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I don't think you could have created a better poster child for the 'Great American Road Trip' than what we managed in one day. Saying goodbye to Ibbs and Anna (and Missy!) in the morning, we traipsed through the heat to the other side of San Diego to collect our rental cars. Waiting in the giant queue we were so nervous about hidden fees and complications that were sure to await us at the desk, but to our surprise all went smoothly, and we were sent out into the parking lot to choose our vehicles.
Emerging out onto the confusing one-way streets of San Diego was a black Dodge Avenger and a bright green Mustang convertible. However within less than 5 minutes of driving these cars, we lost each other on the way back to Ibbs', and Sav drove onto the wrong side of the road, only realising his mistake when he couldn't figure out how to turn right at a traffic light, and wondered why there were two lanes of on-coming cars facing him.
But safely (if not a little shaken), the luggage was collected from the apartment and we began our great West Coast Road Trip. Driving on horrifically conditioned highway roads that made you struggle to keep the car straight, and merging lanes that appeared out of nowhere, we made our first pit stop at the Route 66 Museum in Victorville. Stuffed with history and cute memorabilia from the road and super friendly volunteers, we were given directions to a typical 50's style diner, and how to follow the rest of the famous (and now disjointed) Route 66.
At Richie's All American Diner we were served by "Mi Scusi" from Euro Trip and ate meals far larger than two people could share, and headed back out on the road. The images and videos we took on this part of the trip are so brilliant it makes it hard to believe that we did something this awesome. Band CD covers were shot in front of a fake saloon, posing alongside our cars in the middle of the desert, and Dumsday and Anita cruising with the wind in their hair. It couldn't have been more picturesque.
With a quick stop-off in Barstow for much needed alcoholic supplies (including the now-illegal Four Loco!) we passed between mountains that looked like giant sand dunes or quarry piles into Las Vegas as the sun set.
Valet parking and bell-hops welcomed us at the magnificent Mandalay Bay. Taking the elevator up to the 22nd floor we walked along an infinite corridor in search of our room. Seeing double doors at the end of the hall, we refused to believe that that could be ours, until throwing the doors open (and desperately trying to figure out how to turn the lights on), we found our impressive two bedroom suite. With a spa bath, a shower with two shower heads, and a breath-taking view down the entire length of the Strip, we had died and gone to Vegas heaven.
We then waited in eager anticipation for Karl to arrive from Canada, and looking sexy and dapper we went in search of dinner at 11pm. Choosing the only moderately priced restaurant we could find, we ate at Citizens, where we were waited on by the coolest older waiter, who knew the menu inside out, and accommodated our request to secretly present a cake and embarrass Dumsday by singing Happy Birthday as midnight hit. The meals were also phenomenal at such a reasonable price, with Dumsday having one of the best pastas I have ever eaten.
Hitting the casino floor we made our way through the shop connections to the Luxor to find tables with less than a $25 minimum, and around an hour was spent playing blackjack with dealers who helped us newbies (Anita and I mostly) learn the game. At one point I was $50 up, but getting caught up in the game ended up losing it all, while Karl kept on winning, and Dumsday won $120 on the pokies. Struggling to gather attention from the appallingly dressed and well past their used by date waitresses, we were only able to score one free drink at the tables, and Anita and Dumsday called it a night. Heading to bar for a bucket of beer Sav, Karl and I watched lingerie clad girls dance on betting tables, and with a few final black jack bets (Karl winning even more money, while Sav lost it all) we headed to bed around 4am.
Highlights: getting to choose our own car; taking cheesy pictures along Route 66; finding Four Loco; our amazing room; seeing Karl again; eating amazing food with brilliant service; winning at Black Jack
Lowlights: getting lost on the way back to Ibbs' apartment and driving on the wrong side of the road; getting lost in Victorville trying to find the diner and then Route 66; losing at Black Jack
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