Behold the Travelambo

Google AI says "Authentic Chaos" refers to embracing life's inherent disorder, uncertainty, and internal contradictions.

No matter how long I stared at the inherent disorder of my dirty clothes hamper, the clothes did not wash themselves and leap into my suitcase. What was Jimmy Poon on about?

The Panda Has Spoken!

It always takes me tons of effort to get out the door for a Vegas trip. I bring checklists, and gadgets, and coffee makers, and slot club cards, Flusher paraphernalia, punishment snacks, cables, electronics, chargers - and last but not least, clothing.

Well, I made a big blunder when I came down to Florida for the winter. I left all my Vegas stuff back in Flusherville.

I felt sick! All the things I relied on were gone. No Portable Beaker for boiling water in the room. None of it.

Was this the uncertainty and disorder I was supposed to embrace? I did feel a kind of sense of freedom - I wouldn't have to figure out what to take and what to leave - because I couldn't take any of it.

As I searched the house for any of my Vegas stuff I found one thing - and maybe the most important thing to me. A box of Official Royal Flusher Business Cards 3.0. The super premium ones with the rounded edges and gold foil!

You know I'm always in search of a better portable in-room coffee solution, and I thought I'd found one. The Chinese shopping sites are now stocking hot water dispensers that use a water bottle as the tank. All they do is heat the water and spit it into your cup, with a flourish.

The kicker - they start a-spittin' within 3 seconds of pushing the button.

I didn't have time to get one from China (for around $25) but they actually had one on Amazon on sale that would fit the bill.

The top swivels, making the unit very compact - but heavy.

I ordered one, and a replacement silicone coffee cone, and some filters. I'll cut to the chase - it was a bust. Although very compact, the unit just plain didn't work at first. I gave it a couple of raps and it finally did work - except the adapter for the water bottle doesn't fit our typical water bottles.

And the unit was pretty heavy. But it's 4" by 5" by 8" for a total of 160 cubic inches. The Little Giant's dimensions? 5" by 5" by 8" and a measley 14oz in weight.

Still, it's an amazing solution that I think might be in my future in one way or another, particularly if, Poon forbid, the Little Giant craps out, or I lose it.

Read more on the quest for the perfect travel coffee maker here: The Tiny Giant Coffee Maker

The same day I sent the thing back, I was looking in the pantry for something - and there it was.

THE LITTLE GIANT!!!

Not only that, I found one of the California coffee mugs I've permanently borrowed for use on my trips.

The Little Giant, and the cards were probably the two things I would have missed the most!

Other things. I'm now on the piPhone 3.14 III (an iPhone 16 Plus), new this fall. And I've got a set of Airpods Pro 3 to try out on the trip, brand new.

Oh - another thing that's back in Canada is my trusty gambling wallet. It's actually pretty ratty and I took this situation as a sign to embrace the fuck out of the authentic chaos (is that it, Jimmy Poon?) and get a new one.

A little in-person shopping and much online shopping had me stymied at first. I wanted something slim, fairly slippery (for quick gambling stake retrieval), maybe something with a window for my ID, and most important, two currency compartments.

One for gambling money. One for administration, tips, and expenses. That makes it super easy to track how I'm doing. $900 goes in the gambling compartment. At night, $43 comes out of the gambling compartment. And then I can write with complete accuracy the results of the day - I'm 'about even'.

Well I found what is about as good a gambling wallet as I'm gonna find.

Behold! The Travelambo!

I don't even have to think up a stupid name for it - it came with one!

Amazon. $8.93 all in.

Well, I guess that's all the travel prep covered.

I'm in pretty good shape, as far as packing goes. I'm staring at three alarms for 3:45am and I know I have to be ready.

I even made a checklist for pretty much every single thing I have to do from the time I get up, until I get out the door.

Wake up
Sit up
Consider bailing
Get out of bed
Pee
Put on shoes
Load car

Wish me luck, faithful readers - the latest Vegas adventure - whatever it may bring, organization or chaos - starts tomorrow.