When you travel with Air Miles you don’t always have the choice of the shortest or most direct flights and sometimes that’s okay. When we flew to Mexico on February 9th, we left Calgary at 10:25 AM and after a two hour layover in Houston, arrived in Mexico City at 7:50 PM local time. Yesterday’s return trip was a lot longer, but also much more fun.
It was 5:15 AM when the alarm clock rang in our Mexico City hotel room. Forty-five minutes later we were in a taxi on our way to the airport. After being in the air for four hours and crossing two time zones, we touched down in Las Vegas at noon. Our connecting flight didn’t leave until 7:20 PM. We had seven hours to kill in Vegas!
After claiming our suitcase and passing through US Immigration and Customs in record time, we rechecked the luggage and caught a cab. I had the driver drop us at the Excalibur, close to one end of the famous Las Vegas Strip, where I stayed in November 2014 with the Rav4.
This was Richard’s first taste of Vegas. We started by dropping into the Excalibur’s lobby casino to try out a few of the penny machines. I soon turned my dollar into $2.50, but Richard lost his and it was time to head out and explore Sin City, USA! It was much chillier than my previous visit, but that didn’t seem to put a dent in the happy crowds strolling up and down the Strip enjoying its shops, restaurants and street performers. We joined them, stopping at Tom’s Urban for a late lunch.
Continuing our walk, we arrived at the Bellagio just in time to watch the famed fountain show and then went inside to see the spectacular Chinese New Year display in the opulent hotel’s conservatory.
Crossing the Strip, we made our way back to the Excalibur where we spent another half hour on the machines before catching a cab back to the airport. Seven hours in Vegas was definitely the best layover we’ve had in all our travels!
My oldest son was born on February 21st. That was back in the day when they kept you in the hospital for a full week following a c-section. Though 37 years have come and gone, I clearly remember entering the hospital in the depths of an Alberta winter and coming out a week later into what felt like the beginnings of spring. Of course, we saw more of winter before it finally relinquished it’s icy grip, but ever since that year, as the end of February approaches, I begin to think that spring must be on its way.
Once again, we felt as though we’d stepped back in time as we wandered the narrow streets. We also discovered a much more modern looking mini mall with three storeys of tiny shops all selling leather goods.
Even if they aren’t perfectly toned, your arms will usually look longer and leaner in a sleeveless garment as it has the advantage of the unbroken line. In my younger years, I was self-conscious about showing off my arms feeling that they were too skinny. It wasn’t until I was almost 40 and started to work out with weights that I felt comfortable going sleeveless. Now it’s my favourite look for summer. I especially like the freedom of movement that it allows when I’m golfing and it also ensures that I don’t end up with a “farmer’s tan”.
If you are truly uncomfortable going sleeveless or you work in a corporate environment where it isn’t considered appropriate, you might prefer a cap sleeve. Depending on your body shape, you might also appreciate cap sleeves for their shoulder-widening and therefore hip-balancing effect.
Following Augustine 