Viva Las Vegas!

Our hotel room view the last time we went to Sin City!

Viva Las Vegas! My husband had a great idea for my birthday (and a way in which we can really enjoy our coin jar money). He suggested we do a short trip to Las Vegas to celebrate in style! I thought it was a great idea. Although we have been to Vegas before together (about 2 years ago) during a general road trip, we did not end up having the best time due to a few things that were going on in our lives at the time. So this time, to ensure a fabulous trip, I connected with my sister-who is a bit of a Vegas VIP (at least for regular people standards!) and she immediately wanted to come along as well as connect us with all her fabulous Vegas “special deals.” Unfortunately, due to work events, I cannot be there on my actual birthday but it will be close enough.

So far, we already managed to find a cheap flight (which is not too hard since there are sooo many going in and out) and we scored free accommodation for the whole duration of the trip. We do have to do a hotel switch half way through but it is worth it considering the particular rooms we are staying in are up to $500 per night (for the weekends, that is, and cheaper during the week). One catch is that for the first 2 nights at one of the hotels we have to pay resort fees of $25 per day plus tax but this gives us free internet (which last time we had to pay $20 a day for anyways at a different hotel!) and entry into the spa daily-not too bad! The other hotel is completely complimentary-how great is that! We will save hundreds of dollars on accommodation and still get to stay at the best hotels thanks to my sister BUT I will have to keep an eye on my husband to make sure we don’t spend those hundreds of dollars in the casinos of these hotels!!

My husband can get a bit carried away with gambling as can my sister (!) and even though I am a huge fan of blackjack, I do know how to walk away and will do this-something that these 2 have trouble with. I know I am ‘up’ in the big picture of my gambling history but I cannot say the same for them-which is not where I want them to be. I plan to force them both to do lots of other activities so this feels like a vacation getaway and not just a gambling bonanza-which we could do in our own city at any time. I want them to walk away from the trip feeling great-not depressed! So, I plan to spend some nice time at the pools or spas with them, enjoy some of the restaurants, and maybe catch a show. The clubs I cannot stand-even with a VIP booth and bottle service (expensive but worth it in some ways-especially if you hate crowds). Not my scene, but, since we also have friends flying in to join us who may want to ‘party’, I may have to suck it up and go. We will see! Am looking very very forward to this trip. If nothing else, will feel like a true getaway and change of pace-just what one needs when turning 32!!

A stressful day planning for a getaway…

Yesterday, I was excited as I planned to finally renew my passport. My old one expired early this year and with all that was going on, I had little interest in worrying about it. However, in the last few weeks we have decided it is about time we start thinking about taking a vacation. The year flew by and the  last trip we went on, other than a weekend getaway here and there, was our road trip through a bunch of states last July with no particular destination in mind even though we did make it to places like Las Vegas, Reno, Boise, Portland, Seattle, and more. Now, I definitely am ready for a real trip-which, to me, means airplanes and passports are required.

Because my husband does not get paid vacation time from his work until next year-and his work will not permit a long trip unpaid- we decided we may as well use the gift card I won in early January from a package vacation company. This will be the perfect one week all inclusive vacation-which is definitely not my style-but when it is free, why not? Since it is a whopping $5,000, I was hoping to bring along a bunch of family members to use up all the credit at once but I have become frustrated over the last few weeks with their varying schedules. I think this time around it will just be my husband and I-off to Mexico!

Anyways, in anticipation of such an upcoming trip, I finally filled out my passport renewal application and took it to the appropriate office in person. The wait was not so long but, the government worker said I had to re-do my photos as there was some strange glare which was not acceptable. They hinted I do the application by mail but I just wanted to get it over with. Secretly, I was a bit pleased since the photos were pretty hideous and I would be stuck with them for 10 years. We had them re-done-my hair looks much better this time-and returned to the government office only to find the wait was over an hour long! We put my name down and went out to grab a bit to eat. As we drove we heard a strange sound from the engine of the car. My husband pulled over into the mall parking lot and popped the hood. Sure enough, a fluid line had snapped off and hit the engine fan…causing a few blades to fly off. Handy husband did something that made it possible to drive to a nearby garage where we had it checked out.

The mechanic there said we had a hole in the radiator due to parts of the fan flying into it, a fan that lost a few blades, and a fluid line that needed replacing. The bill was to be over $1,200! Just our luck. My husband bought a few parts and replaced the fluid line himself. Time was flying by and I had to go by foot back to the government building where suddenly there were now piles of people waiting in line! Of course. Luckily, after waiting in the long line again and explaining that our car broke down, they let me go first and soon I was called in. I did my bit, paid my fee, and will soon have a valid 10 year passport which I look forward to filling up with visas, entry, and exit stamps. Yahoo!

Anyway, back at the garage, my husband found a temporary solution for the car. By the time we got home, we were tired and stressed out. While my husband worked on his car, I visited the travel company’s website and browsed through the endless hotel options available and read all kinds of resort reviews. After all that, I think I narrowed it down to a hotel near Playa del Carmen but that is about it. I also want the hotel to be one of those that offer Spanish and dance lessons. I will definitely need some mental stimulation as I never have been great at lounging around all day at a beach. The dancing would just be fun since my husband is already pretty good. Maybe I can learn a few moves and catch up a bit. Anyway, I will have to keep doing some research but I look forward to this trip where all we will do is eat, play, and sleep. Just what we need after all the stress yesterday.

A picture is worth a thousand words…

A picture is worth a thousand words but today I definitely have fewer than that. I do, however, want to share some random pictures (not that I took these all in the last while). I will hold off on including my thoughts, as hard as it is, so viewers can enjoy and relate (or whatever) in their own way. One of the many things on my list was that I would take more photographs. So, what is the point unless I am sharing them somewhere?

Las Vegas in the sun.

Cannon Beach, Oregon

The ceiling of the Spice Bazaar in Istanbul. What I loved most.

A most memorable meal. Borjomi, Georgia.

Multnomah Falls, Oregon.

Summer flowers. 

Cat in the Middle East-shameless.

A sign we all know.

Giant’s Causeway, Northern Ireland. Magic.

Adjaruli khatchapuri-a dish from the husband’s state.

Ah Africa!!!

Tango? Passion?

A tapir swimming in the wild! Costa Rica.

City at night.

Family. East Africa

Well, there you have it. A 15 photos-15 small slices of my life. I took all of these photos myself in the last few years and am so glad to have them as a reminder of all the amazing things I have done. It can be easy to forgot with life keeping us so busy and time flying! I will do my best to keep ’em coming!