Tuesday, April 18, 2006
Viva Las Vegas!
Yes, I'm back.
Lots to tell about the trip, many fun adventures. So where to start? Our journey began with a lengthy delay at the airport caused by bad weather in the midwest US (a portent?). Instead of leaving at 2pm we left at 6pm missing our connection in Denver (by 10 lousy minutes and a lung losing dash through the airport)... overnight in Denver. Depart at some unnatural hour and arrive in Las Vegas shortly after 8am--too early to check into any civilized hotel. Fortunately, we weren't booked into a civilized hotel (sidenote: Don't wait until the last minute to book a hotel room for a mega sized conference, you WILL be disappointed). Ah, Somerset House Motel... if you go to hotel websites and travel advisory sites, the phrase, 'affordable and clean' are repeated often. Affordable, yes. Clean? Well the sheets and towels were changed daily, but this place was clean like my house is tidy. Under normal circumstances we wouldn't even have considered this place, but as I already stated, late booking and proximity to the convention centre made this motel appealing. But not for long.
Now this was an impromptu trip, DHM included the spawn and I in part because he'd been travelling so much and in part because we haven't been away together as a family since 2000. The thought was, we could soak up some sun, play in a pool, and at night see the sights together... the best laid plans. The pool at Somerset House was out of service, and any other amenities this motel offered were mean at best, so the spawn and I wandered the streets of Las Vegas by day, and were generally foot sore and very tired by night, not a great start to our 'vacation'. But on a positive note, there is so much to see and do in Vegas, there was no way we could cram it all in.
On the Wednesday, (the day the conference was scheduled to start) I phoned around to some other hotels hoping for last minute cancellations. I scored at the Hilton, but they wouldn't have a room until Thursday, still it was looking up. The spawn and I finally got two days beside a pool, and really, it wasn't nearly long enough, but another positive note, I didn't get burned to a crisp.
On Saturday we rented a car (a red sporty convertable) perfect for touring around the Mohave desert (yes, I'm being sarcastic). Actually this was the really fun part of our trip. We love driving around, getting off the highways and visiting little out of the way places. Our destination was Palm Springs, but we weren't leaving there until Monday, so we had lots of time to putz around. The last time we were in Vegas, we travelled north, up through Utah, then down into Arizona, and back to Vegas... this time we went South. The terrain was different, starker, not as impressive or imposing as going north, but gosh I liked it. The heat, the expanse, it reminded me a lot of where I grew up (South Australia). We drove into Palm Springs around 6pm on Sunday evening and returned to Canada without incident. Okay DHM changed his schedule and went on to whitehorse instead of accomanying us to Edmonton, so a small incident.
Edmonton. LOL, What day was it, the 9th? I intended to spend a few days shopping and return home no later than Friday, which is what I told everyone. But geez, the sun was shining so brightly, the temperature was primed for spring, I'd just spent a week in lovely, lovely dry heat. I knew I'd be returning to 2 more months of winter yet, soooo...
Friday morning I was up. We were packed. The spawn was loading the luggage into the car. My sister-in-law was helping and waiting in the garage while I smoked a last cigarette before we hit the road for the airport when my mother-in-law had a bright idea to tease my SIL/travel agent (yes she's also a very talented travel agent, Somerset house notwithstanding). MIL went into the garage and asked if she could change my tickets because I didn't want to leave just yet. Keep in mind we're 2 hours from flight time. SIL comes rushing out to confirm if this is what I really want to do. Friends, it's 7am. I'm still sucking back my first coffee and my eyes are barely open, of course I said, 'sure.'
So she rushed in to change my tickets again, and I spent a lovely, sunny weekend in Edmonton.
And that was my trip.
X
Lots to tell about the trip, many fun adventures. So where to start? Our journey began with a lengthy delay at the airport caused by bad weather in the midwest US (a portent?). Instead of leaving at 2pm we left at 6pm missing our connection in Denver (by 10 lousy minutes and a lung losing dash through the airport)... overnight in Denver. Depart at some unnatural hour and arrive in Las Vegas shortly after 8am--too early to check into any civilized hotel. Fortunately, we weren't booked into a civilized hotel (sidenote: Don't wait until the last minute to book a hotel room for a mega sized conference, you WILL be disappointed). Ah, Somerset House Motel... if you go to hotel websites and travel advisory sites, the phrase, 'affordable and clean' are repeated often. Affordable, yes. Clean? Well the sheets and towels were changed daily, but this place was clean like my house is tidy. Under normal circumstances we wouldn't even have considered this place, but as I already stated, late booking and proximity to the convention centre made this motel appealing. But not for long.
Now this was an impromptu trip, DHM included the spawn and I in part because he'd been travelling so much and in part because we haven't been away together as a family since 2000. The thought was, we could soak up some sun, play in a pool, and at night see the sights together... the best laid plans. The pool at Somerset House was out of service, and any other amenities this motel offered were mean at best, so the spawn and I wandered the streets of Las Vegas by day, and were generally foot sore and very tired by night, not a great start to our 'vacation'. But on a positive note, there is so much to see and do in Vegas, there was no way we could cram it all in.
On the Wednesday, (the day the conference was scheduled to start) I phoned around to some other hotels hoping for last minute cancellations. I scored at the Hilton, but they wouldn't have a room until Thursday, still it was looking up. The spawn and I finally got two days beside a pool, and really, it wasn't nearly long enough, but another positive note, I didn't get burned to a crisp.
On Saturday we rented a car (a red sporty convertable) perfect for touring around the Mohave desert (yes, I'm being sarcastic). Actually this was the really fun part of our trip. We love driving around, getting off the highways and visiting little out of the way places. Our destination was Palm Springs, but we weren't leaving there until Monday, so we had lots of time to putz around. The last time we were in Vegas, we travelled north, up through Utah, then down into Arizona, and back to Vegas... this time we went South. The terrain was different, starker, not as impressive or imposing as going north, but gosh I liked it. The heat, the expanse, it reminded me a lot of where I grew up (South Australia). We drove into Palm Springs around 6pm on Sunday evening and returned to Canada without incident. Okay DHM changed his schedule and went on to whitehorse instead of accomanying us to Edmonton, so a small incident.
Edmonton. LOL, What day was it, the 9th? I intended to spend a few days shopping and return home no later than Friday, which is what I told everyone. But geez, the sun was shining so brightly, the temperature was primed for spring, I'd just spent a week in lovely, lovely dry heat. I knew I'd be returning to 2 more months of winter yet, soooo...
Friday morning I was up. We were packed. The spawn was loading the luggage into the car. My sister-in-law was helping and waiting in the garage while I smoked a last cigarette before we hit the road for the airport when my mother-in-law had a bright idea to tease my SIL/travel agent (yes she's also a very talented travel agent, Somerset house notwithstanding). MIL went into the garage and asked if she could change my tickets because I didn't want to leave just yet. Keep in mind we're 2 hours from flight time. SIL comes rushing out to confirm if this is what I really want to do. Friends, it's 7am. I'm still sucking back my first coffee and my eyes are barely open, of course I said, 'sure.'
So she rushed in to change my tickets again, and I spent a lovely, sunny weekend in Edmonton.
And that was my trip.
X
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Hey X
Sounds like you had a great time. Just finished reading a book which was set in Vegas. Wouldn't mind checking it out one day.
Maybe when I win the lottery.
Good to see you back.
Sounds like you had a great time. Just finished reading a book which was set in Vegas. Wouldn't mind checking it out one day.
Maybe when I win the lottery.
Good to see you back.
Great to have you 'home' - the trip sounds truly lovely. I liked Nevada - but then I was there in December - lol.
Your descriptions, as always, are spot-on wonderful. Missed you.
Your descriptions, as always, are spot-on wonderful. Missed you.
Yup, we had the bad weather/delays/missed connections thing too. Did you get any decent food? We hit PF Chang's & an Italian restaurant with entrees in the 24 to 48 dollar range (no, I didn't know this when I suggested the place). Also did two requisite buffets.
Welcome back!
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Welcome back!
# posted by 
: 4/22/2006 3:14 PM
: 4/22/2006 3:14 PM << Home
