Teri and Mikey's Excellent Las Vegas Adventure!

Hi Gang! I'm back from Las Vegas, where Teri and I had a blast-a-mundo! We met through eHarmony.com, and have been emailing for over three months. I live in Kent, Washington, and she lives in Miami Beach, Florida. This is the first time we have met in person. She is the sweetest woman I have ever met, and I will have to say that of all of the women I have dated over the years in my life, she is the one for me. I feel that I am truly in love for the first time in my life, and she feels the same way. We have so much in common that it's like she said, "It's just like meeting an old and dear friend again that you've known for years." We both feel real confident about our decision, and will get married on our future trip to Las Vegas on October 30th. Teri just loves Las Vegas and wants to go back soon. She has been on a diet and has lost fifty pounds and looks real good. She needs to hire and train a replacement manager for her position which will take about a month. I'll be driving to Miami Beach in late September and will bring her and the two chow-chow dogs to our new home here in Kent, Washington. The 7,125 mile trip will take about two weeks. That's going to be another excellent adventure to tell you about.

Thursday, July 15th: I met Teri about 5 pm at the airport shuttle stop and we went over to Walgreen's on Fremont Street for toiletries and bottled water for coffee and then up to our room at Fitzgerald's. She took a long bubble bath and I took a shower. We got dressed and went out wandering around Fremont Street, had a nice dinner at the Paradise Buffet in the Fremont casino, and then back to the outdoor stage next to Fitzgerald's where the Speaks Brothers band was playing Springsteen, ZZ Top, and etcetera songs that we both love. Then up to the room and rented Man On Fire starring Denzel Washington on pay-per-view. After the movie it was time to sleep as we were both exhausted.

Friday, July 16th: We got up early and after a couple of cups of coffee to wake us up, caught the CAT bus about 7:30 am that runs Las Vegas Boulevard "The Strip" from the start on Fremont Street and rode it to the Luxor. All of the buses are PWD (person with disability) accessible and I just drove my scooter in and they fastened it down with belts. She is an Egypt enthusiast just like my sister Sharon, and really liked everything she saw at the Luxor. Next we explored the Excalibur and she liked it because of the knights in armor and etcetera. Next was New York, New York, and then the MGM Grand where we saw the lions. Next was the Bellagio, but the fountains in front were being repaired, so that was a bust. With the 105 degree heat and all of the sightseeing, it was time to head back to the room for our tired out explorers to take a shower. We went back to the Paradise Buffet, and then listened to the same band play as before.

Saturday, July 17th: Got up early again, and took the bus to the Flamingo Hilton to see the flamingoes, extra-large koi, and the African penguins. We lucked out as it was feeding time for the penguins and the keeper was out there telling all about them and fed them fish while she answered questions. After that we went across the street to Caesar's Palace to see the Roman gladiators, but the whole place was torn up with remodeling and that was a bust. Next was the Mirage where we were just in time to see them bring out one of the white tigers in a large glassed in enclosure. Teri paid twelve dollars each for us to go into where there were several dolphins doing their stuff in a two million gallon pond. We went across a bridge into Sigfried and Roy's Secret Garden where the white tigers, white lions, and an elephant were on display. Next up was Treasure Island to see the pirate ships and stuff. We then wandered up the strip and went into the Aladdin where they have a very large seemingly endless mall. We wanted to eat at Todai, a Japanese sushi and seafood buffet, but fifteen dollars apiece was too much to pay for lunch. By this time our intrepid travelers were ready for the room and much needed baths after the 106 degree heat and sunshine. Back down to the Fitzgerald's casino where I blew $100.00 playing Let It Ride, and then once again to the Paradise Buffet. We listened to more music from the same band as before, then I took Teri up to Fitzgerald's showroom to see Steve Connolly, the best Elvis impersonator there is. We then went over to the sports bar to meet Goni, Gary, and Robert. Goni is a cocktail waitress who met her husband online, and wanted to meet Teri. Unfortunately she slipped on the wet floor in the employee locker room and broke her arm, so was unable to work. Gary and Robert, the bartenders, were thrilled to meet Teri as I had told them about her on a previous visit. Teri had a nice time playing 25¢ Video Poker. Back to the room and bed time.

Sunday, July 18th: We slept late and lounged around in the room drinking coffee and having a long talk. Teri loves coffee, and drinks it by the gallon just like I do. We left the room in the afternoon and wandered around. Teri found a souvenir shop she liked next door to Fitzgerald's and bought tee-shirts and things for people back home in Florida. We took her purchases up to our room, and then went over to Neonopolis and saw The Terminal with Tom Hanks at the 12 screen cinema. We both really liked the movie and if you see it, you'll need a hanky to dry the tears. More Let It Ride and another $100.00 lost later, it was back to the room where I proposed the right way by getting down on my good knee.

Monday, July 19th: We checked out of the room about 10:30 am and then wandered around Fremont Street some more before going to the jewelry store. I bought a real pretty set of rings for her and me at The World Merchants-Importers across from Fitzgerald's on Carson Street. The rings were sized while we went to Banque of Amerika so that I could make a savings withdrawal to pay for them. Here's a picture of her wedding ring set. There is a 1/2 carat total weight of brilliant-cut diamonds with a 1/5 carat marquise diamond in the center. My band is just a plain gold one like all married men wear. The cost of her ring set was $399.00 with no tax for a cash sale since we aren't Nevada residents.

Just for grins, we went to a wedding chapel across from the jewelry store, but Teri didn't like it and thought it was tacky like a McDonald's style chapel. She wants to wait and research Las Vegas wedding chapels until she finds the one that she likes. I'm leaving the wedding plans up to her. Back to the Paradise Buffet (you'll guess by now that we really liked it) for lunch. Then we went back to Fitzgerald's so that I could make a final attempt to win at Let It Ride, but lost another $100.00. We caught a Coach USA shuttle to the airport where I went to my gate for the flight home to Kent, Washington, and she to her gate for the flight home to Miami Beach, Florida.

My 7:45 pm flight on Southwest Airlines was uneventful and on time, but Teri's 11:00 pm flight on Delta/Song Airlines was the flight from hell. No sooner had they gotten airborne when all of the lights in the cabin went out leaving the passengers in total darkness. The pilot immediately turned the plane around and landed. They taxied back to the gate where maintainace putzed around with wires and circuit-breakers to get the lights working again. By now it was after midnight and they were an hour late before taking off again. The pilot managed to make up for lost time, but they arrived in Orlando, FL 10 minutes after Teri's connecting flight to Miami, FL had left. To make up for missing her connection, Delta/Song Airlines gave her a first class seat on the next flight and had a limousine drive her from the airport to her apartment door.

So there you have it - Teri and Mikey's excellent Las Vegas adventure.

Mikey