Vegas WHAAAT?

People should know, I spend my life planning travel. I plan trips I will never take. I over plan trips I do take. I spend hours researching possibilities, reviews, ideas, trip reports, pre-trip reports, analyzing budgets, and thinking about better/cheaper/easier ways to accomplish the trips I want.

So it should be no shock that I haunt TripAdvisor.com! And of course, Pat and I enjoy gambling so I spend a lot of time on their Vegas area.

Recently, I've been reading their forums, and I am in total and complete shock on the different perception of Vegas people seem to have. I've almost always been within a 4-6 hour drive of Vegas. It's always been an easy 2-3 day vacation.

And I'm cheap! Pat and I tend to spend, on average, $400 gambling ($200 each), $30-40 in gas (probably closer to $60 now with his new car and the recent upshot in gas prices!), and $60ish in food. We don't eat fancy. mmmm Mcdonalds!

But the people on the TripAdvisor Vegas Boards tend to be coming in from out of country (lots of Canucks and Aussies), and spending 10-14 days in Vegas. With room rates of $200 being the norm, and gambling money of....well, enough to get almost the entire trip comped, and future comps of close to everything.

I am floored. I've always wanted to be able to walk into a casino say hello to a host and have them set me up with my room and comps. But let's face it, the day that happens is the day we win the lottery and we blow it ALL on one trip to Vegas - so we won't be able to afford going back.

For now, I think we'll stick with our Cheapo Vegas approach. Because I can't help but see $1000 a DAY in gambling money being discussed and thinking - OMG, for a 10 day trip - that's a LOT of trips to Disneyland!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Oh well. Slots O' Fun, here we come!! The Wynn will just have to wait.....for forever.