Start with the worst flight I have ever taken, Los Angeles Int'l to Las Vegas, departure time 12:00 Noon. Take into consideration one has to be at the airport 2 hours early. The flight time was changed as it was delayed until 1:00pm. We boarded the plane at 12:30 and pushed off from the terminal. Then we experienced a ground tour of LAX as we drove completely around the airport. Since all the safety briefings were done they put in a movie, not a normal occurrence for a 40 minute flight. Eventually we found our way on the ground to the remote northwest corner of the airport where the pilot shut down the engines and we sat there watching "Kicking & Screaming" with Will Farrell. Around 2:00 we received clearance to takeoff and did so. There was no beverage service for this "short" flight because we were on a turbulent rollercoaster the entire flight. In fact the "Fasten Seatbelt" sign was never turned off. As we approached Las Vegas we were put into a holding pattern circling the desert about 60 miles out, and did this (still turbulent) for the next 45 minutes or so. Arriving in Las Vegas at 3:30pm 2½ hours late and at exactly the same time as when the Saturn Conference was starting. If I had simply driven to Vegas when I had left the house for LAX at 9:30am I would have been there around 1pm.

I got to sit in the Sky again. Hopefully, it will be built with the same interior as the Pontiac Solstice, because  physically I would not be able to drive the Sky if it were built the same as this pre-production vehicle was. It appears that Saturn is targeting the 5'4" and under population since all the cars are getting smaller. I also had my first opportunity to sit in the Aura, found that this also was as too small. Again this was a pre-production vehicle, but the seats were narrow, and the rear headroom... forget about it, there is more headroom in the back seat of the Ion Quad coupe. Which is amazing, since this car is the same large platform as the Chevrolet Malibu/Maxx, Pontiac G6, Buick LaCrosse. The front seats were also very uncomfortable (again I realise this is a pre-production) but obviously made for someone with a small frame (not me).

Following the viewing there was an Expo giving away lots of information on GM products & services. I was talking with exhibitors when I realized that is was 5:30, and had to be at the Bellagio by 6:00 for a mandatory meeting. Upon getting to the bus port where the shuttles transport us between facilities I was told, "The LAST shuttle left promptly at 5:30, START WALKING." And while everything in Vegas looks really close together, it seems like more than a kilometre just walking through the casino. I think the size of everything is what is disorienting. Anyway made it on time to the Bellagio since the event started late.

Following this meeting was our first dinner provided at the Bellagio. It was quite a feast with lobster ravioli, honey baked ham, beef tenderloin, gourmet pizza on focaccia bread and lots of sides. None of the rest of the team ate any of their complementary  meals at the Bellagio. After dinner I met up with Shannon and his wife Beth at Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville. After they had a few drinks we wandered through several casinos, knowing that Jason and his wife Michelle were at the Venetian we went there. I watched as Shannon and Beth fed the one armed bandits about half of the spending money GM gave us for the trip. Then it was back to the Bellagio and I went to bed about 1am.

Next morning, I was up at 7am to enjoy the breakfast buffet provided at the Bellagio. Breakfast was the same both days, Belgian waffles, scrambled eggs, potatoes, bacon and sausage, assorted fruit and muffins. I think I ate a pound of bacon, it was so good. Anyway, I took the shuttle back to the Venetian and sat in on the presentations for PBG (Pontiac Buick GMC) and then Cadillac since I missed the Saturn one, and I figured the Ra-Ra would be pretty much the same regardless of make. They were amazing presentations with great music, pyrotechnics, and new models. Spent more time at the Expo since I didn't have to rush back to the Bellagio anytime soon. After lunch provided at the Venetian, I shuttled back to the Bellagio and wandered the Strip for the afternoon. It was raining all day, but hard to tell inside the casinos many of which resemble outdoor environs.

That evening only about ⅓ of the people attended the mandatory meeting, followed by another amazing dinner. This was a Cuban themed event with dancers, Cuban music and culinary marvels. Delicacies like New England scallops wrapped in bacon with Vermont maple syrup glaze, Macadamia crusted Seabass, roasted prime rib, and most interesting... mashed potato martinis After dinner I caught up with Shannon, Beth, Jason & Michelle at the ESPN Zone, probably the only ESPN location that you can actually place bets on the games, and we watched the Colts spank the Rams. I was quite amazed to find out that they have a minimum of $10 per person per hour. That's alot of drinking! After the game we caught up with Stephanie who were just getting out of Rita Rudner at the New York, New York.

We then went to Coyote Ugly, I have to say this place is a real waste of time. The whole bar was about the size of a 2 car garage, there were no tables or chairs at all. There were 2 bars along opposite walls. I guess the attraction is that female customers can get up on the bar and dance. If they do, at the end of each song they get a shot poured directly into their mouth. What fun! Not! 85% of the bar was guys, drinking while not really watching drunk girls getting drunker while dancing on the bar. The girls that were dancing did not seem to be that appealing, not just to me, but nobody was encouraging them (except the staff pouring shots). Stephanie convinced the manager to refund our cover charge and we moved along within 5 minutes.

Next stop was Toby Keith's, no cover, live band, much better place. We had a much better time there. There was dancing, the music was good and I think everyone had a good time. Toby's was pretty much a copy of  the Hard Rock Café, but featured only Toby Keith memorabilia there. Dozens of guitars, gold records, and the like. Then attached was of course a shop where one could purchase anything Toby. Hats, shirts, CDs, DVDs, etc. We stayed there until midnight before taking a taxi back to Bellagio. I was done and went to bed, but the others were off to the Mirage, I think. I heard that they had returned the previous night at 5am. I was accused of being old... and while I was the oldest in this group, I think I am just not the partier that they all are.

The next day I of course got up and enjoyed the breakfast buffet again. Then I had all day to wander around Vegas. I went thru the Monte Carlo, New York New York, MGM, Aladdin, Paris, Bally's, Harrah's, Wynn, Treasure Island, Mirage, and Cæsars Palace. In Vegas you can find anything... King Arthur's Round Table, a pyramid, lions, dolphins, white tigers, the canals of Venice, even the Eiffel Tower, I was quite surprised having just gotten back from Hawaii to find a statue of King Kamehameha across the street from the Bellagio. Before flying home I had dinner at the buffet at the Bellagio, I figured it would be fine, and I did not want to hassle with taking a taxi to the familiar Orleans (my favourite Vegas buffet) or the Rio. Boy was I mistaken, $27 for a buffet that had less than ⅓ of the selections of the Orleans or Rio at double the price. The food was nothing like the banquet meals we were served for the conference. The food was bland, tough, and boring. If I knew it would be that bad I would have eaten at the airport. Ok maybe not at the airport, but there are many excellent restaurants in Vegas for about the same price.

Lion Habitat @ MGM

Segway @ Aladdin

Living Statue @ Paris

Waterfall @ Wynn

Pirate ship @ Ti

Then I was off to the airport, I had a pleasant ride to the airport, as I was the only one in the limo for the ride there. I checked with the concierge at the Bellagio before leaving and United said the flight was 15 minutes delayed. Not too bad considering the first flight. So I go to the self check it terminal to avoid waiting in line, and it fails to print my boarding pass, so I bypassed the line and a very helpful agent moved me to an earlier flight. So rather than depart at 9:08, I was scheduled to leave at 6:43. Upon arriving at the gate at 6:35 I found that there was no 6:43 flight, in fact the 4:22 flight was still there with no pilot. At about 7:15 they began boarding the 4:22 flight. I was anxious of the delays and checked at the gate, and was told that my name was actually on the list for the 4:22 flight and was let on the plane. The flight was perfect, as I would expect the flight to be from Vegas. Amazingly we were only aloft for about 20 minutes when looking out the window I could see the lights of Riverside or somewhere out there and we were descending. When I was waiting outside the baggage claim area at LAX for my ride I was watching the Arrival monitors and the 6:43 flight was expected to arrive at 11:55 and the 9:08 flight I was originally scheduled on was cancelled. While I can not blame United for everything. McCarran International  Airport in Vegas only had one runway operating as they were doing construction. Also the rains did not help matters.

All in all I did have a good time even with the challenges. I can think of several things I would do differently if I had it to do over again. I also wish Marybeth could have come.