A Vegas TR - Celebrations, Cocktails and the Cosmopolitan

[Glee Fan]

A Vegas Trip Report – Celebrations, Cocktails and the Cosmopolitan

I have never done a TR before so you will have to be kind to me! I didn't do a pre-trip report either, but will try to give as much info as I can as I do this one.

Me – a special trip to celebrate my 40th birthday which was Easter Saturday
DH – 43, second trip for both of us, the first time we went to Vegas was for his 40th birthday

The Day Before – Easter Sunday

I wake up ever so slightly hungover and very, very excited. Am pleased it is this way round!

Today we are going on our hols. I know we aren't flying until tomorrow, but I don't know about you, but the day before, if we go to stay at an airport hotel, always counts as day one of the trip!

I pop downstairs and do my Easter Bunny duties leaving gifts for everyone on the kitchen table. We still have family staying over as we had a big family dinner out last night for my birthday, and put the coffee maker on and head back off upstairs for a bit more of a snooze.

Slowly everyone begins to surface and we just have coffee and juices. I get dressed and cook everyone a big send off brekkie – poached eggs, bacon, baked beans, sausages, hash browns, toast etc. Everyone has at least a 2 to 2 and a half hour journey so this will set them up for that too. We all tuck in, and then everyone packs their bits up ready to gradually head off.

I finish off getting the kids bags sorted and have a bit of a teary moment saying goodbye to them , when they leave with my mum and auntie. I am so looking forward to this trip, but still feel a bit guilty leaving them behind. I know they are going to be just fine, spoilt rotten and they have so much planned. I will be fine when they have gone, it's the saying goodbye that is hard.

We spend some time tidying up the house when everyone has gone – I can't bear to come back to mess and I know already I am coming back to 3 lots of bedding that will need to be washed! I get showered, changed and finally pack the last of my toiletries and ghd's! The dishwasher has just about finished, so we decide to have a cuppa and wait for it, then it can be emptied. We check the roads on the net, the M25 looks clear.

We (the royal we!) pack up the car, set the house alarm and lock up. We are both in the car and I ask dh if he has locked the windows (it was on the list! ) and he hasn't, so we decide to go back in and lock them. Let's try again. I hate leaving the house, but usually by the time we are 2 minutes away I am fine. I just have to run through my mind that we have everything.

Our journey to Gatwick takes 2 hours and the roads are fine. We head straight to the airport to do twilight check in. There is one family who are in front of us who are going to Barbados – lucky them – we went there pre-kids and always said we would go back. Another year maybe!

We wait about 5 minutes before being called forward. We like to travel Premium Economy, but the price just seemed excessive at the time of booking, so I was hoping for a cheap airport upgrade. We had been contacted a few weeks earlier by Virgin Holidays asking if we wanted to upgrade, but unfortunately it was the same day my Nan passed away and I never got to contact them back until a week later, and by that time the seats had gone. I asked about PE and she said she could get a price but it was definitely over £400 each and she thought it would be downstairs. That did it for us really, we booked the £35 each extra leg room seats instead.

We headed off to the Travelodge Gatwick Central. I have never stayed in a Travelodge before, but we got a good deal (£15 I think, in one of their sales) and we stayed in the same hotel the night before we flew to Vegas last time, but it was a Mercure then, so I knew exactly where it was. We checked in, paid the £7.50 to park overnight and headed up to our room. It was fine! Phew! I had a bit of a snooze and dh channel hopped and read his book for a bit. We decided to go down to dinner at about 7ish. I had booked a package for dinner - £9.95 each for 2 courses (either a starter and main or main and dessert) and a drink. To be honest, I wasn't expecting much, but it was brilliant value. We both had a main (thai curry and a tikka masala) and a dessert (cheesecake and toffee apple crumble), and a bottle of Stella Artois cidre each. We went back to the room at about 9ish and it was lights out by 9.30pm – exciting day tomorrow and I have had a hectic few days of celebrations, dinners out and late nights over the past week!

Tomorrow it's Vegas baby!

[disneyforever]

Great read so far. I am planning a trip to Vegas in April for 7 nights, this will be our first time there so looking forward to your trip reports. Would 7 nights be enough do you think?

Thanks Emma

[mrsbigbeak]

Very exciting great read x

[NatOwls]

Very enjoyable read!
We've got ages away until were off to Vegas !
Hope u had a great trip x

[Fudge123]

We're planning to go to Vegas next April/May, minus the kids, for my 40th so looking foward to the rest of your trip report.

And I agree, staying at a hotel prior to your flight definately counts as part of your holiday

[Glee Fan]

Originally Posted by disneyforever

Great read so far. I am planning a trip to Vegas in April for 7 nights, this will be our first time there so looking forward to your trip reports. Would 7 nights be enough do you think?

Thanks Emma

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Emma, 7 nights is perfect I would say, each time we have been we have done Monday to Friday, but this is purely down to the fact we can't really leave our children for longer. In an ideal word, I would opt for 7 nights!

[Alyson]

Hello!

Really pleased you decided to write a trip report!

Wow! can I come to your house next time you are cooking a breakfast please, it sounds wonderful

Returning to the house for a something forgotten is almost a ritual for us now so I can sympathise!

Looking forward to the next installment!

[Glee Fan]

Originally Posted by Alyson

Hello!

Really pleased you decided to write a trip report!

Wow! can I come to your house next time you are cooking a breakfast please, it sounds wonderful

Returning to the house for a something forgotten is almost a ritual for us now so I can sympathise!

Looking forward to the next installment!

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Alyson, I have to say your TR's are fab and you inspired me!

Have just posted the next day. Takes time though doesn't it, I went for a walk earlier and did a bit of ironing - but that's all I've managed to do today as I have been busy doing my TR!

[Hannikins]

yay! i've been looking forward to reading this one... no pressure

[Glee Fan]

Originally Posted by Hannikins

yay! i've been looking forward to reading this one... no pressure

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Lol, no pressure, eek! Your TR's have also inspired me - I love all your foodie pics!