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THE TRIP: Las Vegas Oct 13th - 19th 2007 * Hotel :The Signature @ MGM
THE TRAVELLERS :
Me : ( 50 and abit - still think I am 30 ) rash gambler, extrovert, travel junkie. Last time in the States : New York in June.
E : ( 50 and a bit more) - one of my oldest and closest friends -no, not gay or an ex - but that rare thing, a straight platonic male friend , considered gambler, introvert, not a big traveller ( prefers sitting at home with a cup of tea) . Last time in the States : 25 years ago - Las Vegas.
We are about as alike as chalk and cheese ...
BACKGROUND:
I had been to Vegas for the first time on a whim in 2005 with another friend, but as E needs to consider everything very carefully, 6 weeks notice had not been enough for him..
As he has regretted it ever since and I had loved it ,earlier this year we planned our trip.
This was not as easy as it sounds as a) I had to persuade him that his guide books from 1982 were a little out of date and b) we were not going to do it 'on the cheap' .
'We could always go seperately' he said as I enthused about the Bellagio ....'and then meet up on the Strip'.
He hasn't seen The Strip for a quarter of a century.
Anyway, after me threatening to not go with him at all, we settle on The Signature as I am curious to see if it lives up to Trip Advisor's no.1 spot.
FLIGHT : E is a nervy air traveller. 'Well this is alright' he said as we settled into our Virgin economy seats, 'it's much better than before ..
' Remind me , when was before? I reply ...' 25 years ago on Laker ...'
We fill in our customs & immigration forms ...I take a sneaky peak over his shoulder to see him writing at length.
Q: Are you bringing in any food in your case ...
A : 2 apples,1 banana, 1 orange, 2 packets of oatcakes.....
As I didn't want to spend 4 hours at McCarran while E explained why he had fruit in his case I had to persuade him to bin it on arrival. ...
.......and who was the person who was stopped? Me
ARRIVAL : Much to my surprise I still had the green 'visa waiver form' clipped in my passport from my trip to NY in June.
The immigration officer was not impressed. "According to this ma'am, you haven't left the States since June". 'Well sir', I say ( mindful that US Immigration is a force to be reckoned with ) I have just come in on an international flight from the UK so I must have done'.
Further interogation -during which I blame Richard Branson ..(ok, his airline ... Virgin check in should have taken it off me in NY ) and then get abit girlie and pathetic as visions of being shoved on the next flight home flash before my eyes.
'Well ma'am - we should by all rights interrogate you ( gulp!) but on this occasion I'll let you through'. ( Phew! ) Armed with a form to fill in and a warning, he lets me through. God knows what's now on my computer file ....
and so ...To The SIGNATURE!
Grab a taxi and off we go. It is a gloriously hot afternoon and Vegas looks like a wonderfully inviting candy coloured play ground, sparkling in the sun. E looks abit gobsmacked.
Short trip to The Signature - we know we are in Tower 2 as I had emailed ahead to enquire. I had also cheekily asked for Strip facing rooms and balconies.
Check in and get our room keys, and E asks where the lifts are. Reception politely say pardon ? E repeats the question.....and my internal translator kicks in. I stage whisper behind E 'it's elevator' ....having sorted that one out, I remind him that we are in America now..so when in Vegas! .....(what was that quote about 2 nations divided by a common language ?....)
THE ROOMS :
Head up in the lift ( sorry elevator) to the 26th Floor. Discover we have been given 2 'junior suites' side by side with balconies ...and facing The Strip! ...Rush to the balcony ...we can see The Eiffel Tower and a lot of building work..but hey ...it's Vegas ! the suites are enormous and I am happy ....it's always a good start when you like your hotel ...AND your room.
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