A Grown Woman: Las Vegas redux

So we got to the airport okay, and had a nice lunch there and a good time just talking and waiting for our flight. We got on the plane, and the pilot announced that there was a lot of turbulence on the way to Vegas. I hate turbulence.

It was really bad turbulence. And it lasted the entire flight (1 hour). Scott sat with his eyes closed the whole way. I decided I was brave enough to have a window seat this time. Ai yi yi. I was glad it wasn't like this when I took the kids because I was really scared of the flight then.

When we finally landed Scott said that was the worst flight he had ever been on. Bear in mind Scott has flown his whole life, including back and forth to China. So yes, it was bad. The flight attendants were freaking out, Ya'll.

We get to Vegas and it was PACKED. The line for a taxi snaked all around the building and back and forth again. We finally get a taxi and check in, and our room on the 25th floor was very nice. Smaller than at the Venetian (where you only get suites) but at least as nice, and a lovely view out our window. Scott was already in an irritated mood from the flight and the lines we had to stand in, so we decided to go to an early dinner.

Thank goodness we went early. There were 20 people standing in line for "The Buffet at The Bellagio", and the bill for the two of us was $75. However, the food was excellent. Truly gourmet food, of any kind imaginable including sushi bar, and Scott and I ate up. We did eat our money's worth, and had a good time there. Also, our waitress was very nice and flirted up a storm with Scott. Which... from 4 year old girls to 50 year old women, Scott was the girl magnet this weekend.

When we left the restaurant, there was a line of over 100 people snaking all around the casino. We were glad we went early, because we never would have stood in that line.

We rested in the room for 20 minutes, then went down to the show. It was incredible and beautiful, of course. I'm telling you, if you can get to Las Vegas, go see "O". It will be worth every penny.

We went back to our room at 10pm and looked over the room service menu while watching the water show out our window. It was nice and relaxing and we didn't have to go anywhere or be anywhere or stand in any lines. We read our books for awhile in front of the window, then went to bed.

We woke up early and took showers and got dressed. At 8am room service came with our breakfasts - eggs, bacon, toast, coffee, etc. - and we had a very relaxing morning eating in our room. We had decided the night before that since it was going to cost just as much as room service to eat anywhere in the hotel, and it would probably involve standing in line too, it would be worth it to pay room service price. And it was. We just relaxed until it was time to check out - we had to leave at 10am.

We checked out and then - of course - stood in an incredibly long line to get a taxi to the airport. And then, of course, there was a major traffic jam at the airport and we just sat there on the road. Our flight was leaving at 11:41am so I tried to stay calm, even though time was ticking by.

The cab finally drops us off and what do you know - major line to check our bag. Oh, but when I got in the line, it turned out that wasn't the end, that was just the corner - the end of the line snaked all up and down the street!!!!!

We get into the airport, run up the escalator and down the halls and... OOH, it's a PACKED MADHOUSE trying to check through the first point. Oh. My. God. There were easily two thousand people trying to get through. This is the same place I let Buffy wander around alone shopping when we left Vegas in January. The airport was EMPTY at our last vacation! So we stood in that line. Which then files you through the metal detector line, which of course is just as long because everyone has to go through it.

We already knew he wasn't going to pass, we knew ahead of time, and leaving San Jose they just pulled him aside and gave him a full thrice over with the wand and a pat down and then a rub down. I teased him later that I had to pay extra for his ticket since it included a massage. But this time, we weren't really in any mood for this. The detector beeped when he went through, but instead of taking him aside immediately - they put him in this clear plexiglass closet with a giant red X on the side.

Man o man did I want to take a picture of him jailed in this clear box, but he was not in any mood for that. So we had to wait, and wait, and wait, and wait, and wait, until some nerdy guy came over for the thrice over pat down massage. Scott was steaming when this was over.

We still had to wait for him to put his shoes back on and then run to our gate. We got there ten minutes before the plane was to leave and we were the last to board.

Then the pilot announced that while San Jose had clear skies and perfect weather, the wind in Las Vegas was going to make for "a choppy take-off". Yeah, that's like when the dentist tells you "there will be some discomfort."

Let's just say, it was choppy. To put it mildly. But the rest of the flight did go much smoother. As soon as we hit the green hills of San Jose I felt so happy. I have to say, Las Vegas is just not for me. I love my San Jose, and I love it even more after going to a place like, say, Las Vegas.

We happily got our no-wait taxi and went back to my work where we had left my car, and then went to lunch and home. We were pretty tired and I was just starting to get cranky I was so tired. But we were home.

Scott did enjoy the show, and we had a nice relaxing time this morning at the hotel, but overall the lines and crowds were not the happy-inducing vacation we usually like. But Scott did say this morning that he wouldn't mind coming back one day to see a different show if we did it just like we did - fly in, stay in the hotel the entire time, see the show, and go home. So I know his time there couldn't have been TOO bad.

Still, I couldn't get over the crowds. This was the middle of the week, and when I took the kids in January it was over a three day weekend. There were NO crowds then, and no lines. I figured maybe January is just considered off season.

I came home and told Spike about the crowds. He had it pegged immediately, in two words.

It occurred to me this week that I have been in four different hotels on five different occasions in the last three months. Venetian - Las Vegas, Lovers Point Inn - Monterey, Marriott - San Jose (twice), and now The Bellagio - Las Vegas. I think that's a bit much, although it doesn't SEEM like I've been on so many vacations. That said, we are going back to Volcano on April 13. We could use some quiet relaxing time, and we're going. Heck, it's the cheapest vacation around anyway and we love it there.

Las Vegas just makes me feel a little like my soul is dieing when I'm there, like blackness is seeping into my heart. I know no other way to describe why it makes me so unhappy. I would be willing to go back for short trips though in order to see some shows. However, Volcano is a place that makes me happy, and recharges the soul, and we'll be making more trips back there.

That's it, that's my update. I have to get started on some homework for school now. I don't have any big projects, but small stuff still has to be turned in.

Thanks for the update! I've been missing you. Though I think I got grumpy just reading that. Too many line-ups!

Posted by: Rachael at March 30, 2007 8:39 AM

Yikes - I am with you! Las Vegas is like eating a whole box of candy at one sitting. It tastes so good while you're eating it, but in the end I'm always a little naseaus and by the next morning I'm dying for a plate of steamed broccoli.

Posted by: leslie at April 1, 2007 9:51 PM