After yet more research and the viewing of tantalising YouTube clips of the Las Vegas strip, I'm on the brink of booking my hotel and flight. It looks like Harrah's is winning the battle with Bellagio as far as which hotel to stay at is concerned because I'm beginning to think that the £550 I'll save as a result is more valuable than the luxury, comfort and classier environment I'll experience at The Bellagio. It also means that the £550 (~$850) can be used as extra ammunition to gamble with - a good thing.
I've been thinking a little bit about my itinerary and I already have a plan of how to spend my first few days:
The flight takes off from London, on the 18th August, at 12 o'clock midday British time and then, after a connection in Newark and a total of 16 hours, I touchdown in Vegas at 8PM, Vegas time. I reckon this means I'll arrive at my hotel door at around 10PM or so, Vegas time. Now, as this will be my first time in Vegas, my first plan of action will be to go on a reconnaissance mission.
Here's the short version:
Fri 19th Aug - 1AM-6AM: Visit the casinos of the north central strip like Venetian, Mirage, Treasure Island and Wynn with, possibly, a few in the vicinity of the central strip on the east side of the road.
Fri 19th Aug - 7AM-5PM: SLEEP.
Fri 19th Aug - 5PM-7PM: Blog a bit, explore hotel, freshen up and whatnot.
Fri 19th Aug 7PM-11PM: Check out the poker rooms in the south of the strip like Mandalay Bay, Luxor, MGM and Excalibur and, possibly, the rest of the central strip places on the east side of the road.
Fri/Sat 19th/20th Aug - 11PM-1AM: Power nap back at hotel.
Sat 20th Aug ~1AM onwards: Finish my reconnaisance mission by visiting the big places on the west side of the road (Aria, Bellagio and Ceasars Palace) and then PLAY POKER!!
And here's the long version:
If I'm tired (it'll be about a 24 hour trip from my home front door to the hotel door) I'll take a long nap but if I'm excited and buzzing I'll be off to start accumulating my $1 chip collection. This involves picking up a $1 chip from all the 25 casinos along the south and central strip, including those not in my "Vegas fourteen." I'll not need many $$$s for this which is probably a good thing as I'll need to suss out the vibe on the street anyway. Also, if I do this straight away, through most of the night, it'll be at the coolest time of day as well. It'll also help me to get my bearings. I reckon if I do just the north central casinos like The Venetian, Mirage, Treasure Island and possibly Wynn along with a few in the immediate vicinity of Harrah's then that'll be a good start.
If I don't nap when I arrive and do go off on my reconnaissance mission, I can see myself returning to my hotel room in the early part of the morning on the 19th August - this will be when I'll SLEEP, big-time. I can see myself waking up late afternoon/early evening where I'll finish off checking out the battlegrounds by heading in a southerly direction (if it's not too hot) and checking out places in the southern area including Mandalay Bay, Luxor, Excalibur and MGM and, possibly, the rest of the central strip places east of the main road. This will have involved a LOT of walking so it will be time to possibly take another nap to recharge the batteries. This will leave just the big casinos on the central strip that are on the west side of the road such as Aria, Bellagio and Ceasars Palace still to visit.
I'll nap/sleep again for as long as I need and then, depending on how I feel, I'll either finish my collection and tick the rest of the places off my list or I'll just go right on ahead and start my campaign. It is vital that I'm alert, aware and awake as I take my first steps into battle and hopefully I'll be bright and fresh and ready for my first rumble during the evening of Friday 19th August or the early morning of Saturday 20th August. My surveillance of the battlegrounds should supply me with the information as to which poker rooms to hit first but I can see myself just sitting down with a shortstack at Bill's or Imperial Palace to start easing in gently and to build confidence.
Of course all this is a very loose plan but there it is.
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