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Fifteen Dollars on Black Eleven.
Our first trip into Vegas proper saw us catch a cab from the Gun Store to the Luxor hotel - a giant pyramid that is designed around an ancient Egypt theme. On top of the pyramid is huge light that shoots into the sky and can be seen from over 200 miles away. It's pretty cool.
We took a bus along the strip toward the Hilton hotel which is a fairly old establishment now, but still one of the nice ones. The Casino itself is a fairly bog standard but as you make your way round toward the Star Trek experience the theme begins to evolve into a futuristic spacey event. Even the toilets are Star Trek themed, which was exciting because no-one ever poops on the show.
Around the entrance was a collection of Klingon, Borg and assorted star fleet crew all milling about. We had struck gold. For the last week there has been a big convention on and everyone was out dressed in their finery on this Saturday night. We followed the throng up and around the museum pieces from the show, ooohing and aaahing at the uniforms and photon torpedoes. The wait was around twenty minutes long for each ride and we started with the Klingon Encounter. The story follows a plot by the Klingons to kidnap an ancestor of Captain Picard from the past, of course he's one of our lot.
So rather than get on the simulator ride there is an emergency teleportation of our group onto the enterprise. Suddenly we're on the bridge..the actual bridge of the enterprise... surrounded by chattering crew and Klingon threats. Next, it's into the turbo lift which loses control and shakes us about for a bit and then onto the shuttle craft which takes us through a really good bit of a dogfight with the Klingons and then through a wormhole back over Vegas.
The whole thing was pretty well orchestrated and the details were superb. We felt like years of geekdom were finally being rewarded.
Next up was the Borg Invasion in 4D. We'd spoken to some kids in the line who said it was pretty scary and looking at the creepy costumes we built it up quite significantly in our heads. Clutching onto each other as we were lead through the a series of Geoffery's Tubes. I expected an Alien War type event being led through the ship as the Zombie robots clawed at us. This was the case but it was a little half assed, lacking the detail of the Klingon ride. As we were led into a big room that represented a transport ship we were issued with 3D goggles and took part in the rest of the story, which saw us all being assimilated by the queen. I mean, it was kinda cool, but the were trying to cater to about 100 people at a time, so rather than a 3D simulator it was just a 3D movie and not a great one at that.
The opportunity for some scary action was dangled in front of us and it never really materialized. Never mind, we ran round and went back on the Klingon Encounter. Hurrah for Star Trek!
We waited in the twenty minute line for a seat in Quarks bar and were thrilled to guzzle down a boozy Warp Core Breach which arrived in a fishbowl steaming with dry ice. We dined on Steak and Seafood surrounded by numerous aliens, trekkies and the members of the DEFCON hacker convention. All of whom took a shine to Eli and warned us not to use cell phones of ATMs and invited us to a hacker party that would be going on to 4am.. wow! 4am!
As the Romulan Ale flowed chants of 'Kirk! Kirk! Kirk' lit up the room, followed by one of 'Star Trek! Star Trek! Star Trek!' We were giddy.
We got back to our room a little tipsy and had a quick shower before heading out on the town. Despite all its temptations of spending we opted for the old rum in a cup trick. We simply filled a big coke cup with some rum and topped it up with coke along the way. We took in all the major highlights of the casinos and just wandered our way through the buildings enjoying getting lost and confused as the architecture pushes you this way and that to encourage spending.
The lights are blinding and the people are drunk and stupid. What happens in Vegas really doesn't stay there, especially when you're lifting $3000 at a time on your credit card and being reminded by the cashier that you did the same thing an hour ago.
It's changed a little since the last time I was there, a few new casino's and some money saving at the others. For example, the Venitian casino no longer turns from day to night every hour..it just stays day. Bit of a swizz I think.
We pooled our resources and plucked up our courage to do a little gambling and headed to the window to turn our whopping $15 risk into chips. Craps was enticing, partly because of the name, but we couldn't work out how to play it. You have to go onto a holding strip and hope the number 7 comes up and then you an maybe place a bet and yadda yadda yadda.
So we took Alex advice. Black 11 it was to be. All or nothing. We tested the water with a quick flurry on Black and we won! Doubled our money! From here it was plain sailing. With our fifteen dollars now safe in our back pocket once again we went for the big time.
Fifteen Dollars on Black Eleven. The ball hit the wheel with an exciting crack and bounced it's way around and around clicking into the little grooves before finally coming to rest on the winning number!
Sadly, it wasn't our winning number. It was the house. Red four. House always wins.
We kept our $15 as a momento of our gambling experience and headed back to bed at around 7am. Sunset to sunrise on the strip. The only way to do it.
We took a bus along the strip toward the Hilton hotel which is a fairly old establishment now, but still one of the nice ones. The Casino itself is a fairly bog standard but as you make your way round toward the Star Trek experience the theme begins to evolve into a futuristic spacey event. Even the toilets are Star Trek themed, which was exciting because no-one ever poops on the show.
Around the entrance was a collection of Klingon, Borg and assorted star fleet crew all milling about. We had struck gold. For the last week there has been a big convention on and everyone was out dressed in their finery on this Saturday night. We followed the throng up and around the museum pieces from the show, ooohing and aaahing at the uniforms and photon torpedoes. The wait was around twenty minutes long for each ride and we started with the Klingon Encounter. The story follows a plot by the Klingons to kidnap an ancestor of Captain Picard from the past, of course he's one of our lot.
So rather than get on the simulator ride there is an emergency teleportation of our group onto the enterprise. Suddenly we're on the bridge..the actual bridge of the enterprise... surrounded by chattering crew and Klingon threats. Next, it's into the turbo lift which loses control and shakes us about for a bit and then onto the shuttle craft which takes us through a really good bit of a dogfight with the Klingons and then through a wormhole back over Vegas.
The whole thing was pretty well orchestrated and the details were superb. We felt like years of geekdom were finally being rewarded.
Next up was the Borg Invasion in 4D. We'd spoken to some kids in the line who said it was pretty scary and looking at the creepy costumes we built it up quite significantly in our heads. Clutching onto each other as we were lead through the a series of Geoffery's Tubes. I expected an Alien War type event being led through the ship as the Zombie robots clawed at us. This was the case but it was a little half assed, lacking the detail of the Klingon ride. As we were led into a big room that represented a transport ship we were issued with 3D goggles and took part in the rest of the story, which saw us all being assimilated by the queen. I mean, it was kinda cool, but the were trying to cater to about 100 people at a time, so rather than a 3D simulator it was just a 3D movie and not a great one at that.
The opportunity for some scary action was dangled in front of us and it never really materialized. Never mind, we ran round and went back on the Klingon Encounter. Hurrah for Star Trek!
We waited in the twenty minute line for a seat in Quarks bar and were thrilled to guzzle down a boozy Warp Core Breach which arrived in a fishbowl steaming with dry ice. We dined on Steak and Seafood surrounded by numerous aliens, trekkies and the members of the DEFCON hacker convention. All of whom took a shine to Eli and warned us not to use cell phones of ATMs and invited us to a hacker party that would be going on to 4am.. wow! 4am!
As the Romulan Ale flowed chants of 'Kirk! Kirk! Kirk' lit up the room, followed by one of 'Star Trek! Star Trek! Star Trek!' We were giddy.
We got back to our room a little tipsy and had a quick shower before heading out on the town. Despite all its temptations of spending we opted for the old rum in a cup trick. We simply filled a big coke cup with some rum and topped it up with coke along the way. We took in all the major highlights of the casinos and just wandered our way through the buildings enjoying getting lost and confused as the architecture pushes you this way and that to encourage spending.
The lights are blinding and the people are drunk and stupid. What happens in Vegas really doesn't stay there, especially when you're lifting $3000 at a time on your credit card and being reminded by the cashier that you did the same thing an hour ago.
It's changed a little since the last time I was there, a few new casino's and some money saving at the others. For example, the Venitian casino no longer turns from day to night every hour..it just stays day. Bit of a swizz I think.
We pooled our resources and plucked up our courage to do a little gambling and headed to the window to turn our whopping $15 risk into chips. Craps was enticing, partly because of the name, but we couldn't work out how to play it. You have to go onto a holding strip and hope the number 7 comes up and then you an maybe place a bet and yadda yadda yadda.
So we took Alex advice. Black 11 it was to be. All or nothing. We tested the water with a quick flurry on Black and we won! Doubled our money! From here it was plain sailing. With our fifteen dollars now safe in our back pocket once again we went for the big time.
Fifteen Dollars on Black Eleven. The ball hit the wheel with an exciting crack and bounced it's way around and around clicking into the little grooves before finally coming to rest on the winning number!
Sadly, it wasn't our winning number. It was the house. Red four. House always wins.
We kept our $15 as a momento of our gambling experience and headed back to bed at around 7am. Sunset to sunrise on the strip. The only way to do it.