Atlantic City, Day One

Day One of our little excursion to the AC consisted mainly of driving. Fortunately, I didn't have to drive. Unfortunately, I had nothing to do for the six-hour trip. The Northeast is fascinating for its population density of six thousand people per square foot but its total lack of decent roads. We didn't drive on one mile of interstate highway but we drove on three dozen Main Streets, passed seventeen general stores and waited through 4,539 red lights. It is amazing. I can drive from Los Angeles to Louisiana on one road for free, but to drive three hundred miles to Atlantic City costs $18.00 and the speed limit rarely exceeds 50 mph.

Upon our arrival in the AC we checked into our hotel. At the bargain basement rate of $112.00 (including military discount) we got a bed that was only 50% covered in hooker spit. A good deal, according to AAA and most reputable travel magazines. We immediately called a cab and departed for the boardwalk, which, is like The Strip, but...not.

We spent the evening at the Trump Taj Mahal. It was actually a little disappointing. Not your Bellagio. I'm all about the fountain show. And they skimped on free drinks, even though I got an official Trump One card and sat at a slot machine for an hour (winning, by the way, and impressive $13.25). They had one bar where two girls danced on a platform and a domestic beer costs $6.00. No TVs. That is a load of crap.

At about 2:30 (in the morning...groan) we crawled back into a cab and headed back to the hotel. No one was buzzed because we were all too cheap to drink at that price, everyone was tired, but on the plus side, no one was broke quite yet.