Keep a diary
Don't worry about those spots on your forehead
Don't have a perm aged 14 (ruined my hair for years and looked horrendous)
Stay on at school and complete your A levels
Don't get involved with bad boys.  It may seem exciting, but it will wear you down and mess with your head. 

19th June to 3rd July.  Mainly playing Rio dailies ($235 etc) in 1st week then Planet Hollywood Phamous series events, WSOP Event #51, WSOP Event #53 (Ladies) & Wynn $250k GTD.

Hope to see some of you out there!  Good luck us!

I wasn't originally looking at the Planet Hollywood Phamous Poker Series during this trip to fill the gaps in my schedule, because the structures weren't great, however after getting feedback from some super users on 2+2, PH have drastically improved their structure, so now these are an option as well! This link takes you to the 2+2 page http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/65/mttc-live/planet-hollywood-phamous-poker-series-v-june-6-2014-july-6-2014-a-1437682/

I've made a slight change to the 3 phone info I posted the other day.  I've highlighted it in the op above.

I tried to make a change, but it won't let me modify the post for some reason!

Anyway for anyone who is interested, if you want to buy the PAYG phone direct from 3 (rather than buying a 2nd hand unlocked phone) then you need to buy it (either online or in a 3 shop) a few days before you go to Vegas, because they are forcing you to add an All In One package (£10 or £15) with this phone!  The 30 day period that the package lasts for, starts from the day you receive delivery of the phone/SIM.  So to minimise cost make sure you purchase the phone not too far in advance!

My mate in USA is buying us a 20$  USA pay as you go each from wal mart  9.99$ top up  so we can stay in touch

http://20somethingfinance.com/tracfone-review/

That's fine if you just want to text and call, but not if you want to get on internet and not if they don't have them in stock (which they tend not to have in June/July!)

[If you are calling a US number, it IS NOT included and would be charged at £1.40 per minute.]

This almost sounds too good to be true, but I've treble checked with 3 and it's 100% true!

3 have got a feature on their network that allows you transfer your call, text and data allowances from your existing 3 pay monthly contract or 3 pay as you go (PAYG) account for use abroad (inc USA).  It's called Feel At Home.  

I'm not on 3 at the moment, but here's what I'm going to do before I go to Vegas in June:-

1.  Order a free PAYG Sim card from the 3 website - https://www.three.co.uk/Support/Free_SIM/Order
2.  Buy an unlocked 3G or 4G phone from CEX or similar or buy the LG Optimus L1 II for £49.99 from 3 (3 have confirmed that this will work with their PAYG Sim card in the US and it's the cheapest option if you want a new phone rather than a 2nd hand one)
3.  Create a My3account, link the SIM card to it and register a debit/credit card for topping up purposes
4.  A few days before I go to Vegas, log into My3account and top it up on either the £10 or £15 All In One deal (see details of the 2 different deals here - http://www.three.co.uk/Store/SIM/Pay_As_You_Go) - the £15 one is better as you would expect!
5.  Put the SIM card in my unlocked phone and check that I can surf the internet on it using the SIM.  If it doesn't work, some of the phone settings my need to be changed - see here http://support.three.co.uk/SRVS/CGI-BIN/WEBISAPI.DLL?Command=New,Kb=Mobile,Ts=Mobile,T=Article,varset_cat=payasyougo,varset_subcat=4125,Case=obj(4091)


If I do all the above then I will be able to use this phone/SIM in Vegas and my usage will simply be deducted from the minutes, texts and data allowance I get on the All In One deal I've selected.  I'll be going for the £15 deal as it gives you All you can eat data, 3000 texts and 300 minutes.  The £15 top up lasts for 30 days, so if you're in Vegas for longer (lucky you!) after the first 30 days has expired, you can simply go onto the internet, log onto your My3account and top up using the card you've already registered to get another 30 days.  

Once you come home and the 30 days expires, you are under no obligation to use the Sim card again.  You don't need to keep topping it up.  You can of course keep it for your next visit to Vegas or other foreign country!  There's a list here...USA, Italy, the Republic of Ireland, Austria, Australia, Sweden, Denmark, Sri Lanka, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Macau.

There are a couple of drawbacks:-

1.  You will have a different number when you're abroad, so you'll need to give your temporary number to your contacts.
2.  You need to assume you are in the UK when using your phone in the US, so in terms of making outgoing calls, if you're ringing a UK number (including a UK mobile phone that's either in the UK or the US at the time) then it's included in the 300 minutes allowance on the £15 All In One deal.  If you are calling a US number, it IS NOT included and would be charged at £1.40 per minute.

You can also get a PAYG Sim for use in an ipad or tablet etc!  There's a bit more info in the comments at the foot of this page...http://blog.three.co.uk/2013/12/04/feel-at-home-now-includes-the-us-of-a/


Below is the chat I had earlier with 3 about this!

06:01:54 PM [Visitor] I'm interested in the Pay As You Go - All in One deals, but I need to know a few things
06:02:23 PM [Mohsin] We appreciate your business and would love to have you as a customer.
06:03:24 PM [Visitor] If I order a PAYG All in One £10 SIM card today, it's asking me to pay £10, so when does the 30 days become active?
06:03:37 PM [Visitor] Today or whenever I insert the SIM into a phone?
06:04:01 PM [Mohsin] I'll help you with your query in regards to getting the pay as you go sim today as well as the start date.
06:04:11 PM [Mohsin] While I help you with your query, may I please know your home postcode to check for coverage and to update the same in our system?
06:04:30 PM [Visitor] I already know I have coverage
06:04:43 PM [Mohsin] That's great.
06:04:47 PM [Visitor] I just have a few questions to help me decide if I want to go ahead
06:05:13 PM [Mohsin] Your 30 days start on the day you receive the package.
06:05:33 PM [Visitor] Is the PAYG All In One a contract? Am I tied in beyond the first 30 days?
06:06:34 PM [Mohsin] It's not on contract as it's a pay as you go deal.
06:06:56 PM [Visitor] Can I activate Feel At Home on the All in One PAYG, as long as the SIM has been active for 30 days first?
06:07:07 PM [Mohsin] After 30 days you need to top-up and convert that into add-on in order to get the above allowance.
06:08:26 PM [Mohsin] Yes you can use the sim in our feel like home country right away and you don't have to wait for 30 days.
06:08:51 PM [Visitor] I don't have to wait 30 days? I'm sure it says on your website that I do
06:10:03 PM [Mohsin] That is only applicable to our pay monthly sim only deals and not pay as you go.
06:10:17 PM [Visitor] right ok thanks
06:10:36 PM [Mohsin] Do you want me to summarize the deal for you?
06:11:06 PM [Visitor] So isn't the All In One a SIM plan?
06:11:15 PM [Visitor] Your website says this....
06:11:17 PM [Visitor] Is Feel At Home available to all Three customers?
Yes – you just need international roaming to be activated in order to pick up a signal when you go abroad. International roaming is activated automatically for all customers.

If you’re a new SIM Plan customer, you need to have been with us for 30 days before you can use your SIM abroad. After 30 days, roaming will automatically be switched on.

06:12:05 PM [Mohsin] Yes that's for a pay monthly sim contract.
06:12:36 PM [Visitor] right ok
06:12:40 PM [Mohsin] You are going with a pay as you go sim where there is no contract.
06:13:53 PM [Mohsin] Our Sim card will only work in any of your unlocked 3G or 4G compatible phone so which phone you'll be using?
06:14:13 PM [Visitor] I'm going to buy a 2nd hand unlocked phone
06:14:35 PM [Mohsin] That's great.
06:14:55 PM [Visitor] What's the cheapest compatible phone you sell that would work in USA with an All In One SIM?
06:15:14 PM [Mohsin] Sure let me check, give me couple of minutes.
06:15:42 PM [Visitor] I need to be able to use the Internet on it
06:15:59 PM [Visitor] so it needs a browser
06:16:44 PM [Mohsin] I can offer you Samsung Galaxy Fame for £64.99 + choose your £10 or £15 add-on in the Basket.
06:17:00 PM [Mohsin] The Galaxy Fame is a new mid-range phone from Samsung which offers a full smartphone experience at an affordable price. The Galaxy Fame is compact and stylish with a 3.5 inch touchscreen display, 3GB of internal storage and a fast 1.0 GHz processor to provide seemless browsing, gaming and downloading.
06:18:26 PM [Visitor] OK that's a little bit more than I wanted to pay. I will have a look at 2nd hand ones.
06:18:45 PM [Mohsin] I have one more option for you.
06:18:49 PM [Visitor] ok
06:19:44 PM [Mohsin] I can offer you LG Optimus L1 II for £49.99 + choose your £10 or £15 add-on in the Basket.
06:19:57 PM [Mohsin] The Optimus L1 II is easy-to-use and offers an excellent touch experience on its 3" capacitive touchscreen in addition, you get a 2MP camera with voice activated capture, long battery life and a powerful 1GHz processor which provides all the multitasking power you need to make the most of your phone.
06:20:17 PM [Visitor] OK thanks, I will think about it.
06:20:39 PM [Visitor] Can I order a free SIM online today and then go online and upgrade to the All In One later
06:20:40 PM [Visitor] ?
06:21:04 PM [Mohsin] Sure I'll help you with the link for a free sim.
06:21:19 PM [Visitor] Thanks
06:22:04 PM [Mohsin] Click on the link https://www.three.co.uk/Support/Free_SIM/Order
06:22:12 PM [Visitor] So once I've upgraded the SIM to All In One and paid my first £10/£15, do I need to do anything to get International Roaming to work and to activate Feel At Home?
06:22:58 PM [Mohsin] You don't have to do anything as you can use international roaming right away.
06:23:03 PM [Mohsin] Sounds good?
06:23:26 PM [Visitor] Yes that's great. Sounds almost too good to be true!
06:23:54 PM [Mohsin] Wonderful, that's the benefit of having a pay as you go sim.

How many levels are being played on day 1 please?  Estimated finish time tonight please?

Can anyone recommend a reasonable car hire option for Vegas please?

What are the best ways to collect virgin air miles?  Seems to be worth doing it. 

Also any other ways of collecting air miles with other airlines? 

We accrue most of our miles by using a Virgin Credit Card for all our purchases (literally everything!).  There are 2 types of card, the white and the black.  We have the white (although we'd probably be better off with the black one!) and we get a Reward Voucher if we spend £10k in a 12 mth period (as well as 1 mile for every pound spent) and 2 Reward Vouchers if we spend £20k in a 12 mth period.  In addition if we spend £15k in that same 12 mths we get a Companion ticket. 

In order to use your Reward voucher(s) you have to have sufficient miles in your account (42,500 for a return to Vegas) and you then pay the tax only for the flight.  The Reward Voucher gets you an upgrade from Economy to Premium, or Premium to Upper (subject to seats being available).  It is not easy to find availability to be honest.  I was told yesterday by Virgin's helpline that most flights only have 2 reward seats available in each cabin.

More info available here: http://www.virgin-atlantic.com/gb/en/flying-club/credit-card.html

Because Virgin have changed their seat allocation policy, it's complicated, some seats are free to reserve and some aren't.  Depends on a whole host of factors!  http://virginatlantic.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/74/session/L3RpbWUvMTM5ODAwMTQwOS9zaWQvQi1pMWdnU2w%3D

Upstairs at the back (row 79). No-one kicking your chair, near to galley for drinks!

Here's dedication for you! Got up at 7.45am today to log in to Virgin Atlantic and reserve the best seats on the plane to Vegas! 60 days to go! 

Just booked mine and Jack Allen's flights from Manchester to Vegas on Virgin Atlantic direct return for £568 each which is 2000 miles plus money. Very happy with that! It was £900 odd yesterday!

Bargain!

I always take sleeping tablets with me (prescribed from my GP) and when I wake up at 4am I pop one of those and hey presto the next thing I know it's 9am!

Has anyone flown Manchester to Las Vegas via Toronto with Air Canada?  Thoughts?  Very cheap atm for July.