Erk's 2014 Pacamerican Circle

[erkpod]

Day 2, Vegas

After breakfast/lunch/dinner (all three applied in different ways), I caught one of the Vegas double decker buses.



It was a good way to quickly check out the strip. A lot has changed since my last trip here. There seems to be a lot more lights & electronic displays compared to 2009.



I ended up going downtown which I enjoyed a lot more than the strip. Then again, I'm that guy who comes to Vegas & doesn't gamble.







I knew that 57°F wasn't as warm as the day but I could not figure out where MGD was where it would be 33°F (almost freezing) until I realised that the billboard was partly an ad for Miller Geniue Draft. If that penny didn't drop, I was going to look up the airport code MGD when I next got wifi.

 

[erkpod]

Fremont St was a lot nicer place to be compared to the Strip. There was a lady dancing on a large stage in the Mall & around 100 people were dancing along with her.







I found a couple of interesting signs. The latter was in front of a photography place where among other things, ladies can have their photos taken with the Chippendales. The stated penalties (5 years jail, $250k fine) were a lot higher than the stated penalties at the Circus Circus ($300) for allowing under-aged kids to be in the casino. All that hoohaha to stop people from taking their own photos of themselves with the Chippendales!



One for the grammar naz_s amongst us.

 

[erkpod]

A highlight was finding the Heart Attack Grill. I'd heard about it several years ago & told my friends about it. But until now, I'd never seen one. It's real!

I didn't go in because I'd already eaten but I saw lots of people inside wearing hospital gowns (diners) & nurse outfits (waitresses).











Funny story about this pic outside the Heart Attack Grill...

The slogan is that if you weigh over 350lbs (ie you have to be bigger than me & then some), you eat free. They have a scale inside & outside.


This guy was just under 350 lbs so the group he was with & I encouraged him to add something to get him over the line. His girlfriend's handbag did the trick - to much laughter. But everyone was laughing so hard they all forgot to take a photo. So I encouraged him to pose again, which he did.

I saw him leave a couple of hours later but I wasn't close enough to him to ask if he enjoyed his food & if he ate for free.

 

[erkpod]

Actually flying domestic F doesn't get you in the lounge. You can try getting a DL rep to remove and re-enter your VFF #. That should update your status in their system.

I will have to try that when I check in next with DL at PDX in a couple of weeks time. With the exception of 1 more DL trip in F (ATL - MDW), I'm Y the rest of the DL way.

Knowing that I'm SG & can produce the SG card, I'm confident.

 

[erkpod]

To end day 2, I went to the Circus Circus (the one in Reno is better!) & rode the Vegas monorail (the one in Sydney is better ... oh wait).

It's funny how people ask me where to go & how to get there when I'm traveling - I'm a visitor also! I was quite happy though to find out that the monorail did go to the MGM when two attractive young ladies asked if I knew it went there.

There were more performing spaces in the Circus Circus in Reno. And if I was a monothingy guy & drove my train as roughly as the Vegas one was, I'd be ashamed.

It was a long walk from the Strip through Harrahs to the monorail station!

After the monothingy ride, I caught the Harrahs - Rio shuttle (note to self, it runs 1000 - 0100 only) back to the Rio.

 

[erkpod]

Pics from Circus Circus









You'll notice I like taking photos of signs, especially those in non English and/or Australian languages.

 

[erkpod]

Day 3, Vegas

I headed to the Strip on a shuttle from Rio to Harrahs. I decided to catch the monorail again. Firstly I went to the MGM end of the line & then to the Sahara end of the line. I was able to see the terminating proceedures on the side platforms including movable tracks - just as a crossover would work back home.









The Sahara Hotel is closed & is being reconstructed. Interesting to see the station still has a connection to the hotel which will be great for when the hotel re-opens later in the year.

 

[erkpod]

Downtown looks different in daylight with no lights on! The SDX bus uses a different bus stop to the Deuce bus so I had to re-orientate myself.

 

[erkpod]

The plan for this afternoon after lunch is to explore more of downtown before returning to the hotel. Not sure if I'm going to go back to the Strip again this afternoon - but that's where the bus goes so I suppose I will.



But time for some ice cream!

 

[Richie Teh]

Keep them coming erkpod

A couple of questions:

1. Selfies - you take great selfies!! Were those taken via a smart phone camera or a proper camera with an extended arm?

2. Super Shuttle - airport to hotel - did you book them via their website?

Thanks erkpod!

 

[jukebox333]

Cash only at the HAG?

Never thought I'd see that in the LOTFAP.

(maybe they are worried the credit charge will bounce if the customer does drop dead from the after-effects...)

 

[erkpod]

Keep them coming erkpod

A couple of questions:

1. Selfies - you take great selfies!! Were those taken via a smart phone camera or a proper camera with an extended arm?

2. Super Shuttle - airport to hotel - did you book them via their website?

Thanks erkpod!

1 - Most of these photos are from my phone. I do have a camera with me but need to upload them. My original plan of uploading from the camera via the phone doesn't work without celluar service. My room internet at the Rio onlu allowe one device per day.

2 - I just rocked up to the stand at the airport. I will book via their website for the return.

 

[erkpod]

Cash only at the HAG?

Never thought I'd see that in the LOTFAP.

(maybe they are worried the credit charge will bounce if the customer does drop dead from the after-effects...)

That's pretty much what the sign suggests. You might be able to stagger to the ATM.

 

[erkpod]

You had one job...

Alternative caption - Will they accept Australian cheques?







Bus trip was fun back from downtown to the Strip. Female driver had a good sense of humour.

"The Pol-ice have joined us. You better behave yourselves!"

and

"Anyone from California?"

Bus cheers.

"Thank you for taking the bus & not driving!"

 

[erkpod]

I'm now at New York New York. And inside, the shopping section does look like New York!

I'm just about to go & see Zumanity, the sensual side of Cirque Du Soleil. Ooh lala.

 

[Cruiser Elite]

I'm now at New York New York. And inside, the shopping section does look like New York!

But Gallagher's Steakhouse in New York New York just nowhere near as good as Gallagher's Steakhouse in New York!

 

[Cat207]

I'm now at New York New York. And inside, the shopping section does look like New York!

I'm just about to go & see Zumanity, the sensual side of Cirque Du Soleil. Ooh lala.

I saw Zumanity in July (when Ka was closed after the death of one of the performers). Great show. Loved the girls in the big glass fish bowl.

 

[erkpod]

I saw Zumanity in July (when Ka was closed after the death of one of the performers). Great show. Loved the girls in the big glass fish bowl.

Zumanity were awesome!

I was in the second row in the Orchestra Pit. Lots to enjoy for both genders. Great dancing, hula hooping, acrobatics & trapeezing. Music was great, also. All of the people from the crowd who were asked to take part all played along well.

The girls in the fishbowl & the trapeeze artists were amazing!

 

[erkpod]

Day 4, Vegas (Day 1, New Media Expo)

The event I am in Vegas for starts today, New Media Expo. I was looking forward to meeting various people with interests such as mine.

Just before I went to bed, I was listening to the Airline Pilot Guy podcast. Right at the end of the show, Captain Jeff tells the audience that he'll be at the expo. I wake up to a message to confirm this.

After a leisurely breakfast, I head to the Expo. On the way to the conference rooms in the same complex, I see a sign for a Bridal Expo. I better make sure I go to the correct expo!





A little further on, I find that I am in the correct place. I check in & head to my first session. I chose it because the guy running the session connected with me on FB. But before the talk starts, I'm ejected from the room - my pass is a Content Creator's pass & not a Business pass. The price to get into J isn't worth it so I leave. I speak to the speaker who loves my accent. He's sorry I was evicted.

With some time before my next session, I start a battle that many people had today - wifi issues.

I go to my first session & find that there's a J section & a Y section! I sit in Y.


J


Y.

The first session is about jingles, promos & themes for podcasts. A question is asked about accents & the speaker says that Americans love listening to British & Australian accents. I wave. The speaker & I interact. This led to some interesting chats later.

2 more sessions see out the day - I spent the afternoon in the same room in J. No one said anything - it was there for people with laptops.

The sessions conclude & Captain Jeff arrives from the airport. He finds me in reception & we spend the next couple of hours chatting planes, trains & automobiles among other things. He then goes to another function but we agree to record a podcast together tomorrow.


"Captain Jeff, white courtesy phone..."

Now I'm sitting in a bar writing this & a gorgeous coughtail waitress who reminds me of a taller version of a formerly potential girlfriend is bringing me booze.

 

[erkpod]

Caption Me This....