Berfday Set.

Got the plan in place for the next Vegas-stravaganza.

Flight on JetBlue probably for the last time, using up a travel credit. Crappy having to do the layover thing on a bloody 1 1/2 hour flight but the $75 flight credit makes it worth it. Bit terrified of having a tight connection on the flight in and missing the connector flight from Long Beach to Vegas so I plunked down another $60 for an earlier flight and a longer layover so less stress. If all goes according to plan I'll be in a little after 4p. My last experience with JB gives me little hope, but here's to luck.

Tiny bit of hopping around resort-wise but eh. 1 night to kick things off on the Saturday at Tropicana. Will be there for the first time knocking another resort off my "never stayed" list. Will be getting in to room around 5p so probably won't see much of it, it'll be airport, cab to resort, check in then out to get falling down, then stumble back late no doubt. May see a bit of the room in the fog of the next morning but probably not much.

Good rate for the night achieved by calling the resort and asking how damn much it would be. Glad I stopped in for 10 minutes a couple trips ago and picked up a Marquee card (their player's card), the rack rate online was over $200 but got this weekend night for $79 plus resort fee. Wasn't going to find anything lower anywhere else that weekend.

Then Sunday it's over to my 1st Vegas love for the last 4 nights at the beautiful Cosmopolitan. I had had NYNY booked for cheaper but I figured fuck it, it's my birthday and how damn many more of those am I going to have? Found a great rate at Priceline for more than 50% off so I booked it. Only $92/night whereas rack rate is over $230. Room is assigned on arrival, it'll probably be a City Room with no view but I don't care I love that place. Maybe if I shill my birthday I'll get lucky and score a terrace.

I locked in parking too, at a lot that only charges $10/day. Better than the parking ticket I'll get if I don't park it. All in all it's not much more than the bus/taxi thing I usually do and I don't have to worry about the car while I'm gone.

The overall plan is likely to be minimal, think I over-planned a bit on the last trip so this one, since it's shorter, I think I'm going to leave mostly open. Really only in town for 4 full days and a half day. Have to use up 4 days of PTO on this trip due to the way the birthday hits (on a Wednesday) but oh well. I should have plenty built up by then, it's still 3 months + away. I'm loaded up on Restaurant.com certs so good food at good prices for at least 3 meals should be locked in.

The save should be easy - only need $4000 for this one to give me $800 per day (including the short 1st day). Did my taxes and $1K of that will come from the refund, $1K from the last check the day before I go then $2K spread out over the 2 March checks and the first April check, about $670 each. Easy peasy. That allows me to be out on the weekend for at least the next 6 weeks. Good to get a foothold in the City again after the long hard save that was done for Xmas.

Already excited for this one. I had a good enough trip over Xmas that I don't really have any of the normal post-Vegas hangover and I'm already in full hype mode and looking forward to April 21st.