"To sleep...per chance, to dream...."

Once again – it was a strange night. Once again …unearthly noises penetrated my deepest slumber. But this time I knew wasn’t dreaming.

It was 03.00 am. What appeared to be nothing less than a party was in full swing outside my room. Yelling and screaming and laughter… feet running up and down the corridor.

I was not happy. What with the jetlag and the moose escapade, I had hardly had a decent night’s sleep since I’d arrived.

I lay awake and waited. It was quite apparent that the party was not going to stop anytime soon.

So I wearily grabbed my robe and headed for the door.

In the corridor, a pack of wild, roaming drunks were shrieking and stumbling about. One young lass was incapable of standing up and every time she fell over again her companions screamed the house down. She was yelling – they were laughing. I was not amused.

‘Do you think you could quieten down – some people are trying to get some sleep’
I shouted up the corridor in as school mistressy a manner as I could muster.
This was met with a barrage of insults- most of which started with ‘F’. My card was marked.

I beat a hasty retreat. Terrific. Now I was public enemy number 1. Sure enough – the party headed my way – and as they stood outside my door, calling me every name under the sun, I knew in that moment that I would never stay at The Mirage again. Ever.

This was no 'Mirage'.
What was going on outside my door was a deeply unpleasant reality.

Now, E and I have dissected this one. It’s true to say that his corridor had no problems at all during his stay. Whereas I had had the mother of all moose nights, and now the party night from hell.

Yes -I was on the smoking floor and I know that tends to fit the psychological profile – smoking, drinking, gambling, partying, … …hey, I ‘ve done all those things too! …but this is meant to be a 4 star hotel of some class and reputation. I wouldn’t drunkenly roam the corridors in the middle of the night causing havoc. And I don’t expect anyone else to do that either.

I wasn’t entirely surprised – it was Friday night and the casino had been quite lively on the drinking front (remember the girl throwing up next to me in the ashcan?). Security had been out in force to police the lifts, and all in all The Mirage had been awash with revelry.

But back to my predicament. As the yelling and abuse continued outside my door I rang security. ‘There are random drunks prowling the corridors of the 12 th – could you come up and do something please’. And to their credit – they said they‘d send someone up right away. And they must have done, because, not long after, the cursing stopped and I heard stumbling footsteps hastily retreating.

All was quiet once again.

So it’s fair to say I didn’t start Saturday in the best humour either.

In the lift, 2 guys from Michigan made me laugh and invited me to hang out with them by the pool. So that put a smile back on my face…. (I tell you – it all goes on in the lifts in The Mirage!) .

Met E in the lobby – moaned about my night from hell. I decided it was about time I got something back from The Mirage and went to check out the comp situation. The players club gave me 2 champagne buffet vouchers – compensation of sorts I figured after the night I’d had……

Right said E - lets get at the bubbly. So we did. And then we hit the slots again – and the vodka and orange. I needed it that morning!

We had a leisurely morning’s gambling – nothing much to report – playing random slots as we went along. Not really winning a lot…but not really losing.
At some point we were going to hook up with Sandy, Adam and the Sarah’s and sort out the afternoon and evening.

Around midday a text arrived from Sandy.

Now, before I tell you what it said – I need to fill you in a bit …

Sandy loves Vegas – but he’s not a gambler.

He loves the shows, the restaurants, the Bellagio, the fountains, the whole wonderful 24/7 madness of it all.

He’s just not there for the gambling.

And this is what his text said:

“Just beaten E’s win. Spent $40. Won $3000”