Viva Las Vegas

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Our overnight flight from Hawaii got us into Los Angeles at about 06:30. I had been able to get a little bit of sleep, Sandra hardly any and Duncan slept like a baby. It was just as well I got some sleep as we had a big day ahead of us. We were going to explore LA and then drive to Las Vegas where we would be staying for 2 nights.

After picking up the rental car we headed over to Venice Beach to see the sea. With images of Baywatch running through our heads we arrived at a nearly deserted beach. We saw the famous lifeguard towers and Duncan dipped his toes into the pacific. The rest of the morning up until lunchtime was just a blur of sight-seeing. We went to Hollywood Boulevard to see the handprints and stars on the sidewalk. We also saw the Kodak Theatre, home of the Oscars, and the Hollywood sign. We then headed over to Griffith Park to try and get a closer view of the Hollywood sign. This was an exercise in futility as we got hopelessly lost in the maze of roads that run through the park and the Hollywood hills. From there it was over to Beverly Hills and Bel-Air to try some star spotting and gawk at the houses. By now we were getting tired and the thought of a 5hr drive to Vegas did not fill us with enthusiasm so we said farewell to the city of angels and hit the road for Sin city.

To say that the road from LA to Vegas is unimpressive or uninspiring would be a gross understatement. From the concrete jungle of LA and it’s freeways you quickly head out into the dry and barren southwest. Along the way you pass signs for places like “Death Valley” and Route 66, unfortunately these were not to be on our path. After an eternity we finally started getting a glimpse of Vegas and its famous “Strip”. We were staying at the Mirage and arrived a little after 4pm. We checked in along with the other masses of fortune and thrill seekers and quickly settled into our room. The hotels in Vegas are unlike most hotels around the world, here each hotel is a resort within itself with anything you could think of being available to you, shows, restaurants, gambling, shopping, swimming pools, you name it and they can get it for you. Our original plan had been to sleep for an hour and then go exploring but we all felt reasonably fine so started right away. The main sights for tourists to see in Vegas are contained on 1 road - Las Vegas Boulevard - more affectionately known as the Strip. The thought of everything being on 1 road sounds great but it gives the false impression that everything is quite close together when in fact it is about 4.4 miles (7km) from the Mandalay Bay hotel at the top to the Stratosphere at the bottom. Through in the amount of walking you do inside the casinos and a leisurely stroll soon becomes a good old fashioned workout. We worked out that in the 2 days we were in Vegas we walked about 14km each day, and trust me by the end of the day we felt it.

On our first evening in Vegas we explored from the Bellagio down to the Stratosphere and back up the other side. We stopped at Ceasers Palace to go to the Cheesecake Factory Shop for dinner. Sandra had a salad that could feed a cast of thousands it was that large and Duncan and I had pasta which themselves were no small portions. For pudding we shared an “Original” cheesecake and thoroughly enjoyed it, I would highly recommend it. With our leftovers securely packed and an extra cheesecake ordered to take-away for the following night we left full but satisfied. When we excited Ceasers Palace it had turned dark and this is when Vegas really comes to life. All the neon lights are on, the volume seems to be turned up and the city buzzes with excitement. We were able to catch 1 of the Bellagio’s famous fountain shows but the rest of the outdoor shows were cancelled due to the weather (it was a bit breezy). The highlights of that evenings sightseeing were the Bellagio and it’s opulence (10ft chocolate fountains), Ceasars for it’s extravagance, the Stratosphere for the sheer absurdity of itself and finally the Mirage for its wonderful, welcoming beds. We finally got back in and showered by about 1am, we were shattered.

The next morning was an early start so that we could hit the buffet breakfast hard. Buffet’s here are an experience unlike no other. Virtually anything you want for breakfast is available. Personal favourites were the pizza, freshly made to order omelettes and the roast ham. The waffles, pancakes, doughnuts and croissants were also pretty good. By the time we rolled out of breakfast we felt like going straight back to bed but had some shopping to do. We needed to stock up on some supplies for camping so headed to a REI store and picked up some sleeping bags, mats, cookers and some additional warm clothing for the expected cold weather we have ahead of us. We then headed over to an outlet village for some more shopping. Fortunately we had no need for lunch as we were still quite full. That afternoon and evening we explored from the Bellagio up to Mandalay Bay. By now the hotels were starting to appear similar (inside) as a casino is still a casino. For supper we had our previous night’s leftovers with the addition of a chocolate cheesecake. We also tried our luck on the slot machines and as a team we ended up taking the casinos for about $15, we had struck it lucky. We watched a couple more of the fountain shows and also the Mirages’ Volcano erupting which is also quite spectacular. That night we got back to our room about midnight, thoroughly exhausted with thoughts of our next days adventures running through our minds. We would be sad to say goodbye to Vegas, hopefully it wont be the last time we are here, but we still have 1 more buffet breakfast to have and then we will be in the Grand Canyon - Yippee.

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Comments

[Duncan Wicht]

Studs
Wow thank you for a wonderful time, 2 studs haha i like that

[hayleybruton]

Ok could barely look at these photos out of pure jealously! Aah the fountains....and the cheesecake factory!! Such great food there :) I like you saying you are going back cos i am coming with you before my visa expires! hurry home so we can plan our next visit..new york and las vegas baby!

[mom]

Hello thanks you describe it so well. Your photos are lovely.