We had an early start today – meeting for breakfast in LA overlooking the Marina and the Queen Mary Ship. Another buffet style breakfast and another impressive destruction of the buffet – we tend to eat for two meals when we breakfast so we don’t have to/can’t do lunch! Value for money you see.
We then headed out to Vegas on the last part of our road trip. It was like the Cannonball run as we hot footed it through LA and out into the dessert bound for Vegas. The driving was focussed, Scatty Nav was behaving for a change and progress was good. The scenery was stunning – huge swathes of open dessert interspersed with arid mountains shimmering in the 100F heat.
We stopped for a leg stretch, coffee and toilet stop in a town literally in the middle of nowhere. The heat hit us as we got out the car – we had left LA in 72F heat and here it was 102F – oppressive but nice. The choice of refreshment was shall we say limited – Rednecks BBQ – (It’s Guaranteed Greasy was their logo) or Area 51 Alien Fresh Jerky UFO Stop – albeit with crashed UFO and Alien Family outside!
Next stop Vegas! I was so excited and could not wait to see what lay in wait.
It could be said that Las Vegas represents extreme consumption on an apocalyptic scale, fed by the parasitic economic power houses of the corporate classes who are bleeding dry the innocent consumers hooked on the promise of false riches and taking them for every sub-prime dollar they don’t possess...well WE say it’s a great fun place to be and let’s get it on and do VEGAS, VEGAS style!!
We checked into the MGM Signature Hotel - wow what a stunning hotel. The room was amazing – Jacuzzi Bath and a balcony view overlooking the strip. I was like an excited little boy exploring my new home. Even the toilet had a phone and the bathroom had a TV!!
We chilled out by the pool and sunbathed in the afternoon – a highlight being a nice chilled beer in the outdoor spa which was so hot.
We had some of our Napa wine in Peter and Sonya's room before heading out for a pre-dinner cocktail – always a good way to start an evening! Sonya had a blood red orange margarita cocktail that was so strong it was like fire water! Peter and I had Berry Mojitos which were divine.
Then we hit the strip – I was open mouthed as we walked from Casino to Casino at the sheer scale of the place – shimmering Sky Scrapers promising untold riches to those that played their games. The streets were pulsating with people racing from Casino to Casino, shop to shop, restaurant to restaurant. I was stunned, even though I had been warned about how big it was. We saw some fantastic sights – New York New York, Paris, Caesars Palace, The Bellagio, Planet Hollywood all lit up in their neon wonderfullness.
Unfortunately Sonya took a fall in New York’s on a water spillage in the toilets – this resulted in a full 911 situation as they called the Paramedics, who raced in with stretcher – she had banged her wrist – painful as it was a stretcher was not needed!! Sonya was checked out and although in a lot of pain, it being both bruised and swollen she soldiered on and my tour of Vegas at night continued. It takes more than that to stop Sonya when in Vegas!
We saw a stunning light and fountain show set to music outside The Bellagio – even if the music it was set to was Celine Dion!!
Our first “gambling” was in Caesars Palace where we all came out dollars up so a good start. The free beer they supply when you are on the slots was an added bonus – you just had to give the hostesses a tip so a bottle of $7 Bud cost you a $2 tip plus whatever good cash you were throwing down the neck of a fruit machine!!
Dinner was at midnight in Caesars Palace although we did eat 21st century American! We then walked back up to the strip to our hotel – getting in at a record breaking 02:15. Our latest night out yet. Collective feet and legs were aching as a result so bed was urgently required. I took advantage of the amazing room facilities and had a Jacuzzi in my bathroom in a bath big enough to swim in...well almost! Top tip - don't use bubble bath in Jacozzi bath - I had foam 3 feet deep on top of my bubbling bath!
