Sunday, June 20, 2010

A Crackling Road to Vegas


I’m in Las Vegas this week. Oh, I didn’t tell you? Sorry ‘bouddat.
Anyway, it was a pretty uncomfortable journey this time. My fine china composure experienced a few cracks along the way. Crackle crackle.
First of all, I was on a 757. I hate that plane. It’s narrow – really narrow. Six seats abreast, three on each side of an aisle a darned sight narrower than two feet wide. So when the carts passed by, the flight attendants were always bumping my shoulder even though I kept my exposed elbow pressed against my left side.
Behind me on the Honolulu-San Francisco flight were three young girls (I’d say high school) who were jibber-jabbering away for the first hour or so, carrying on a teenager-themed conversation amongst themselves and their friend across the aisle. They didn’t stop until the movie started.
Then, there was a little kid sitting in the middle seat. That in itself wasn’t too bad; this child was pretty well-behaved and quiet throughout the five-hour flight, sleeping practically all the way across the Pacific, waking up only when we were about to disembark.
The problem was that he must have been dreaming he was running. He was lying crosswise on the seat and his feet were practically in my lap. Which isn’t intolerable (I’m a pretty patient guy) – just when he moved them, kicking a little to get comfortable.
The connecting flight from San Francisco to Las Vegas was pretty inconsequential, thank the Lord.
But then … after I picked up my rental car, I drove quite a long way to try out a restaurant that I’d read about – Beach Café in the southwest area of Las Vegas not too far from the airport.
Turns out it was just a hamburger and sandwich place. You need to order at the counter, pick up your food when they call your name, then take it to the table – not the kind of place I write about in my restaurant blog.
So I left, then drove back down the road to a place called Ambrosia Café that I’d passed a few minutes ago. No luck there either, it’s a pizza and hamburger place. Heck, I figured I’d drive to the Las Vegas Outlets and eat at one of the chain restaurants there, so I could have something to post in my restaurant blog.
Guess what? I missed the turnoff and was headed toward Henderson and Green Valley Ranch Casino. So I went all the way there and had a very late noontime breakfast at The Original Pancake House, the best decision I’d made all day.
And that’s when the crackling stopped. I’m having a wonderful day now!

2 comments:

R. said...

Glad things are looking up! A flight with teenage girls behind you sounds like a nightmare. I think I'd tolerate a kicking kid better than that.

casch said...

Oh boy, I traveled to Seattle in February to 2 pre~teeners in front of me. OH MERCY!! One lady actually raised her voice and told them to quiet down! I was so glad when that tripwas over, fortunately it's only a an hour and half flight!