ready for take off...

Vegas 2010- day 1

suitcases packed...Zack and Reilly off to my brothers...Carsyn and Gavin ready for Grandmas...passports and plane tickets...American money...dog to the kennel...everything checked and double checked...good to go...right?

Wrong...we board the plane (but not till after we were both felt up by the kind folks at security), get all buckled in, go through the procedure of the emergency row responsibility with the flight attendant (this is where we like to sit so Brian has lots of leg room) and are thinking that in a few short moments, we'll be up and on our way. A few minutes pass and the flight attendant comes on to tell us that maintenance is just checking on something and we'll be on our way shortly. About 10 minutes later, the pilot comes on..."Ladies and Gentleman, this is your Captain speaking...this plane is broken!" WTF? Seriously? So, we all deplane and are told that they will have a new plane here in about 15 minutes from the hangar and we'll re-board and get on our way. That 15 minutes turned into 2 hours...meanwhile it's supper time and all the food places once you pass security are closed so there is nowhere for us to grab a bite to eat... I am a nervous flier as it is...add in some light headedness from needing to eat and I was just asking for trouble. So, we sat and waited...what else were we to do right. Finally, we get to board the new plane...go through the emergency exit row procedures again and this time we taxi to the run way and are up and away!!
The flight was pretty uneventful...unless you count me barely making it to the bathroom to throw up...lol! I am grateful though that if you are ever going to hear those words come out of your pilots mouth, that they are while you are still grounded!! (turns out that one of the cargo doors wouldn't close)

We were a tad disappointed that the plane landed on a different runway than last years trip...we landed right next to the Strip last year and were hoping for that again as we flew in at night this time and wanted to see it all lit up. Oh well....we're here...safe and sound!!

Grab our bags, a cab and off to Bally's we go. Didn't take too long to get there, which made me happy cause we were already 2 hours later than we were supposed to be...tired and hungry.

Upon checking in, Brian tried something he had read about on the net...slipping the clerk a $20 bill and asking for complimentary upgrades...totally worked. She upgraded us to a Junior Suite!!



The room decor is a tad outdated but whatever...we weren't entertaining guests in our suite...lol! I made good use of that soaker tub though!

As tired as we were from a full day of travel and knowing we had to get up at 5 AM the next day to prepare for our Grand Canyon tour, we still headed to Margaritaville for nachos!! They were just as good as we remembered them to be. Finally, at 12:30 AM we hit the hay...exhausted and oh so happy to be there!!