Arrived Sunday the 26th. Really had a bad feeling about this trip. I work in the airline business and get standby rates on Allegiant for $25/one way. Had the standby ticket ready to go, There were plenty of open seats leading up to Sunday. Saturday night before going to bed I decide to check on it so I can sleep easy. RUH-ROH, me and a co worker had stand by tickets and there was now only 1 seat left. I did some quick digging and was able to snag a 1 way United ticket on 7 hours notice for $155. Kind of felt like a winner and a loser at the same time. Original 3 hour flight now turned into a 5 1/2 hour flight going 450 miles East when I needed to go 1400 miles West. Oh, well, it all worked out and I get to Vegas at 9:00a.m. instead of the 3:00p.m. original plan. That puts me in Vegas 6 hours before the others. Got cheap rooms at Gold Coast so I head there with hopes for an early check-in. No such luck due to some conventions in town for the weekend. They did come through about noon which was great.

Decide to do the unthinkable and sit down at the GC room for some $2-$4 Limit which marks the first time I have ever attempted this. The results were expected. Down $60 in about 4 1/2 hours. Couldn't get anybody off a turned nut straight which turned into a full house for old timer. Oh well, it was a lesson and experience.

The others show up and we decide to hit up the Orleans for the HORSE tournament. We get there in plenty of time to get in on some $1-$2/NL prior to the torunament. Buy in for $120 and am surprised to see it turn into $468 in a little less than 2 hours with only 2 major hands. HORSE toruney was not memorable. Just couldn't pick up any hands and nothing worked out. Busted around 30th out of 50+. Decided to call it a night as I was going on 3 hours sleep.

Night 1. Cash game profit $348. Tourney loss $75. Total profit day 1 $273.

Decide Monday to hit up the Venetian noon tourney. Again, bust out early with a 15 outter that doesn't hit. Move to Excalibur which is my most favorite place to play. Played a marathon 10 hour session ending at 4:55a.m. after about 14 Corona's. My best $1-$2 NL session ever. Bought in for $120 and cashed out at $606. Had it up to about $730 at one point but gave away $130 with JJ againt KK. After cinvincing my drunken self that my A-4 was really A-A and making a really stupid call on the turn, only to see my mistake when I double check on the river I decide to call it a morning.

Day 2. Cash game profit $486. Tourney loss $150, Total Day 2 profit $336. Combined Day 1 and Day 2 profit $609.

Sleep for a total of 5 hours and its time to get up and do a little sightseeing. Maybe a local is aware of an incident at a tattoo parlor by the Stratosphere on Tuesday the 28th. Crawling with cops and crime scene tape. So much for my plan of getting a tattoo..LOL. Catch a cab downtown with a plan to stop by the Pawn Stars shop but decided against standing in line for an hour in 100+ degree heat and paying $60+ for the cab driver to wait around. So, we drove by, said we saw it and headed downtown. Didn't find a game downtown that looked juicy so we head back to the strip. Decide on Bally's. Get busted with KK that is called with nothing but a flush draw which hits. Down $120. Want to reload but decide to hit up the Excalibur again. Good thing as the action is fast and loose. I get my premium hands to hold up and cash out at $540.

Day 3. Lose $120 at Bally's. Buy in for $120 at Excalibur and make $300 profit for the day. Total profit so far $909.

Day 4 is a rough day of grinding in 3 rooms. We return to Bally's where I make up for the previous day loss. Bought in for $120 and cahsed out $243. Headed to IP for the first time. Was not impressed at all. Mainly due to the 4 players from Denmark who were not practicing the "English only" rule (I guess I am not 100% the IP has that rule. If they do it is loosely enforced). Anyway, I play for about 2 hours and cash out with a $43 profit. Decide to head back to the Excalibur once again and lose when Q-Q can not beat 9c-5c. Lose $120 there and decide it is best to end the day with a profit even if it is only $46.

Total profit after 4 days $955.

Head back to GC and run into a hooker. Didn't realize it at first but saw her bluff when she was acting completely drunk and frisky with anybody who walked up to bar. I noticed she was pouring water into her drink glass and it hit me that she was a hooker. I sat at a video poker machine nearby just to see if she was able to convince somebody. Went to bed after a few minutes. She was still there waiting.

Total money spent on hookers. $0 :-)

Last day decided to take it easy, do a little more sightseeing and did not play poker. Felt as if I would be disappointed with a loss for the day to end the trip and wanted to say I made money every day I played poker.

Sorry JJ the Harrah's coupon was denied due to them stating the dates we wanted to use them were unavailable. They were happy to sell us the same room for $159/night. We passed.

Overall the trip was great. Looking forward to the November trip and the AVP tournament.

One last thing. Is it just me or are the flickers, panhandlers and the "Water One Dollar" brigade ever going to be dealt with? Got hit up for loose change multiple times and saw a lot more panhandling than usual. People trying to sell CD's, stolen rings at the Luxor, Extasy and anything else I could have wanted. Seems like that situation was the worst I have ever seen. Could have just been coincidental but it has never seemed to be that bad.

Time to book the November trip. Hope to get a chance to play with some of the local AVP'ers in a cash game or two while in town.