Home is where the ...

Unfortunately I've had to change my travel plans for December.

At least that's what I need to tell the Gold Coast, where I'm currently booked in for eleven nights over Christmas and New Year.  Their rate was a pretty good deal, but somthing better just came along.  Twice.

Thanks to Claire's video poker play in the summer, she's scored five free nights in total for the next trip - with no further obligation to meet any play requirements at those casinos!

We'll begin with three nights at Casino Royale.  Claire had done her research and found out that a little video poker play on a 99.5% machine was usualy enough to get some room offers, and indeed it was.  It's a sickly sweet sugary smelling dive (you really have to try not to inhale as you walk past Ben & Jerry's in the tiny entrance hall) but it's a decent location right next to The Venetian.

The only game worth noting there is craps with 100x odds, which is great if you're in the mood for putting $5 on the line and $500 behind.  That's not really for me - if I had $500 to play on dice, I'd want to spread my money around on more than one roll.

Then it's off downtown for two nights at the Four Queens.  It's also nothing special, but also a decent location - about 30 seconds walk from all the other downtown casinos - and it does have plenty of 100%+ payback video poker to qualify for next trip's room offers!