(1) It is super dry there and we consumed a LOT of water. TIP: buy "ice cold water: one dollah" from the hawkers on the overpasses. One bottle of water can cost $3.25 in the fast food outlets.
(2) The hotel rooms do not come with fridges or tiny coffee makers. Just ice buckets and plastic cups. TIP: head to Target and purchase a tiny coffee maker for around $12 and bring your own coffee from home. Coffee in restaurants is $2.50 or $4 in the hotel lobby.
(3) Snacks are way overpriced! TIP: Stock up before you leave home. We snacked a lot in our room or on the trail.
(4) I saw a few people hauling little bitty coolers as carry-on and wondered about it. TIP: Bring a little cooler or purchase one in Vegas. Ice is free. Carol & Arlene found $2 bottles of wine in the hotel somewhere, so a little cooler would've been nice. Even nice for milk, so we could've had cereal for breakfast.
(5) Even though they say rules about liquids on airplanes have relaxed, the sizes allowed are the tiny sample sizes. AND they have to be packed in large ziplock bags, or else you have to toss them. TIP: have a supply of large ziplock bags with you. Share. You'll get points for being really nice.
(6) Shopping is fantastic in Vegas. Lots of shopping centres and outlet malls. TIP: Do not buy a wardrobe before leaving home, like I did.
(7) You will take millions of photos, . . . well, hundreds anyways. TIP: Make sure you have extra camera batteries and either an extra camera card or a larger card. I had to borrow Arlene's battery (my third) and shortly thereafter, her camera card, to finish out the day in photos!! Then at the Grand Canyon, I had to sit down and delete less-than-stellar-photos to make room on my card to finish out the visit there! Panic! Note also that I had my laptop with me and uploaded photos daily. Sometimes 3 times a day if we were close by.
Hope this helps anyone out there going on vacation, if not, I'll simply copy this note for myself for next year!
