Ten Nights - Eleven Days A Survivers Tale - Part One

I%26#39;ve given the basics, so now to our Visit to Oz ;)

Awaken at 1:00 am, make coffee, repack both bags - twice, making sure nothing is forgotten, wake my sweetheart at 4:30 am, with a kiss and hot cup of coffee, repack bags once more, then load all luggage into car. Over to Step-daughter%26#39;s house, wake her, as we need her to return car to the house. Twenty minutes later, she is ready.

Not a problem as Augusta Regional Airport is small, security is fast and we have our boarding passes in hand. Get to airport with an hour to spare, hug step daughter and assure her, I%26#39;ll take extra special care of her mom, retrieve luggage from the car and start the ';Airport Process';.

Check In Fast, through security in minutes, then to our gate. We enjoy a cup of coffee at the snack stand while we wait to board our flight.

Get on the plane, buckled in, and the pilot announces we are number one for take off - We all laugh as we are the only plane on the tarmac so we have to be number one. The plane rolls on out to the runway and stops, we all hear the engines slow - Oh Crap!!! The pilot announces that due to traffic in Atlanta, we will be leaving in twenty minutes so the Stuart will be providing drink service of Juice, coffee or tea.

So On and So Forth.

Finally the engines start to roar, so we all know it%26#39;s time.

Finally we take off for our twenty minute flight to Atlanta. Basically straight up, then straight down.

Don%26#39;t ask me how, but we arrive in Atlanta ten minutes early even after out twenty minute wait in Augusta.

We arrive at Terminal ';D'; and are departing from Terminal ';A';. The Atlanta airport has an extremely efficient tram system, so no problems, arrive at our terminal and discover our gate is the first one on the left. We have almost two hours and decide to head upstairs to the Budweiser Bar and restaurant for breakfast and a few smokes.

Enjoy breakfast, several smokes, the over to our gate. Get boarded on what we were told was a full flight. Thankfully it was only about 60% full. Debbie was able to have two seats next to the window to herself and I shared a bank of three seats with another. Plenty of space to stretch out ;)

Up and away, arrive at McCarren thirty minutes early, off to luggage pick up, both pieces arrive quickly and out to the Rental Car Shuttles. Smoke a cig fast, board a shuttle and seven minutes later we are at the Car Rental Center and happily standing at the Avis Counter.

There were three people in front of us in line, and three people working the counter. My only rant on this is - Everyone at the counter when we arrived were renting a GPS Unit, and after watching all three clerks scan, then test each unit twice only to discover a problem, then scan and test twice only to discover yet another dud - this went on for about ten rounds. Finally one of the clerks went to the back, rolled out a cart loaded with GPS Units, and they were able to get things moving.

After thirty minutes in line, we are assigned a car and head on downstairs to our car. As I stated earlier in the first post, we should have come straight down to the preferred desk, but since we didn%26#39;t we got a Graphite PT Cruiser which had multiple dents and dings. I made sure to have the clerk note this. I guess we could have complained, but we were both ready to get out Oz Adventure underway so ;)

Over to The Desert Rose, in the hopes of being able to check in early. The time was 12:00 noon Vegas Time. Pull into the Desert Rose, and with reservation confirmation paperwork in hand, walk in and up to the Check In Desk. The nice lady at the desk check%26#39;s us in quickly and hands us our rooms key-cards for room 1319. Drive over to our parking area, grab luggage, up the elevator, down the hallway turn right and last door on the left. Swipe a card and the door opens - Nice Place!!

I%26#39;ll have to continue this after work, but is it time get life back on track ;)

Ten Nights - Eleven Days A Survivers Tale - Part One

Work? Isn%26#39;t doing your TR more important than work? LOL. Very nice so far DPD, looking forward to reading more!

Ten Nights - Eleven Days A Survivers Tale - Part One

Good News - My work for today is delayed, so lets get some more of this done ;o)

Our room, again 1319 -

A nice small kitchen to the right of the door. All, what appeared to be new Whirlpool appliances; Full size Refrig, Stove and oven, Dishwasher, Convection/Microwave oven, Coffee Maker, Blender, pots and pays, cups, glassware, flatware, etc.

Small Dinning Table with four chairs, large sofa with chaise at the end closest to the full wall to wall sliding glass door out to our balcony, large TV.

Balcony was about five feet deep by 12 feet long with a nice and sturdy railing. The Desert Rose is a none smoking facility, but out on every balcony was two nice chairs, small maybe 18 inch diameter glass top table with an ashtray. Our balcony overlooked Reno Drive at the intersection of Duke Ellington Way.

The Bedroom was nice - King Size Pillow Top mattress, four full size pillows, six drawer chest of drawers, two night stands with three way lamps, and again a nice large TV.

Bathroom and Vanity area are off the bedroom. Large tub/shower combination. Plenty of towels, a nice basket which had Shampoo, Bath Soap, Hand Soap, Lotion, and Conditioner.

All in all, we were very happy with the Desert Rose ;)

You will find some photos here of the room (A Re-post)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/38004282@N07/

We take a few minutes to unpack, lounge for a few then decide we would head on over to Hooters for some play, a few drinks and some time to unwind from the travel.

As with last year, Hooters has once again changed their players cards - we head over to the Owl Club Desk to get our new players cards. Debbie was the winner there as her clerk spoke perfect English and understood what she needed, I had an older lady whom typed slower then I, understood little of what I would say in reply to her questions, after I had to re-ask what she was saying. Finally with new cards in hand, off to search for that slot machine which would receive our first of many ';C'; notes.

We settled on two Monopoly machines - Debbie one which has the Big Bonus and I the one with the Hotel Bonus.

Players Cards Inserted, ';C'; notes offered, full lines selected, 2 cents per line wagered, and SPIN ;0)

On Debbie%26#39;s second spin, she received entry to the Bonus with the Dog. After she finished her bonus, she was rewarded $200 + the while I%26#39;ll hitting spin and nothing.

I decide it was time to move, having received two ice cold Sam Adams and the third on the way, and Debbie having been served her LIIT%26#39;s. I head over to a bank of Goldfish, insert Players Card and Ticket which was now at $75, having donated $25 to Monopoly. Debbie moved over to a Mystery Carnival.

I%26#39;ll make this quicker, We played at Hooters for nearly four hours - Debbie cashing out at $190 up, and me $50 down, having both enjoyed fast and frequent drink service.

Back to the Desert Rose, then over to Terrible%26#39;s for the Dinner Buffet.

Time to Get Out to the Job-site. I%26#39;ll continue ASAP ;-}

I have a little time so lets get some more of this done ;-}

Before I get to Terribles, I need to back up a few to Hooters.

We both noticed that the casino was not nearly as busy as it had been in our many prior visits, slow enough that when I went to collect some $5.00 chips, the Pit Boss allowed a dealer to search her entire racks to fulfill my request. Two each of Miss Jan., Feb, March and April to add to my collection, knowing Miss May would be out around the fifth of May. This pattern would repeat itself often, when in the past it rarely had.

Now to Terrible%26#39;s -

Now nearly 5:00pm in the afternoon, and a 2 for 1 in hand, up to the Buffet. Wed. is ';International Steak %26amp; BBQ Night'; at $11.99 per person. Total for two was under $15.00. We were seated quickly, and I even was able to take a few pic%26#39;s of the seating area and serving area%26#39;s. I have always touted this buffet to all who would listen and defended it often, but I am sad to saw, that other then breakfast, I can no longer do this. I must say that we only tried the dinner buffet on a Wed. evening, but we both agreed that we would not visit again for other then breakfast.

I don%26#39;t remember exactly what we both had, but I know we both left not pleased.

We went downstairs for some fun, gaming and what would be many drinks ;)

Drink service was fast and frequent, many New Castle%26#39;s enjoyed by me, and numerous Dacquiri%26#39;s by Debbie. Playing was fun and after about two hours, we both had lost nothing.

We decided to head back to the Desert Rose for a quick nap, then out to shop for supplies - WRONG!!!!

We laid down, thermostat turned down to 50%26#39;, and slumbered until 3:00am the following Morning. The Desert Rose provides two of those all to common small filter packs of coffee, one reg. and the other decaf. Debbie decided to use both and ten cups of water in the full size coffee maker. Needless to say, we enjoyed a cup of colored water ;(

We sat out on the balcony, enjoyed our colored water, a few cig%26#39;s, and noticed a few pigeons on the lawn below our third floor balcony. Debbie had placed two pack%26#39;s of the cookies offered as snacks from the flight in her purse, so she decided to get them, break them into small pieces and feed the pigeons. They, the pigeons happily waited for each toss of cookie eventually, bravely flying up onto our balcony railing where Debbie would place small piles of crumbled cookie.

We enjoy the antics of the three pigeons to visit that morning as we watched the sun rise over the mountains to our left. An event to be enjoyed daily for our entire stay.

Knowing that Terrible%26#39;s Buffet would not be open until 7:00am, we took out time in getting ready for our first full day in Oz.

We arrived at Terrible%26#39;s again a 2 for 1 AGC coupon in hand (Thanks Again to those whom shared), up the escalator and Bam, First in line as the buffet opened.

I presented my Terrible%26#39;s Gold Card, AGC coupon and a twenty to the nice lady, and was happy to find breakfast for two was a mere $5.38 ;)

The food was flavorful, abundant and hot. I enjoyed a nice mound of scrambled eggs with cheese, some ten strips of crispy bacon, a serving spoon of corn beef hash, and one of home fried potatoes - Debbie had much the same, but instead of corn beef hash, she had a slab of prime rib (At Terrible%26#39;s they call it Baron of Beef). Numerous cups of hot coffee, a few glasses of OJ, and two trips each to the buffet, we were two happy and full campers:) We left a $5.00 as tip ;)

Downstairs for some play - Many of you may know of our Casino Themed Bar at home, and our large collection of casino bar-ware. Terrible%26#39;s had an offer - For a Twenty Dollar bet on the Kentucky Derby, you received a commemorative Glass, T-Shirt and if memory serves $10.00 free play. I decided what the heck, it would be worth it. Debbie found a Wizard of Oz machine, and I the Sports Book. I have never placed a bet at a Sports Book before, but found it easy and the clerk manning the Sports Book answered all my questions. I noticed on the Odds board a horse named ';Mine That Bird'; and my surname being Bird, placed a bet on this horse of $20.00. At over 80-1 odds, I surely was just buying a bar glass, T-shirt and getting some free play. With Sports Book receipt in wallet, I found Debbie, up over $150 and still playing her Wizard of Oz, so I played one as well across the casino. I played my free-play and a twenty. We were both rewarded as Debbie cashed out at $100 up and I nearly $300. Love That Flossie Glenda ;)

I%26#39;ll get back to this later ;)

';Needless to say, we enjoyed a cup of colored water';

Lol...Nothing worse than colored water with a dash of coffee or tea. ....just plain horrible!!!

Was this the first time you stayed at Desert Rose? It looks like a great place to stay and very convenient.

Enjoying your report! :)

WOW 80-1 and 20 bucks on it. Congrats. THAT is SWEEET!!!!!!!!

I seem to recall that the horse paid 50-1, but I could be wrong. Nice payoff never the less.

btr-L8-thn-nvr, Mine that Bird at race time was, if memory serves, 50-1. Remember the Favorite pulled out of the race that morning due to track conditions or something like that. When I placed my bet, as I found out later, the odds were 90-1, not 80-1, that was three days prior.

I will get to that part of my tale soon enough ;)

Glad you are enjoying our Adventure.

Nice report, Desert Rose sounds perfect for a long stay.

Yeah, Mine that Bird went off at 50-1 are sports book odds different or at the time of the bet was it 80-1? Nice job, I had 5.00 on the ';bird'; a friend placed the bet at the Derby for me.

Eager for more!!!!

PP-While I love the excitement of horse racing, what I actually know about it (betting wise) could fit on the period at the end of this sentence. Carry on.:)

You answered my question! Good for you.......