http://slr72808.jalbum.net/Vegas/
And I'm adding new pics every time we get back to the hotel - so check it often. I'm running short on time, but will try to update our goings on soon!
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Vegas, day one (still) - it was a long day
We last saw our intrepid travelers finally getting a room, some food and some much needed rest....then the day of the wedding arrived. Wait, that was the same day they checked into the hotel after a long ass flight and lots of fussin and fightin with the airlines and hotel.
So why was there fussin and fightin? The airline couldn't decide how to check through Ed's bowling balls - they were too heavy (50 pound limit, the balls and bag weighed 77 pounds). We suggested that we break the bag apart and check two bags - well, the guy would hear nothing of it. UNTIL IT WAS HIS FLIPPIN IDEA! So we did get the balls taken care of and on their way.
Going through security was a blast in itself - this whole security stuff about liquids, gels and aerosols just sucks. I had everything the right size but in a gallon zip bag instead of a quart zip bag and the TSA agent said i had to use the quart size, but was only allowed one bag per person. Ed raises is hand and tells her "Well, I'm a person, too". With a look of annoyance on her face, she gave me another quart size bag. So we go outside so Ed can smoke and I can rearrange the liquids, gels and aerosols. However, my mouthwash bottle had popped open and leaked all over everything. Great, just great. BUT, got it all worked out, distributed properly and up to screening.
This is the first time i've flown since I had my hips done. After I went through the security gate i had to go sit in the corner to have a wand search....she wanded my front, my back, my sides, my arms, everywhere. Then when I set off the wand alarm, she patted me down. Eventually I did get through security. Got boarded. Took off. Had a great flight.
For some reason, I really thought getting through security and getting the bags checked should have been easy. Silly me.
No problems with the rental car and OMG - we got a pontiac G6 and you would not believe the trunk room in this thing. Four door. We got Ed's bowing bag (huge), two larger carry ons and one big checked bag AND a laptop bag into the trunk. Now that's what I call a trunk!
Got down the strip (absolutely fabulous - the lights really are as cool in person as they look on tv!), to the courthouse, to the hotel and to bed.
The next morning we went to the buffet in the hotel and it was really quite good! Then I went to the front desk and got our room switched, got our stuff and got settled in the new room. Which was really cool because we got the king we reserved and this room has a HUGE flat screen tv on the wall. Very cool.
We goofed around for a bit then I called the limo service that came with our wedding package. Imagine my surprise when they said "We don't go to Sam's Town". WTF? For the next 1/2 hour, i'm on the phone with the place i'd made the arrangements through and he apologized, said it was an oversight and that we could book the limo for $200. Bet my ass. Told this guy that it wasn't my fault they had overlooked the fact we were out of the area and they needed to make it right. The limo came and got us at 2:30 and all was good with the world. :)
Got to the chapel - great ride in the limo - got pics taken (haven't picked them up from WalMart yet, but I'll have them posted soon after) and got married. IT WAS A BLAST! It was the most fun i've had in a very long time and I got married, too! Elvis was gracious enough to allow Ed to sing along with him during some of the songs. And he even asked Ed where he had his clothes made - guess Elvis liked them! Can't wait to see the video of the event but we don't have a VCR in the room, so it'll have to wait till we get home.
Went back to the hotel, changed clothes, got some Panda Express for dinner and headed out to the Strip. I walked more that afternoon/evening than I've walked in so very long. And guess what? Not nearly the amount of pain I'd thought I would be in....in fact, I haven't taken any more than my usual dose of Ibuprofen since we got here and I've been walking, walking, walking, walking....
So why was there fussin and fightin? The airline couldn't decide how to check through Ed's bowling balls - they were too heavy (50 pound limit, the balls and bag weighed 77 pounds). We suggested that we break the bag apart and check two bags - well, the guy would hear nothing of it. UNTIL IT WAS HIS FLIPPIN IDEA! So we did get the balls taken care of and on their way.
Going through security was a blast in itself - this whole security stuff about liquids, gels and aerosols just sucks. I had everything the right size but in a gallon zip bag instead of a quart zip bag and the TSA agent said i had to use the quart size, but was only allowed one bag per person. Ed raises is hand and tells her "Well, I'm a person, too". With a look of annoyance on her face, she gave me another quart size bag. So we go outside so Ed can smoke and I can rearrange the liquids, gels and aerosols. However, my mouthwash bottle had popped open and leaked all over everything. Great, just great. BUT, got it all worked out, distributed properly and up to screening.
This is the first time i've flown since I had my hips done. After I went through the security gate i had to go sit in the corner to have a wand search....she wanded my front, my back, my sides, my arms, everywhere. Then when I set off the wand alarm, she patted me down. Eventually I did get through security. Got boarded. Took off. Had a great flight.
For some reason, I really thought getting through security and getting the bags checked should have been easy. Silly me.
No problems with the rental car and OMG - we got a pontiac G6 and you would not believe the trunk room in this thing. Four door. We got Ed's bowing bag (huge), two larger carry ons and one big checked bag AND a laptop bag into the trunk. Now that's what I call a trunk!
Got down the strip (absolutely fabulous - the lights really are as cool in person as they look on tv!), to the courthouse, to the hotel and to bed.
The next morning we went to the buffet in the hotel and it was really quite good! Then I went to the front desk and got our room switched, got our stuff and got settled in the new room. Which was really cool because we got the king we reserved and this room has a HUGE flat screen tv on the wall. Very cool.
We goofed around for a bit then I called the limo service that came with our wedding package. Imagine my surprise when they said "We don't go to Sam's Town". WTF? For the next 1/2 hour, i'm on the phone with the place i'd made the arrangements through and he apologized, said it was an oversight and that we could book the limo for $200. Bet my ass. Told this guy that it wasn't my fault they had overlooked the fact we were out of the area and they needed to make it right. The limo came and got us at 2:30 and all was good with the world. :)
Got to the chapel - great ride in the limo - got pics taken (haven't picked them up from WalMart yet, but I'll have them posted soon after) and got married. IT WAS A BLAST! It was the most fun i've had in a very long time and I got married, too! Elvis was gracious enough to allow Ed to sing along with him during some of the songs. And he even asked Ed where he had his clothes made - guess Elvis liked them! Can't wait to see the video of the event but we don't have a VCR in the room, so it'll have to wait till we get home.
Went back to the hotel, changed clothes, got some Panda Express for dinner and headed out to the Strip. I walked more that afternoon/evening than I've walked in so very long. And guess what? Not nearly the amount of pain I'd thought I would be in....in fact, I haven't taken any more than my usual dose of Ibuprofen since we got here and I've been walking, walking, walking, walking....
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
24+ hours in Vegas . . .
What a packed 24+ hours it has been, too!
We flew out of Mid America airport on Allegiant Air. I gotta say I understand why folks will drive over there to go somewhere. No huge lines, no obnoxious walks, no waiting an hour in line on the tarmac to take off. We may just have to go somewhere else out of there, too. Good enough to just want to fly out of there whenever we go!
So keep in mind that the plan was to land at 9:45 pm, grab our luggage, grab a car and get to the courthouse to get our marriage license then come to the hotel.
Well, we landed in Vegas right about on time but it took longer to get to the baggage area and rental car area than i'd anticipated. McCarren reminds me A LOT of Dallas/Ft. Worth with needing to take trams everywhere. We did finally reach Enterprise's desk about 10:30 or so. As we were waiting for our car, the fellow asked how we liked the humidity out here . . . I just laughed and told him we were from St. Louis and this was absolutely nothing compared to home. Here they are bitching about 20% humidity. HA! It was about 99 degrees and felt cooler than it usually feels at home when it's only 85! I'll take 20% humidity any day.
So we turn on our tomtom and ask how we get to the courthouse. Silly us, we decided not to use the route suggested and go up the strip. On a Sunday night late, how bad can it be????
IT WAS AWFUL!! But at least it was pretty while you were sitting in bumper to bumper traffic. Waiting for people to get out of the way once the light has turned green. And yes, in Vegas, the cars actually realize that peds have the right of way and they wait till you're out of the street before proceeding. Except for the taxis. They don't care....
We made it to the courthouse at 11:55. Great thing about that was there was absolutely NO line to get a license. Walked in, got our license and got back in the car within about 10 minutes.
Got to the hotel (I'd called earlier and told them we were running late) and they didn't have our confirmed room, but put us in a different room till the next morning. Great.
Finally in a room, McDonald's eaten at about 1am (the hotel has a McDonald's, Sbarro and Panda Express in the lobby), having been going since about 6:30 am STL time, I was exhausted and went to bed. Hoping the next day would be a fabulous one - afterall, I'm getting married!
We flew out of Mid America airport on Allegiant Air. I gotta say I understand why folks will drive over there to go somewhere. No huge lines, no obnoxious walks, no waiting an hour in line on the tarmac to take off. We may just have to go somewhere else out of there, too. Good enough to just want to fly out of there whenever we go!
So keep in mind that the plan was to land at 9:45 pm, grab our luggage, grab a car and get to the courthouse to get our marriage license then come to the hotel.
Well, we landed in Vegas right about on time but it took longer to get to the baggage area and rental car area than i'd anticipated. McCarren reminds me A LOT of Dallas/Ft. Worth with needing to take trams everywhere. We did finally reach Enterprise's desk about 10:30 or so. As we were waiting for our car, the fellow asked how we liked the humidity out here . . . I just laughed and told him we were from St. Louis and this was absolutely nothing compared to home. Here they are bitching about 20% humidity. HA! It was about 99 degrees and felt cooler than it usually feels at home when it's only 85! I'll take 20% humidity any day.
So we turn on our tomtom and ask how we get to the courthouse. Silly us, we decided not to use the route suggested and go up the strip. On a Sunday night late, how bad can it be????
IT WAS AWFUL!! But at least it was pretty while you were sitting in bumper to bumper traffic. Waiting for people to get out of the way once the light has turned green. And yes, in Vegas, the cars actually realize that peds have the right of way and they wait till you're out of the street before proceeding. Except for the taxis. They don't care....
We made it to the courthouse at 11:55. Great thing about that was there was absolutely NO line to get a license. Walked in, got our license and got back in the car within about 10 minutes.
Got to the hotel (I'd called earlier and told them we were running late) and they didn't have our confirmed room, but put us in a different room till the next morning. Great.
Finally in a room, McDonald's eaten at about 1am (the hotel has a McDonald's, Sbarro and Panda Express in the lobby), having been going since about 6:30 am STL time, I was exhausted and went to bed. Hoping the next day would be a fabulous one - afterall, I'm getting married!
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