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G'day, back from Oz! Trip Reports before and after...

 
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Mammothgambler



Joined: 25 Dec 2005
Posts: 619

PostPosted: Sep Tue 08, 2009 6:35 pm    Post subject: G'day, back from Oz! Trip Reports before and after... Reply with quote

Hope everyone is doing well! I think I'm finally over the jetlag, so decided to post my trip reports before (and unplanned after) at the Pep and the Sands. Oz was a blast, even with waves that went flat. Already making plans to go back in April, hopefully Reno will do me better next time...

I started out in Mammoth in front of McDonald's on Friday, August 14. Everyone was waiting for the Eastern Sierra Transit bus that goes to Reno and stops in all places in between. After no success with finding an available one way car rental from Mammoth to LA or Reno, the bus was the only way out.

Got to Reno at about 12:00 noon. Tried checking my baggage in at the United kiosk but was told it was too early, so it was off to the Pep.

First thing I did was stop by the Passport booth to get a new card. Surprisingly, the cards finally have a new look and have been redesigned. There's now an image of the Tuscan Tower on them. I was kind of surprised, but the attendant just randomly gave me $35 free slot play in addition to an Adventures in Tuscany coupon book. Just like they give you when you're staying there on the comp offer, but without actually staying there. Maybe she was confused?

Anyway, lost it in about 10 minutes among the Double Ten Times Pay machines, so it was off to the Coffee Shop.

One of the coupons was for $10 off $20 or more at the Coffee Shop, so I went all out and got a Peppermill cut of Prime Rib. It was probably the best I've had there yet - really seasoned down with either rosemary or sage (sorry, don't know the herbs and spices too well!)

Next thing you know, I was down $350. Ouch! Mostly stuck to the old standby machines, think it may be time to find some new ones! Back to the airport, then the journey to down under began...

In a nutshell, Australia was just that, Surfers Paradise! Wound up winning $40 AU at Conrad Jupiters Casino in Broadbeach, and I could write a whole novel about my week there, but since this about Reno, here's the flip side of the trip report on the way back. Like I've said before, NEVER A DULL MOMENT...

When I landed at LAX on Sunday August 23, my original intent was to rent a car, see some friends in LA, drive it back to Mammoth, and then back to Reno later on in the week where I could catch the bus back. Right off the plane after 17 hours of flying with an 8 hour layover in between, I was notified that Hertz had a big glitch going on in their reservations system and even 5 Star Gold Members with reservations (like myself) were getting denied. Well, sure enough, I was one of 'em! LONG story short, most of the other car rental places were booked, and I didn't feel like blowing $200 on a "Distressed Traveler Discount Night" at the Four Seasons, so I spent the night in the food court and wound up booking a flight to Reno for the next morning. Just what I needed after a 17 hour plane ride...

About an hour before the plane's supposed to take off, I get a call from the Southwest Airlines desk, who notified me that the flight I had purchased got cancelled and that they were going to put me on a later one. Not really a problem, except for one major detail: that flight landed in Reno at 2:30 and the bus for Mammoth took off at 1:50. Uh-oh, stuck in Reno again!

Since I was kinda sorta not supposed to be going home through Reno at all, I didn't even think about bringing any of my cards or comp offers on my trip...but I figured maybe I'd get lucky in still getting them honored. Back to the Pep!

Although I now have a total of 10 free nights in a tower room there (yeah, there was another coupon for four more free nights when I got back home!), some of which don't expire until next year, unfortunately the lady at the Passport booth was clueless and said nothing could be done without the physical coupon, so I kind of just gave up at that point. (Glad the other lady mistakenly gave me all that stuff on my trip out...)

From there, I decided to call the Sands Regency. I had only stayed there once since Terrible's took it over a couple years back and I recall having a few free nights there. Turns out they were able to honor them without a coupon, no problem.

Looks like they're only doing the $100 incidental deposit for Reno locals now, they told me, so it was almost too easy to check in and out.

The Sands still looks good for the most part, the only thing I noticed were a few stains on the carpet. I'm almost thinking that they've made some improvements here and there since Terrible's took it over. Although I didn't do any gaming that night, I was able to get a late-nite dining session in at Arby's. Here are a few shots and a video clip of my room, which was on the 16th floor of the Dynasty tower overlooking the Skyline.




























Next day, I was checked out by noon, still WAY jetlagged. Decided to park my luggage at the bell desk and check out the casino for a bit while waiting for the 1 PM shuttle to the airport.

That gambling session was dedicated to Wheel of Fortune machines exclusively, it seems like no one has them any more! Started off on the nickels, then moved to the quarters, then moved to the dollars, got a few SPINS and came out about $60 ahead. But still under from the trip out!

So, that was it for this trip on the way to and from the South Pacific. I uploaded a ton of pictures from Surfers Paradise to a web photo gallery if anyone's interested:

http://mammothsnowboarder.angelfire.com/surfers/index.htm

(Sorry about all the banner and pop-up ads, I had to upload this gallery to my "free" storage space...)

Mammothgambler
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remano



Joined: 20 Dec 2005
Posts: 717

PostPosted: Sep Tue 08, 2009 6:53 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks for taking the time to write. I enjoyed it. Even though it's OT, I would also like to see a little about your gaming experiences Down Under.
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hawk



Joined: 17 Dec 2005
Posts: 508

PostPosted: Sep Tue 08, 2009 9:38 pm    Post subject: now, now, Remano--- Reply with quote

really, Remano, when did/or does/this board ever get OT?????

Warning? That's why we have moderators!!!!

JK...
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RenoLady



Joined: 23 Feb 2006
Posts: 316

PostPosted: Sep Mon 28, 2009 12:35 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks for writing, nice pics of down under, looks more tropical than I would have thought.

Why would the Player's Clubs burn you without the coupon? don't they WANT your business? especially in this economy.

Sands doesn't look too bad, and they were nicer about the coupon thingy.
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ErininSD



Joined: 19 Dec 2005
Posts: 265

PostPosted: Oct Fri 02, 2009 4:57 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yuck, you think those rooms at the Sands look good barring the floor stains??? I'm not trying to be a snob, but that's not the type of hotel I'm used too...LOL
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llkraus



Joined: 28 Dec 2005
Posts: 104
Location: Tyler, TX

PostPosted: Oct Sat 03, 2009 9:08 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

When I'm in Reno/Tahoe or Vegas, I only use my room for the four S's (sleep, shower, shave, and the other S). The Sands is perfectly fine for those activities.

llk
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Larry L. Kraus
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ErininSD



Joined: 19 Dec 2005
Posts: 265

PostPosted: Oct Sat 03, 2009 6:56 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

So is a Motel 6, but it's not somewhere I would stay...just sayin.
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llkraus



Joined: 28 Dec 2005
Posts: 104
Location: Tyler, TX

PostPosted: Oct Sat 03, 2009 9:45 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

To each his/her own, I guess.

llk
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Larry L. Kraus
Tyler, TX
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