Everything Costs Money In Vegas

There is some irony that Lori and I chose to, once again, go to Las Vegas on vacation mainly because we couldn't afford to go anywhere else.  We were able to book $29 one-way fares with Allegiant's new flights out of Pueblo.  By the time taxes and fees were added, we had spent a total of $160 on airfare.  Combine that with discounted nights at the Flamingo because of reward points with Total Rewards and our airfare and four nights of hotel was approximately $250!  Neither of us are big gamblers... I guess that makes our vacation choice even more ironic... so we end up not spending money on the main thing Vegas wants you to spend money on. 

But enough about us.  The point of my story is that this isn't what Vegas is about.  Despite signs for discounted drinks, free shows, and cheap steak and egg breakfasts, don't let any of this fool you.  Vegas is about money.  And everyone you see wants their own little piece of the pie.  From the guy in the bathroom of the Bellagio handing you paper towels to the people on the bridges hawking $1 bottles of water to the folks claiming they can get you tickets to those cheap shows to the taxi and shuttle drivers to those who provide housekeeping services, Vegas is about money.  The expectation of tipping is so ubiquitous that I even saw a tip jar at the Panda Express! 

Seriously?!  Did you do something extra special when you asked me what my two items were and whether I wanted noodles or rice?  In fact, the people at this Panda Express should have paid me for dealing with their rudeness.  And, since I am ranting, do I really need someone to hand me a paper towel in the restroom?  I have always been perfectly happy getting my own paper towel and not feeling obligated to tip the old man who watches me wash my hands.  In fact, I am guessing that the towel guy contributes to two bad habits.  I figure that the men around me think that if they don't wash their hands then they don't need to worry about tipping.  I can't say for a fact that this is true, but judging by the number of men that I saw not wash their hands in every single bathroom that I went to, whether attended or not, I have to believe that the Bellagio is a contributor to this nasty trend.  The second habit this must be causing, and again this is pure speculation, is that people are now holding it in rather than use those bathrooms.  This is not a healthy habit either and by the time those people figure out how to get out of the hotel, through the casino, and over to one of the cheaper hotels that make you grab your own towel, these folks could be risking serious bladder infections!

Well, you get my point.  I read a list of people you were supposed to tip and the expected amounts and I had to laugh.  Maybe that's why my brother tips the pizza place even though he goes and picks it up himself.  I guess the way they hand him the pie must have been what earned the tip!  Damn Californians!

So, Lori and I woke up that first morning after only about six hours of sleep and made our way to the "four bridges circuit".  This is the four bridges that connect the Flamingo/Bill's corner to the Bally's corner to the Bellagio corner to the Caesar's Palace corner and back to the start.  This is the same circuit that I had planned to get up and walk/climb when I was in Vegas with the boys in March.  I never made the circuit on that trip.  Despite starting my exercise program, I wasn't in good enough shape yet and I really never felt like dragging myself out of bed each morning after late nights and a lot of walking. 

But, seven months later, I am a different person.  I not only made myself get out of bed and dragged Lori along, I was excited to take on the circuit.  We walked quickly on the bridges and grounds, dodging the early risers along the way, and then bounded up two steps at a time up the stairs.  We passed the bridge people, that combination of homeless people, musicians, and water sellers, all looking for their share of the Vegas pie.  Each of the homeless holding their obligatory cardboard sign with various messages, including way too many with the once-funny but now tired "Why lie. I need a beer" sign... though judging by the giggling, some folks haven't seen as many homeless people as I have.  I appreciated the ones I had never seen before, such as the one that said, "My parents were killed by Ninjas.  Need money for Kung Fu lessons". 

Some of the homeless were still sleeping, it was early.  But, a couple of them caught our attention as we made repeated trips past them.  The one on the Bellagio was picking up trash that people left behind... a rant for another day.  I was impressed.  Another man said good morning to us every time we walked past him.  We wondered if he would ever make the connection that he had seen us before.  But, I imagined that we were part of a herd of faceless people that walked past him hour after hour.  On our fourth pass, I thought I saw him notice my shoes... not a surprising thing since they have neon green on them.  The next trip by, I was sure he looked at the shoes again and then back at us and a light went off.  By the sixth trip, he smiled and laughed and said "Good Morning again!".  We both laughed.  The other gentleman that made an impression was a musician playing a guitar and singing.  His first impression was a good one too as he was singing a song I like, "Losing My Religion", by REM and doing a good job of it to boot.  He also made us laugh when he jokingly said, "You know you are going in circles, right?".  I wasn't sure if he was trying to help the lost tourists or just confirming it to himself. 

Well, on our last circle, I pulled out some money and gave some bills to each of these three.  Now, before you go and think that I am bragging about being kind, that is definitely not the case.  I typically don't give money to homeless people.  I know where this money is going and have never wanted to be a contributor to the cause... oh yeah, plus I am a cheap bastard.  And, I don't normally give money to street performers unless they really do something that catches my eye.  But, by the time we were done, I felt a connection to these three and they had all interacted in a positive way with us, and that was enough for me.  Oh, and to confirm my suspicions, we saw one of those homeless guys making his way to the liquor store that we had just left a little later.  He didn't acknowledge us.

So, even an early morning walk isn't free in Vegas.  But, that's okay.  That money was the most productive money I spent while there and I loved getting up every morning and getting my heart rate elevated... even if it meant a nap later in the day.  Here's to sticking with a plan and finding ways to exercise no matter the situation...