youngORDboi

This is my 3rd round trip of my adulthood.
I'm 23 so I'm an adult right?? Someone said I had to be 25!!??

Back in August I decided to go back to Las Vegas for new years since Labor Day was out of the question. I jumped online after some friends came back from Vegas in August. To my horror mostly all the hotels on the Strip were full or near to it! But luckily I got in the MGM Grand with a West Wing Suite which was a GREAT room! WN were only taking reservations to Dec. 2nd 2006. A month later in September they opened up to 2007 and those Vulchers took all the low fares in one day! I was hot I tell you! I had been checking everyday for those dates to open and look what happened!

12/31/2006
MDW-LAS
Southwest Airlines Flight 1174
Reg: N713SW Shamumu 737-700
Gate B22 Dep. 920am Arr. 1125am Seat 16F

I only got 40 minutes of sleep the night before. My plan was to sleep on the plane but that didn't work out one bit! I can't sleep on planes! I get too nervous.
My Grandfather and I left the Roseland area and made a 30 minute drive North on Cicero to MDW. It was cloudy and raining at about 645am. We pulled up to a packed MDW. I walked to the checkin line just to check luggage. The line was long but it moved very quickly! I think I was only in line 25 minutes. ORD can't even more lines that fast and I was shocked!




Soon after I saw my bag placed on the belt, I was being such a passenger lol, I went to the Escalators leading to the bridge to security and the gates, which its across the street.
Going to the Gates from the Main Lobby
http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r...s/100_0435.jpg
http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r...s/100_0450.jpg
http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r...s/100_0441.jpg

So I'm walking to the end of Concourse B which was a long walk. I sit down and a plane was already at the gate. It was another Whale from SWA but this one was a 737-700! Im like ok kewl, they have two of them. So time goes by and I'm listening to my ipod, La Tortura by Shakira and Alejandro Sanz(I'm studying Spanish hehehehehe!) I had an A boarding pass and the announcement was made for boarding at 9am. WAIT, I'm flying on one of the Shamumu Planes!! I got a Whale to Vegas hahahaha! Back in March on my way back home from Vegas I got New Mexico One! So I have been on two Special SWA planes. But I couldn't get a picture of it. But the reg is listed above. I got butterflies in my stomach. I still have some fears about flying but I thought I would be more relaxed by now. Going up was bumpy because of the rain and clouds so I had my eyes closed. SWA is great I tell you the truth! On time everything with this trip and the Flight crew were some of the best I have seen. They are just soooooo relaxed. I had an all MDW based crew one of whom said "Please stow your heavy bags in the overhead bin, the same ones you should have checked in anyway". I thought that was so funny cause its true! Here are shots from the air onward to Las Vegas for New Years!
http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r...s/100_0451.jpg
http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r...s/100_0452.jpg

An hour into the flight I took out my new DVD player I bought for the next time I fly! Having something to watch calmed me down a lot and I became so relaxed on the flight. There was no one between me and my row mate. I forgot to turn the flash off the cam when I took this next picture and the cabin lit up! I became so ashamed I think I turned red, but I have brown skin so you couldn't tell lol. I was watching the Magnificent Captain Jack Sparrow in Dead Mans Chest.
http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r...s/100_0454.jpg


We arrived into LAS 30 minutes early. The first officer said the winds weren't as bad as reported to them earlier. I was very excited to be back in Vegas!! The last picture shows the new Signature at the MGM Grand where I stayed. Three new Suite Hotels behind the MGM are open except one. It was taken from baggage claim which had great views!
http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r...s/100_0463.jpg

I was glad to see my checked luggage made it to LAS and soon I checked into my room with MGM while still at LAS and a shuttle took me to the Hotel.
http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r...s/100_0468.jpg
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So after being amazed by this great hotel I found the West Wing corridor to go to my room on the 14th floor
My Room
http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r...s/100_0479.jpg

I ran over to the NYNY which is a very kewl hotel. I got 2 hot dogs with fries and water and went back to my room. I had only got an hour of sleep the night before so I took a 4 hour nap. I got up at 4pm to get ready to see the other side of Cirque Du Soleil's show Zumanity. I saw KA once before and this time I wanted to see O at the Bellagio. But the tickets were a little pricy so I debatted what to see for 2 weeks. Im so glad I chose Zumanity. I loved the entire show. It explored sexuality in a tasteful way and the shocker was two guys kissing!! I was smiling so hard at that one hehehehehehehe. After that the Strip was being shut down for the Celebration of the new year all four miles of it!! I could not walk it was mass chaos. I loved every minute of it lol. some pics:
http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r...s/100_0507.jpg

The new Planet Hollywood is about 90% finished. This property will no longer be the Aladdin!
http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r...s/100_0510.jpg
http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r...s/100_0516.jpg

Soon the time had passed to 1155pm on the strip and there was only standing room for the Fireworks show from MGM, Monte Carlo, Stratosphere, Venetian and 3 other hotels for a 007 theme this year. Here is the video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=omgT3Ch7ZK0

The next day I was so tired. All the walking and drinking I did...I was so bad lol.
Later on that day took the monorail over to the LV Hilton to go back to the star trek experience. I had dinner at Quarks bar and I took a picture in the Captains chair of the Star Ship Enterprise NC170D!!

I stoped by the Bellagio to finally see a fountain show! I had never seen anything like this before and it was very good and well put together.
Video of the fountain show at the Bellagio:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bh6M0da9VE8

I think I am going to wait about a year and a half before I return to Vegas. I want things to build up some more since they are still building things. There will be new condos next to the Bellagio. The StarDust is closed. I took pictures of it. It was so sad as it was boarded off and non of the lights were in. In about 3 years it will be: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Echelon_Place

I flew home out on WN as they were on time yet again with a very relaxed and attentive crew! the Flight was full and we were on an old colors 737-700! The flight was bumpy all the way home! That was a first for me but this time I wasn't really nervous about the flight at all. I put on my dvd player and watched my WWE wrestling. It was fun watching the planes land as another took off down the run way at the same time in LAS. I arrived into gate A12 at MDW and my grandparents picked me up.

Well thats it. When I go back I want to stay at either the Bellagio, Caesers Palace, NYNY, or the new Planet Hollywood!
In about 2 months I should be taking my first international trip as I just received my Passport!!! Either I will go to Madrid Via AA/BA or IB for a week or two to attend spanish school there or I may put that off untill the summer and take the GOLD challenge with AA ORD-LHR-ORD and spend about 4 days in London.

Thanks for reading!

P.S I just found out Vegas is a contender to host Wrestlemanis 24!!! That would be a PERFECT 3rd trip to Vegas for me!!