GETMETOCA
Can't Wait For Tuesdays
- Mar 17, 2002
- 4,765
- 0
Like Dorothy, I often find myself closing my eyes, clicking my heels together three times and wishing I were in Vegas. To heck with Kansas, you know that's where she really wanted to be! So lately, I've been doing a lot of heel clickers, and not the moto kind. I had some serious yearning for Vegas. Little did I know I would get there this week; in fact I'm in Vegas as I type this. It just wasn't the Vegas trip I had in mind.
My journey actually started in Newark, New Jersey. I've been there since last Sunday on business. Friday, I have a flight that is supposed to take me from Newark to Charlotte, to San Francisco. From there I would drive home. Needless to say, every flight I had was delayed due to severe weather conditions elsewhere. I got to Charlotte late, missed my connector to San Francisco and was rescheduled for a much later flight that would take me into Vegas, then on to my final destination. If I was lucky, I would get into my own bed by 3 am.
Luck would not be on my side. To make a long airline story short, my flights were all late, my connections all left without me and I got into Vegas around midnight. US Airways was nice enough to put me up at a hotel, the Emerald Suites! I was just a little bit happy with the thought of "having" to stay in Vegas and getting a little Sin City out of my system.
I had never heard of the Emerald Suites but in my mind I was picturing the Embassy Suites and perhaps a nice jacuzzi tub to soak away my travel weariness. There was a free shuttle to the hotel, but I opted for a cab instead. I get out to the cab lane and there are (I'm not kidding) 300+ people in line for a cab. Now Vegas can herd cows like no other, so although the line was long, it kept moving and 30 minutes later I was in a cab.
The cab driver seemed to know of this Emerald Suites place. I insinuated I was a frequent Vegas visitor, tipping him off not to take the "long way" and thus create a large cab fare. We took a direction away from the strip and $17.10 later, he deposited me at the Emerald Suites, a dark alley looking place that reminded me of the balconied apartments in "Rent". There were derelict-types hanging out on the terraces hollering at each other. A large van full of other lost airliners unloaded and we all piled into the dank and brown lobby, badly in need of a remodel. I finally get up to the counter, by now it is 1:30 am, I'm tired and the Roullette table is the last thing on my mind.
The lady at reception looks at my Airline Voucher for the free overnight stay and announces I'm at "the wrong property". I was almost a little relieved knowing that I would not have to stay and The Dungeoun Inn. Perhaps the 'right' property was a little happier place.
The Shuttle Van driver was still in the vicinity and I was able to climb on board. I can't believe how many people you can cram into a van. Luckily, the young and skinny people were already in the back and all I had to do was hang one butt cheek off the first row bench to stake my place on the bus. My plan, once we got to the 'right property' was to bust out of the compacted van, claim my place in line to register and get to my room.
In my haste to bolt, I left my jacket behind in the van. A nice couple called out to me and as I was thankful for the retrieval, I let them claim first spot at the counter. The "right property" a newer Emerald Suites was still a far cry from the Las Vegas Strip. Actually, I don't even know where we were. I had caught a glimpse of the green MGM Grand in the far distance and the gold glitz of the Mandalay Bay, but in my early morning sleep depraved stupor, I had not idea where I was. I just hoped the sheets were clean.
The room, although clean, reminded me of my first college apartment. It was a walk up with woody doors and a funky mix of old and attempted new. But it was clean. I took a quick shower in the small bathroom and crawled into bed. Oddly, I was so tired, I couldn't sleep.
But I guess I eventually did; I woke 2.5 hours later to the sound of my cell phone alarm. My plan, even though I was tired, was to freshen up, have some breakfast, and play a little roullete or slots before getting back on the shuttle for my 9:45 am flight to San Francisco.
The Orleans Casino was right across the street from the motel/hotel/dorm revival I had slept at. I really wanted some coffee. I fished in my purse to pay the $2.75 (they do not take credit cards?) to pay for my Extra Large Brew with Add Shot. The final $0.50 was scraped off the linty bottom. I realized I had no cash left on me after paying the cab driver and now for the coffee.
The funny thing about Vegas is that cash is King. ATM's charge you an arm and a leg and a few other parts just to withdraw cash. Getting money from the hotel cashier is literally like taking out a loan with documents to sign and grossly high interest rates to boot. I was still groggy and grainy from lack of sleep and a long day.
And this was when I decided to just call it a day. This was the FIRST time in Vegas that I have not spent one nickel! I had to call my my mother, she would not believe this. This is SO NOT ME!!!
So now I sit at the airport, getting ready to board the plane to SF, with no money in my wallet, but in all likelihood, a few hundred dollars richer. ;)
My journey actually started in Newark, New Jersey. I've been there since last Sunday on business. Friday, I have a flight that is supposed to take me from Newark to Charlotte, to San Francisco. From there I would drive home. Needless to say, every flight I had was delayed due to severe weather conditions elsewhere. I got to Charlotte late, missed my connector to San Francisco and was rescheduled for a much later flight that would take me into Vegas, then on to my final destination. If I was lucky, I would get into my own bed by 3 am.
Luck would not be on my side. To make a long airline story short, my flights were all late, my connections all left without me and I got into Vegas around midnight. US Airways was nice enough to put me up at a hotel, the Emerald Suites! I was just a little bit happy with the thought of "having" to stay in Vegas and getting a little Sin City out of my system.
I had never heard of the Emerald Suites but in my mind I was picturing the Embassy Suites and perhaps a nice jacuzzi tub to soak away my travel weariness. There was a free shuttle to the hotel, but I opted for a cab instead. I get out to the cab lane and there are (I'm not kidding) 300+ people in line for a cab. Now Vegas can herd cows like no other, so although the line was long, it kept moving and 30 minutes later I was in a cab.
The cab driver seemed to know of this Emerald Suites place. I insinuated I was a frequent Vegas visitor, tipping him off not to take the "long way" and thus create a large cab fare. We took a direction away from the strip and $17.10 later, he deposited me at the Emerald Suites, a dark alley looking place that reminded me of the balconied apartments in "Rent". There were derelict-types hanging out on the terraces hollering at each other. A large van full of other lost airliners unloaded and we all piled into the dank and brown lobby, badly in need of a remodel. I finally get up to the counter, by now it is 1:30 am, I'm tired and the Roullette table is the last thing on my mind.
The lady at reception looks at my Airline Voucher for the free overnight stay and announces I'm at "the wrong property". I was almost a little relieved knowing that I would not have to stay and The Dungeoun Inn. Perhaps the 'right' property was a little happier place.
The Shuttle Van driver was still in the vicinity and I was able to climb on board. I can't believe how many people you can cram into a van. Luckily, the young and skinny people were already in the back and all I had to do was hang one butt cheek off the first row bench to stake my place on the bus. My plan, once we got to the 'right property' was to bust out of the compacted van, claim my place in line to register and get to my room.
In my haste to bolt, I left my jacket behind in the van. A nice couple called out to me and as I was thankful for the retrieval, I let them claim first spot at the counter. The "right property" a newer Emerald Suites was still a far cry from the Las Vegas Strip. Actually, I don't even know where we were. I had caught a glimpse of the green MGM Grand in the far distance and the gold glitz of the Mandalay Bay, but in my early morning sleep depraved stupor, I had not idea where I was. I just hoped the sheets were clean.
The room, although clean, reminded me of my first college apartment. It was a walk up with woody doors and a funky mix of old and attempted new. But it was clean. I took a quick shower in the small bathroom and crawled into bed. Oddly, I was so tired, I couldn't sleep.
But I guess I eventually did; I woke 2.5 hours later to the sound of my cell phone alarm. My plan, even though I was tired, was to freshen up, have some breakfast, and play a little roullete or slots before getting back on the shuttle for my 9:45 am flight to San Francisco.
The Orleans Casino was right across the street from the motel/hotel/dorm revival I had slept at. I really wanted some coffee. I fished in my purse to pay the $2.75 (they do not take credit cards?) to pay for my Extra Large Brew with Add Shot. The final $0.50 was scraped off the linty bottom. I realized I had no cash left on me after paying the cab driver and now for the coffee.
The funny thing about Vegas is that cash is King. ATM's charge you an arm and a leg and a few other parts just to withdraw cash. Getting money from the hotel cashier is literally like taking out a loan with documents to sign and grossly high interest rates to boot. I was still groggy and grainy from lack of sleep and a long day.
And this was when I decided to just call it a day. This was the FIRST time in Vegas that I have not spent one nickel! I had to call my my mother, she would not believe this. This is SO NOT ME!!!
So now I sit at the airport, getting ready to board the plane to SF, with no money in my wallet, but in all likelihood, a few hundred dollars richer. ;)
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