solimond

So, this weekend, I went on an all expenses paid trip to Atlantic City with my good friend. You'd think this would be fun.

Nightmare.

Where to start? The drive was fine. My friend had to get to the convention center by 10am. We were going to grab a hotel room, then I was going to drop him off at the convention center, then get some sleep (both of us were up all night, thanks to Phantasy Star Online). His company was footing the bill for this trip, which is why it was free (more or less). So, the first two hotels we go to are sold out. We finally get a room at the Tropicana. My friend is a little upset, because it's doubtful his company will reimburse him for a $375 a night hotel room. We check our luggage at the bell services (room check in isn't till 1pm), and I get him to the convention center an hour late (after getting a bit lost). I make the grave mistake of intoning that "at least it can't get much worse."

So, I've got two hours to kill in a casino. I don't gamble, since I dont believe in it, but I did get to look around and watch some Bakarat, which made me feel somewhat James Bondian. Did some reading. Check into hotel, don't even bother with luggage... very tired. Sleep a little, then pick my friend up. Return to hotel for luggage and rest. My bag is missing. They can't find it. May have ended up in another room, or someone's car, or on it's way to East Jabib. So, it may be that my clothing, Gamecube, games, and memory cards with about 250 hours of work (between the two of us) are missing. Add to this that our credit card info is in there. My friend goes to ask for a refund from the soda machine that jiped him earlier. It takes half an hour. We get a complimentary dinner, due to the luggage issues. We wait in line for 45 minutes to be seated for that diner. Sleep from 9pm to 3am, when I wake up with a horrid headache. I lie there, miserable, for an hour, before reason dawns on me and I go and buy a soda (I'm addicted to caffeine, and get headaches without it). I feel better an hour later. I do not go back to sleep. At this point, my friend and I are just laughing at the absurdity of this trip. It's like Meet the Parents meets Fear and Loathing. So, two hours later, my friend is working at the convention center. Fortunately, my luggage has been found. Unfortunately, the CHECK ENGINE light is now on in my car. So, after determining that it's not the oil, I can only hope that my car will carry us away from this blight of a city and the god forsaken state that is New Jersey. Oh, and it's pouring rain. The clouds and smog make it hard to see the hotel from a distance, so I get lost (once again). Despite these rather upsetting turn of events, the hotel knocked $200 off of the bill, thus invalidating the possible problem of my friend's company not covering the whole bill. At this point, we have entered this kind of "alls well that ends well" stage of the trip. Odd, and amusing.
Meet my friend for lunch. I ask for water. They say that there's a problem with the pipes, and they can't do water, but I may feel free to buy some bottled water for $2. At this point, thwarted at every turn, I can only laugh.

Finally, we leave. Not ordinarily superstitious people, we spend the trip trying to keep from making any comments about being home free. We get home fine.

And to think, I thought that a free weekend in Atlantic City wouldn't be fun! My friend and I have both taken oaths to never, ever, EVER return to Atlantic City.