I just spent two days in Vegas. Oh sure, it was the typical Vegas experience- there was the overwhelming cigarette smoke, dozens of long legged big buxomed young ladies serving free drinks, and a mind-boggling variety of slot machines… but during the “Las Vegas Glass Craft & Bead Expo”, there is always much more to experience then drinking and gambling. To begin with, there are a myriad of classes where you can learn anything and everything related to glass. Stained glass, fusing, slumping, etching, sandblasting, screen printing on glass, glass vessels sinks and more, art clay silver, glass gingerbread houses, wire wrapping, lampworking, glass blowing, fritography, Pate de Verre, millefiori, glass enameling, pattern bars, painting on glass, and on and on and on… As if all of those class options weren’t enough, there are also dozens (if not hundreds!) of vendors that set up shop for the weekend. You can buy all of your glass supplies there- it is truly a candy store for glass workers. If given the opportunity I could spend all three days there, wandering the various booths.
I arranged to stay in Vegas for just two days. I arrived Wednesday, and took an Art Clay Silver class. Thursday morning I woke up and went to Linda Abbott’s “Hot & Wired” class, learning how to wire wrap pendants. I had a few hours lunch break and then went to my “Etching Dichroic Glass” class. (More on the classes tomorrow.) After class, I just had to go try out some of the slot machines. I was a bit disgruntled… I couldn’t find “Deal or No Deal” anywhere. What in the world did they do with my favorite game? I can’t believe they got rid of it. Anyway… so I ended up sitting at the bar playing Blackjack and “Deuces Wild” poker while the bartender placed a couple of free midori sours in front of me. So it wasn’t all work and no play… (even though for me, the glass classes and shopping were the “playing” part of this whole trip!)
Friday morning I went down and shopped to my hearts content, then checked out of the hotel at noon, and waited for my free shuttle ride back to the airport at 2pm. As I was waiting in the glorious sunshine, a tax pulled up fairly close to me. I went over and asked how much fare would be to the airport. He said “about $24.00″. I said ok- thanks… and started to walk away. He then asked “How much do you have?” I stupidly said “Just this one bag”. He said “No, I mean how much money do you have?” LOL… I have money, good grief. I told him “Oh, I just thought it was about $17.00. He said no… sorry. So I went back to my sunny little bench and prepared to wait until 2. The next thing I knew, he pulled up closer to me, and said “Hop in, I’ll make it $17.00″. Sounded good to me, even with a tip, I’d only be out $20.00- I could get to the airport early and not worry about missing the shuttle. He put my bag in the trunk, and I hopped in the back seat. The shuttle on the way from the airport to the hotel zipped up the freeway and exited right behind the hotel. This taxi took side streets to the airport, never getting on the freeway at all. He slowed to 15- to go past a school, he hit lots of red lights… the clock was ticking. By the time we got to the airport, the total was $24.00. He said sorry, there’s a video camera running in the cab and he’s not allowed to stop the clock until about 10 seconds before I get out. I thought that was a little strange, since he told me he’d give me the ride for $17.00. I was pretty mad at this point- even though it was only an extra five bucks, it was the principal of the matter. I grabbed another five as he held up his hand for the fare, and gave him $25.00. (grrrrrr) He stopped the car, I got out, and thought he was going to get out and give me my suitcase from the trunk. Suddenly horns started honking all around us, uniformed employees were yelling to get out of that lane, and the cab took off, with my bag in the trunk! I scrambled out of the roadway, as a bus came by, almost running me over. Criminy! People were still yelling at me to get out of the way- even though I was standing on the sidewalk. Another bus came by, its mirror brushing against me. Eeegads, I thought I was going to be killed at the Las Vegas Airport. And even if I survived, my suitcase was gone- (with my laptop and all of the goodies I bought at the Expo in it!) and I had no idea which taxi company it was.
*sigh*
There I was, embarrassed and mad and wishing I was home… when all of a sudden the taxi driver walked up to me, rolling my bag behind him. Hallelujah!!!
As if all of that weren’t bad enough, there I was at the airport a few hours early, only to find out that the flight was running an extra 2 hours late. I ended up sitting at the airport for almost 7 hours. And to think, I could have spent another 4 or 5 hours playing blackjack and drinking free midori sours!
Next year I’m riding the shuttle.
