The return to the sin city theme resulted into the famous "What Happens in Vegas..." campaign which resulted into this damn good book. It seems that this slogan implies adult sinful fun and not gambling. This is the place where people can relax and indulge in some adult fantasy fulfillment that they would never dream of doing back home. Of course, there have been other campaigns but we hope that they do not try to push Las Vegas back into a family destination again. It could happen; it seems that things have a way of going into full circle.
Don't get upset that we did not mention other portions of Las Vegas history that you may feel is important. This is not a history book? Duh!! But now you know how Vegas had turned water into gold.
In a nutshell, modern Las Vegas is the gambling capital of the world and the place where your adult fantasies can come true and we are no longer talking about water. Of course, we are sure that you can still find the ghost of Dancing Bare to scrub your back.
Are you ready to go to Vegas? We know that you are tempted by the promise of the campaign. You are bored with your everyday routine, and you do want to escape or you wouldn't be reading this book. So now, that you have finally given-in, grab the Hounds' paw, and let's take the first step which is pre-planning.
Chapter 3
Strap-on Your Tool Belt
"Without the right tools, you end up looking like fools”
Proverb: In the beginning, the Hounds declared, pack simply and choose your friends wisely.
Chapter 3 is all about pre-planning which is where the Hounds start wagging their tails. This is the beginning of your ultimate adventure into fulfilling your fantasies. One of the first things that you should consider is going with one or more friends. Be sure to pick your friends wisely. You need to have a well organized plan directed toward fantasy fulfillment before leaving for Vegas. We will give you a list of stuff that you need for your tool box while planning your trip. We all need the right tools to get the job done right. There are specific things you need to know and do to plan a successful trip.
You finally gave-in to the temptation of the "What Happens in Vegas..." campaign. You are ready to escape to the excitement that the famous campaign promises.
Remember, according to the Hounds, you want to escape to Vegas, fulfill your fantasies, and return home with no evidence that could destroy your relationship. Now, it is time to pre-plan your exciting, exotic trip to sin city.
The Hounds have spent years paving the way for others to follow our trails. So here are a few of our pre-planning details. We believe in the famous motto "Be Prepared".
First of all, you need to follow the 10 preparation steps before flying-off to Vegas.
Step 1: You should go with others
Step 2: Time to decide on a Hotel
Step 3: Make Airline Reservation
Step 4: Plan your Identity Transformation
Step 5: Start loading your Toolbox
Step 6: Get your Boarding Pass
Step 7: Arriving at the Airport
Step 8: Bend-over for a good scanning
Step 9: Free Ticket 2-Step dance
Step 10: Preparation before Boarding
Step 1: You should go with others
Have you ever heard the phrase, safety in numbers? This is definitely true in planning a Vegas escape. It doesn't matter whether you are male or female; you need to go with a minimum of one friend but preferably 2 or more. Just keep in mind there may be attrition. If you find 3 friends to go with you, there is a good chance that 1 or maybe 2 will not be able to make it.
Choose Wisely
When you choose others for your travel group, you have to make sure that they are the right choice for your group. So choose your friends wisely. Choose those with the same mindset and as much to lose as you. Remember, the Hounds are always up for another trip.
You only want to choose friends that you trust and who do not gossip, spread rumors, or can be conniving. We know those types of people. They are really good friends but if provoked they may spill their beans. There are also good friends who cannot keep a secret. You have heard the term loose lips can sink ships. In this case, you do not want your ship sunk before it leaves port. Do not include in your trip these bean spillers or loose lip friends.
You want to choose a friend that has as much to lose in their relationship as you. After finding such a friend, you still need to test them. The first test is to ask that person their interpretation of the "What Happens in Vegas..." campaign slogan. This should give you an indication whether you want to pursue this friend for your travel group. If you choose them, you need to tell your friend your interpretation of the slogan with some steamy examples. If your friend has a positive reaction to your examples, your next step is to get into a discussion on how you and your friend could make this a reality, plus agree on other friends to pursue for this adventure.
Doggy Treat: If you have several people in your travel group on the same travel package, there is a good chance that there will be attrition. So count on it and take the necessary precautions.
Additional Room
If you go with more then two friends, you should get an additional room.
One advantage is that you can place all your luggage in one room and the other room is for anyone who wants quiet time. We will let you define quiet time. Another way to look at it is that you have one room to live in and another room to entertain in. The entertainment room should be kept clean and not have any personal effects that will identify you and/or your relationship with a significant other, or even your travel group.
Cell Phone
You can keep in contact with your travel group via your cell phone in case your group splits-up. If there is an emergency or you hit the big jackpot, and we are not necessarily talking about gambling, it is nice to know that there is someone in your travel group that you can brag to or count on.
Once you choose all the members of your travel group, it is now time for a pre-planning huddle so there will be no miscommunication in the group. Everyone must agree with all the details of the trip.
Pre-planning Huddle
First your travel group members need to come up with a common reason as to why your significant other should not accompany you to Vegas. Two most common reasons for going to Vegas are to attend a convention and shows, and/or to place bets on a sporting event. Every month there are major conventions that may justify your reason for going.
Keep in mind the major generic conventions such as the consumer electronic show where everyone can find a reason to attend. If you cannot find a convention in the time frame that you are planning to be in Vegas, you could always say your reason for going is to place bets on the upcoming major sporting events such as the super bowl. If all else fails, you can always use the time honored Vegas excuse of 'I feel lucky; I got to go to Vegas.' The Hounds know what you really mean, 'I want to go to Vegas and get lucky.'
Doggy Treat: It will normally cost you more for rooms during large conventions. Plus you have to make reservation early to get a room at one of the large 4 to 5 star hotels on the strip.
Doggy Treat: Think about attending the Consumer Electronic Show (CES) that is usually held in January. Guess what, the Adult Video Network (AVN) entertainment Expo is also usually held in January. Just a coincidence, we think not.
Reduce Suspicion
One of the advantages for going to Vegas in a travel group is that it gives your significant other a reason not to be suspicious of your true intentions. In order to reduce your significant other's suspicion, your travel group must be willing to cover for one another. You must have a mutual agreement on how to be discreet. As an example, if your significant other calls for you and you do not answer, there is a good chance they would get suspicious and call another person in your travel group. Make sure that everyone in your travel group is well rehearsed with a response.
You just want to have the peace of mind that everyone in your travel group is in agreement with the huddle's decisions.
Step 2: Time to decide on a Hotel
It is important that you choose the right hotel for hunting your prey. Making the right decision on a hotel location can either enhance and/or hinder your hunt. The Hounds will give you more detailed information in chapter 4 on what you should consider when selecting your hotel.
Doggy Treat: It is a good idea to purchase your hotel and airline tickets as a package since you almost always will get a better deal.
The first decision that your travel group must make, before making reservations, is choosing the hotel. The Hounds highly recommend staying on the Las Vegas Strip. Since this is our book, that is what we are going to do. You must choose your hotel wisely which is determined by the location on the strip that meets your objective.
Location First
The reason that we are promoting the Las Vegas strip is because if you or anyone in your travel group is new to Vegas, this is where the action is. When someone is thinking of the excitement, lights and glamour of Las Vegas, it is the strip they are referring to. Most of the major resort hotels are on the strip or just off the strip. The Hounds enjoy walking from one resort to another on the strip while rubbing against the nice looking poodles. Remember, the developers put millions of dollars into the themes of these resorts. Most of you gamblers are paying off the debt. A trip to Vegas is not complete without visiting as many of the resorts as you can. Like we said, the resorts are mostly within walking distance; just ask the hookers, gamblers, and other colorful people that you run across.
We will divide the Vegas strip into 3 different sections (North, Center, and South). So you first need to make a decision on what section of the strip you are interested in. Chapter 4 will guide you through that process so you can make a decision on the location. After you make that decision, it is time to choose the hotel.
You now have chosen the strip location, now it is time to whittle down your choices of the major resorts in that area. We will give you the advantages of staying in the various resorts in Chapter 4. The reason that the Hounds only suggest the major resorts is because they normally have great amenities and the prices are much more reasonable than one would think. Why would you want to stay in a small cheap motel just to save only a few bucks? Remember, this is Las Vegas. Do you think the Hounds would take a poodle to a cheap, flea infested motel? Would that be her Vegas fantasy? Duh!!! For most of us, we prefer to stay away from the fleas.
StoryTime: The Hounds know a guy who went to Vegas to meet some family members. He has visited Vegas many times and was staying at a major resort on the strip. His family members, who are new to Vegas, chose to stay at a small cheap hotel off the strip. He asked them why they chose that hotel. They figured it would cost too much to stay on the strip. He explained to them using crayon and paper that if they paid just $20 more a night, they could have stayed at his hotel on the strip. Plus they would not have to drive their car or take public transportation to get to the strip. In other words, they were actually paying more for a cheap room at a no thrill hotel. The Hounds do not pay more for a cheap room; they prefer to pay more for a cheap thrill.
The moral of the story is that trying to save a few dollars on a cheap hotel could actually cost you more money and time.
Step 3: Make Airline Reservation
Your travel group needs to make airline reservations as soon as possible. Remember, using a frequent flyer program (FFP) can save you money. The FFP is free and us Hounds love free. We also highly recommend reservations via e-tickets.
The Early Bird. . .
The Hounds highly suggest that you leave for Vegas as early in the day as possible. You want plenty of time that first day to check-in, set-up your room identity, check-out what is happening inside and outside your hotel, go over your strategic planning as dictated by the Hounds, and finally the buffet to build-up your strength before your first evening of fun and games.
Make Reservations
Be sure to use the Internet to find an online travel agency. If possible, go with a non-stop flight. This is much more convenient and there would be less chance of delays.
StoryTime: We know of a person that saved about $20 by taking a flight that had one stop. The lay-over was only 1 hour. No big deal. Wrong! This was a big deal. That one hour turned into 4 hours since the connecting flight was bogged down up north because of weather. So they had to spend some money to get something to eat and some reading material. So that $20 dollar was no savings, it actually cost them $30 extra for a great airport dinner and 4 hours of boring reading. They could have been in Vegas enjoying that money they just spent. The Hounds would have used that extra money chasing prey and eating seafood buffet, and we are not necessarily talking about food.
The moral of the story is that the frustration, inconvenience, and time wasted waiting for a potentially late connecting flight(s) are not worth the few bucks saved.
The Hounds highly recommend that only 1 person that you trust from your travel group should make the reservations for everyone assuming that you are all leaving from the same airport. There will be less chance of problems. If there are 3 people in your travel group, you do not want everyone making the same reservation. Plus it is easier to get a travel group discount if one person makes the reservation. If there is a change to the reservation, only that designated person needs to do it. Of course, your travel group will have to make sure that they all agree on the date, time, and hotel. This is one of the reasons we recommended the pre-travel group huddle. You should also agree that if any member of the travel group decides to cancel, then the cost incurred on canceling their reservation will be paid by that person.
StoryTime: There were several ladies who wanted to go to Vegas as a travel group. They decided, based on the Hounds' recommendation, to have only 1 travel leader make the reservation for flight and hotel rooms. The cost was about $1200. The selected travel group leader made the reservation online and placed it on hold. Then she got her travel group together and showed them a breakdown of the travel package that was on hold. She wanted her travel group to agree with the package by paying their share of the cost before she purchased that package. So each member of her travel group paid. Then she made another demand. She said "If anyone decides to back-out, they will have to pay an additional $300 to cover their cost. To keep us honest, I want everyone to write me a check for $300. I will not cash that check unless you decide not to go to Vegas. If you go to Vegas, I will give your check back to you once we get to Vegas." She told us that they all agreed. So she purchased the package that was on hold. No one was offended by her action and no one backed out.
The moral of this story is that even if you choose your travel companions wisely, when it comes to money, business is business.
Doggy Treat: If members of your travel group are leaving from different airports, each person(s) leaving from a different airport must make their own reservation.
Doggy Treat: If you purchase your travel package as early as possible, you may be able to get it at a lower price. You need to check with your airline.
Frequent Flier Miles
There are frequent flier programs (FFP) offered by many airlines. This is where you can accumulate points based on the number of miles flown. You can redeem those points for free travel and/or other additional benefits. As usual, the Hounds always recommend checking with your airline. In order to accumulate enough points for a ticket, you normally have to do a lot of flying.
E-tickets and Boarding Pass
These days, e-tickets are the best way to purchase an airline ticket. This is a computerized system used by airlines. There is no physical ticket or boarding pass generated. If you want a paper ticket, the airline will usually charge you more. You better get used to purchasing e-tickets, because it is rapidly replacing the old paper tickets.
Doggy Treat: Check with your airline since there are many variations of e-ticket procedures.
Step 4: Plan your Identity Transformation
Before you leave for Vegas, you need to plan your identity
transformation. See chapter 7 for more information. Plus you need extra time to gather your necessary tools to match your chosen identity for your toolbox. The Hounds always need extra time to pack our extra large tool into our toolbox.
The Hounds highly recommend not using your real identity on your Vegas trip for reasons of discretion. When changing your identity, a good start would be phony business cards. You should use your real first name, but not your middle name and especially your last name. DUH!! It is confusing answering to someone calling you Mary when your real name is Sue. Of course, Leach is different. After a few drinks, he likes to be called Sue.
Business Cards
Be sure to choose an occupation on your business card that you have some knowledge of. For example, if your business card states that you are a medical doctor but you are really a plumber, you could have a problem. It would be your luck to meet a lady who is a nurse and curious of your medical knowledge. It is going to be tough trying to associate plumbing procedures with medical or maybe not. We can see it now. "Hi John, I see that you are a medical doctor. Do you recommend a robotic anal probe to look for polyps." How would you respond? "No, I prefer the Roto-Rooter technique". You just have to be convincing to whomever you are trying to impress. We hope that it goes without saying; your business card should also have a fake business name and address. DUH!!
If you live in Birmingham, Alabama, you don't want that location on your business card. You should just choose another location that you are already familiar with. The bottom line, just make every effort not to get into a discussion about your fake identity. Remember, the truth is that most of the people you meet in Vegas don't care about really getting to know you, they would probably only care about your fake profession. They are in Vegas just like you to have a good time and fulfill their fantasy before having to go back to their humdrum boring routine.
Fantasy Fulfillment in Vegas - You Can Live Up To Your Imagination (Fantasy Fulfillment Guidebook) Page 4