Viva Las Vegas!

Okay, the title was a bit much, but I'm here. It took all day and two planes, but I'm here. By the time I got to the hotel, it had taken 12 hours to get here from leaving home. Blurgh.

The place is a lot different than I remembered from last time. More hotels being built, different way to pick up rental car at McCarran, more people. Or maybe that is my inner old person speaking up. It just seems crammed to the gills with PEOPLE.

I had also forgotten that smoking is allowed in the hotel. Yuk. I hate the smell and I hate the lingering stench that permeates everything.

The rooms I booked for myself and a co-worker said they were "Premium Suites". Okay, but they are just a tad bit bigger than a regular hotel room. Certainly adequate but not exactly luxurious. I should have known for the price. It does have a more than adequate view, however, of The Strip. I tried to take photos but they didn't exactly capture all the color of the lights. Here are two:



And speaking of price, the conference folks have done everything but offer to pay for airfare to get people out here. After arriving last night I'm wondering why. The place seems to be booming with business. All I've heard is that this is the least attended conference since 9/11 and that the organization is going to have to eat a lot of fees, etc. You couldn't tell it from the jam packed casino/lobby/restaurants here.

Well, today is Mother's Day, so I've asked for and been granted two hours at the pool to just lie around. I'd better go get those two hours before someone decides they'd rather go to another hotel to gamble.