What happens in Vegas.........? Is the following.

---

As far as birthdays go I must say strolling around casinos such as the Caesars Palace and the Bellagio without spending and losing a fortune was very cool.

An early bus from downtown LA got us to Vegas around midday and we were definitely not ready for the 42 degree plus heat that welcomed us, we soon jumped into a cab and made our way to Imperial Palace – our home for the next 5 nights.

After finally finding the check in counter and signing up to a royalty program just so we could check in early we finally found our room, and then a message from Dennis & Nicole to meet up that night for drinks.

Our catch up started with 2 for 1 cocktails over dinner as we caught up on the last 4 weeks since parting in Bangkok, the rest of the night was all about blowing money on blackjack, $1 spirits and beers and pokies. Our one and only catch up with the guys who were leaving the next day finished up around 2am.

Our first full day in Sin City involved a late sleep after the shenanigans from the previous night. We took a walk and checked out a couple of casinos and grabbed some lunch, mainly avoiding the heat before getting ready for our first pre-planned event for my birthday. We were headed to LV University to watch the American Olympic basketball team take on Dominican Republic in a warm up match.

After the match we decided to take the 30 minute walk back to the strip instead of take one of the 10-20 limos waiting in front of the stadium – exercise over luxury for us. A stop off at the slush bar for a 24oz Pina Colada slushy whilst we stuck a few bills in a machine before ending another day.

I woke up having turned 27 throughout the night and it just so happens to be Friday 13^th July. We didn’t have to much planned for the day but we knew a trip to the DMV was needed to discuss driving through this country, we found the bus and about 5km into the trip we realised we were heading east instead of west, we gave up that idea for today to grab lunch.

As far as birthdays go I must say strolling around casinos such as the Caesars Palace and the Bellagio without spending and losing a fortune was very cool, and although we didn’t win millions it was still a great birthday that I’m sure I will remember for years to come.

Saturday came around and we realised our Vegas adventure was coming to a close. We used up the morning heading the correct way up to the DMV to discuss driving, we were told as it would be a hire car we don’t need anything from them. So after 2 trips we achieved nothing with the DMV – We almost felt like locals. It was time for a drink and to get ready for tonight’s event, a boxing match involving an Australian Anthony Mundine up against a Yank.

The match was held at the Palm Springs Casino; about 10 minutes drive off the strip. It was a pretty small affair with plenty of Aussies in the crowd and the majority of the Americans going for our guy as well. Mundine is widely disliked in Australia, so for him to get the crowd behind him here we have to assume that the American fighter must be even more disliked by his own people.

The Aussie won and we were soon back to the hotel via a Fat Tuesdays for another delicious Pina Colada slushy and to think about what we would do from Monday onwards.

After much discussion over the past few days we decided to book a car for 28 days that would allow us a drop off in New York starting tomorrow, so with that sorted we took a walk right up to Circus Circus at the end of the strip, this was purely for me to get a photo here some 22 years after I was here watching the circus as a 5 year old.

Our last night was spent experiencing the Bellagio water show, a wonderful way to wrap up a great 5 nights here, we were none the richer and defiantly none the wiser, but we had survived Vegas on a budget.

Finally the day had arrived, and after around 4 months of catching public transport all over 5 countries we would be behind the wheel, although the wheel is on the wrong side of the car and the car is on the wrong side of the road – this could be interesting.

After checking my hair in the mirror and working out all the gadgets we set our trusty iphone map to Hoover Dam and off we went. We scored with a 2012 Ford Focus so the drive was very comfortable and before we knew it we were stopped at our first tourist site with out too much trouble.

The dam is quite a sight up close and definitely worth veering off our track to see this, saying that it didn’t take too long to walk over it and back before jumping in the car again and heading for our first night in Flagstaff.

---