The very first time I stayed in an Airbnb was a few years ago when Oyen and I visited Manhattan after attending my nephew’s wedding in New Jersey. We stayed for 10 days in a nice and quiet apartment walking distance to Columbus Circle and Times Square. The apartment was private, meaning it was all for ourselves. Yen paid $150 a night.
I was here in Las Vegas in July / August and I stayed mostly at the Paris Hotel and it’s sister casino hotel, Bally’s where my room came with a free moomoo. My stay at the Strip was fun but it cost me at least $20 each way every day to get to where I needed to go. And to go in and out of the hotel I had no choice but to pass through the casino floors and inhale the second hand smokes coming from those sitting in front of the slot machines.
My husband and daughter got very worried when they found out that I didn’t book a hotel here in Las Vegas but decided to stay in a room with shared bathroom. My husband wanted me to book a whole house. Oh oh that would be scarier and more expensive. I’d rather stay in a hotel than stay in a whole house baka meron ding libreng multo and may not be as safe. My daughter demanded that I look for a private quarters with my own bathroom similar to apartments, flats, condos in New York. I couldn’t find one. Houses abound in Las Vegas, not condos like in New York. The standard floor plan of houses in the US is the masters bedroom is the only one that enjoys a private toilet and bath. All the other bedrooms have a common toilet.
It’s my first time to stay in an Airbnb while traveling alone and it was a leap of faith. Medyo nerbyos din ako baka kung ano ang mangyari sa akin living in a complete stranger’s house. Riding an Uber is different. At least while I am in the car, I am fully awake and it’s only for a few minutes ride no more than half hour. But entering and sleeping in a stranger’s house and leaving valuables in a room with no lock? It was really a leap of faith, like… okay, let’s do this An, keep your fingers crossed, your wallet and passport in your bag. Ready with my karate chops. Hayyk, hayyk. I also have my sound machine that in case I get scared, it can do the screaming for me.
to be continued
