#9 The hotel unlocked the doors and let them out again!

They headed out to the pool for one last visit the next morning, and went to the smaller pool area again, rather than the lovely sand beach. Call Kodi paranoid, but she had a feeling if she landed on the ground out there a second time, she might not survive it.

They enjoyed a couple of hours of sunshine and a couple of quick dips in the Delano pool, because they were able to get lounges next to Kodi’s ‘assistive’ rail again.

They weren’t down there so long that they risked housekeeping missing them, and as they walked slowly back into the building, they said a few ceremonial good byes to the surroundings, since it would be their last visit out there. 

They ‘checked out’ the small  Four Season’s pool area through a tightly woven fence, and saw 4 people there. Lovely, and peaceful…and if they want more action, the can visit the beach and lazy river on the Mandalay complex.  Toos and Kodi had seen a lot of families heading to the lazy River when they were on the sand beach, big float rings over shoulders, but it was a long walk away, so they’d not gone in person to see it.

Once they were showered and dressed, they headed downstairs and over to the tram for the trip to Excalibur.  Kodi recalled having a buffet there once, in the 1980s ( although Tom who had been with her, had no recollection of having been there, so perhaps it was one of her Vegas fantasies.)

The express tram WAS in service, so they barely shifted their butts into the seat, when it was time to exit. 

Since it was mid afternoon, the line at the MLife area was extremely long.  Toos headed over to some slot machines within view, because she couldn’t stand for a long while.  Kodi had to remember to get her $25 free play added to her card as well as the free buffet.  Finally it was her turn, and smiled at the  woman serving her, telling her she needed the free play and the buffet reward.  The gal typed, frowning, and the scrolled, and typed a little more. She looked up and said “I’ve put your free play on your card, but you don’t have a buffet reward. “. 

Kodi looked at her indignantly.  “ I DO have a 2/1 reward .  I can give you the confirmation number. “. She began to fumble in her purse for the information, because she didn’t have it front and centre, not needing them up til now. 

The clerk, looking disgusted, said.  “ The confirmation number won’t do you any good. You HAD a 2/1 buffet, but it expired yesterday. You had to use it before today.” 

Kodi’s knees began to shake, and she leaned heavily on the counter.  “ Isn’t there any way I can get it back, or can you somehow override it? “.  The woman, really finished with this whole issue, just glared and said she couldn’t…looked up and call out “Next!”  

Kodi walked away,  looking towards  the casino where Toos hungrily watched her. Stupid, stupid, stupid!  She should have double checked everything. She could have easily used the reward yesterday, and eaten at Luxor today.  Shaking her head, she thought…Here, she’d been willing to take on Toos’ well being in Vegas, and she kept making stupid mistakes.  Maybe she shouldn’t even be allowed out alone, herself.

She tried to put a neutral face on as she walked up to Toos.  She smiled and said “So, how hungry ARE you? “ Toos smiled back and said “Really hungry!”  (Okay, so plan B was out…no hot dog or pretzels for lunch.)   Well, Since Kodi had been looking forward to trying the Excalibur Buffet, it looks like she’d be eating her mistake as well as whatever was on the menu that afternoon.

They followed signs until they came to a spot where there weren’t any visible to them.  Kodi stopped a cleaner and asked him which way they should go..left or right.  He pointed to a large overhead sign next to some escalators…that was actually VERY visible LOL.  There were only about a dozen people ahead of them in line, and Kodi charged both brunches to the room.

Kodi asked, and the hostess gave them a booth, not too far from the buffet.   She slid her cane onto the bench beside her, then screamed ( under her breath of course, being Canadian, and not wanting to disturb anyone). There was a big puddle on the vinyl seat, and it was spreading her way.  She grabbed her napkins. Toos grabbed her napkins.  The tide wasn’t stemmed.  Their server, was a perky gal, who seemed to be in perpetual motion. She caught on to what they were doing, and brought a small towel over to assist. 

Kodi realized she’d used the cane to get down into the pool twice that morning, and even though ( or because) there were lots of holes in it, obviously pool water had stayed in the bottom few inches, but had poured out when she laid it on its side.

That crisis averted, Toos glanced at the bill on the rack at the table, that the hostess had placed when they were seated. “Why “ she asked, are there charges for both buffets on here instead of 1 like yesterday?”  Of course her stupid friend had to admit what happened, but explained, Toos only had to pay for half of ONE buffet, because that had been the agreement. Kodi would pay the rest. 

Toos began to protest, but then Kodi explained, she’d been getting ‘points play’ on her players card, some of which Toos was contributing to.  She would essentially get some free play out of those, so she suggested they’d call it even.  Okay..done.

They each went to the self serve drinks area and got something for theirselves. The gal, who had helped clean up the water  earlier, came by,  and Kodi asked for straws.  She wanted to enjoy her delicious pink lemonade!  Toos had the same.  The server said that when they needed their next drinks, to let her know, and she’d get them.  Toos headed up first and was surprised by the higher end food she found, compared to the Luxor.    She enjoyed smoked salmon, and oysters, and loved the big carved ham, and Chinese food.  

Kodi skipped the seafood, but enjoyed the rest, as well as a little sliced Turkey with cranberry.  A fellow in line ahead of her, asked for brisket ( one of her favourites) but was told they had none at the moment… so it sounds like you might score it some days.   She was so excited to see a piece of carrot cake, that her hands shook when she took a photo of it.  Toos had a plate of assorted goodies, and Kodi ate her 2 little strawberry jelly rolls ( covered in coconut) so fast, that they didn’t even get INTO a picture.  (Unless you do a mind-shot of Cookie Monster devouring his favourites.)

They did take up their server’s offer, and she got Toos a cola and Kodi a latte ( which wasn’t, really 😂) out of the machines and carried them to the table.  There was an older gentleman working in their area cleaning the floors and sanitizing tables and chairs. He was very focused and conscientious.

The meal and service was excellent, and Kodi would gladly eat at this buffet again.  

They headed back to the tram after Kodi blew through the $25 free play, getting no bonus or decent line wins.  She started thinking about Moolah and that point play back at Mandalay…

Toos said she eaten enough that day, and would just have a protein bar later, if she needed anything. They planned to go their separate ways meet in the room around 9, to start organizing their stuff, since they were going to eat in the morning, finish packing then, and move on down to 

Mid Strip!

Moolah was unavailable, but Kodi used her $75 points play on a couple of machines she hadn’t played yet at Mandalay ( Buffalo still hates her) and went to the room with over $50 cash from the free play, and some of her daily stake, so she’d be able to feed the Take Home Envelope, before retiring . 

 When she got up to the room at 9, Toos was nearly completely packed except for essentials she needed in the morning.