Jase & Reens Excellent Adventure: Vegas

Vegas

Posted: Saturday, May 20 9:06 AM by Jase

[Photo Journal - 26 entries]

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Well, we wish everyone had come to the shotgun wedding, but hey, Vegas is a long way from home.

Vegas. 3 days staying on the strip, $230 gambled, $95 lost, 5 hours of sleep, 2 beautiful sunrises.

Vegas was so much fun that this blog gets it's own timeline format:

Itinerary Day 1: Vegas Jason's Place
PM
8.00 After bbq in Red Rock Canyon, we were invited over for a beer with a group of rock climbers
9.00 Jason, Christy & Wilson (our new climbing buddies who are the sound & design experts at the RIO) took us back to Vegas Jason's place & cooked shrimp on the barbie for us, while Jase cooked Kotch-burgers for them (bit of a role reversal there).
11.00 Vegas Jason graciously let us crash over

Itinerary Day 2: Christy's Place
AM
9.00 Christy gave us the keys to her place & went to work so we spent the day chilling at hers using her internet & watching NBA - people here in the states are so nice, they make this trip better than a long cold beer after a hard day's work!
10.00 Clothing Outlet Shopping
PM
9.00 We tried to start the Nissan to go Casino'ing, but discovered an unrepareable flat

Itinerary Day 3: The Strip
AM
10.00 Our AAA membership (the US equivalent of RACV), got us towed to Walmart where we replaced our 2 bald tyres.
PM
1.00 We checked into the Luxor
2.30 Jason lost his first $30 Poker Luxor buy-in after 10 minutes on a pair Ladies to a pair Kings. Irene rated a TV show Pilot at CBS to get some free stuff
9.00 We went to Sunset Park so Jase could get dunked on a lot by a big black guy
11.30 At the stratosphere, Irene took photos & Jase lost his $25 buy-in on the second hand with a Two-Pair

Itinerary Day 4: The Strip
AM
2.45 We got a feed at Circus Circus (a film set in Fear & Loathing)
3.45 We got lost in Ceasar's Palace
4.30 Irene lost $20 learning Blackjack & did a Jager-Bomb at O'Sheas
5.45 Vegas Sunrise
6.00 Caught over an hour of sleep
8.00 Got up to do a timeshare tour (spend 3 horrendous hours on a personal tour from a sales guy, got loads of free stuff - $75 gambling chips, a free weekend of accom in a Vegas Casino & tickets to a show)
PM
12.30 We had a very ordinary 2 for 1 Buffet at the Luxor
2.00 Caught 2 hours shut-eye by the hotel pool
9.00 Jase took an hour to lose his $35 Stratosphere buy-in on an all-in full house (3 Jacks) to a full house (3 kings). Check the comments on this blog for more.
10.00 Checked out Bellagio's magnificent fountain show (featured in the Ocean's 11), the Venetian's gondola's & Treasure Island's pirate show
11.20 Irene won $35 on Blackjack at the Luxor (Way to go Reen's!).
11.30 Jason took 6 hours to lose $15 of his $40 Luxor buy-in. Check this blogs comments for more.

Itinerary Day 5: The Strip
AM
6.08 Caught another sunrise & watched The Fonz on tv
7.00 Caught 2 hours sleep
11.00 Checked out & used our free timeshare tickets on Shark Reef at the Mandalay Bay
PM
12.30 Had an unbelievable international buffet at the RIO - Seafood, personalised Teppanyaki, Dim Sum, Ribs, etc. etc. - Highly recommend! Pigged out so much, I had to walk on an angle afterwards.

Vegas is a highlight of this trip so far - everyone should definitely go there!

15 Comments:

At 20/5/06 9:15 AM, Jase said...: Vegas Poker tips – free beer!
All Vegas Poker tables played 1 house dealer, 1 deck per hand, limit or no-limit Texas Hold-Em with 9-player tables (which often have 6 or so present). I liked the Luxor because it had lots of tourists, the lowest raises ($2 on the flop, $4 on the draw, turn & river), the lowest buy-in ($30), and very regular drinks ladies with free beers (I was really only playing to get my free beers - you tip the waitress a dollar and she'll keep coming back). When playing for the beers, everyone thinks you're there just to lose your money -slowly- and have a good time (which was true in my case). It works in your favour like that because players think your bets are never bluff's until you are running out of chips. As such, good timing on all-in's saved my butt 5 times in Vegas when I was waiting for my beer & out of chips!
At 20/5/06 9:17 AM, Jase said...: After 6 hours, I lost $15 at the Luxor Poker tables but got plenty of free beer
I considered leaving with quin-drupled earnings at 3.30am but was having way too much fun listening to Canadian table neighbour Andrew berate a team of two cheaters who were always taking the pot from the other 6 at the table. (They sat next to each other and made no discernible communication. The first guy would always check when he had a hand & that would be the signal for the second guy to arc up about his "Six Aces" and then raise, raise, raise on his 3 - 6 no-hand. Then the first guy would win everyone's money & the second guy would buy back into the game every half hour.) Seeing as the Casino did nothing about it, Canadian Andrew made it his duty to tell everyone (LOUDLY), whenever a newbie hit the table.
"TALK ABOUT CHEATS!" (I LOVE IT!)
At 21/5/06 1:29 AM, Anonymous said...: Free beer... now THAT'S what it's all about :)

Lach
At 22/5/06 1:45 PM, Anonymous said...: hey guys! las vegas sounds great! was wondering if it is really like the T.V show "Las Vegas"...good looking security guards, hot cars, women in hot pink tights, gimmicky items everywhere (including the elvis doll...did you have one of those dolls jase?), loud and proud characters...hmm...oh and what about the architecture and the buildings...any solid gold buildings??? Love the photos!Anyways it's good to see that your meeting people from all over the place and having a ball...
from your friend in Australia still day dreaming ...Anna Pham
At 23/5/06 11:44 AM, Anonymous said...: Vegas Baby Vegas! Wow, I'm heading here in November so Jas, I'm gonna be in touch to get some tips.

Oh, whats this about a shotgun wedding on the front page? Are you and Irene.... married?
At 25/5/06 9:04 AM, Anonymous said...: Hey where are you two going to be next weekend?

It looks like I'm going to silicone valley.

Tom Young
At 26/5/06 5:25 AM, Jase said...: We will probably be either in Texas or New Orleans next weekend. Sorry Tom =]
At 27/5/06 6:24 AM, reens said...: Hey Anna,
Las Vegas was great! You walk down the strip and there are flashing lights from each of the casinos just like the TV shows. Except, you wonder where did all the good looking people go?? Lots of fancy cars - stretch Hummers were quite popular at the Bellagio. The architecture is kinda varied - from the tacky to the fancy. There's a mini everything - Taj Mahal, Eiffel Tower, New York skyline, etc.
At 27/5/06 6:27 AM, reens said...: Hey Tom,
Congrats on scoring a free flight to San Fran. Unfortunately we'll be several states away from California by next week. Good luck for the interview anywayz! Make sure you speak s-l-o-w-l-y, some American's just don't understand non-American accents.
At 1/6/06 3:04 PM, Anonymous said...: so are you married??? iLL
At 2/6/06 2:17 AM, Jase said...: nope. I was just referring to my buddy shaune j =]
At 2/6/06 12:45 PM, gailwoodhouse said...: Love your website maybe www.travelwriters.com might be of interest to earn some extra travelling cash .
At 2/6/06 12:55 PM, Anonymous said...: No good looking people...hmmm I can't believe T.V lie to me! My best friend is a liar!!! No i still love you T.V!! hehehehehehe!!!
wow mini everything... sounds like my sort of town! For once I might feel a little bit taller! hmmm...taller...
oh some exciting new! It's Barb's and John's Engagement this Sunday! (just in case you guys didn't know)!!!
And yeah keep on sending those photos!!!! They are great! From your pal Anna!
At 2/6/06 12:55 PM, Anonymous said...: No good looking people...hmmm I can't believe T.V lie to me! My best friend is a liar!!! No i still love you T.V!! hehehehehehe!!!
wow mini everything... sounds like my sort of town! For once I might feel a little bit taller! hmmm...taller...
oh some exciting new! It's Barb's and John's Engagement this Sunday! (just in case you guys didn't know)!!!
And yeah keep on sending those photos!!!! They are great! From your pal Anna!
At 5/6/06 1:58 PM, gailwoodhouse said...: Happy 4th of June birthday boy. Hope it is as wonderful as it was on the day.
Love Mumxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx