Let's Do Vegas! 15-21 October. Day 1-Travel and Orientation

[clochette]

A bit of background

2017 is a big year for me and DH. It's our silver wedding anniversary and we both turn 50. We decided that we couldn't let such a momentous year pass without some form of celebration and so began the discussions! My first thought was Disneyland California as it has been on my wish list for a long time but DH is not a huge Disney fan (I know, how have we made it to 25 years?) We thought about going to Iceland but we went there for out 40th birthdays and although I really liked it and would like to go back one day, we wanted somewhere different. New York was suggested but DD really wants to visit New York, and as we weren't planning on taking her with us, I decided that would be too mean.

In the end we decided on Las Vegas or Disney for adults as I have heard it described. DD was happy with this as she has no interest in visiting (though I think she would really like it). Having decided on the city, the next dilemma was where and when. The when wasn't too difficult; I work in a school so am tied to school holidays. Our wedding anniversary is in August which would be too hot but my birthday actually falls in October half term so that was ideal. The where wasn't quite so easy. There is a bewildering choice available. I knew I wanted to stay on the Strip so I took advice from the Dibb and ended up booking the Bellagio.

So the plan is:

Fly from Manchester with Thomas Cook on Sunday 15th October at 9.15 am arriving at 11.55 and return on Saturday 21st October at 2pm landing at approx 8am on Sunday morning
Stay in a standard double room at the Bellagio for 6 nights
Visit the Grand Canyon on Monday 16th October
See Blue Man Group at the Luxor on Wednesday 18th October
See Love by Cirque du Soleil at the Mirage on Friday 20th (my birthday)

Apart from that we had nothing planned except to soak up the atmosphere of the Strip and hopefully catch some sun.

Sunday 15th October - Travel and Orientation Day
We had travelled "up north" on Saturday afternoon to drop Elinor off at my parents' house. I had planned on an early night as we still needed to be up early on the Sunday morning, so I was tucked up in bed by 9. I was just dropping off at about 9.30 when Elinor discovered a spider in her room! I must admit it was quite a big one, but not big enough to merit the hysteria that was going on. I eventually managed to catch it (no mean feat when it was on the ceiling and I am only 5'2) and disposed of it out of the bathroom window.

I finally got back to sleep but had a very disturbed night dreaming about giant spiders for some reason. I was quite relieved when the alarm went off at 4.30 and it was time to get up. I thought about waking Elinor to say goodbye but decided my mum didn't deserve that! We were in my little Ka as DH refuses to leave his car at the airport due to an incident that happened so long ago that I can't even remember what it was. This isn't a problem except that my car doesn't have SatNav so we have to use the one on my phone which isn't very helpful when there is no GPS - really? So close to Manchester? Undeterred, we headed for the motorway and soon the GPS kicked in and all was well until we were near the airport and the SatNav was trying to send us a different way from the instructions I had from the car park. We decided to follow the printed instructions - not so easy at 5.30am in the dark with no glasses on - and soon arrived at Jetparks Ringway where we had pre-booked our parking. Or had we? The barrier didn't rise on our approach as it should have done - cue argument about pushing the green button ("No, it tells you not to or you will be charged twice", "Well how else are we supposed to get in?" etc) Eventually, we reversed a bit and tried again and we made it in!

I actually remembered to take a photo, so we knew where we had parked.

We had arrived at the car park at about 5.30 and managed to get straight on a bus so we were at Terminal 3 by 5.50. We had checked in online the day before so we just had to drop the luggage off. It was a bit weird. We had to put the suitcase on a machine and scan a boarding pass and passport. It then printed our luggage tag out and then we had to take it over to the conveyer belt and off it went. I was expecting to have to queue to speak to an actual person as we have always done before even when we have done online check-in so I was quite impressed with this speedy system - then! We headed through security, which was just scanning our boarding passes and walking through the detector (without either of us setting it off for once). It was very strange; we hadn't spoken to anybody at all from arriving at the airport to being in Duty Free.

This is normally the time that people start to relax but it dawned on me that because we had only checked in one suitcase between us, we had got through to Security without Gary's passport being looked at/scanned. Now had we been travelling to anywhere but the US, I don't think this would have bothered me but with all the fuss they make about APIs and ESTAs, I began to worry that Gary wouldn't get in. (In my defence I hadn't had a lot of sleep). Gary wasn't at all concerned but I was getting more and more worked up about it so we tried to find somebody to ask. Was there anybody at Customer Services? No, of course there wasn't! Gary was still very blasé about the whole thing but I was near to tears by now, so in the end we headed back to security (getting a few strange looks for heading against the tide). We found a nice, cheerful looking man and Gary explained the situation. He asked if Gary had a boarding pass (yes), had he scanned it on the way through Security( yes). Then we would be okay as you would not get through those gates if you were not authorized to fly. Much relieved, we made our way back through Duty Free to find something to eat. (Though I have to confess I didn't really relax until we got on the plane).

As usual, we bought nothing in Duty Free, but I did buy one of those neck/travel pillows from Dixon's. I eye them up every time we travel and always decide against them, but as it is such a long flight, I decided to give it a go (I really liked it - it will be coming on all our future trips). When I was testing it out, I discovered I had lost the back off one of my earrings. Luckily, I still had the earring but I was most annoyed as they were the only earrings I had with me and now I wouldn't be able to wear them, so I just had to go to Accessorize and buy some more! We had a quick canter round W H Smiths for some water and snacks for the plane and we were in Starbucks sipping coffee and people watching by 7 - far too early for a 9.15 flight but I don't like to be on the least minute - lol! I was quite looking forward to a Danish but they were all burnt looking so I did without.

The first photo of the trip

The gate was announced at about 8.15 and for once it wasn't a ten mile hike. The chap in front of us had an issue as like us, he and his partner had only checked in one bag between the two of them (I bet they didn't stress like me!). The lady checking passes etc was a bit thrown by it and had to check with a colleague but they just scanned his passport at the gate and on he went so when it got to us we had no problems. The flight left on time at 9.15, give or take a couple of minutes, and we were finally on our way!

We had not paid to pre allocate seats so we didn't have window seats but were in 25 E & F in the middle. It was a bit of a shame as we wouldn't see the view when landing in Las Vegas but that's the chance you take. However, Gary did have an empty seat next to him, which is always a bonus (I think it was probably the only empty seat on the flight).

The flight passed, as flights do. Gary paid for the upgrade so he could watch the new Fast & Furious film. He also watched Logan, The Great Wall and Skull Island. I didn't bother upgrading as Beauty and the Beast was on the economy IFE, along with the first Deathly Hallows film so I was happy. Besides, I was planning on catching up on my sleep. Lunch was served at 12.45. I believe they came round with snacks and drinks to buy before then but I couldn't really tell you! I don't usually sleep much on planes but it has been a tough half term and I was absolutely shattered. Lunch wasn't bad for plane food; braised beef with new potatoes and veg, a roll, cheese and biscuits with a fig compote and something that was supposed to be chocolate cheesecake but didn't look like any cheesecake I've ever had.

Lunch yum, yum!

During lunch, Gary managed to spill gravy all over his jeans in a rather embarrassing spot (I was going to take a photo but he wouldn't let me!)I, of course, provided helpful assistance with my trusty wipes whilst internally laughing at him - okay maybe not so internally! However, fate got me back as when he had gone to the toilet and they came round to collect the lunch stuff, I managed to spill milk all over me in exactly the same embarrassing place. I felt no need to share this information with Gary! We had afternoon tea at about 6.30pm UK time, about an hour before landing; egg and cress sandwich, cheese sandwich and jam and cream scone - quite tasty.

Afternoon tea, or is it an early lunch?

We landed at about 11.25 local time and were off the plane by 11.40. We seemed to be walking for ever before we got to Passport Control. It took us a good 15 minutes and we don't hang about. I think we were the only plane in Security at that time as, in spite of picking the wrong line (as usual) we were through Security, collected our luggage and awaiting our chariot by 12.20. They weren't using the automated kiosks at all - everybody had to speak to an official. Ours seemed to want everybody’s life story but in a nice way ie very, very, chatty which was lovely but not when every other line is moving three times as fast!

Gary had downloaded the Uber app onto his phone before we left the UK but neither of us had used it before, though we knew the theory - or so we thought! I don't know what we were doing wrong but we couldn't seem to pay for it so we kept trying again and again until I had visions of about 15 ubers all turning up at the same time. We even asked a nice American chap for help but he didn't know what we were doing wrong either and before he could figure it out, his Uber turned up. We even tried downloading the Lyft app instead but Gary's phone was having none of that! We had just about decided to give up and go and get a taxi when he tried turning his phone off and back on again and everything worked perfectly and we had a car with us within about 3 minutes. I don't know what all that was about but we got there in the end. Don't ask me what type of car it was as I don't have a clue but it was very big and very clean and the driver was lovely. He told us all about the buses on the Strip and recommended a few restaurants (which I didn't write down so couldn't remember). All in all, we were quite impressed with our first encounter with Uber - when we finally got it to work (and I think that was our fault not theirs)

We arrived at the Bellagio at 1.15 and were wowed by our first impressions, particularly Gary who doesn't spends hours haunting the internet like I do looking at photos. I had read some reviews that the reception staff weren’t very friendly at the Bellagio and that we would be waiting an hour to check in but our guy was really nice and we only waited about 10 minutes. We were told that there were suites available should we wish to upgrade but we declined. I didn't dare ask how much it would be. However, I did succumb and upgrade to a king strip view room for an extra $35 per night and I'm so glad we did - I loved looking out at our view. We were in the Spa Tower on the 23rd floor in room 23644. The room was ready so we went straight up (not through the casino as I was expecting). The lift was so fast but very smooth and we were soon in our room, which we were very pleased with. We thought it was very spacious, particularly the bathroom and there was loads of storage space, including a walk-in wardrobe. However, we didn't spend much time in the room, but did a quick unpack and headed out to explore.

Lots of space

Staright to the window to admire the view

The bathroom

The room

The first of many, many photos of our view.

We spent about half an hour just wandering around the Bellagio, through the casino and the cirque du soleil shop and window shopping in the high end shops (the type where they don't put prices on things. If you have to ask, you can't afford it!) Then we went to look for the Tour Bus Depot as we were being picked up there tomorrow for our tour of the Grand Canyon and I didn't want to be looking for it in the morning.
Finally, we made it out onto the Strip.

A lift selfie and a rare photo of Gary

The Bellagio

We had the obligatory photo in front of the fountains and then headed south with no real aim in mind excerpt to soak up the atmosphere. We wandered through the Cosmopolitan as it was next door. I have to say, I didn't really like it. It had an impressive chandelier but I didn't really like the vibe. Perhaps I'm too old. I made the mistake of taking a free moisturiser sample and got talked into having the eye treatment. You know the type, where they spend sixty seconds giving you the treatment then another ten minutes trying to get you to buy the product as it was on special offer until 4 pm only. Even at the "bargain" price of $250 rather than the usual $1500, I was never going to buy it especially when Gary really upset the sales assistant by saying he could see absolutely no difference. She got him to look again (and again) but he wouldn't be swayed.
We went into the Miracle Mile shops next. This place really freaked Gary out as the ceiling was painted to look like twilight. He couldn't get his head around it at all because it was actually about 4pm local time and midnight according to our body clock - very confusing.

Outside the Miracle Mile

Inside (?) the Miracle Mile

I was starting to flag a bit by now but we wanted to walk a bit further so we went into the MGM for a drink in the Centrifuge Sports Bar where I had a coke and Gary had a Miller Lite ($14.06). I felt better after a drink but time was getting on so we made our way back to the Bellagio to get ready for dinner.

The MGM lion

New York, New York


We got back about 6 and spent a while admiring the view (after all, we'd paid extra for it) and then got ready and were back out again by 7.

The fountains from our room

We wanted something fairly quick and easy as we were really starting to feel tired by now so we went back I to the Miracle Mile as we knew there were several eating places there. I quite fancied Cabo Wabo but it was very busy with lots of people waiting so we carried on and ended up at an Italian called Zombardi's which we liked the look of. I had fettucini Alfredo and Gary had rigatoni, with coke and a corona to drink. We couldn't believe how fast the service was. I swear we had only had one sip of our drink before the meal arrived. It was very nice but not outstanding. We weren't going to have dessert but I succumbed when the waiter brought the cheesecake over. The bill came to $60 plus tip. We were probably only in there for about 20 minutes, which actually suited us as we were so tired but it wouldn't do to want to linger.
We were back in our room by just after 8.30 and got our stuff ready for the next day before taking a final look at the view and heading to bed before 9.30 - very early I know but we had been on the go for 25 hours. A great first day!

Read Day 2 here
www.thedibb.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=1054355


Read Day 3 here
https://DIBB.in/12943067

Read Day 4 here
https://DIBB.in/12957775

[JoS]

What a great travel day and thanks for sharing. Lovely pics of Bellagio. You did so well to stay awake so long. Looking forward to hearing about your GC trip. Thank you

[tinkerbell59a]

Great first day. Thinking of booking the Bellagio for our 20th wedding anniversary. Did it live up to your expectations?

[clochette]

Originally Posted by JoS

What a great travel day and thanks for sharing. Lovely pics of Bellagio. You did so well to stay awake so long. Looking forward to hearing about your GC trip. Thank you

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We loved the Grand Canyon. We will have to visit again some time. Thanks for reading along.

[clochette]

Originally Posted by tinkerbell59a

Great first day. Thinking of booking the Bellagio for our 20th wedding anniversary. Did it live up to your expectations?

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We loved the Bellagio. It was absolutely beautiful, though everything was very expensive but, hey, it's a special occasion. I am glad we upgraded to a view of the Strip - it was well worth it and the pools and conservatory were stunning (pictures of them to follow)
We also really liked its position on the Strip, right opposite the Miracle Mile shops and very central.

My only worry is that it has spoiled us for anywhere else!

[tinkerbell59a]

Originally Posted by clochette

We loved the Bellagio. It was absolutely beautiful, though everything was very expensive but, hey, it's a special occasion. I am glad we upgraded to a view of the Strip - it was well worth it and the pools and conservatory were stunning (pictures of them to follow)
We also really liked its position on the Strip, right opposite the Miracle Mile shops and very central.

My only worry is that it has spoiled us for anywhere else!

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Thanks for the reply. Think I will book as its our 20th anniversary and we are going to renew our wedding vows with Elvis.
Looking forward to the rest of your trip report.

[Flower2603]

Ooh, loving this thread! Wonderful. We're going for my birthday March 2018.

Lovely photos

[dozy]

looks fab
what a great wander for a first day too

[clochette]

Originally Posted by Flower2603

Ooh, loving this thread! Wonderful. We're going for my birthday March 2018.

Lovely photos

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Lucky you. You will love it. It has certainly set the bar high for future birthdays!

[clochette]

Originally Posted by dozy

looks fab
what a great wander for a first day too

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Yes I was quite impressed with how far we managed to walk. I actually lost weight on this holiday! Only 1lb but still impressive!