Elliott and Simone's World Tour: Las Vegas

Hi there from Sin City,

Next stop in the USA was the entertainment capital of the world – Las Vegas. We arrived on the usual mode of transport (Greyhound), took a walk through the old Vegas strip (The Fremont experience) and got the deuce (a bus we got to know a lot better). After sorting our hostel out we went to the shop to buy some stuff for our stay. We had dinner and headed straight out on the strip for a bit of sinful activities. We took the deuce down to the recommended Treasure Island, got off and went inside our first Vegas casino. We just started out lightly on the cheap slots – looking for our first free drinks. After playing a few slots costing no more than $2 between us we got some drinks ordered (JD/coke and vodka/lemonade)and then Simone went earned 17$ from the slots. So we cashed up and left hopefully catching the Treasure Island show. But we found out that it had been canceled. In fact we went to this show 3 times more to watch it but each time the wind ws too strong for the actors to play the outdoor show. Total shame as we had been told by various people that this show was the best free show to see on the strip. Not too worry we forgot about it soon enough once we had found some nice cheap/fun gambling in Casino Royal (Roulette). After playing for a while we cashed in even and moved on to another cheap casino. The next one was Bills – there I won $70 take home (well actually was more than that up but bet it stupidly – was fun though :) ). Simone left the evening $20 up I think, so on the whole good night had by all. Together we must have polished off a good 8 drinks each including some lovely cocktails – result – free drinks and up on money.

Early the next morning we got up and ready for our first day tour in the US and what a tour to get up to – the Grand Canyon, Hoover dam and Route 66. After collecting all the day trippers from their fancy resorts/casinos we left for the first of 2, 4 hour journeys. Within an hour and half we got to the Hoover dam. Wow-a-wee-a, a pretty big dam for sure, much bigger than I expected, what a marvellous piece of engineering. We stopped for lunch on route 66 – which was awesome, one of the best sangers I have ever tasted (so many fillings/flavours). Finally we got there at around 2pm and got 2 hours to walk to the pick up point some 4km along the Grand Canyon. In our group there were 3 Aussies, a crazy Spanish girl called Marta and the 2 of us. Mitch and I made a pact to walk up to the edge with our heads down so to get the full impact of the splendour and what a splendour it was. Absolutely unreal looking out over the top of it all, I can see why they call it one of the natural wonders of the world. We took our time walking along the ridge edge, enjoying every view of the wonder. We were all having photos of each other and the canyon and then the crazy Spaniard thought it would be good to get a photo pose right on the edge of canyon, doing some dancing and yoga standing on one foot while lifting the other foot up to her head (crazy, as we had all been told people die falling off every month). On the way to the pick up point it started snowing, it gradually got worse as we continued and by the end you couldn’t see the canyon properly so we got there just at the right time. After reaching the pick up point a little early than arranged, we decided to buy some hot chocolate to warm us up – lovely!! The journey back went quickly because both Simone and I were really tired from the night before, so we slept most of the way.

Upon arriving back into Vegas we (the group) had decided to go out on the strip together (even though Marta wouldn’t gamble – silly, in Vegas and not gambling, you got to gamble if of age and you are in Vegas – surely). Not too worry we all had a quality night even if I did lose $60 on the night, the free drinks and good times had made up for it.

Waking up a little later the next day we made our way to the famous Las Vegas sign at the very far end of the strip, took some photos then started making our way back walking down the strip. We met up with the Aussie blokes who we had spent time day before. We made a few stops off at the casinos to check out the live lion environment in the MGM grand and the flamingo garden at the Flamingo. By this time we were getting pretty hungry so we headed to the Fremont Experience for a quality burger and fries, Yankee style. Later that evening we (the group) all went out again back out on the strip to gamble some money, drink some free drinks, bet on the infamous BLACK 22 on roulette (which it didn’t come in) and generally have a good ol’ time. I learnt how to play craps, which was so fun, I didn’t realise what all the commotion was about. Every time I was playing other games I heard so much shouting over the game of craps. After playing the game myself for a while and learning the ins-and-outs I came to realise why it was so brilliant. Everyone is playing together in the game; it’s the people versus house, with the other games it’s everyone for him/herself. But everyone cheers when everyone wins B). Eventually after much gambling/drinking/fun we left $20 down. Which shouldn’t have been the case, the last bet I made should have included $5 bet on 0/00. I normally bet on loads of stuff and 0/00 always, but I only $5 chips left and thought it would be too much. Turned out totally wrong and should have won a tidy 85 bucks. Not too worry Simone and I still had a very good time in Vegas and we are sure to return not too far in to the distant future. Overall I only lost a whopping 10 bucks!! Not bad I’d say.

Below some of the hotels/casinos and the extent they go to, to bring in the gamblers: