One low-cost technique
sagefr0g said:
i'd like to do some traveling about a bit so as to play some new casinos. the problem of course is travel expense and room & board.
i'm curious as to how others get the most bang for their buck with respect to travel and room & board expenses that are associated with playing blackjack at non-local casinos.
best regards,
mr fr0g
I have a friend who sleeps in his mid-size sedan and takes showers at truck stops. He typically goes 6 to 10 days on his trips while sleeping in his car! For example, he has shades and other privacy-enhancing devices that prevent people from looking inside his car. This is a true but insane story.
- During the summer, he keeps his rear windows open a bit for a breeze effect and uses a solar power fan to keep the cabin cool if parked outside. He prefers to park in free garages since there is less hassle factor.
- In the winter time, he has one high-tech body-heat reflecting blanket (retains up to 80% of his body heat and can be obtained in any hiking store), and uses two polar fleece blankets to create an oven effect.
- He uses ear plugs to keep out the noise. He uses a memory form collar-rest and a memory form lumber support to keep his body still in the passenger chair while he sleeps. Lastly, he wear an expensive eye/face mask to keep out the light.
- In his trunk, he has self-heating meals (e.g. heater-meals) for emergencies, instant ramen noodles, extra bottles of water, lots of energy drinks, cookies, energy bars, dry fruit, first aid kit, etc.
- He told me his next vehicle would be a "CUV" like Toyota RAV4 or Honda CRV. He wouldn't mind a mini-van with the rear seats removed so he can use a therma-rest or gel bedrest.
- He sleeps 2 to 5 hours at a time. He takes a long hot shower -- usually $7 to $9 -- each day at the nearest truck stop. He recommends Pilots because they have the best showers and really care if you have a good experience. The good truck stops clean the private bathrooms after every use. He brings a body-and hair shampoo combo, q-tips, shaver, electric tooth brush, floss, and deordorant. If he has to do his laundry, he can do it at the truck stop.
-He gets his meals comped when he can. As for drinks, when he orders a drink from the cocktail waitress, he generally orders two drinks -- orange juice and a bottle of water (he saves the bottles of water) -- all for a $1 tip.
If he has to stay in a motel, he times it just right. He gets a room for Monday with a Tuesday 12 noon check-out. He arrives Sunday night and proceeds to play during graveyard. He checks in the motel at 8 to 10 am on Monday and then crashes. He gets the room for all day Monday and 12 hours on Tuesday. If he stays for more than three days, he might book another room for Wednesday and check out Thursday noon for 4.5 days of play while only paying two nights.
I told him he's insane since he's carrying all that money (trip bankroll) on him or in his car. For an extra $30 to $50 a night, he could be safe and secure in a motel or hotel. Or, he could buy a used class B RV for less than $6K and sleep in RV parks for $15 to $30 a night with hook-ups. However, he won't listen to me!
