Life with the Two Crazy Dogs

I received the CD from the SinCity Skydiving, LV couple of weeks ago.  I uploaded them to Photobucket and forgot about it.  I have the DVD too, but I cannot figure how to upload it.  Yeah, I had to pay another $20 for the Cd and DVD since I lost/left them in the hotel room.  We spoke to the housekeeping manager, yet we were not able to find it.  So here are the slides, not the best shots.

The day I drove in Las Vegas was the worse day of all my years of driving.  First of, I it was already dark and my sense of direction is practically zippo and the gas and brake pedals were so touchy.  Then I cannot blow steam out my way which I think y’all know my style.  The next thing was we have to pick the man up from the hotel and we were driving up and down Las Vegas Boulevard a few times before we got to the hotel to load him up.

Once we got there, we went right to Fremont Avenue for the night show. Made a few videos but the audio was kinda crappy. Here are a couple. Pass it if you are not up to it.

Actually when we got there the show started and was told it will come on again every 30 minutes.  So, we had to walk around amongst the sea of people.  It was almost 9 p.m. I think and there were a ton of humans around listening to bands, drinking, just bumming around like us and some were really rowdy.  I as usual had my camera out taking this picture and that all over the place.

 The Gentleman’s Club, thought I put this more decent picture up!

She’s for real up there, dancing to a tune.

By the time we were done standing around,not doing much, and stomach growling for food, we called and asked for directions to Chinatown.  So we walked out and for some reason we thought we should hang around for a few just in case the show comes on.  Low and behold, it did.  It was nice and I can stay for another 30 to see the next one.  But we didn’t.  Remember?  I was the driver??? 

Back to the car we did and headed to Chinatown which I don’t what the excitement was about.  Not much to see when it’s dark with some lighted buildings here and there.  I was just pissed having to drive around not knowing where to go even with verbal directions, me huffing, puffing, sighing (i’m really good at that, like what Corrine always says “Hai, hai sang”) and finally Tammy volunteered to drive.  Lord knows how much I love her!!

We eventually got to a strip mall of Asian restaurants and we picked one that served Chinese food/dimsum.  Leong was the only one who was really starving.  David was fast asleep, I didn’t care what they want to eat coz I was not that hungry, all I wanted was water.  Ice cold water never tasted so good  when your previous meal was laden with MSG (ajinomoto).

I asked for ice water and the waitress gave me a blank look and that boils me.  Apparently she was from China and don’t speaka-Engalish.  Sweet.  Gotta wait for the, looks to me the lady boss, who was very chatty with Corrine they speak Mandarin and Cantonese.   Corrine asked her for ice water for all of us and the “lady boss” said that waitress do not understand English, “Sorry-ah.”  The Tans placed the orders, I just want to get back to the hotel for a shower. 

When the food came I was actually hungry.  We had fried tofu, lo meen or some kind of noodles and Mongolian beef.  Good food but a tad too salty for my already dehydrated system.  David slept right through the entire dinner.

By the time we got done with our food, we had to look for a gas station to fill up the tank and if possible a car wash since we were not suppose to drive the rental car on gravel roads, we did and the price to pay for was a very dusty, dirty car.  I guess there was no such thing as car wash stations in Las Vegas.  Even gas stations were hard to come by.  When we found one, there was no car wash which we kinda thought.  Oh well, hopefully the car rental company will not add an extra charge on Tammy’s card.

Once we got back to the hotel, we had to return the stroller and I jumped right into the shower.  When I was done, I thought the other folks will be out like a light, but no, they were chatting.  They asked me if I wanted to hit the casino.  I said no coz I have already overspent with hardly any cash on me.  Corrine said I can go down and accompany them which I did.  Boy, did she have some good luck.  She two machines which struck some $$ for her.  All in all I think she won $160, enough to get her money back from the fees she had to pay for the Grand Canyon tour for her and David.

Driving in Vegas really is not my forte if you are not used to the other cars all over ya.  If I have driven in KL long enough I think my level of pissiness will be lower.  Don’t ask me to drive in Vegas again.

After our dinner at the Bellagio, we headed out to look for Grand Canyon tours.  We found one place and we were way too late to make any bookings.  It was already 8ish p.m. and all tours were full or only one or two seats left.  I went a head and book a seat for myself since the other 3 were not that interested.

I paid my deposit and then walked out and half way to Bellagio for the music fountain show, Leong stopped and we had a pow-wow in the middle of the sidewalk.  He said it would be better if we rent a car and then pay the $20 parking fee at the canyon park and then individual fees of $30/person to visit the Grand Canyon West Rim.  If we want to visit the Skywalk, we need to pay another $30/person.  If his mathematical brains, he summed up it would be cheaper if we rent the car since renting a car in Vegas is dirt cheap.  We all agreed and then walked to Bellagio where the music fountain started a minute or two before we got there.

From there we walked to Ceasar’s Palace, The Forum Shops and by then David was already getting really cranky.  That poor kid was tired and wanted to sleep but the stroller was a little too small for him but after a while he knocked out.

Ceasar’s Palace

At The Venetian: The shops along the Canal that runs through the hotel.

Right after the visit to the Venetian, we head back to our hotel to enquire about rental cars.  Unfortunately, we hve to go to the hotel next to ours, Treasure Island, where the nearest rental car was located - Dollar Rental.  Once we got back to our room, we made phone calls to the rental car company and thank god there was a 24-hour operator on call for our questions/bookings.  After every thing was finalized with the rental car company, I then had to call the tour company which I had paid a deposit for the Grand Canyon tour so they don’t have to stop at The Mirage to pick me up.

Dang, another long night.  We didn’t get to sleep till 2:30 a.m.

Day three of our Grand Canyon West rim tour will be tomorrow.  Stay tune.

Our day 2 in Vegas was spent walking and more walking along the Strip and exploring the hotels.  We started off walking from the Mirage to the Fashion Mall for breakfast. 

Siegfried & Roy, the magicians of the century

Porn and more porn along the Strip.  Definitely not a place for kids.

I don’t think I can make it to the Crazy Girls group, but I tried, but again, DB said if I had a pair of F**k me shoes and my butt sticking out, i might make it!

Outside the Sahara Hotel and Casino along the old Strip.

The Stratesphere

From where we were, at the old Strip, we stopped over at the Sahara Hotel and Casino.  Oh yeah I almost forgot to add this, we also rented a stroller for the little boy.  He is already 6 years old so the stroller was actually a little small for him.  Initally, he was actually complaining about it but we told him it’s a no whining day.  So he happily sat in the stroller and thank god for it.  Without the stroller, we will not be able to walk so much.

Ok, back to what I was gonna say, from the old Strip, we bought a day ticket on the monorail.  We had to BS the ticket girl that the boy was only 5.5 years old so his was free.  The ticket was $9.00 per adult.  The monorail starts from the Sahara Hotel and actually depends on where you are, we rode all the way to MGM Grand.

MGM Grand is another lovely hotel.  Its where all the heavy weight boxing competitions were held.  Every single hotel we went to, all guest room elevators have to pass through the casino.  Great thinking, huh.  Another Cirque du Soleil show in Vegas.  Corrine, Tammy and I were thinking of watching this show.  I told them Simmie said KA is the best, full of action, and she was right.  The Filipino lady we were talking to in the Cirque store said the same thing.  It was her favorite, too.

At the MGM Grand and another Cirque du Soleil show

Outside the MGM Grand walking towards the sky bridge towards New York New York.

But we didn’t go to New York New York.  Instead we walked to M&M’s World again because the kid needed to get something and he did not finish seeing the things in there.  From there we had our little snack at a food court.  I had Mexican burrito and we all shared a few little cups of Gelatos.  Gelatos are made of corn and it pretty much tastes like ice-cream but the texture is not the same, a little rough.

From there we walked back to the sky bridge to New York New York.  But of course on the way, it’s picture time of the Pepsi-Cola building, Brooklyn Bridge, and the Statue of Liberty.

From there we went to Excalibur.  Walking into that hotel is like walking into a castle, that was how I felt. 

From there we walked out to the desert heat to Luxor.  We were able to see the pyramid when the plane was descending on the day we flew in.   Walking into this part of the hotel is like walking into an oasis.  All the palm trees and the Egyptian figurines, pyramid and Sphinx around you.

After feeling like an Egyptian citizen, we had to walk back to Excalibur to Mandalay Bay to catch the monorail to the Bellagio where we met Leong for dinner.

David and I having a blast with hot babes in the background!

At the Bellagio conservatory garden.

My most expensive buffet ever $30 (including taxes) at the Bellagio.  It was my first time eating  Alaskan King Crab legs.  Dang, they were good, but then I had to think of those folks who had to risk the cold to catch them.  If you watch National Geographic, World Deadliest Job, catching these King crabs is not easy.  I stuffed myself silly with the above crabs, shrimp and more shrimp, salad, noodles, dumplings, cakes, creme bulee, custards, lamb, pork, beef and more dessert.  After all the food, I really paid for it: I planted myself on the throne three times as what David calls it “lau sai”.

(Continuation of our Bellagio, Ceasar Palace, The Venetian tour tomorrow)

The theme for this week’s PhotoHunt is to share any photo.  I will share a photo which I took at Hoover Dam.  Nothing fancy, was just playing with the different modes and caught a shot that I really like.  The next one is a picture of The Luxor with the clouds reflecting off the glass.

After my extreme activity, I got back to our hotel, took a shower and tried to nap coz all the rest of the gang were snoring away.  I tried and tried but no luck.  Finally I got up and called DB, talked for a while and tried to sleep.  Still to no avail.  Leong eventually got up as he was the one who snored the loudest.  He told us we have to get ready quick as he needed to go to the Bellagio to pick up our tickets to the Cirque du Soleil show “O” two hours before start time which was 10:30 p.m. 

We got to the Bellagio with a lot of picture taking on the way to the hotel and got our tickets and more pictures. 

Outside The Forum Shops

The Eiffel Tower from the Bellagio

Outside the “O” theater

Inside the Cirque du Soleil souvenier store

After we got our tickets, we had to look for food.  I was so hungry since I threw up my breakfast and no lunch for the day.  The rest of them had lunch.  So we went hunting down an ad we saw along the way the Strip for prime rib at $14.99.  Dirt cheap, if you asked me.  We eventually found it hidden in some older hotel which I forgot to take a picture.  The restaurant reminds me of Perkins or Baker’s Square but more Victorian style.  The restaurant also serves Chinese food.  We walloped our dinner really quickly and hurried to the Bellagio for our “O” show.

Too bad we cannot take any pictures in the theater.  The flashes from the cameras will interfere with the performers.  So, no pictures from this exquisite performance.  It was our first Cirque du Soleil show, it was fantastic.  Just lovely.  Very comical too and there are quite a bit of action.  There are some parts that almost put me to sleep.  Yes, I was nodding off since it was 11:30 pm PST and 1:30 a.m. CST plus with only 4 hours of sleep the night before.  The show ended at 12:15ish a.m. 

When we walked back to our hotel, I was just dying to get back as quick as I could.  I was dead beat.  When we got back all of us went to bed and then the freight train starts.  I had to turn the fan on in the bathroom to drown the noise out. 

(Day 2 at Lost Wages will continue tomorrow)

Continuation from the last post, I took off from the Strip at The Paris Hotel at 1:00 p.m. to Jean Airport, 20 minutes drive.  Since it was my first time in a desert state, everything was like so new to me.  So jakun, you know.   Ok, before I forget, I have to tell you guys I’m still waiting for the hotel to mail the CD of the pictures of my dive.  I left the CD and DVD in the hotel. 

Dawn, the lady from SinCity Sky Diving picked me up from and weaved through the horrible traffic of Las Vegas.  As we were driving to the landing, Dawn pointed out where the border of California and Nevada is.  Damn close. 

 Anyways, while Dawn was driving, I had to read and fill up the mumbo-jumbo forms, you know about the liability of what will happen if anything happens, that skydiving is a dangerous sport, blah, blah,blah times 100.  Yes, the formal documents sounded so intimidating but I kept telling myself, I made the reservation the day before, and I’m not gonna pull out.  Moreover, I have to put a great amount of trust on these folks.  I have to say that was how I overcame my fear and the desire to really want to do it.  Dawn also told me don’t let the forms I was reading intimidate me.   Honestly, it did for a minute or two.  I was thinking of “Darn it, I didn’t get to talk to my parents, sis, SD and her fiance before I left for my Vegas; what if I forgot my instructions while I was up there…..then I told myself, I’m just being too paranoid.  I have to let that feeling go.

The only picture I have with me of the jump right now is the picture I took of the video Brad showed me after we landed and back to the office.  Here you go…. 

I took it with my cellphone with a piss poor camera, but then it was better than nothing.

Before I was sent up to the plane, I actually had to watch some video of the forms I have already read.  Then more waiting coz the crew had to check the wind conditions.  While waiting for the crew to return, I was sitting on the sofa and watch the guy who specializes in cleaning, folding and whatever he has to do with parachutes.  It was amazing how he fold the whole big thing into a small tiny bag.

So, after sitting about 10 mintues, Dawn came over told me it’s all go for me.  Brad walked in, introduced and paid my deal, put on my sweatshirt, and the rest of the suit.  I also had to remove all jewelry on me, too.  Brad came over and told me he will me my tandem and instructor.  Gave me the harness, buckled me up, and I had to tighten my tennis incase it comes off!!  Brad walked over with a videocam and was video-ing me already.  That got me by surprise.  Then he gave me a bunch of instructions on what to do before the jump, at the door, during the jump and landing.  I told him what if I forget, he said it’s common for jumpers.  That’s why the instructors are there!

Right after that, off we went to the blue and gold color plane which you can see from the previous post.  Houston, time for lift off.  Since I was the only jumper, it was quite nice as I have the entire plane to myself where I was able to stretch out my legs, relax and wait, and wait.  Brad was sitted next to the pilot and my back was facing him.  He harnessed me up and as we got higher and higher, he tighten the harness so tight I could hardly breathe.  He said that’s ok.  I won’t feel anything in a bit. 

It was hot in that plane with all the sweatshirt and suit I got plus harnessed up to a 200 (?) pounds dude behind me.  But when the plane reached it’s jumping elevation, I could feel sweat on my forehead and I was cold!!  Woohooo, it was nervousness and butterflies.  I looked out the window and was just waiting for him to signal me.

Signal was given at the right spot and elevation.  I opened the door and the wind was just blowing at me.  If was not harnessed to Brad, I would be flying out the door!!  Seriously, it was that strong.  He told me to scoot out to the edge with my legs underneath the plane and holding on to my harness.  The view from above 12,000 feet was spectacular.  Plain view of the ground, desert and highways.  It reminds me of viewing a topographic map. 

The time came with a tap on my shoulder and he “pushed” me out.  The feeling was just incredible.  I love it so much I can do that again.  Just up in the air going against the wind (damn loud though) and feeling free.  Of course, all the instructions he gave me were all forgotten.  He had to remind me to push my head back and hips out as soon as we were off the plane with my hands on my harness.  At a certain height, I have let go of my legs that were wrapped tight to him and I had to kick his butt and let go of my hands from the harness, and that’s free falling.  Oh my God, unbelieveably cool up there.  I don’t know how to describe the feeling while I was falling from the sky with a 200-pound guy behind me, but I was not shaking.  The butterflies disappeared.  The harness was very super tight which hurts.  Brad reminded me to look into the camera that I almost forgot.

About don’t know how many seconds, Brad opened the chute and dang, it was loud and i was really hanging like a rag doll.  I was limped from being harnessed so tight.  Yes, it was that tight.  It was even tighter when the chute opened.  He then slowly loosen in on both sides which was much better, but still tight that I could still feel limped! 

Now for the unbelievable thing he did.  He swooshed the chute to the right with a quick dive down and that actually made me threw up.  (It reminded me of the show Space Cowboys where Tommy Lee Jones was flying planes and his passenger puked his lunch out!)  It was so unexpected like riding on a friggin roller coaster.  Once he knew I threw up, he slowly descend, which was about 10 minutes.  I was able to see where California is, the Strip from a far, rolling desert hills and cars, trucks that looked like ants.  The landing was a smooth one. And then I saw my puke!!  On myself, yeah, laugh all you want, but we all laughed at it too coz he said all divers throw up when they do that quick dive down and I won’t be the last one either.  Hahahaha, but it was still a good landing and I remember to stick my legs out and pretend I was sitting.  He said some folks want to land with their legs straight out. 

The  puking wasn’t the best part.  The best part was when I had to get off the van.  The van was there to pick us up and back to the airport landing.  Brad reminded me that when the van door opens, there is a step I have to watch out for, telling me to make sure I don’t miss that step.   Well, as soon as I the van door opened, I stepped out and I will be damn, I missed the top step and almost fell but I caught myself.  Dawn and Brad said every single jumper did that.  Why?  It’s the adrenalin rush in them and the feeling of what I call it - stoned!  I was surprised I was still able to walk.

Got my Cd and DVD from Brad, took a picture with them and Dawn took me back to my hotel.  My whole entire body still felt light and Dawn said I will probably knock out when I get to the hotel.  I didn’t.  I was wide awake telling my experience to the folks in the rooms and letting them watch the video. 

There were a lot of marks and bruises on me from the harness, light ones, though.

Overall, I have to say it was a wonderful experience even tho I threw up.  So goes my McDonald’s breakfast.  I was still able to experience the moments of falling from the sky, the free fall, the feel of being so high up in the sky.  Yeah, I’m nuts and  I know everyone thinks I totally out of my mind to do it.  Guess that’s me, I love to take risks.

I left for Las Vegas on May 4, returned yesterday, May 7.  The trip was just an awesome trip.  Very tired coz I think overall I had about 12 hours of sleep for the 3 nights we were there.  Thanks again Corrine and Leong for inviting me to  Vegas.  Tammy, i know you will read this, thanks for putting up with my BS.

OK, here is my recap of my trip.  Gotta put this down so I don’t forget since I’m already forgetting so easily.  I got to Hubert Humprey airport at 5:50 a.m. with the check-in lines a mile long.  Checked in my luggage, went through security and once the TSA officer was pointing up on the screen, immediately I remembered: I packed the tube of sun screen which was more than the normal requirement which I don’t even remember what it was.  Pulled me aside and checked my backpack and then I told her I think that was what she saw - the tube.  Darn it.  It was ok.

Met up with Corrine, her family and Tammy.  They were already waiting for me and right after I did my bathroom stop, boarded the plane and off we went…..Vegas, baby!  Departed at 7:00 a.m. CST on the nuts.  The flight with Sun Country airlines was a very pleasant surprise.  The service was by far better than Northworse.  Sun Country provided a free meal that was the most important thing coz we were famished.  I sat next to a couple, Judy and Jim, from Eagan who hve been to Las Vegas and cruises every year.  We had a wonderful chat which helped past the three-hour ride.

Once we arrived at McCarran Intl airport at 9:10 a.m. PST, got my luggage and hailed a taxi van.  Oh, I always thought Nevada is Mountain time, but it’s Pacific time.  The hotel we stayed in was The Mirage. 

The pool in The Mirage

Traffic to the hotel was horrible.  I was warned not to drive in Vegas.  Since we were early, we could not check in, so we left our luggage with the bellhop and off we went to checked out the hotel.  The hotel has a very beautiful pool area and to see what else we could do in the hotel for David, Corrine and Leong’s 6-year old kid.  We thought of the Dolphin show for him but it was just not worth the money.   When we were done scouting around, we needed food.  It was still breakfast in Vegas but our stomachs were dying for lunch!!  We headed to McDonalds which was right across the Mirage. 

Right after our lunch, with more energy, we pounded the Strip.  Man, the Strip was just too awesome.  We or actually me, took a lot of pictures.  We walked all the way to the Coke and M&M’s factory.  The weather was great.  Even though it was hot with temps of around 80-85 degrees, I was not sweating.  The air was just plain desert air - dry to the bone.  I was so in need of water coz I knew it when my lips starts to hurt.

Along the Las Vegas Boulevard, The Strip

Bellagio in the background

M&M’s World

Inside the M&M’s World

The “O” at the Bellagio

I sent my separate ways around 12:40 p.m. to meet the van from SinCity Skydiving company to pick me up from the Paris Hotel which was in the middle of the strip.  Since I was early, I went in the hotel and boy, very beautiful.  All the pictures of my trip will come later coz I’m still downloading them and it’s going darn slow.  Anyways, I didn’t go up the Eiffel Tower but managed to walked around for about 15 minutes before I left for my extreme activity, skydiving.  The story on my skydiving experience is going to be another post.

I will continue with the rest of the story tomorrow but now here are some of the pictures. 

The Smart for Two car.  I was not the only one taking a picture of this car.

Inside the Paris Hotel at the lobby

Paris Hotel

The airport where I took off for my skydiving.

The plane on the right was the one I was in for the tandem jump.

The guy who was hired by the company to tend to the parachutes.

Me with my tandem instructor, Brad and Dawn.  Both of them were from St Louis Park, MN. 

Yep, it’s confirmed, I’m going to Las Vegas on May 4-7.   I had to ask Ms. E to move her flex Monday to a different so she could be here in the office while my boss and I are in Vegas.  It’s weird, my boss will be in Vegas that week, too.  We might bump into each other.

Tammy will get the air tickets and I will take care of tickets to Cirque du Soleil.  I told Corrine and Tammy about Le Reve, an aquatic presentation by Cirque du Soleil.  I have employee discounts through my company so tickets are about $108.90 per person plus children need a ticket, too.  Yeah, it’s cut-throat but what to do, we really want to see Cirque du Soleil.

The next event I would like to attend is the Richard Petty Driving Experience.  Since I’m already in Vegas, I should visit the Las Vegas Speedway and hop in one of the NASCAR  car, going 160 mph for 3 laps.  I might pee in my pants, but that is one of my one thing to do before I kick the bucket!  Moreover, who knows when will I ever go to Vegas again. 

The rest of the activities will be arranged while we are there like the Hoover Dam and maybe the Grand Canyon tour.  There are employee discounts, too, from my company.   Will have to discuss with the other participants.  I am so pumped!