past, I've flown out of PHL quite a few times in the past year (either to fly with Kip, or because that airfare was cheaper than here, and it worked out to be "convenient" to fly from there).

This time, however, the cheaper flight was from DCA, so Kip had to figure out travel to and from here. Compounding the issue at the time, was that because I used an old flight credit, the entire trip now took the expiration date of that flight credit, which was to expire on November 9. I was thinking I was going to be able to use those flight credits for my "next" trip in 2023. After contacting them, they told me they could give me a six month extension from the date of my request to extend those flight credits. And as it turns out, later in the year, the eliminated the expiration of their flight credits, so all good.

We had my favorite outbound from DCA, 4:05 PM departure, stop in OMA, no plane change, the arrive in LAS at 7:30 PM. Kip arranged to stay with a friend over the weekend and her friend dropped her off at DCA. I worked in the morning at my office, then took the Metro to DCA.

I got to DCA around 1:30 PM, plenty of time to check-in and get something to eat, since I hadn't had lunch and we were getting (significant) food during the flight. I got my bag checked and waited for Kip to arrive. We got her checked in and headed for security. I have TSA Pre, but she doesn't. It's a small terminal the Southwest flies out of at DCA, but the security lines seemed a bit long. Unfortunately, my backpack got pulled for additional inspection. He pulled out my hand sanitizer (which had never been a problem in previous flights), and then asked what my iPod was. I said, "It's an iPod". To which he responded that he can't remember the last time he saw one. Well, I guess that's today now. . .

The gate area was packed, but we managed to get two seats at the bar. We ordered drinks and I ordered a pizza. A bit pricey, but it was pretty good too.

Mysterious technology!

I believe these were a Manhattan and an Aperol Spritz.

The pricey, but tasty pizza!

We both checked in right at 4:05 PM the previous day, but we were still in the mid-B boarding group. We decided to go aisle/aisle in the back of the plane and it was fine. I had Southwest drink coupons, so we got some in-flight mimosas!

Kip ready to party!

Deconstructed mimosa.

When we got to Omaha, we had to figure out what we wanted to do about our seating arrangements. We could stay in the back and see if we could get an empty middle seat or move up to the front of the plane and go aisle/aisle there. I said there are two seats in the emergency exit row, lets take those. So after the flight attendants made the through count, we made our dash to those seats.

The window is far away with the missing seat.

Yay, no aisle/aisle, and no one in the middle seat (because there isn't one).

It was a seemingly quick flight, and we arrived early, 7:10 PM! Kip's bag was the first off the carousel and mine was a bit longer (but at least we got them!). Now off to the rental car shuttle. They have been slow during COVID, and now they seem to realize that the service isn't picking up.

I mean, before there were buses queued up, but now it seems that it does take quite a while for the shuttles to arrive. In any event, we did arrive at the rental car facility close to 8:00 PM, which is when my rental time started.

I went right out to the lot and my reserved vehicle was a nice Ford Escape. I booked an intermediate, but they gave me an intermediate SUV, so that was pretty nice. It was banged up a bit, so we spent some time taking photos. I was looking for one of those damage cards to complete, but I didn't see one, and I wasn't going to wait in the line at the desk, so I decided to check with the guy at the exit. He told me as long as I took photos at the time of the rental, if they made a claim, my photos would be timestamped and it would be okay. He also said I could have used the QR code to just exit the lot, but I told him I wanted to make sure I wasn't charged for any damages to the vehicle (so far, I haven't been).

We had a few plans working depending on what time we arrived. I wanted to see the volcano show before the shut it down and we also wanted to go to Red Dwarf. The volcano shows were on the hour but we also didn't want to be up too late, since we just got into town. We were also picking up our friend, Lola Bellini, at Wynn.

So it being slightly after 8:00 PM, we headed to Wynn to pick up Lola, park at Venetian (since it was free), watch the 9:00 PM volcano show from Venetian and then head to Red Dwarf afterwards.

Picking up Lola at Wynn was a bit tricky, but we managed to get her and then get to Venetian around 8:45 PM. We rushed out to the front of Venetian a bit before 9:00 PM. We were further away than I thought we were going to be, but with zoomed in video, it was okay.

From where we were.

Zoomed in on video.

After the show, we headed back to the car and headed to Red Dwarf, a divey bar off the Strip behind Westgate. It advertises booze, music, and pizza, and mentioned many tiki drinks (they apparently have a large selection of rums). We happened to be there on burlesque night, so it was quite the show.

Kip and I got the I Just Blue Myself (drinks, people!) and pizza, since I hadn't had enough pizza today. The pizza was billed as Detroit style, which I was not familiar with. It was very crispy, it was tasty, I'd get it again. I'd also come here again, with our without the burlesque show. . .

Drinks.

More Drinks.

A view towards the bar.

I Just Blue Myself

One of the burlesque performers (tasteful shot)

Detroit style pizza

So it's around 11:00 PM, and Kip and I need to get to our hotel for the night, Sam's Town. We go to drop Lola back off at Wynn, but there's construction right at the intersection to get to the entrance. Finally after sitting through many cycles at the traffic light, I tell her it will be easier if I drop her off at the parking garage entrance, since we are right here. A quick left turn and we're there!

Heading out, instead of turning back into that fiasco, I turn left and head down Sahara and Waze directs me to Sam's Town, get there around 11:30 PM.

I had never stayed here, and barely played, but for some reason, they were sending me comped room offers (while none of the other Boyd properties were). We had contemplated staying at a Hampton Inn near the airport on Kip's points, but that was when we couldn't get the rental car until Tuesday (our original arrival date). Anyway. . .

There's no line at check in, are we are checked in promptly, receiving room 452, with an atrium view. I booked the atrium view because I thought it would be cool, and I was right.

View from our room.

Kip was done for the night, but I decided to put in a little play. I was out for about an hour, didn't win, the casino was ghostly quiet. I did take a few more photos while I was out.

The gazebo.

The Mystic Falls!

The room was nice, not large, but okay. It had quite a large tub, which we didn't get to use since we were only there the night. Heck, that might have been the shortest amount of time I've been in a room (even my short stay in the penthouse suite at Golden Gate was longer). Only one sink, but lots of counter space, and the "bookshelf" in the closet was a nice touch.