The bus from Anaheim to Las Vegas took about 4.5 hours, the scenery was wonderful: desert, mountains (even some snow-capped ones!). About halfway we stopped in Barstow, a giant truck stop selling deep fried everything, plus the most tackiest kitschy souvenirs imaginable. Luckily the 20 minute break went fast!
Arriving in Las Vegas on St Patrick’s Day – plenty of people wearing green T-shirts, beads, and drinking copious amounts of alcohol on the street (public drinking seems to be quite acceptable here). There is a buzz in the air: fun, drinking, and more fun. Every street corner has mostly Mexican touts handing out photo cards for escorts/hookers. (We have quite a collection now: of cards, not hookers). The lights, the noise, the music, the video screens, the mix is intoxicating. We LOVE Las Vegas! We have seen Elvis, Rick James, and silver painted ‘statues’ that are actually real human beings. People watching is a lot of fun: couples young and old, young guys in groups, girls all dressed up with nowhere to go it seems. The casinos are packed with all kinds of people, pole dancers on stage, scantily clad waitresses. Most hotels have almost ‘hidden’ lobbies – mainly you walk through the casino to get to check-in. I have noticed a lack of seating in public areas- no lounges or chairs to relax in. I suppose they want you to be spending money (gambling or drinking).
After walking for over an hour (don’t believe the maps you get here), we gave up and waited for a bus to take us to an Outlet Mall, where we spent a lot of money, especially in the Billabong shop (with even regular prices being cheaper than in Australia, the discounts were great). Tonight we just walked around the Strip a little, enjoying the fountains at Bellagio show (fountains spurting to the music soundtrack). We have even enjoyed our free bottle of hard liquor at the hotel (one free bottle per day). Our room at Planet Hollywood looks trendy, is missing lightbulbs and the existing lightbulbs are so dim I thought it was my eyesight. Our window is tiny, but the bathroom is big with a nice big tub (which Mark is enjoying at the moment). However, today we went to Kim’s hotel (Wynn’s Encore) with a much nicer room, floor to ceiling windows and a great view of the city night lights. The Strip is so busy traffic-wise, 4 lanes either way. At most intersections there are pedestrian bridges to be able to cross the street.
So far, on our trip, I would give Disneyland 3/10 and Las Vegas, 10/10. We are booked on a Grand Canyon tour tomorrow, plane flight, helicopter flight, and a couple of hours inside the Grand Canyon National Park. Dinner tonight is the Wynn’s Buffet (it will be the only buffet I’m going to enjoy here as we are conscious of eating so much).
