RIDING ON THE NEW YORK CITY SUBWAY AGAIN

As I mentioned in my last post, my 30 Plus Teams Tour took me to Jamaica Hospital in the Queens neighborhood of Richmond Hill.

To get to Jamaica Hospital, I had to do something that I hadn’t done since March 2020.

Take the infamous New York City subway.

Since the coronavirus happened I hadn’t taken the subway at all, and given all the negative things that had been going on since the coronavirus happened and people in New York City, who grew up taking the subway suddenly got stuck on stupid, I was apprehensive taking any train, let alone the two lines that are closest to me, the E and F trains.

Unfortunately, the only way I could get to the hospital was on the E train, so I had no choice but to take the train, mask in hand.

Luckily, I only had to go two stops from Jamaica Center.

Nothing had changed.

The subways are still dirty, still crowded and still slow.

There is one major change though.

Don’t forget to wear that mask.

RETURNING TO SPRINGFIELD PARK

More than a year ago, August 11, 2020 to be exact, I took a bus ride about 10 minutes away from my house in Locust Manor to the Springfield Gardens/Rosedale border to Springfield Park.

We had just had a n’oreaster, which is a step below a hurricane, so a lot of trees were blown down all over the park, and there was yellow police tape all over the place.

Not because there was an accident or someone had gotten killed, no it was because of the trees falling.

Today, August 13, 2021, a Friday no less, was a real New York summer day.

Hot and humid as heck.

So what’s a Sports Diva suppose to do if she can’t get to the beach but wants to get out of the house?

She makes a return trip to Springfield Park.

I didn’t stay long, an hour was good enough to make a return visit to Springfield Park.

COMING HOME ON AMERICAN AIRLINES

When I booked my return flight, the fares were really expensive.

I couldn’t find an inexpensive flight going into LaGuardia Airport, and as for Newark Liberty, nope I didn’t want to fly there no matter how cheap it was or if it was non stop.

That left my home airport, JFK.

The cheapest flight was leaving at 7:30am, which meant that I had to be at Las Vegas McCarran by 4:30am.

It was Las Vegas to JFK but with a three hour layover at an airport that I had never been to before, Austin Bergstrom Airport in Austin, Texas.

It sounded awful a three hour layover, but the time went fast as I was able to do some editing on my blog and check out my emails, let alone eat.

I hadn’t taken American Airlines since February 2020 and nothing had really changed except that I didn’t get a middle seat on either flight.

I will say though, I wish American would make their WiFi easier to use.

Thank God for downloaded music.

My flight was supposed to get back to JFK at 8:45pm but as is always the case, the pilot must have been in a hurry to get home. Our time of arrival, half an hour earlier at 8:15pm.

You think I’d be happy about this but no, the Sports Diva wants to get her vacation destination early not her return trip to the craziness that is New York City.

This was my first airplane trip since the virus from hell and I’m so ready for my next 30 Plus Teams Tour no matter where it is.

BACK AT THE EXCALIBUR HOTEL AND CASINO

The last time I stayed in this hotel which is between the Luxor and New York New York Casino was in March 2020 right before you know who came.

I decided to stay here again for my 2021 30 Plus Teams Tour of Las Vegas.

Now I didn’t get that great rate that I got at Bally’s, but since Excalibur is part of the MGM Properties, as a member of the MLife Players Club, I was able to get a good rate for my stay, which was Wednesday June 23 until Friday morning, June 25.

(Yeah, the Sports Diva plays the slots a lot in Vegas and Atlantic City, which also has MGM and Caesars Properties, don’t judge me!)

I had requested a room in the older, Resort Room section of the hotel.

When I arrived, I did what a lot of people do when they come to Vegas.

I asked if there were any complimentary upgrades on rooms.

All they could say was no, right?

The front desk clerk said she would check and five minutes later, I was moved to one of the newer rooms in the Royal Tower, all the way on the 24th floor, with double beds.

I had a nice view of not only Mandalay Bay and Luxor Hotel Casinos, but Las Vegas McCarran Airport, where I could watch the planes take off and land, and a partial view of Allegiant Stadium, home of the NFL’s Las Vegas Raiders.

Being the Sports Diva, you know I was happy to see something sports related.

This was a 30 Plus Teams Tour anyway, right?

The bed was nice and comfy.

My only complaint was unlike my stay at Bally’s a few nights before, there was no refrigerator in the room.

You just know another 30 Plus Teams Tour of Las Vegas is going to come, God willing.

If I can get a good or even a great rate, I’ll be making another visit to Excalibur.

GOOD RIDDANCE 2020,HAPPY NEW YEAR

By the time this post uploads, many of you will have all ready said, good riddance, don’t let the door hit you on the way out, and go away to the year from hell, 2020.

Who knows if 2021 will be any better?

Honestly, it can’t be any worse than 2020,which came in like an angel, but later turned into an asshole douchebag to put it nicely.

Don’t know what the rest of 2021 will bring, but it’s gonna be good in the beginning.

Hockey comes back in 12 days and the Sports Diva is liking 2021 all ready.

God willing, let those 30 Plus Teams Tours of somewhere, ANYWHERE, start again.

Call me crazy, but I miss writing about those ‘what’s in my suitcase’ posts that so many of you seem to like a lot.

For now though, 2021 is a couple of hours away.

Good riddance 2020, NOBODY is going to miss you.