So I think I have finally recovered from my Vegas trip now that I've been back for two weeks. Damn, it went from panicking about getting out before the blizzard to leaving Vegas when the temperature was 75 degrees.
A few days before the trip, i was watching weather, mostly watching what the temps would be in Vegas so I would know what to pack. Temps looked like they could get chilly in the evenings, so I settled for mostly jeans, and left most of the skirts home. Well alerts started coming in about 3 days before I was supposed to fly out that a blizzard was heading my way. I was starting to think I need to be closer to the airport, so i reserved a room 3 miles away from the airport to fly out Thursday March 1 at noon after driving about 150 miles to get to the airport area. Well Tuesday night comes and weather is getting worse and I have not even packed yet. Figured I better start bagging up my little 3 oz. bottles of everything I got for the plane, etc and get some washing done. Wednesday morning I'm at work and thinking I'm not going to be able to get off the ground Thursday. I just got to work and since I work at a high school, my daughters boyfriend walks in and starts talking to me. He is waiting for his next class to start since there was a assembly going on. I tell him my situation. I asked him if he wants to go for a ride, so if anyone asks where I'm going, I have an excuse! Him! Since I help students, etc, it would work. Besides all the other students were in the assembly and no paperwork to be done. I tell him I need to prepare for the trip and pick up some cigs, etc and asked him to ride with. He was gamed, so we headed across bridge into Wisconsin. Dropped him back off at the other door of the school. Was ready to head to staff parking lot and thought damn I need to call the airlines, etc. So I got the phone number on me, called the airline while I drove around for a few minutes, and they tell me I can get a flight out tonight! (Wednesday night) That means I need to get my ass home and pack and drive a few hours to the airport. Its about 11 am by now. So screw work, i'm going to Vegas and get "stuck" there for the blizzard!! hehe One problem with changing my flight though is that I have to pay $100 to make a change and $78 fee for some upgrade. Fuck it, i got the money for once, I'm getting out today. I fly home in the Jeep and frantically start throwing shit into a suitcase. Of course the dress that I ordered for the wedding of my friend Joe in Vegas has not arrived yet! After ordering it almost 3 weeks ago. So I had to go shopping the night before and pick out another outfit that I thought was lame, but too late to squabble about it. My bags are packed, and I head out at 2 pm, and get to the city about 4pm. Stopped at hotel room of some friends that were in town and partied with them for a few hours before leaving for airport at 6. Told them I would double my money that I had with me by the time I left Vegas. They laughed at me and said "yeah, right!" We'll see.....
Arrive at airport, haul all my stuff into the terminal, find me a cart to push the heavy bags on and look outside and the snow had just started! Whew! I made it! But I still had 2 half hours before my flight left. Went through security for the first time flying in 18 years. Damn that was crazy. I left a bottle of green tea in my bag, and they pulled me over to the side to investigate my bag. The lady was all cool and gave me some pointers about everything. Whatever, just get my ass to vegas bitch is all I was thinking.
Get to the loading gate and sit and wait and watch out the window at the pounding snow that is coming down hard and fast. Announcements come that we may be taking off a little sooner to get out of this storm. Cool, works for me. FINALLY they announce boarding call and get on the plane. I'm looking out and it looks bad out there. I start thinking about "What if".. then a couple sits down next to me and she says he is afraid to fly. He starts talking about being shot out of a metal tube in the middle of the air into a blizzard. Great Dude, do you really got to remind me of what we have to fly into!! I just tried to relax as they deiced the plane, the whole time i can not see the runways, but can see the snow plow that are trying to clear them, it just looked like a white out by then and all i could see was orange flashing lights moving around outside. I'm starting to pray and think about my life insurance policies for the kids....just in case. Thinking this better be one awesome trip! We finally take off and its rough!! I just remember looking in the plane and we were at an angle moving up, as long as it was still pointing up, we're ok. When we finally leveled off, it was still a rough ride for quite awhile. I don't know how long it was, but I could feel it when we finally flew out of the storm. Then it was calm and I could see clouds and moon outside and lights below. Worked for me! Now I could relax a little. It was a straight trip to Vegas and should arrive around 11 pm.
I have an online friend that was a cab driver and was going to be picking me up at the airport when I arrived. He told me it was better to fly into Vegas at night. Damn was he right! Lights were so cool and spread so far and wide.
It was a smooth landing and I couldn't wait to get on with the vacation! Got my bags and got outside to have a cig and then I called him. He would be here in 12 minutes! Quite precise I thought, but sounds like he knows what he's doing. I was looking forward to meeting him. He told me exactly where to stand. Some airport dude tells me I cant stand there and that general public had to go somewhere else for a cab. I told him this is where I'm supposed to be. Cab pulls up and Mr. Anonymous comes out, loads my bags, gives me a hug, get in the cab, I told him what the airport dude said. He walks over to the dude and tells him I'm a VIP. Cool, never been a VIP before! haha Great start to my vacation already. He drives me through the strip on way to my hotel. I'm just in awe of the lights and buildings. Taking pics when I can.
He tells me he loves bringing newbs here and wishes he could see it all again for the first time. We hit it off great, and I can tell spending time with him will be a blast.
Get to the hotel, he won't let me pay for the cab, says just buy him some drinks while I'm there, jeesh, not a problem. What a nice guy! He'll be back later after his shift gets done. I get to desk to check in, they give me the room. I haul all my heavy stuff to room, and no ash tray. I call down to desk and they say they dont have a smoking room, which I specifically ordered. I asked them to check again. They do have one but its a handicap room. Cool! I'll take it! So I have to haul everything back down to the desk, get a different key, and go up to another floor and finally in my room and i can sit down and have a smoke after smoking two cigarettes since 7 pm. This was about 12:30 by now, and 2:30 central time. Get somewhat unpacked and ordered room service and got a killer burger etc. and relaxed until I heard from Mr. A. He called and came to room and we took off for a drive and go out to his place. Caught a buzz and learned more about his life there. Nice pad to hang out in too! We both used to live in Iowa and it just felt like we were a long ways from Iowa days. Thank God. Nice to be in a place where they didn't roll up the streets at 10 pm. I was feeling a good buzz, this has been a nice Vegas welcome so far. I was groovin. Eventually between the burger turning in my stomach and all the excitement beating the blizzard and being tired, I was ready to crash soon. He took me back to hotel and he had the next two days off so we made plans to go downtown for the next night......stay tuned for day 2 entry
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