I'm Going On An Adventure

 So my work trip is next week.   The anxiety is curb-stomping any excitement I'm having right now. Super.

Kevin keeps trying to hype me up but uncharacteristically, I'm all "But..."

This is the thing:

It's a work trip.

I'm travelling alone.

Once I'm there, I'm with three coworkers. Two of which are work besties and the other I don't know at all.

School.

It's in Vegas, which I love.  But see all the above things THEN ADD: 95 degrees outside. Then add: WORK.

It occurred to me the other day that I'm short.  Why does this matter?  Luggage storage in the overhead bin.  Kevin always does it because it's way above my head.  I mean, I can just about stand up straight underneath it.  So I think I can't go.  lol.   

Kevin said "Just ask for help" which made me snort in laughter.  You know when people are feeling generous and helpful? NOT WHILE DISEMBARKING AN AIRPLANE.  Also, I believe I am past the age of batting my eyes and twirling my hair to get someone to help me.  (damn, that used to work and I'm a little sad now)

Then there's the whole travelling during a pandemic thing.  This gave me an excuse to buy more masks.  Like I needed more but here we are.  I bought another Doctor Who one and a Puppy one.  Please shop on Etsy for masks, they have so many well-made, cute ones. So I have one for each day and extras.  This is new, trying to figure out how many masks to bring.  Also, I don't hate the anonymity. 

Kevin...the mad genius...wondered "How much would it be to upgrade to first class?"  GENIUS.  I looked about two weeks ago and the answer was Too Much.  Well, I just looked again and for $100 total: first class, window seat.  HIGH FIVE KEVIN.

Then I decided that because I'm travelling alone, I rented a car.  This way I'm not waiting for shuttles, taxis, etc.  I will go from the airport to the car, the car to the valet to the hotel.  This reduces the amount of peopling and I know that there is surveillance everywhere.  I wouldn't worry about this if I were traveling to New Hampshire.  I worry because it's Vegas.

After upgrading the flight I remembered the last time I travelled, I used the apps and what a big difference it made. With the airline app, I can check-in early with my flights.  My enhanced driver's license usually allows me to skip TSA and I'm hoping that is true for this trip.  I didn't book the trip initially so I need to do some investigating.  I also set up no contact car rental, which I've never done before.

Now it's the obsessing about making sure I have everything and packing.  I have the tendency to overpack.  Also, wild temperature swing as I go from Fall in the PNW to the desert and back again.  Plus travel and work clothes.  ALSO, I've been working from home for almost two years: I don't have work clothes really anymore.

The coordinators offered this helpful tip to attendees of the conference:

We recommend business casual attire throughout the conference. Dress Jeans are welcome. Conference ballrooms tend to be chilly, so please bring a sweater and don't forget to pack comfortable shoes.

There's just so much to unpack (intentional pun!) there.  Business casual is different in the PNW than elsewhere.  Different everywhere, actually. What are Dress Jeans?  Bring a sweater.  Comfortable Shoes.  

This conference is clearly being put on by the Golden Girls.

AND THEN there's the whole it's during Start Up so I'm trying to get everything done in double-time because I will lose a week's worth of work, during a deadline.  You can bet that I won't be making this mistake again.

Now as a coping technique, I'm making a list of things I want to see and do: 

• The Venetian to just breathe.  If you've never been there, the air smells AMAZING.
• The Conservatory at the Bellagio  
• The Titanic exhibit for the eleventyth time.  I don't know that I'll have time though.
• Get t-shirts and a burger at In & Out.
• The High Roller Ferris Wheel.  But this too is a maybe, time-wise.  Also, this one made Kevin's eyebrows raise because: traveling alone.

I haven't been to Vegas since 2017 so I'm certain things have changed.  I'm hoping to knock some of these off on Monday before I even go to the hotel.  Then hotel check-out is well before I have to be at the airport on Thursday so that will be some time too.

I'm staying at Caesars Palace and I haven't been there before.  I am excited about that. If I were with Kevin or our friends, there would be many jokes from The Hangover but alas, not going to happen.  It's just not as funny via text.

Kevin is taking vacation days while I'm gone.  It's odd, I know, but by doing so there is someone here with Lucy and the parents.  Also, he's working on a big project so this will give him a lot of uninterrupted time and he's pretty excited about that.  I've offered to make meals ahead of time but he's declining.  I think he wants to just do the bachelor thing instead.  Among all the stuff above, I am trying not to think about the state of this house upon my return.  At least I will have a long weekend.

Oh, I just received an email from the conference.  Of course there is an app for that.  

Despite all of this *waving my hands around my head*  It will be fine.  There will be moments of fun and moments of suck.  This will be a "vacation" of sorts.  Sure, yeah. Let's go with that. It will be fine.  It will give me a good story to tell, I have no doubt.

 I'm going to play with my luggage to distract myself.