Utah Road Trip day 1

So here we finally find ourselves with time off from school and work so off we go!  I have missed exploring so very much!  Colin probably not so much.  The boy would be perfectly happy just hanging at home staying up late and sleeping half the day BUT well that really isn't his option this year.  We have been to Utah before but so much more to explore.  Utah is known for some pretty awesome National Parks also referred to as Big 5 or Mighty 5.  We have been to two of them on a previous trip so going to visit two more.  Also, visiting all 5 before I turn 50 is on my must do list.  I get ahead of myself . . . first we must stop and eat at Colin's favorite, Babe's Chicken Dinner House on our way to the airport.  It is yummy good!  Our flight was on time with an ordinary arrival in Las Vegas.  Go ahead laugh . . . doesn't everyone take their teenager to Vegas?  It is the closest airport with multiple flight options and good deals so that is where we land.  So this is where it starts to take a turn down . . . we are staying at the Tropicana by Doubletree.  Now as far as I can remember the Tropicana has been around for a long time so when the taxi driver says he isn't so sure where it is I start to think we are being taken for a ride that will cost a ridiculous amount of money.  As soon as I see the hotel in my sight, I make a point to tell the driver that there is our hotel on the left.  OH the Tropicana . . . I thought it was one of the new hotels . . . yeah right buddy!

As soon as we enter, Colin immediately comments on the awful smoke smell and asked me when we were leaving!  Oh kiddo!  We check in and the lady tells us we have been upgraded to one of the bungalows and blah, blah, blah . . . it is after 11:00pm and I could care less.  I want a shower and bed.  The room was super large with a nice patio area overlooking the pool but a bit modern.

However it was super hot too!  I tried playing with the touchscreen panel to lower the temperature and after 30 minutes called the front desk.  I was told "it is winter and it only blows hot air."  Since it is 'winter' these rooms did not have access to control the room temperature so they said to just turn it off and it should get better.  I told them they had to be kidding me and hung up.  It was nearing midnight and no way were we changing rooms.  It was miserable!  We were on the first floor so there was no way I was sleeping with the door open to the courtyard (which was fenced).  It is Vegas after all and who knows what could happen.  Tomorrow has to be better!