T-Minus 1 Month. The Plan.

As of  today I am one month out from Vegas trip #3 of 2017.

I suppose it's almost silly to do these "plan" posts anymore, because unless I'm seeing a show, (not this time), I really don't do much planning on trips now. I've come to realize over the years and trips (this will be #21) that having no rigid plan is the best way to go, for me anyway. I have literally dozens of places I can go that I feel comfortable in, and the only real challenge at this point is trying to add one or two new ones to the list.

It's almost become a bit of a stressor while I'm there, that there are so many places I want to be in a day, spread all up and down the 4 miles of the strip, that I can't get to them all. I think the only logical "plan" at this point is to have a general play book to start the day, then feeling that if I deviate from it, oh well, it was never set in stone anyway. My only real planning now is based around coupons or reservations I make for food.

Buy ANYWAY, this is a plan post (maybe the last), so here goes.

If the flight's on time, getting in around 8:45p on Thursday the 3rd. I will have worked a half day then traveled, and as a preface, my 1st night spend ability will be a little diminished this time, so it will be get to the resort, get settled in, get a shower then head out for some light snacks and drinking. Probably not going crazy that first night, as I'll likely be tired from the longish day, so taking it easy and building into the trip sounds like a good plan. Undoubtedly will just hit a few of my center strip haunts and stay close to Bally's for easy crashing ability. Try to stick to beer so I'm A) not spending too much money and B) not getting wrecked on the first night in town. Probable early lights out.

Second day, Friday, have to head over to my bank on Sahara first thing. Since I'll be north strip anyway, might hit Wynn/Encore on the way back; it's been a couple years since I stepped foot in the place, and since I'm a free agent next year on where to stay (no comp status) I may throw a couple hundy in the slots there to try to get on their radar. I can also get a late lunch at Senor Frog's at TI up there again, I had a good lunch there last time and still have a $25/off coupon for it, or I also have food coupons at a couple places in Fashion Show Mall which is more or less across the street.

After that I'm pretty much open all day. There's an Ed Sheeran show at T-Mobile that night, so I'll likely be avoiding the south part of the strip due to that, but otherwise it's just hit all my spots and try to get a good first day drunk on.

Saturday, no plans no reservations - if I'm doing OK for money I may hit Morels at Venetian for a high end lunch as I have a 20% discount there with my Grazie card. Might as well get something out of that card and can't beat a steak for alcohol soakage. For sure if I'm at Ven/Pal I'd hit up both the Dorsey and Rock House for drinks.

Free agent again rest of day - for SURE I'm staying at or north of the Cosmo as there's a Kendrick Lamar show at the T-Mobile, so it will likely be a zoo south of it. Could be a Ven/Pal, Cosmo. Mirage kind of night. May eat dinner at the Bally's complex somewhere as I'm getting 4X points on all food/show spend on TR while I'm in town. Makes sense to get a few of the lesser meals there, why not rack up the points and try to get back into a comp situation with CET for next year.

Sunday is the one "plan" day I have on the trip. Since the T-Mobile show storm will have passed, I'm heading down to the south strip to do my trip-required Skyfall lounge pilgrimage, and using up my three myVegas rewards while down there; one for lunch at Nine Fine in NYNY, then at Public House at Luxor (likely a couple shots, a couple beers and out the door) and the other for dinner after Skyfall drinks at Tender steakhouse back at Luxor. Good food at a good price is seemingly the theme on this trip. Good planning also since I'll be a little skint (see my next post).

Then after steak it's the long, arduous and drunken crusade back up strip, raping and pillaging as I go. Where I'll end up, NOBODY KNOWS.

Monday, the last day - no plans. If I'm doing OK on cash it could be the one real gambling day I have, as I'd like to take a run at getting higher up in the Cosmo Identity program, and the side benefit is I'd be spending much of the day in my favorite resort. If I'm there I may try to get into the bar at STK when they open to get another of those eye-rollingly good steaks. Can't think if a better meal to close out the trip. Beyond that, just more drinking and happiness and probably a curfew of about 3a so I'm not a zombie for checkout time the next day.

Tuesday, fly out day, bit bummed it's a 3:45p fly out time as that's a long airport wait again, but nothing to be done about it. Maybe if possible try to get late checkout if the situation warrants. Either way it'll be sitting around somewhere just wishing I was home. If I'm OK on money may grind away on some video poker at Cosmo again. LAS, plane, home and in the hobbit hole by around 6p, if all goes well.

So that's it. A standard rut-buster and liver-killer. Good steaks, bad (for me) drinks, mayhem, self indulgence. 31 days...