Greetings from Las Vegas...

13th Feb, 2008

Well, we are all together and checked into our palatial suites in Vegas, eventually.

Diane and I took almost as long to get from Niagara Falls to LA as it took Clive and Lorraine to get from Sydney.

We were picked up promptly at 09:30 by the taxi to get back to Buffalo for the flight to JFK. A blizzard was due to hit in the afternoon so we were just happy to get out of Buffalo at 12:30, albeit 30 minutes late.

We were greeted in New York by a steady stream of light snow. I went to Terminal 4 to pick up our bags we left in storage, doh!!, so we checked in at 14:30 for the Qantas flight back to LA, due to leave at 18:40. With 4 hours to kill we had some lunch and I had a pedicure at a SpaExpress outlet in the departure lounge (yes, this is Bob typing!!!). I was unable to get internet access so it was just a case of waiting. Boarding time rolls around and it is obvious that this flight won't be leaving at 18:40. The plane hadn't even arrived from LA yet, although it was due at 16:30. The snow is getting heavier, cancelled flights are starting to dot the TV screens and we find out even if the plane arrives now, the pilot and co-pilot are stuck in gridlocked traffic somewhere on the streets of NY, ETA unknown. Eventually the plane arrives, the pilot arrives and although most flights are now cancelled due to the weather, we are still good to go. We board at 19:45, 90 minutes late, settle in and get ready, we should be airborne shortly.

Yeah, right.

The plane gives a bit of a jolt at the gate, moves a foot or so and comes to a stop. After 5 minutes the Captain advises that the tug (?) that pulls the plane away from the gate couldn't get traction because of the snow and had to leave and get chains fitted, delay about 20-30 minutes. Finally the plane pulls out and the Captain tells us that because of the time spent in the gate, we had to proceed to the de-icing hanger and get the wings de-iced and treated. We wait for at least an hour for a British Airways flight in front of us to get treated. We eventually pull in and they go to work on us. They appear to be finished but still we wait. Now the Captain tells us that the British Airways flight that was in front of us had to wait so long to get clearance that the wings had iced again and it was on it's way back. As such, they decided to redo our plane, so another hour wasted.

We finally leave the ground at a quarter past midnight !!! 4 1/2 hours on the plane and we are finally in the air. Dinner is served, Skybed reclined and we are both off to sleep. We get to LAX at 02:00 (gain 3 hrs with time change). I go to the counter and ask what is the ETA for Clive and Lorraines flight, due in at 06:30. At this point I'm secretly hoping it has been delayed so we can check into our hotel and get more than 3 hours sleep. The agent checks "Sir, you'll be pleased to know that flight is early, arriving at 05:55" Terrific.......

Clive and Lorraine clear US Customs at 07:00 and are met by their chauffeur, me, holding a sign "The RATS". It was clearly the most impressive sign among the many signs held by those poor souls who meet and greet tired and irritable travellers for a living.

We returned to the hotel, picked up Diane and finally all 4 of us are together for 'USA and Canada 2008' and headed for the US Airways terminal for our flight to Vegas. The plane was an hour late, only an hour...not bad, not bad...., finally touching down in Vegas at 14:30. The highlight of the flight was when a male crew member asked Lorraine and Diane if they were twins or just sisters. Considering Lorraine had just flown from Australia with little sleep, she was rather chuffed. We expect Diane to talk to us again sometime tomorrow, although I believe US Airways are off the agenda for future travel.

We jumped a shuttle and headed for The Palazzo. We were the last drop and as the door closes behind the second last drop at Flamingo, it snaps a hinge and falls on the ground!!!! Now we are about 300 metres from our final destination, all of us have been on the go for over 24 hours and we have to wait 30 minutes for a replacement bus to take us the last bit. Not sure if I'm down to my last or not, but there cannot be too many straws left!!!

Clive, always the engineer





We finally checked into The Palazzo. It is just superb.

This is one of the many fountains in the check-in lobby



The walkway off the gaming floor to the shopping arcade and link to The Venetian



And finally, the room......









More later....