Traveling Home June 08

 

I slept from midnight to 3 am and that was it.  I am always so anxious on travel day.  This time I am alone and I don’t have young people running interference for me.
I checked out of the Plaza at 6:15.  I called for an Uber and I was concerned when they sent me another Suburban.  However this driver was determined to get me in the seat.  I can’t really climb but I could put my butt back against the seat and drag myself up by the handles.  Success!
Had a pleasant drive on surface streets to the airport.  When I got out I saw there were baggage handlers outside the airport already.  I approached one and asked if I was too early to check my bag.  He said “ we have a 6 hr window and you just made it.”  Thank God.  I was so happy.  
He printed out my boarding pass for me and called for a wheelchair and directed me to the wheelchair area just inside the door.  They put me in a chair immediately and in about 3 minutes someone was wheeling me to security.  

For some unknown they pulled my bag for secondary inspection.  It was backed up and there was only one guy doing it.  He asked if there was anything sharp in there and I said no.  Then he proceeded to inspect the bag of cashews I had in my bag.   Weird.  Finally he let us go and it was on to Gate D 36.

You should see the Starbucks line!  Crazy!  But the yogurt place wasn’t busy so I ordered a yogurt parfait for breakfast.  There was lots of fruit in it and it was yummy. This was around 8 am and my plane didn’t leave until 12:35 pm. I watched a flight to New York City leave.  They were determined to send me to JFK.  They couldn’t figure out why I was sitting in the airport five hours early.

Then I watched a flight to Salt Lake City come and go.  Finally it was Detroit’s turn.  

I pre boarded and the flight was fine.  It always goes downhill when I land in Detroit.  There was only one Wheelchair assistant and he was attempting to push two of us.  I was also pushing my walker in front of the wheelchair.  He was having trouble and the other lady had a plane to catch so I told him to leave me and take her to her plane.  He said he would come back but he never did.  I had a driver from Windsor waiting for me and I was concerned because I was taking so long. After a LONG  time someone else came to push me.  She seemed very inexperienced but we finally made it to get my suitcase and to door 5 where my driver was still waiting, Thank God!

So happy to be home!

Day 12, June 7, the Final Day

 When my son and his girlfriend were leaving on Monday I considered leaving at that point too. I was concerned about whether my UTI would come back, but it seems like the medicine I bought at Walgreens kept it away, which is awesome. But I’m really happy I did my Plaza stay because I love this place so much. These Luxe rooms are so comfortable. I could live here forever. I know some people complain about noise from the trains, but I don’t hear anything at all because I always have the AC going and all you hear is the hum from the AC. 

One of the main reasons that I extended my trip by a day was to watch the Plaza staff broadcast the podcast of On the Corner of Main Street from the Carousel Bar outside of the Plaza.  It ran from three until five, but they cut it off a little early because of the heat. Before they began I got to say hello to Scott Roeben.  I am always happy to see him if only for a minute.

They had Brian Christopher, Scott Roeben and the fellow who runs Pinkbox donuts. It was toasty hot obviously but still I enjoyed it.  Jonathan saw me in the hallway and came over and gave me a hug. He is so kind. I’m surprised he still recognizes me as he hasn’t seen me in such a long time. He also said hello to me when the podcast started and he also asked me to come up and ask a question. Actually I gave criticism because I asked him why there wasn’t more of those rewards kiosks. There’s only one and there’s a giant lineup at it all the time, but apparently there’s more coming at the end of July so that’s good news.  When they were finished I came into the Plaza and went to play VP for about two hours. No big hands this time. 
While I was sitting there playing a woman went by who had the most enormous breasts I’ve ever seen in my life. She had a man with her, and they sat down to play, and I noticed that one of the male Plaza staff stood behind them, staring at her chest. I couldn’t see his face so I wouldn’t be able to recognize him, but he was a fairly small man. I couldn’t believe that he was just standing there staring at her and finally she noticed him and he had the audacity to ask her if her breasts were real! I don’t think that’s very professional thing for a Plaza staff person to do, but they didn’t seem to be offended. They all laughed. I’m sorry, I didn’t hear the answer to whether or not they were real, but they were astonishing. 
At around 7 o’clock I came up to the room and ate the rest of my Just Rice from lunch and then I waited until it was almost time for the fireworks and went down to the pool deck. I could actually see the fireworks from my room because my room is facing that way, but the pool deck is a better view.  Unfortunately they had a DJ blaring tunes the entire time.  It was the kind of music my kids used to listen to like “You’all gonna make me lose my mind, up in here, up in here” and “ Turn down for what” etc.  Not my kind of music but it would have been tolerable if it hadn’t been being blasted at ten thousand decibels.  Luckily I had earplugs.  I got some video of the fireworks but I missed the finale.  I loved when they played Katy Perry’s Firework to the fireworks.

It was a bit if a struggle to get back to my room but I made it. Currently packing up and flying home tomorrow.  Fingers crossed it all goes smoothly.

I am really happy I spent this week at the Plaza.  I know I have said it before but it is feels like a second home. 

The fireworks 

Day Eleven, June 6

 I have had the most fantastic day today. The day started around 11 o’clock when I met up with a former board member named EdinPa and his lovely wife. We sat at the tables in the food court area in the Plaza and talked and talked.  We talked about old friends and old boards, about LV Talk/Open Vegas, health issues, all the Vegas changes that bug us.  They are also cat lovers like me.  We talked until out butts were sore and they left and I decided I needed to go to Binion’s.

I have always loved Binion’s for many reasons. The music isn’t too loud which is a refreshing change!  Its cafe is such a good value. My first stop was at the café to have a club sandwich and that potato salad that I love so much. I don’t like the fact that they put ham in the club sandwich. I mean, I like ham but I don’t want it in my club sandwich so I picked the it out. The food was delicious as always. I’ll saved half of it for my dinner tonight. My bill was $18 but for some strange reason they only charged me 15 but I had $23 in food comps  so didn’t cost me anything at all. 
After eating, I went to that Video Poker area that I’m fond of back by the snack bar. There’s 10 old Game King machines and five of them are out of order so I am starting to think that that area won’t be around much longer. It doesn’t seem like they’re very concerned about trying to fix them.  I got situated on my favourite machine and tried as hard as I could to spend my $100 but I couldn’t lose it. Just amazing ! It was so quiet I was actually starting to get sleepy. That happens after I eat sometimes. So I decided to mosey over to the snack bar and get a cup of what they call custard which is just soft ice cream. After I got it, I was debating where to eat it. I thought maybe they wanted you to stay in that area where the tables were but I spotted a Patriotic Chicken machine (which is similar to the Rich Little Piggies machine) so I decided to sit down and play that while I ate my chocolate custard because it was right next to the snack bar.
I set the machine at 90 cents and started spooning the custard into my mouth and on

my very first spin I won $100 and I was like “what the hell just happened?”Upon further study, I realized that the machine said .90 but it was set at the five cent denomination so I was actually betting $4.50 every spin! But since I now had an extra hundred that I didn’t realize I was going to have I decided to keep spinning at that amount for a few spins.

The machine chose to go crazy at that point and kept giving me bonus after bonus after bonus. I’m enclosing a video of one of them. I played that machine for at least two hours and I cashed out with $1200. I only put in 100 to begin with! That was pretty exciting!

 I tried to take my ticket over to the to the cash out station, but it wouldn’t accept that big a  ticket so then I went over to the cashier. She made me wait while she she called someone upstairs to “verify it” whatever that means.  Eventually I got my $1200 and went on my way.

I stopped into ABC on my way back to the Plaza and bought some more fruit.  I fervently wish that darn Cream Store wasn’t next door to ABC.  They pounce on me every time I come near.

Back at my hotel I rested for while. Around 6 pm I went downstairs and gave Plaza some more play. I played all the usual things.  I tried an All Aboard and got a nice $300 bonus.

And now I am in bed for the night at 8:30 pm. My bedtimes are getting later!

Day 10, June 5

 I have been posting links to my trip report in various places. One of them being the Facebook group and another one being my personal Facebook page. But Meta has decided that I am doing something naughty by putting it on my own page. Don’t ask me why. I don’t understand it.  It’s weird. 

I showered this morning.  It was much easier to shower here than in the accessible shower.  I like that the Plaza gives you rubber non slip mats to use.

I contemplated going down to the pool. I saw lots of children.  Ew.  Maybe not.

Didn’t leave the room until noon today. I’m still eating leftover chicken and waffles. I have been thinking about trying to stay one more day. The Plaza is having a celebration about the Carousel bar being in place for one year. And they’re going to broadcast their podcast from the Carousel bar on Friday afternoon and also Friday night they’re having their weekly fireworks.  I was disappointed that I had booked my rooms before I knew all that was happening. So I went down and asked them if I could stay one more night and they said I could but I’m gonna have to pay for it sadly. They said I should ask a host just before I leave and see if they’ll take the charge off but even if they won’t, I do wanna stay one more night. 

I  had to rebook my flight, of course, and that’s always a pain in the butt and I have to try and get in touch with the dude that’s supposed to pick me up and drive me home from the Detroit airport. I haven’t succeeded in doing that yet.  I will try again tomorrow.  I’m happy I’m staying. 

After I got that figured out, I went to play at the Plaza. Someone had the audacity to be on my favourite Game King machine so I decided to try Helen’s game Huff and Even More Puff. It didn’t like me.  Then I went and played that Hot Pot thing and it gave me a little bit of a bonus. Eventually the fellow that was on my machine left and so I went back and played Bonus Deuces Wild. I didn’t get any big hands today. I took a bit of a break at five and then amazingly enough I went BACK OUT at 6 PM. (I never do that anymore) I just wanted to go across the street to Circa because I had a little bit of freeplay there. I wanted to see if their MoMummy machines were nicer than the ones at the Plaza . I found some, but they weren’t being generous. And then I went and played on the Willy Wonka Gabsmackers or whatever it’s called and that wasn’t generous either. My final game was Bank Buster and that was the only slot that was being even remotely nice to me today.

The Plaza gives you so much money a day for food and so I got a Subway sandwich for my dinner tonight and I am in the room now for good at 7:30. 

I’m such a party animal.

Day 9, June 4

 I was up and about at  8 AM this morning. One of my LasVegas4ever board members whose name is Lipgloss on the board (Helen in real life) contacted me and asked if she could take me to lunch today. I  said yes and we agreed to meet here at the Plaza at 12:30 pm . When she arrived we decided the easiest thing do to was just to have lunch at Hash House a GoGo that we were standing in front of. We got a table right away. I ordered what I have every single time I go to Hash House which is their chicken and waffles. I love them so much and they are such a ridiculous amount of food it feeds me both lunch and dinner.  Helen had a chicken sandwich and some fries. We had a lovely chat and got to know each other again. We have met before on other trips. We realized that on Sunday when the kids and I were eating at the Eiffel Tower restaurant she was directly across the way from us eating on the Spago patio. We were looking at each other and didn’t realize it.

I was happy to hear she shares my frustrations in using Ubers and Lyfts.  Neither of us know one kind of car from another and we hate how the license plates are not on the front of the cars!  You have to scamper into traffic to try and figure out which car is yours.

Then we walked down Fremont and she caught the deuce back down to her hotel and I continued on to the D. I had a Las Vegas advisor coupon that I wanted to use.   I played the sparkly firecracker slot and four different MoMummy machines but they weren’t being generous.  My last machine was the Hot Pots thing and I had some fun bonuses on that.  I didn’t come out ahead today but I want to keep the rooms comps coming from the D in case I need them. Staggered back to the Plaza. There was a scary looking drunk guy staggering at the same pace I was.  I couldn’t seem to lose him.  I finally just stopped completely until he disappeared in the distance.I stopped at the ABC store and bought some fruit.  I am not getting much in the way of fruit and/or vegetables. 

So I am back in the room at 6 pm.  If I was ambitious I would probably go out again later, but I am not, so that probably won’t happen.

Day Eight, June 3

 I woke up around six today and began the long process of showering in the bizarre shower. I used the Mirage shampoo and conditioner but they were very watery. Cute bottles though . (I was trying to conserve my own.) That shower wouldn’t be so bad if the post that holds the shower head extended up to a normal human being height.  It doesn’t.  I managed to get clean again I then I packed up the room. Michael and Terin are leaving today. I will miss having them around.

I asked for a noon check out from Mirage.  I managed to hoist my suitcase up on top of my walker.   It gets harder to do that every year. As I walked through the gorgeous atrium for the last time I felt very sad.  I am going to miss this place.  I caught an Uber down to the Plaza. I made sure to ask the driver not to take the highway. I detest highways. The last time I was at the Plaza one of the hosts (I believe her name is Esme) saw me as I was walking through the lobby and she told me to stand in the VIP line. I’m not entirely sure why but I was happy to stand there and so today I went back to the VIP line. I don’t think I am VIP material but I’m glad to use that line because the other line was very long. I think there’s a lot of Bingo people checking in. Anyhow, my room wasn’t ready right away, so I said I would go have a bite to eat and then come back.  I went to the new Just Rice place and had honey garlic chicken and rice and it was delicious. Then I returned to the desk and  asked if my room was ready and it wasn’t so I went to play for an hour. They have Mo Mummy machines but mine wasn’t being very cooperative . 

I returned to the desk again around 2 pm and by then my room was ready. I got a Luxe room like I always do. I really like these rooms. The toilets are high, thank goodness, not low to the ground like they were at Planet Hollywood. And the shower walls are close enough to me that  don’t feel like I am a fall hazard.

I freshened up a bit and went down to the casino to earn my keep. First I went to my beloved old Game King Bonus Deuces Wild. I put $200 in and took $300 out so that was awesome. Took the 3 hundred ticket over to the Wicked Wheel machine and had a great run on that too. I cashed out with $600 and then I went back to the Mo Mummy machine  and it wasn’t being very nice at all so I think I lost a few hundred in there, but anyhow, it was still a good day. 

I quit about 7 pm and came up to the room. I know that’s crazy. Who lays in bed at 7 o’clock when you’re downtown in Vegas, but I’m old and it was time for some rest. Besides, I have a trip report to write. I am afraid these last few days will be very boring as it is just me wandering around downtown gambling.

Day Seven, June 2

 Today turned out to be a lovely day. I woke up at 5 AM not because there was noise in the hall, I  just woke up naturally at that time. I didn’t leave the room until about 10 o’clock. I Ubered over to Paris because Mike and Terin and I are doing the Eiffel Tower brunch at noon.  I went to the Caesar’s Rewards desk and had them make me a voucher. I don’t usually do that for a restaurant where they take our rewards 2  to 1 but I figured what the heck, I will go ahead and do that today.

While I waited for the kids to arrive at Paris, I saw several Mo Mummy slot machines and I went to play one of them. I was only building $.75 a spin. But that was the same thing I was betting at Fontainebleau a few days ago and I hit many bonuses.  This particular machine wasn’t going to bonus at all at $.75 a spin. The kids came and then we went up to the Eiffel Tower restaurant to have our brunch.

The Eiffel Tower restaurant is beautiful with an incredible view of the fountains. We were given given a good table in front and could see the fountains going off every half hour. The first course is appetizers. Terin chose Yogurt Parfait , Mike chose Shrimp Cocktail and I had Onion Soup, which was absolutely delicious. For our main courses Terin chose French Toast, both Mike and I both had Lobster Eggs  Benedict. It was all yummy. For dessert Michael and I both chose Baked Apple Strudel with ice cream and Taryn chose something called a Chocolate Crunch Bar that also had ice cream on the plate. Michael had a few glasses of wine and Terin and I finished off our meals with espresso martinis. Everything was wonderful. I will happily go to that restaurant again. I think MotherWolf  needs to take a lesson from Eiffel Tower . The music at the Eiffel Tower restaurant, was soothing, piano music in the background, and while the place was full, and there was people talking it didn’t sound like the bedlam that was MotherWolf. 

After we ate Mike and Terin were returning to NY NY to change.  I wanted to go play at Harrah’s because I saw a Mo Mummy there.  Also because I just had to walk across the street when I got tired.   I contemplated walking it, even though it was 95 degrees, but I was wondering if the elevators on the walkway between Horseshoe and Cromwell would be functioning.   Mike offered to have his Uber to drop me at Harrahs, so I agreed to that.  I happened to see an Out of Order sign on the elevator so it is a good thing we Ubered.

The kids ended up going downtown.  I got myself situated at a Mo Mummy.   It didn’t want to bonus for me at .75 or at $1.50 but when I switched to 2 cent denomination at 1.50 it went crazy!  I wound up winning back all the money I spent that day.  Yippee!  I love when that happens.

I was getting tired around 6 pm so I went a bought a slice of pizza from Buddy’s Pizzacake for my dinner.

I am in for the night at 7pm.  I am such a party animal. (That early wake up has me bushed.)

I steal some of Terin’s pictures sometimes.  Every time you see a really good picture, it is hers.