The Jeff Does Vegas Podcast

The world is FINALLY starting to feel normal. And part of that "normal" is a return to travel.

But when you haven't done something for a long time - for example, for two years during a global pandemic - it's easy to get out of practice and forget all those good travel habits you had that helped to keep you safe when you were venturing out around the world.

With more people starting to make the trek to Las Vegas (and elsewhere around the globe), I thought it might be helpful to put together an episode all about travel safety & security. After all, nothing can wreck a vacation faster than being scammed, losing your passport or ending up sick or injured.

And although some people may think I'm "fear mongering" here, I prefer to think of it as "worst-case scenario planning". I mean, it's better to have an umbrella and not need it than need one and not have it, right?

There's a lot to unpack here, so I've created a downloadable copy of my notes for your own use and here's links to some of the resources I used to put together this episode:

• 25 Important Travel Safety Tips Everyone Should Know (Expert Vagabond)
• 21 Travel Safety Tips: How to Protect Yourself and Prevent Theft While Traveling (Practical Wanderlust)
• Travel Safety Tips - How To Have A Safe Vacation (The Planet D)

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Become a Jeff Does Vegas Insider today for only $5 USD/month & enjoy all kinds of cool perks like early access to new episodes, commercial-free versions of EVERY episode, invites to exclusive live streams & videos, insider-only virtual hangouts and even real-life in-person hangouts IN Las Vegas!

Sign up NOW at patreon.com/jeffdoesvegas

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Jeff Does Vegas is an official Vegas.com affiliate!

Help support the podcast & get exclusive deals by booking your hotel stays, shows, attractions, tours, clubs and even complete vacation packages (including air & hotel) with our special link!

If you're a lover of that vintage Vegas vibe, but also a huge fan of the contemporary rock sound, you're going to LOVE my guest for this episode of the podcast

Joining me this time around is Michael Shapiro, front man for Reckless In Vegas who, after spending the last several years hustling their asses off around Las Vegas at various lounges and showrooms, recently landed their first ever residency gig at the legendary Sahara Las Vegas!

Michael & I discussed what initially got him interested in music, we talked about his early days working in cover bands & touring with other artists, he opened up about his addiction & recovery, and he shared what inspired him to create the unique sound of Reckless In Vegas.

If you want to learn more about Reckless In Vegas and get your hands on tickets to see them live at the Sahara, be sure to visit their website. You can also follow the band on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

You can also listen to Reckless In Vegas online on Apple Music & Spotify.

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Become a Jeff Does Vegas Insider today for only $5 USD/month & enjoy all kinds of cool perks like early access to new episodes, commercial-free versions of EVERY episode, invites to exclusive live streams & videos, insider-only virtual hangouts and even real-life in-person hangouts IN Las Vegas!

Sign up NOW at patreon.com/jeffdoesvegas

__________________________________________________________________________

Jeff Does Vegas is an official Vegas.com affiliate!

Help support the podcast & get exclusive deals by booking your hotel stays, shows, attractions, tours, clubs and even complete vacation packages (including air & hotel) with our special link!

5 years into my Vegas podcasting journey, I've completed over 200 episodes - including bonus & special episodes. Way back in the early days of the podcast, I had some pretty cool conversations & covered some great topics that are now buried deep in the archives where anyone new to the show is unlikely to find them.

So, to save people the effort of going on the hunt for them, I'm doing the digging for you with a feature I'm calling, "From The Vault", where I re-share some of the best episodes from the early days of the podcast.

This time, I've got inside info that could keep you from making a HUGE mistake on your next Las Vegas trip...

Imagine this situation: You're walking down the strip with your significant other, minding your business, when all of the sudden someone jumps out in front of you and says, "What a lovely couple...how would you like some free tickets to a show?"

First-timers & newbies are thinking, "Sure...where do I sign up?" Meanwhile, the Vegas veterans are saying, "RUN! RUN AS FAST YOU CAN...AND RUN FAR AWAY!!!"

As anyone can tell you, nothing in Las Vegas is "free"...and the price of those "free tickets" is having to sit through a Timeshare Presentation.

For this edition of "From The Vault", we're going back to my conversation with Lisa Ann Schreier - aka "The Timeshare Crusader". Lisa spent over 20 years working in the Timeshare industry and has since moved on to become a consumer advocate, author, and blogger helping to keep people informed of some of the shady practices going on in the business.

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Jeff Does Vegas is an official Vegas.com affiliate!

Help support the podcast & get exclusive deals by booking your hotel stays, shows, attractions, tours, clubs and even complete vacation packages (including air & hotel) with our special link!

Only twice in recent history, has Las Vegas seen a so-called "shutdown" of the famed Vegas Strip.

In November 1963, casinos closed their doors for a National Day of Mourning following the assassination of then-US President John F. Kennedy. That closure lasted about 17 hours and even then, only a few casinos took part with several just shutting down their gaming areas for the duration of the funeral - about 3 hours.

The next shutdown would happen 57 years later...and last much MUCH longer.

Due to the rapid spread of the COVID-19 virus, Nevada Governor Steve Sisolak issued a directive ordering a month-long closure of all non-essential businesses as well as a freeze on all gaming & gambling, effective March 18, 2020. This essentially brought Las Vegas to a screeching halt.

Originally slated to last 30 days, the total shutdown lasted almost 90 days.

To say the effects of the closure were "devastating" for the people who live & work in Las Vegas would be the understatement of the century. And, due to ongoing restrictions & limitations, the effects are still being felt to this day - almost 10 months later.

Joining me for this episode of the podcast is C. Regi Rodgers, the Managing Partner & Director of Entertainment for Connoisseur Entertainment and Action Shot Productions. Regi & his partner, Stephen Cibo are behind a new documentary called "Closed For Business", which gets up close & personal with the people who've been hit hardest by COVID-19 in Las Vegas.

Regi & I chatted about the inspiration behind the production, some of the stories shared by people appearing in the documentary and much more.

Be sure to check out the trailer for "Closed For Business" and follow Regi & his team on Facebook, Twitter & Instagram.

And if you'd like to help get "Closed For Business" completed & released, become a backer on INDIEGOGO.

Needless to say, Las Vegas is going through some very weird times.

We're not really "post-COVID", in that COVID-19 is still "a thing" and a concern in Las Vegas & around the world. However, over the course of the last few months, Vegas has been slowly opening back up to tourists and, as great as it's been to see people going back, the re-opening hasn't been without "hiccups".

The biggest issue that seems to be facing Las Vegas as of late is an increase in crime on the Vegas Strip. There have been multiple reports of shootings, stabbings, fights - both inside & outside casinos - and the infamous "scooter gangs".

But is what's being portrayed in the media & online what's actually happening? And, does it really matter? After all, as the saying goes, "perception is reality" - and if people perceive Vegas as "unsafe", that's the reality in their minds and it's going to hurt tourism.

Since I'm still stuck in Canada & unable to get to Las Vegas, I wanted to talk to someone who's been the city recently and experienced what's going on in Vegas right now.

My guests for this episode are Dave & Michelle, the hosts of "We Work To Visit Vegas" on YouTube. The couple have been regular Vegas visitors for the past few years and have been posting videos since 2017.

I talked to them about the inspiration behind their decision to start vlogging and we chatted about what keeps bringing them back to Las Vegas. Most importantly though, I wanted to hear about their most recent trip to Las Vegas (at the end of September 2020) and how it differed from their previous trips.

Follow We Work To Visit Vegas on Twitter & Instagram and be sure to subscribe to their YouTube Channel.