Las Vegas WLSFA Meet & Greet 2012

May 29, 2012

I flew into Las Vegas from Boston by way of Cincinnati OH which really was in Kentucky, I learned. I had been up since the early morning the day before. One new friend on a list of people going to be in Vegas early was to meet me at the airport. Another was to arrive later and we would all share a cab. Things changed but I did share a cab with the woman who came in from Canada. She was staying at a different hotel for the first evening. More about staying at different hotels later. It certainly gets interesting.

 I called the original person once I arrived at the hotel and was able to put my luggage in her room. Now for some food and a mini adventure around Vegas. It was a trip up and around to the fake Eiffel Tower. We had fun but it was too hot to wait for the scheduled Bellagio Fountains to start.

After getting a few things at Walgreen's including a small case of water which saved me from spending what  4 dollars at the hotel for water. It was getting later in the afternoon, I took time to call the woman who was to share a room with me both Wednesday evening and later on Sunday and Monday evening. Since my luggage was too heavy to drag again across the rugs from the south tower to where the shuttle would be for a different hotel. I packed up my carry on bag that I had folded in my big luggage. I had to take typical change of clothes as well as my shoes, c-pap machine and toiletries.

It was quite a trip. First of all, finding out at that point the woman was not staying at Bally's and had failed to tell me during all the conversations over the Internet did not make for an initial good feeling! Another thing, I had to go find where the shuttle was picking up people and was directed wrongly by the valet in front of Ceasar's. The bag I carried on my shoulder was too heavy for me. I found myself where many other shuttle buses met people but no one knew where the hotel I was going to was. One fellow even said he was just on his second day as a shuttle driver for his hotel.

It was near impossible to get good directions. I was in conversations with two people. One was suggesting that I walk back to Bally's. I was beginning to think it would be worth the cab fare. That is how heavy the luggage was on my shoulder.

I asked the woman who was giving me directions to the shuttle to find someone who would help me. It was not good to give me place names as I was not familiar with where I was. Finally, I said please tell the valet where I was and ask him to give me left right directions. While asking people around me if they knew where the Forum Shops were, I found many who had just arrived from their hotels. Is everyone clueless, I began to think. Last year, I had followed a group who went through many casinos and shops. It was not conducive to me knowing where I was!

I did find my way to the shuttle. Oh, I have to tell you that there was conversation between the hotel valet and that said shuttle bus driver. He waited for me. I had left the Bally's where the conference was to be held at about 4:30 and found the shuttle just after 5:30. I was settled in when one person staying at Bally's called again. She said I could stay there but the return shuttle was not until 10 pm. As we were being driven further and further out from the strip, I couldn't imagine getting back to Bally's for less than $40.

The evening started out with meeting my new friend for the night and her daughter. It was suggested that I could get a free buffet if I won 50 points on any casino machine. This meant that I had to get a loyalty card. Winning $8.30 was my first experience winning in Vegas. To get your free buffet, you had to present your loyalty card and your ID. My friend had left the room without her ID and was denied her free buffet. Her daughter did eventually come down with her ID. A local friend was to meet us and bring us to a free show. He works at a company that has different free show tickets for each evening. You can't ask for free tickets to see the Billboard Awards. I was to go with my friend's daughter to the free show while she walked around Fremont Street with her local friend.

Based on my time zone, the show started at midnight! It was a good show with a local singer who sang songs from different eras. My husband loves the early decade's songs, I knew each song.

After the show, my friend wanted to play some casino game and sat down to play. My feet had been developing blisters from being on for more than 24 hours. It hurt to stand or walk. I had not had blisters for several years. I did not want this to begin my stay in Vegas.

For some reason, my friend's daughter took off to find two young men who had passed by where we were. She did not answer her mother calling her. I was worried that something had happened to her. When she did not answer a page over the loudspeaker, we had Security find her. It was about 90 minutes from the time she left us.

You know that I was dragging. I took a shower and prepared for bed. My new friend's were watching some simple tv show. I was trying to make the best of a situation and was glad when the tv was shut off.

The curtain was open and the sun was bright when I awoke. If it was here in MA, it would have been much later in the day. I was convinced that I had missed the shuttle bus to the Las Vegas Skydive. I quickly dressed and was out of the room leaving my carry on luggage with my new friend.

You see, now I had luggage in two places. I arrived at the place where I was to meet the bus. I needed to text the person who set the skydive group that I was at the shuttle meeting place and not at Bally's. My taxi fees that I had set aside was quickly dwindling. I learned that I was there two hours earlier than the shuttle bus would come instead of one hour. I went inside McDonald's and used the free wifi and charged my phone.

We were part of many who were there to skydive. Somehow, the officials at the skydive company needed convincing that we had a group that should get group rate. I wish they had let us fly together. It was hours before I was suited up. The winds had become so high that we were unable to skydive that day. Four of us had to reschedule. We opted for Sunday morning real early.
 
I was enjoying my first meal of the day other than a protein bar. It cost $14 to have fruit, an egg and some muffins. I brought the muffins to my room for those who had a full stomach.
Can you see a pattern here? I was not to get much sleep after the gala event Saturday evening and I had to get up and out of the room before most would wake.

The good friends that I had made who had a rental car helped me get my carry on from the hotel and bring it to Bally's. I was enjoying my first meal of the day other than a protein bar. It cost $14 to have fruit, an egg and some muffins. I brought the muffins to my room for those who had a full stomach.

I needed to get my luggage from the south tower over to the north tower. I called the bell captain to arrange everything. I had called the room where my luggage was and of course that person was out enjoying the friends she came to Vegas to see.

It was several phone calls between several parts of the hotel including security that I was able to get my luggage from one room to the other. Yet, on exiting the north tower elevator there was the woman whose room held my luggage. She volunteered to go with us to her room. Ah, I even got to go through where the employees get to go with the bell captain.

Everything was in my room, yet I could not find a plug near the bed for my c-pap machine. Another call brought the housekeeping supervisor who moved a bed and plugged in my c-pap. It is the first thing I need to do when getting in a hotel room. Having set up that up, I decided that I needed a nap. We were to have an evening of fun that was to start at 9 and go back to Fremont St to celebrate a birthday. I ended up sleeping and getting ready for the evening only to discover that it was 20 minutes to 9. I had no time to order and eat before we were que up to get cabs to take us to Fremont St. to do the zipline.
The valet scheduled a large party limo to bring us there.

One of our party was suddenly overcome and had to be transported to the hospital. He is a good friend of the party girl so she went to the hospital and the whole idea of celebrating at Fremont St fizzled. I went to eat supper back where the meals were cheap. I asked for a cup of chilli. It was in a bowl. I would never be able to finish the cup let alone the bowl. Two women came over to the table while I was eating with three other friends. They asked if I was Linda and were happy that I was.

I think having white curly hair helped me to be recognizable. I loved meeting all the people at this event. I loved the small group things like this meal and the skydiving.

I went up to my room to find that it was lights out. I quickly got into bed for a peaceful sleep that I hoped would last from 1:30 to 8. It was not to happen as my roommate woke up and opened noisy packages of sugar and coffee at 5 am plus turned off my c-pap machine at the wall.

It was too early but I was not able to go back to sleep. Later, I met with some friends for breakfast. I gave the toys I had brought as a gift gag to Ian's son.

I was to meet for a bus ride to Zappos. It was a great tour. I was able to buy some food at Whole Foods. I had to store my Greek yogurt and cheese. I ate as much as I could and went to some events including the registration. I had some cheese and grapes. I got to say hi to the BTV crew as I was able to let them in the connecting room to where their 'party' was to be held. I was invited to stay for the sponsors 'party' right after. It meant that I could talk to the cute guys who show up at these events from the Bariatric Vitamin companies and met Dr Davis.

I heard the shower and out came a woman who I admired. She was to be the third person in the room.

Somehow, when the others left to go home, I had different fruit yogurt and my cheese was gone though I had put my name on the bag it was stored in.
 
I ate some of the chilli Friday evening. I arrived with a group but we had to spread out to different tables. I saw that one man who had been a grant recipient was by himself and sat with him. We conversed during the meal and he was a bit shaky about going up to be recognized. 

I was just glad that I did not step on someone's foot because I do not know all the moves of the dances. I had lots of fun dancing until my knee let me know it was overworked.

It was great seeing so many people but it was too noisy for much conversation.

I like quiet. It is my style. All the glitz and noise was a bit much. I tend to be an insomniac at home. I found that not sleeping much in Vegas was a different. I wanted to sleep but circumstances meant that I did not sleep much.

Saturday was so busy with visiting the vendors and listening to talks. I really loved the talk given by Katie Jay. I want to go to one of her conferences. I enjoyed sitting at the table of a woman who I admired. I signed up for some of the raffles. (Sunday morning while I was away at the airfield,  my name was picked as the winner for the hotel and conference for free for 2013 for two people. I also won VIP status which I need to find out what that means.)

I took all my loot back to the room and came back to sit with the woman who shared a cab with me days earlier. I loved her style and wanted to speak with her other than a quick hello. It was getting on time to get ready for the gala. I forgot that I had bought tights that were shaping tights. Oh, it was horrific to get them up. I somehow knew that I would not go to the bathroom once I got them on! Yes, that is how tight they were. It held in all my muffin top! My dress looked spectacular. It was a great style for me.

I arrived to talk with several people and have my picture taken by one young man who graciously took several pictures for all who came.

I loved it!

I stayed late but did not dance. Tomorrow, I would get to skydive. I went back and slipped into bed. Okay, I would enjoy some sleep. Not much but some. We were to get to the airfield at 7! I awoke showered and put on my sneakers. I was glad that my feet were not as swollen as they were in them Friday evening. They were cheap Target sneakers. I had opted for them instead of the boots that many were wearing to go with the cowboy/cowgirl theme for Friday's event. I did not need to spend money on boots for one evening.

It seemed that our proposed trip to Grand Canyon and Hoover Dam was not going to happen. I had looked forward to it.

I was glad to hear that I could stay an extra night where I was. It meant that I did not have to get all my stuff including the vendor samples to a new hotel plus I saved on cab fare.

After attempting to skydive, I went around to Palace Station to eat there. It was better than the place that had the buffet full of pasta which I could not eat.

I have to tell you about the failed attempt to skydive. I had to lift my legs again and for some reason I was unable to get my legs up. I had only walked from my room to the car and out to the site. It was later that I could lift my legs easily. I showed one of the attending workers who went to the man who said no. He said that he would not reconsider. In fact, one of our party who had skydived on Thursday and other times was not able to lift his legs and did not do it. I feel my legs were not limber enough. I called my husband and he said we could find a place in MA. I said that I wanted to do it with the group!

I was able to get my money back and used some of it to go to see the play Phantom of the Opera. In fact, I was going to get same day tickets but I was able to buy the ticket of the man who was still in the hospital. I am sure he enjoyed getting that money back. He never was able to go to any events and was only released from the hospital days after I left on Tuesday.

We had fun going as a group to the Monte Carlo for a dinner buffet. It costs a lot and I did not eat a lot. I was there to enjoy the company. We made plans to have breakfast in that same place where it cost me fourteen dollars to have lunch. I chose a part of an omelet that was too dry, some fruit and spoke with many people. I love these small group events.

After the play, we hopped on a bus and rode down to see the Bellagio lights. I had put my luggage in the bell captain's room and it was brought up to my new room. I did not have to hire a cab to get it moved to a third hotel. I was so happy. I fell asleep after everyone left to go home. I had the best sleep and arrived three hours early at the airport.

I thanked all the people who let me stay with them. I saved me a lot of money. I would not have been able to attend if it were not for their generosity.

See my video on YT called a wing and a prayer. I have fabulous friends. Circumstances have been reversed for me lately and I am without an income.









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About Me
Marlborough, MA
Location
22.6
BMI
RNY
Surgery
01/03/2008
Surgery Date
Nov 15, 2007
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