What Happens in Vegas

You know, if I actually followed the ad campaign, I'd have nothing to blog about. But I'm going to make it like Trixie Camp. What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas, until I get home and blog about it.

(I just looked at my post from my last weekend in Vegas, and I started basically the same way. I'm a man of few ideas.)

Left right after my post Friday for Vegas. Driving went fine, and I got in mid-afternoon. My uncle and aunt were paying the difference so I could stay at Mandalay Bay with the rest of the group. While not fancy on the outside, it is still one of the huge casinos on the strip. On the south side of the strip. So I've now stayed on the south and north sides of the strip.

Friday night, UB, AM, and her mom L went out to dinner at the Bellagio, then we went to see O, one of Cirque de Soli's shows. This one involved water, and was quite fun with platforms raising and lowering. The acrobatics were amazing and the diving parts were lots of fun. It was my first of their shows, and we couldn't have picked better for my tastes. Diving is one of my favorite sports.

Saturday, once I got up, I went down to the pool complex. They've got a fun endless/lazy river with a waterfall and a wave pool. Hung out there for a while, then went back to the hotel and showered before three of us went down to New York, New York and road their roller coaster. It was fun but very rough. I'm glad I went on it, but I doubt I'll ever do it again.

Saturday afternoon was the reason I was there. AM's son got remarried in the chapel at the resort. It was a nice ceremony but seemed a little rushed and impersonal. Then again, that's kinda what you would expect when they do 50 weddings a week. Still, it was nice. Then we had a reception at a semi-nearby restaurant. Have I mentioned yet that you have to pass through at least one casino to get anywhere you want to go in the town?

After the reception was over, we headed back to the hotel and I watched UB and AM gamble for a little while. I think I understand roulette better now. I did played the nickel slots myself for about five minutes. That's how long it took me to loose a dollar. :)

UB and AM's grandson stayed with me. I wasn't sure how that would go, but it went fine. My lack of sleep was due to other things, not all of which I know what are. Some of which were the drunk people yelling at each other in the hall all hours of the night. For example, Saturday night at 4AM yelling, "Don't worry. It's not the same drunk as last night. It's different ones." Frankly, I didn't care to know that. Sleep would have made me happier.

Anyway, Sunday, after breakfast with UB, AM, and my weekend roommate, I took off for home. I was hoping to beat any bad traffic going back to LA. Did run into a few slow spots, usually arround the thunder showers, but for the most part it was fine. The biggest problem I had was when I got onto the 18. I took the exit for the 18 and drove 30 miles before I finally figured out I was going the wrong way. So wished I had a navagator to look at the map for me at that point. Drove back, got on the freeway, then found that there's an exit for the 18 West 2.5 miles further down. You know, that might have been helpful to announce before the first exit for the 18. Or announce that it's the 18 East. Seems logical to me at least.