traveling tales from the exotic dinda

B/c she said the magic word "Vegas" and that always makes me happy. Do we have dates yet for next year b/c I can totally book a two bedroom suite or even the suite and an additional studio on my points for any of the Hilton Grand Vacation places. I'm thinking the Flamingo has the best location - now that we're not tied to the LV Hilton. With the new job i need to be an uber planner for next year and get this on my calendar asap.

Can you believe I haven't been to Vegas at all this year?! crazy, I know. So to celebrate finishing up the current project and the almost end of summer and just mostly b/c I can, I'm booked for a few days next week into Sin City. For the first time in forever I won't be at the LV Hilton but over at the new Hilton Grand Vacations on the The Strip. I usually don't spend much time in the room anyways so we'll see how it works out.

Nothing too exciting on the agenda; weather will be hawt so minimal pool time and outdoor walking but perhaps a massage and one last perusal through the Trek stuff over at the Hilton - so sad. And Spamalot is closed so that sux but there are some other shows I might find interesting so we'll see.

Another great Vegas quickie trip accomplished. The .99 shrimp cocktail and dollar beer never gets old. Also did the Ellis Island $4.95 steak dinner - yummy and the usual free Hilton breakfast buffet. Supposedly Paris is the new "must do" buffet so will put that on the list for next time. Ka at the MGM was not all that for me. I liked O much better. I ended up staying at the MGM until past 2 AM! and seriously considered pulling an all nighter there. There are lots of pretty people there and the venue was great for just hanging out and uh some gambling was accomplished too. ;-) There were tons of British boys there; not sure what was up with that but guess that's where all the Brits go to hang out.

I also learned roulette when I happened upon a free class at the Golden Nugget. I ended having two very good sessions of the electronic version but then tossed all that money back into other games. It's another game that's very social and you can play a really long time. Finally made the free Blackjack lessons at the Hilton. Valerie Thrower, the instructor, was awesome. She's one of those beautiful african american woman with just enough attitude to get away with saying whatever is on her mind; very funny lady. But what I learned was that I really need to practice before doing the table version. So next time. . . the list for next time keeps growing!

The next time list: Found out info on half and full day kayaking trips on Lake Mead including some caves which would be really neat. There are also now Celebrity Chef cooking classes available; though I'm sure the term 'celebrity' is very loose. It would still be fun with a group. Didn't have time to do the Atomic Testing Museum; b/c I'm a geek and really wanna see this. And would like to see the "new" Lake Las Vegas resorts. Spamalot, still on the list and I had the chance to see Trent Carlini at the Sahara with half price tickets but passed - argh. Apparently he just won the "America's Next Big Thing" TV competition so his Vegas days may be numbered. And I think I'd like to see Mystere, the older Cirque show at TI b/c I think I like the old school shows over the new; plus there are half price tix available; same for the Pet Theater show (trained cats - must see! dark on Friday though). And the House of Blues Gospel brunch on the weekends and always other good headliners around and . . .geez, this may take more than one trip!

shampoo, rinse, repeat. . .
so today I get to finish all the things I didn't yesterday and now have the added pressure of "OH Sheesh, I'm leaving for VEGAS tomorrow!" let's try again today shall we. . . this time in order:

Office Depot - make copies of the stuff
Post Office - mail the stuff and drop of third phone replacement unit to Cingular
BlockBuster - rent BSG miniseries to watch on airplane, rip for my laptop, return
Pick up dry cleaning - MUST do this today
Bank - argh, forgot about them, must go get cash and notify them of impending travel
Buy a new camera - need a 'throwaway' small digital one for travel as I gave my other one to my niece
Laundry - ? just the sheets are left
Print out Joe P free tix coupon
Add all confirmation numbers to cell phone notes
Email Dana for flight info
Start packing!!!
Check in for flight online at 12noon today!

Also just got confirmation of the google interview for May 9 so I need to book that ticket and hotel - ugh.

I swear this morning I got out of bed at 7:30am to go get coffee. I blinked and all of sudden it was 8 am. Decided to exercise with the belly dancers on FitTV and all of a sudden time stopped, that was the longest 30 minutes of my life, it was like an hour, I swear. There are some belly dancing moves my body just doesn't understand; my brain does not talk to those parts of my body, I cannot control how those parts move. I figure it's like wiggling your ears, you either can or can't, there is no in between. I can't. Such is life.

Dang, forgot I need a new bathing suit too. I looked at a few the other day and they were like $75! Ugh, don't think I'm up to the whole bathing suit shopping drama atm. Such is life. . . at 40. ;-)

After thinking about it for a few days I just booked a Vegas R&R trip for Dec. 14 - 18. As always anyone in the area is welcome to join me. ;-) You already know where I'll be staying. ;-)

I woke up laughing at the after effects of a BonCVegas inspired dream last night. It seems the whole crew was going to go on the ST:The Experience ride for like the fifth time in a row. I decided to sit that one out and go hang out at the bar. Everyone starts handing me their stuff to hold while I waited; purses, backpacks, cameras, jackets, the usual stuff. But then, the lovely Heather hands me a ladder! Yeah, a medium sized folding ladder that she had carried all the way from Chicago with her! I'm like, "Why the heck do you have a ladder?" She then proceeds to demonstrate that it was a really compact folding ladder that when magically folded the right way was small enough to fit in a backpack. Yeah, but still - a ladder?

Dream interpretation anyone? ;-)

Just got home, tons of stuff to do. already checked into my flight, gonna do the hotel next - I luv 'the internets,' it's all the rage now this techno stuff. Need to pack - made the list at work today, need to get some stuff in the mail in the morning, need cash, need to pay rent, make sure litter box is clean, kitty water fountain is in place, trash is out, fridge is free of possibly smelly food, camera charged, gather up misc. travel accessories like headphones for the plane, cell phone charger then enough undies and outies for five nights and days in iffy weather. And no, not packing the swim suit it will be way to cold for my southern butt. Hoping to pack light this trip. Even thinking about packing really light and then doing some shopping while there.

Just had to text some of the fellow travelers as I walked out my building today from work. I was sooooo happy to be leaving that place. Vacation baby! It's ON!

That's for Y whose call I missed last night. Work is crazy busy right now and I just started an online class on tuesday and had to go to a school board meeting last night and man am I tired but off to work where I can't get regular email or talk on the phone cuz it's cubeland and there is NO privacy and the firewalls don't let us access any webmail and I don't even know my own work email address cuz it's really really long - kind of like this sentence. . . .argh.

vegas.bonc.net has the countdown showing 43 days. man, I think i have a slight tequilla-aided headache this morning. I'm off tomorrow and will deal with all things travel then. must go work now. . .must take advil now. . . must win the lottery soon. . .