1 cent slots

Aaah yachties, we will do pretty much anything for a free drink or meal. Although in a previous post I mentioned for the previous 2 weeks we have done 'more work, less play' – we of course did go out to play a few times if only to keep our sanity. One of these times took us to a wine tasting event set up by our friends on La Luna. Accompanied by home made appetisers a group of yachties met up at a wine warehouse. For $10 that bought us a glass and as much wine as we could take steered by the owner who was educating us on what we were drinking. Obviously the intention was for us to buy a crate at the end but Dylan and I just went along for the cheap wine. Around 10 of us sat on a wooden bench, outside a warehouse in the middle of a car park whilst we sipped away at his bordeauxs, merlots, cabernet sauvignons and chardonnays– a rather surreal experience. A rather civilised affair to start with listening intently to his explanations, we soon got stuck in to finding our favourites and devouring the appetisers during happy hour 4 – 7pm.

At 7pm, not wanting to go back to the boat just yet, word went round that there was free food and drinks going at a nearby casino. Not ones to turn down this type of opportunity we all got in our dinghies and formed a line speeding over to the Princess casino, headlamps on and navigating the numerous buoys littered around the lagoon, in the dark.

Upon arrival we were ushered into this plush room crammed with machines, roulette tables and bars. Luckily we had got out of our rust stained clothes we usually wear so didn't feel too out of place and it was here I had my first gambling experience (unless horse racing counts). Dylan entrusted me with $1 and some experienced ladies took me over to the 1 cent slot machines. I was then taught how to use the machine and make the dollar last for as long as possible until the food arrived. So there we were, a line of ladies betting 1c at a time, being provided with numerous potent g&ts from our very own waitress. The guys went off to observe the big boys at the roulette tables. At 9:30 the food arrives and we toddle off to find tonight is 'Italian night'. We piled our plates high with food and went back to a machine putting a further $1 in and being supplied with more drinks. As long as we were playing, we weren't paying!

After din dins, a singer came on accompanied by a grand piano. Whilst I was at the bar ordering some soft drinks and singing away with him, the singer comes up behind me and dares me to join him. Well I'm not one to back down on a dare so I take the mic and continue singing 'Everything I Do', my voice blaring out to the whole casino. I turn to find Dylan and see him and the rest of the party looking back at me open mouthed not believing I had the courage to do that.

Excitement over at around 11pm having spent $6 between us (big spenders!) we called it a night and we all swayed out of the casino and back to our dinghies where we had a 2 mile ride ahead of us. Great night made even better by the lack of money leaving our wallets.