An early start for the long journey to Vegas this morning. Actually just setting out as Barry would have been finishing up on his first night in Sin City.
The train direct from Bedford to Gatwick is genuinely convenient, but does come with the main downside of train travel - other passengers!
In any case, I arrive at South Terminal on schedule just after 8am and head straight to the Virgin ticket desk to see if I can secure an upgrade. I'm booked in Economy (this is my concession to bankroll management) but hoping to use the trick I first learned from JJ Hazan of upgrading with Flying Club miles on the day.
This was succesful on my last 2 trips out but, as they say, 2 out of 3 ain't bad and that's how it is - a packed flight by all accounts and zero upgrades avaialble - although I manage to get a seat in an exit row.
Anyway, my Gold Card (my last trip to Vegas was enough to just keep me at Gold for another year) means I can relax in the Clubhouse Lounge before boarding and play Vegas-Spotting. There are no dead giveaways - no Full Tilt hoodies or even a lone pokerstars cap. Definitely no Gutshot shirts in evidence.
I make a mental tally of who I think is Vegas-bound. One such, surely, is Teddy Sheringham who draws a lot of eyes as he strolls in. Where else would a 40-something premiership footballer be going at this time of year ?
Much has been said (mostly unfavourable) about Virgin's Vegas route. To be sure the plane itself wasn't the absolute top end. Naturally the inflight entertainment didn't work quite properly (but this is a fact of life, I find, on all airlines from cattle class through to first class) and the out of place Italian-language labels in the restrooms gave some clue as to the not-quite-newness of the equipment.
Still, I found that the service was pretty competent and friendly. We even got choc-ices which I don't remember getting in Upper Class ! The passengers were in pretty good spirit, too, with one live marriage proposal over the tannoy (accepted, phew !) and the usual selection of anniversaries and big birthdays.
The flight was fine, it is just so loooooonnnnggggg !
A friendly welcome awaited at the airport - I still think that McCarran immigration is 10x less austere than anywhere else in the US. And they also have the comedy luggage belt which never fails to amuse (unless you've already been waiting an hour for your bags). I got mine pretty quickly, though, and it was a $20 cab ride to The Venetian.
I've not stayed here before, but my room (it's all suites) is bigger than my first flat, and that's the basic entry level offering, at an incredible $105 weekdays and $199 weekends.
I have improved my discipline this year to the extent I unpacked before heading off to play - unpacking quick and easy using my wife's pack-everything-on-a-hanger method.
I doubt I can resist much longer, plus it is important to keep active to overcome the jetlag, so I daresay I'll be down at the poker room soon and I may head over to the Rio later to buy in for the $1500 event.
I expect it won't be long before I bump into a few familiar Gutshot faces - more later !
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