Vegas '08!!! Perspective from a first-timer.

All I have to say is, "WOW"!! Yes, I loooved Ocean's 11, CSI, and the new primetime show "Las Vegas", so I had some pretty high expectations! I had gone by myself to Vegas to participate in my first ever Fitness Modeling competition, Fitness America 2008.

My plane arrived in Vegas approx 8pm (which felt like 11pm for me). I'm looking outside the airplane window expecting to see pretty blue, purple, orange and red lights. It wasn't untill I got inside the airport terminal I could see tell-tale signs of... VEGAS!! **said with breathy excitement**. There were actually slot machines in the airport. The view was accented with a ringing, boing-boing sound that had I not traveled on cruises and participated in that gaming environment, I wouldn't have recoginized. It is always a funny sight to me to see the people engaged in the machines whole-heartedly with a pack of cigarettes and a pocket of quarters!

So, I'm at the passenger pick up area waiting for a shuttle. Once enroute to my hotel, we travel to what everyone and their mother knows as "The Strip". HERE are the beautiful lights and sounds, lobby waterfalls, flashing placards, billboards of beautiful showgirls and groups of well dressed folks in what clearly looks like either a bachlorette party or Guys' weekend away from home. I can't even remember all of the hotels I passed but the grandeur and expectant yet pleasureable gaudiness of it all was enchanting. I felt like a little kid with nose and both hands pressed up against the window!

Anyway, I stayed in the Golden Nugget hotel which is located downtown. Again, brass, flashing lights and every color in the spectrum lined the hotel lobbies, lounges and walkways. Of course, don't forget the abundant slot machines! I found the hotel to be absolutely sufficient; I had a group rate of $59/ night, so I got my money's worth. The funny thing is I was in a non-smoking room that reaked of smoke as well as every nook and cranny of the hotel, ewwww. Otherwise the hotel was delightful with pretty cool services, amenities, and dining options (this isn't meant to be a review:-)!

Because of the events I participated in, I didn't feel comfortable spending $25 on a cab to visit the strip; too far away. The really cool thing is the entire block behind the hotel was covered with an amazing LCD light show-canopy thing. The canopy stretched several blocks and was shared by several hotels, casinos, and gift shops. They had a spectacular light show that was a cross between a Vegas nightclub act and a commercial on steriods coupled with Dolby Surround Sound music that played at regular intervals throughout the evening. It was the kind of thing that as you are strolling checking out the vendors or making your way to the next casino, you stop dead in your tracks and stare up with your mouth wide open. That happend to me the first two times and then I got used to it. Note: don't try to take a still picture of a moving LCD light show, it does it absolutely NO justice, LOL! One thing I did notice, was that there was absolutely no litter on this strip under the canopy. I mean NO litter! It was technically outside, people were smoking up a storm, there was some light construction on one of the intersections, but I really appreciated the effort that must have gone into keeping it neat and clean. As I'd mentioned, I was by myself, something I will never do again, and I felt completely safe. My girlfriends are all on notice that the next time, it is ON!

Now, I'm not a heavy gambler and gambling was not my primary mission, though I resolved to experience some of it in ...VEGAS!!! **again, breathy excitement** I gave myself a budget of $100 (which leads me to tip number one: Plan adequately for tipping the hosts of the gaming tables. This was something I did not know about or do. Usually if you are a good tipper, you'll make friends and they may help you out during the game if they see you are new!!).
Okay, right into tip number two: if you don't know what you are doing in the casino, go with your budgeted amount of gaming cash and tips in one pocket and place all winnings in the other. Never dip into the winnings pocket to play!! Once your gaming cash is gone, you're done!! Leave credit and debit cards in the hotel room safe!

Okey dokey, any free moment I had outside of my events, I played in the casino. The first night, I was sooo cheap and nervous, I left the Blackjack table after my grand total come-up of $20. Hey, to me that was a great deal of money! I hated the idea of being in the negative. I ended up using the $20 on dinner that night.

Now here's the kicker: I made having my dinners paid for with my winnings a SCIENCE and loved it!!! Everynight for about 4 nights, I won enough between Blackjack and the Roulette tables such that my dinner on the town was a small gift to me from...VEGAS!!! **You already know...** I mean NICE dinners, too. And, with dessert!! My winnings' grandtotal was about $145 give or take after adequately tipping!! One night alone, I won $75 off a drunk individual that insisted on flirting. Now, I'm not the type of girl that believes things are given to me for free. When this person kept insisting I buy-in to the game with his chip after I regularly, politely refused, I think the gaming host just got sick of the iteraction and dealt me in. This went on for about an hour. He wasn't bothering me or being disrespectful and there were others at the table that were giving me tips. So, everytime my hand won... I gave him his chips back and kept the winnings!! How cool is that?!?! I left the table a winner, with my pride and an extra $75 and didn't feel this guy was gonna chase me down for a starring role in the next CSI!

Ahhh... that's my favorite story.

Anyway, I will wrap up with tip number three: If you forget anything (toothbrush, iron, socks, facial cleanser, etc...) not only will you have an opportunity to replace these things at a Walgreens within walking distance but the prices are not over-inflated like some hotel giftshops.

The absolute thing you MUST NOT forget to bring... is a friend!