I'm back!

[DonnaT]

Hello Ladies,

Back from Vegas! Quite a change from the upper 90 degree weather to the 60s here in Virginia. Broke this up in parts, as it's appearing to be a little long.

We flew in on Saturday, rented a car and found our way to the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino (http://www.mandalaybay.com/home.jsp) (this is not the same as The Hotel at Mandalay Bay) where we were to stay. Of the hotels along the strip, it is the first big hotel one comes to after leaving the airport, a very short drive. Not bad.

First impressions, and even second impressions, are not reliable. From the outside - Wow three towers radiating from a central axis, but trying to find the entrance to the place was a trip in itself. There was no direct entrance off the strip (Las Vegas Blvd) but we found the self parking garage in the rear of the hotel. We ended up parking there and left the luggage in the car.

Entering from the garage we found ourselves having to navigate the Casino to find the registration desk. Like most of the casinos, signs pointing the right direction were few and misleading, as they took around the casino floor whereas we could have walk another direction and got there quicker.

After waiting in line, like forever, we registered and in the handouts was a tiny map of the hotel and casino‛s layout. The place was different than you see in the movies. They didn‛t ask if we had luggage, nor ask if we need help with it. At no point did I see anyone looking or acting like a bellboy.

After getting our room keycards, we went to check it out before going to get the luggage. There are three towers, and we were staying on the 28th floor. The elevators to our floor were direct from the CL (casino level) to 17, then went to each floor starting at 17 up to 32. There was a very long line to even get on one of the 8 elevators that went to our floor, so that took forever just to get near one much less on one.

So far, although the place look real nice, I was not overly impressed with things so far and had reservations about recommending this hotel to anyone. But, once we got settled in and after a few days of visiting other hotels and casinos, I would say this is the place to stay. We didn‛t get around to all the hotels, however.

Later that day, we were to have dinner at a steak place on the strip (Smith & Wollensky) as recommended by my sister-in-law. While we were getting unpacked, my daughter called. She had to call my cell phone, because my wife hadn‛t turned hers on yet. She was a little upset that she had to call me to talk to my wife, because she was trying to surprise me with her visit to Vegas. Anyway, I knew nothing was up until we suddenly had a change in dinner plans, and were now headed to a Japanese place (Hikari Japanese Steak House & Sushi Bar on Buffalo Dr. (good thing we had a car and a street map).

At first, I though our daughter had just made arrangements for my birthday, but that was still a few days away. But when we walked in and checked on the reservations it was for 4. Aha!
Now, I‛m a little concerned. The next evening was to be my night out to La Cage, enfemme, and my daughter (unlike my son) does not know of my CDing.

Part 2 to follow, maybe :D .

[Priscilla1018]

Welcome back.Can't wait for part two.

[paulaN]

welcome back, part two soon please.

[DonnaT]

Back from Vegas, part 2

Turns out that there were no plans for our daughter and her guy friend to accompany us on Sunday, so I didn‛t have to worry about my enfemme night to La Cage.

The night out.

This was to be my first night out in public, and I learned one thing for sure, leave enough time to get ready.

We spent Sunday morning at the hotel‛s pool complex. Then that afternoon we drove over to the west side of Vegas to visit a couple of quilt shops. One was in the upper end, and another almost directly west of the hotel a few miles. The one in the upper NW, turns out, was closed when we got there. All was not lost, however, as we did find a Sonic Drivein (http://www.sonicdrivein.com/index.jsp). For those not familiar, it is an old fashion type drive in with girls on skates bringing food out to the car, and in my opinion, one of the best hamburgers ever made. Got hooked on them in Texas, but the closest here in Virginia is over a hundred miles away. Uh-oh, there goes the diet.

After lunch we hit the other quilt shop. It was open and my wife found some interesting material. We then headed back to the hotel to rest up for the 7:30 show at the Riviera. I should have started getting ready then, such as doing my nails, but wasted a few hours resting instead.

I still had to iron my outfit, as it was a bit wrinkled from being packed. After I ironed it, and after getting a shower, my wife asked me to iron her outfit as she showered. Oh my God. It included a pleated skirt, and I‛ve never ironed them before. I figured, ok, they are permanent creases right? So I spread it over the ironing board and promptly began ironing out the wrinkles, and losing the sharp creases in the pleats all the while. My wife saw what I was doing, and asked if I was ironing out the pleats. Oh, no, not me, they‛ll be fine. Well it took me even longer to re-crease the pleats.

By the time this was done, I now had to get dressed, do my makeup, and nails. As some of you are aware, my wife is not too enthused with the CDing as it is, much less my going out enfemme. However, it was for my birthday so she was willing.

As were both in the bathroom (toilet) putting on our makeup at the same time, she keep looking over and watching me get ready. As she watched she became even more concerned, saying she didn‛t think she could do this. Of course, that made me a little nervous, but then she said she‛d wait in the car. I reckon she could watch me get ready any longer. Heck, she‛s seen me get ready before, but I reckon her nerves were quite a bit more frayed knowing we were about to walk through this big hotel and casino to the car. I had hoped before we left for Vegas, she would be able to handle it, but evidently she wasn‛t up to the task. Anyway, as she left, this started a "comedy of errors" in my haste to get ready so she wouldn‛t have to wait long in the car. Plus I was praying she didn‛t get even more nervous and drive off.

After finally getting my makeup done, I put on my wig and realized I should have put on my blouse first. Taking off the wig caused my wig cap to slip, thus causing the tape I used to arch my brows to move, so now the eyes didn‛t look right and I didn‛t have time to fix it. After getting my blouse on, I realized my nails weren‛t done. Yes, I stopped to take time to do them, after all, may hands were in no way fem looking without it, and I had bout new polish to match my top.

Ok, in a hurry and trying to do nails is not a good combination. Time‛s a wasting! Now my wife calls asking where I am. I also realized that I had forgot to put on the new necklace and bracelet she had just bought me for that night.

I couldn‛t do the bracelet up by myself, not with these thick wrists, and the necklace was difficult to do without messing up my nails. Failed that task, so it was off with the polish on a couple of nails, then reapply. And guess what, I still had to put my wig on, but my nails were wet. Sure could have used the OPI rapid dry then, but it was still at home.

OK, finally ready, now I had to put some things in my small handbag, and head to the car. On the elevator down I got quite a few double takes, but no one said anything. So now I know for sure, I don‛t pass. However, I wasn‛t the least worried about passing, as I had never fooled myself into thinking I could.

After exiting the elevator and making my way to garage, I was glad I wore the chunky heels instead of the spiked ones. Note that I‛ve never walked a long distance in heels, and I soon realized that I was going to have a problem. Normally, walking around the house in heels is easy, but I have tendinitis in my right ankle, and it soon weakened from the strain.

Getting to the garage, finally, I forgot what level the car was on. Couldn‛t call my wife, because there was no room for the phone in the handbag. The car wasn‛t where I thought I had left it. So, either my wife left, or I was on the wrong level. I then went to the next level, and was happy to see the car was still there. All this walking was paying hell on my ankle, and I still had to walk from the garage at the Riviera to the theater on the other side of the casino, and this walk, or should I say hobble, frustrated my already nervous wife as I had to stop and sit a couple of times.

We finally made it to the theater, and found that most of the patrons were already in line, so I knew the seats, being first come, were not going to be the best.

The show was good, however :D. I could hear guys in the audience wondering if the impersonators were really men and asking how they got such fem figures, or making comments such as "that‛s not a guy‛s butt". Of course, when one of the impersonators did a routine to change from girl to guy, that put to rest any doubts as to authenticity of the performers.

Now, you may be wondering where are the pictures. Of course, since my wife had gone to the car before I was made up and dressed, there were no picture taking. :( Nor did she take the camera, and I didn‛t look for it when I left the room. Sorry.

After the show, we were headed to the Hard Rock Cafe (http://www.hardrock.com) and their hotel and casino. During the drive there, our daughter called and invited us to the Bellagio.

Part 3, to follow.

[racquel]

Good to hear from you again Donna.My heart ached reading part 2,I wish thing's had gone smoother for you.looking forward to part 3.Hope it has a great ending.huggs.

[Tristen Cox]

I just wanted to say, welcome back. Sorry about the pictures though. Will be looking for the third installment :)

[DonnaT]

Hi all, thanks. Ok here's the end.


Back from Vegas, part 3.

Instead of my wife telling our daughter where we were headed, she said we'd be there. Note that I've been driving the whole time in Vegas, and was driving at the time.

OK, she said, let's go back to the hotel and change. Whew!

When got back to the garage, I took my heels in hand and walked in stocking feet back to the room. No way was I going to make it in quick time otherwise. Good thing I use Noxzema, also, as it took the makeup off quickly.

We changed and instead of trying to drive there that late at night, we decided to take the tram. If you've ever tried to get into the Bellagio garage at night, you'd understand the decision. Turns out, however, that the tram from Mandalay Bay only went as far as the Excalibur. http://www.vegas.com/map.html

We ended up walking from the Excalibur to Bellagio, 1.2 miles, weaving through the other pedestrians, and my ankle still on fire.

At the Bellagio, we found the lounge my daughter was in, and had a couple of drinks before they took us to learn how to play craps. Note that it was too windy for the water show, so we couldn't get pictures nor a movie of it. At the craps table, Greg, my daughters guy friend pulled off a few bills and he and my daughter started showing us how the game was played.

After a bit, my daughter handed a few chips to us and I gave them to my wife to join in. I took over for her and joined in a little later. Whenever Greg or I rolled we got more throws than anyone else at the table, before crapping out. About 3 a.m. we put our chips all back together and Greg walked away with $545. Hey, it was his seed money :D . It was fun, but my wife and I didn't get hooked on it.

The next day, we had a tour of Hoover Dam to go to. That was a pretty good tour. That night we had tickets for Cirque de Soleil. I found it funny that there were so many CDs/genderqueers in the show, and My wife was thinking that the CDing thing was over for the trip. Which show, you ask? Zumanity at the NY-NY Hotel and Casino. Very adult oriented, and a very good show.

The next few days we had dinner at the Stratosphere, saw the Mama Mia show and did a lot of walking and shopping, including a visit to Glamour Boutique. I didn't buy anything except fem stuff until the last day there. My wife went with me to the Boutique, and while she waited in the lounge (a couch beside the desk), someone called and was asking about the services that were provided there. My wife was surprised upon hearing about them all. She was pretty cool, too, talking about a few things with the new girl at the desk. A couple of guys came in, and I think they were a bit nervous seeing my wife sitting there :D . Amy wasn't there, so I couldn't say hi from Holly. :(

All the walking, which would have been quite a bit more if we hadn't had a car, resulted in a loss of about 4 lbs. That's not bad, considering the non-diet meals :D .

On my birthday, I called my Mom. Turns out she was trying to get my brothers to get together and surprise me in Vegas. Boy would there have been a surprise if they had shown up.

We had a great time, and I really appreciate my wife's birthday gift.

[Fallen Angel]

donna all in all sounds like you had some fun along the way sorry about part 2 things happen but as special as you are im sorry that your dressing was a bit of a dissapiontment xxxxxxxxx

[Holly]

Donna,

Holly's first trip to Vegas wasn't the finest experience of my life, either. But it did open me up to what the possiblities were. I do hope that you won't let your disappointments keep you from trying again. Happy Birthday, honey. Enjoy life!

[DonnaT]

Thanks everyone.

I wasn't disappointed, really. Wishing things had gone smoother for sure, but it was my fault for not realizing how long it would take to get ready.

But I did get out. Right? A very big step for my wife too. She's been trying so hard. Gotta love her. :D

[Wendy me]

donna wow veary nice next time ....we wan't pitchures ...sounds like a real good time ....happy happy birthday......

[Sharon]

It sounds like anything that could go wrong, did go wrong, Donna. I'm so glad you kept your humor and had a good time anyway.
With all the places in the country and the world that I have visited, I have never gotten around to Vegas, even though it has always been on my list. I may actually make a true effort to go there now. With your fine description of your travails, I will have the foreknowledge of what to do, and, more importantly, what not to do. Thank you!

Welcome home! :)