It had to happen. After years of visiting Las Vegas and renting a car, this time I didn't. That meant taking a taxi.

Right off the bat, I made a rookie mistake. I walked up to the No. 2 slot without going through the taxi major domo in the kiosk at Terminal 2 of McCarran Airport. I had just followed the guys at the No. 1 slot and stationed myself at No.2 when the taxi guy ran up to me and said something like 'you have to go through me first'. By now, a lineup had formed and I had to go back to the end of the line. Ok, so I didn't know the process.

When I did get a driver and after I mentioned my hotel, he asked me if I didn't mind going the freeway route as there would be heavy traffic on the strip. He also asked if I needed a receipt. I didn't really care as I had gone 24 hours without sleep but I should have cared.

It was 9am. What kind of traffic would there be? The freeway route ended up costing me $29. The return trip back to the airport 4 days later costed me $17. Granted, there were no cars at 8pm.

And I should have said yes to the receipt. It would have been proof of a longer than necessary route.

So bottom line is say no to the freeway route and yes to a receipt.