Highs and Lows! My First Night In Vegas

 

I'm back!  It was a good trip filled with poker, lots of eating, some slot play, a show, more eating and a little pain and swelling. 

 

Friday morning I had to get the kids to school and daycare and figured I would take off for the airport after that for my 1 1/2 hour drive and flight at 11:50.  My wife dropped the kids off to let me pack.  I got sidetracked and tried unplugging a drain in the bathroom.  Then I could not find my lucky K-State visor.  Then I couldn't find my case with my casino cards.  I found the K-State visor, but did not find my cards.  I went ahead and left so I could get to the airport early so I didn't have such a high anxiety.

 

As I'm driving out of town I get behind a line of slow moving traffic after a bridge construction zone backed us up.  Great!  I was going to be cutting it close but figured I would fill the tank at the next town so I wouldn't have to worry about gas when I returned home.  I filled up quickly and got back on the road.  A couple miles later I was stuck at more road construction.  This time I was in the front of the line.  I had to wait about 25 minutes for the pilot car to return.  My nerves were on edge.  I was going to be cutting this close.  I had to get to the airport, park the car, catch a shuttle to the terminal, check my bag, get through security and load the plane.  It was looking like at the very least if everything went well I could still catch the plane, but it was looking like I would lose my early place in line.

 

For the first time in quite a few years, I purposely sped once I got out of the construction zone.  It may not have saved me much time, but as I parked the shuttle was coming by.  He waited a couple seconds as I scrambled to grab all of my stuff.  WIN!  At the airport the check in line was longer than I have ever seen it.  This was it.  I was going to have to carry on my bag.  It's small enough, I just hate carrying on a suitcase.  Then the lady at the desk asked, "Is anyone in line going to Vegas?"  I got called to the front and had my bag checked.  WIN! 

 

The security line was a breeze and I got to the gate just in time to step into line A40 and claim my seat.  WIN Again. 

 

I met a guy at the gate that said he was trying to get home to Salt Lake City and had been rerouted several times do to the Chicago fire.  I wasn't sure what he was talking about, but found out later.  It was his 70th birthday and he had a big party planned for that evening.  He wasn't sure if he was going to make it on time.  I didn't have much, but I gave him one of my free drink coupons for the flight.

 

During the flight the stewardess brought me several corona's.  I used a free ticket on the first one, but she did not charge me or take my free tickets for the rest!  WIN WIN WIN!

 

The plane landed around noon on Friday.  I was anxious to get to the hotel so I jumped in line for a taxi.  I've always taken a shuttle from the airport and when I saw how long the line was I almost turned around to catch a shuttle.  The line moved fast though and I was on my way to the Riviera in a jiffy. 

 

I called my friend who had arrived that morning and told him to meet me at the check in.  There was a long line.  I saw the check in machines and saw they were available.  I stepped up and had the room keys in no time.  My friend hadn't even made it to the check in area yet.  I caught him on the way to the elevator and we headed up to the room to check it out.

 

We were finally in Las Vegas.  We headed back downstairs for him to get his luggage while I grabbed a bottle of fireball and met back up at the room.  After a couple of quick shots we were ready to go do a little gambling.

 

After a few slot pulls my lack of eating was eating away at me and I had to grab some Chinese to take back to the room.  I ate and we drank some more before heading back downstairs.  Through the rest of the evening I mashed a lot of buttons with absolutely no luck. 

 

I wouldn't have wanted to keep track of the amount I spent on drinks and slots.  It would probably be sickening, but at one point I reached into my pocket to grab some more cash and my pocket was empty.  It either fell out somewhere or somebody else helped themselves to it.  That was sickening.  I had the next days money in with my first days money.  I hadn't touched the 2nd days money as it was all hundreds.  I went back to the room to sulk and go to bed around 10:00 P.M. my first night in Vegas, down $800.00 already. 

 

I've always left what money I wasn't planning on spending in the room.  I was careless this time and it bit me in the arse.  Lesson learned.  I made somebody's night!  The crappy thing is I wouldn't have had that much cash at all if I hadn't had the ATM incident last year when I was in Vegas.