Melissa Kruminas

Last week I had the opportunity to attend TechEd for Infor OS in Las Vegas, NV.  While working in Las Vegas may not be your activity of choice, I have to say that being surrounded with co-workers made for a great week.

As someone who works remotely, I rarely get the chance to connect in person with my co-workers.  In fact, this was the first time I met my boss despite working for her for over a year and a half.  To greet my co-workers, I even had Cake Time  work some of her magic on some custom Infor cookies.   These were such a hit that I’ll be ordering more for TechEd for Infor EAM in Denver in June.

So outside of the exciting Infor OS content from my conference, what did I learn in Vegas?  Here’s my top ten.

1.  Things on the strip are much further than they appear.

I am glad that I wore my Rothy’s last week because I definitely got my steps in.

2.  The strip is for Pepsi drinkers, not Coca-Cola loyalists.

Finding Diet Coke on the strip was not an easy task outside of finding a pharmacy or the monorail stations.  And yes, you have to pay to get to the soda machine.  Fortunately a co-worker went on a Diet Coke run for us.   While I *try* not to drink them regularly, sometimes conferences and time changes require some extra caffeine.

3.  Food Network addicts will be in heaven.

My children are currently obsessed with the Food Network.  We’ll blame it on several weeks of dealing with illness and the fact that I still had to get some work done.   When I came home and told my children that I had eaten at Guy’s restaurant, they were beyond excited.  I also took photos of Buddy’s.

4.  Food portions are enormous.

5.  Las Vegas is slightly above average for accessibility.

I would love to say that Las Vegas was amazingly accessible, but I can’t.  I would probably rate it a six out of ten.  Pathways between machines and tables were ample.  Escalators were helpful for me, and elevators were available for those that need them.  However, the space was sensory overload, and stairwells were not made easily accessible.  In fact, the two floors my conference was held on were only accessible to one another via elevator unless you called and waited for security.  I also think it would be next to impossible for visually impaired visitors to hear auditory signals when crossing the street.  It was above average for a larger touristy area, but there is definitely room for improvement.

6.  You can get a cupcake 24 hours a day – among other things.

As someone from the south, I’m used to the grocery store and most gas stations being open 24 hours a day, but that’s about it.  I found a cupcake ATM behind my hotel.  Chocolate is more my poison, so I headed to Ghirardelli for ice cream instead.

7.  It snows in Vegas.

Yes, really!  The week before my trip it snowed in Las Vegas.  The temperatures while there ranged from the 40’s to the 70’s.  How do you pack for that?  Very carefully.

8.  Vegas hotels are themed.

This may sound like a no-brainer, but I had no idea.  And I love a theme, so this was like heaven.  My favorites were Paris and the Venetian, but I enjoyed the fountains at the Bellagio as well.  You really can spend your evenings just walking around the hotels.

9.  The music and shows are amazing.

Vegas offers just about any type of music or show you would want to see – from fiery volcanoes to dueling pianos.

A few of my co-workers were able to get free tickets to see Penn & Teller.  I also heard that David Copperfield was a great show.

10.  You really can gamble anywhere.

I think the only place I didn’t see a slot machine or Blackjack table was in the restroom, but I’m sure there’s one somewhere in a restroom in Vegas.  Waiting for a flight I hit the slots on my last dollar and came home $150 richer.  I decided to cash out and end on a high note.