Arriving in Style

There's nothing like doing Vegas in style in a stretch limousine.

We're getting very close to our next Vegas trip and the preparations are pretty much made. The last thing I had to set up was some transportation to and from the airport.

I've pretty much done it all in terms of transportation to the hotel from McCarran - taken the shuttle, rented a car, taken a taxi - the only thing I haven't done is take the bus. Next solo trip I intend to do just that.

I'm now convinced that the best way to go is to go in style and order a limousine. We used Presidential Limousine last trip.

I booked the web special for the stretch limo which was $108 for transportation from the airport to your hotel (Main Street Station in our case) and also, a return trip back to McCarran when it is time to go home.

The service sounded fabulous - we'd arrive off the plane and a uniformed driver would be waiting for us with one of those cards saying "R. Flusher" on it. You know those uniformed limo drivers with the signs and how uncomfortable they look waiting for whoever it is they are waiting for? The look on their face says "I'm bored as hell but I have to keep up appearances because any one of you shmoes could be my fare, so I can't let my full disdain show."

And oh how I have longed to have my name on one of those placards! I'd stroll up and the driver would greet me warmly. Then he'd scurry over to the baggage claim carousel while I made a few deals on one of my Blackberries. After he'd loaded the luggage into the limo, he'd escort the Quad Queen and I and load us in, handing us glasses of champagne as we entered the glassy, black, stretch limo.

What actually happened was, we arrived and there was no one to be found. No placard. No disdain even.

I hauled my own bags off the luggage-go-round and we plunked ourselves down on a bench to wait.

Finally I found a pay phone and called home for messages - since I'd left my home number with Presidential.

Sure enough, there were three or four frantic messages from the driver saying he was stuck in traffic and would be there as soon as he could.

Now it turns out, I didn't yet have a working cell phone for the US (which is the subject of another blog post I suppose). And I appreciated the tenacity of the guy to call long distance and try to get ahold of us.

So we weren't off to a great start but who wants to get in a snit at the start of their vacation?

I do.

That's who.

But Mrs. F looked at me in that special way she has and I decided to be big about it. I forgave the driver for being late and allowed him to cart the luggage to the limo, but insisted he do a couple of laps of Terminal 2 first as an honest penance.

The trip downtown was great and its only a few bucks more than a taxi.

Compared to what you face these days in a cab, it is worth every extra dollar to arrive at the hotel relaxed and refreshed, feeling like a somebody as you exit the stretch limo and stroll into the lobby.

So, we've gone with Presidential again, and this time we have working cell phones. You should give them a try next time you travel to Vegas.

The only wrinkle is, I've booked one return trip, and a single trip as well. Because of our screwy flight arrangements, QQ and I will return to the airport to go home at different times.

I'm very interested to see how this all pans out. But for our arrival, I just know, our driver will be there right on time, placard and slightly hidden disdain at the ready.